Last Voyages

Chapter 12

"My strength is an illusion." -Harry

Isabella's POV:

I stared in shock at Harry as he looked down at my daughter with an almost loving expression on his face, one that I haven't seen in a long time. A moment passes before he blinks, dropping his hand and standing up, a stony expression coming on his face.

"You lied." he says to Layla but she shakes her head, a smile coming to her face. "I didn't lie a single time. My mother works at the castle and I've observed her more than she knows." she says and I stare at her confused.

"Wait, you knew?" I ask her and she smiles. "Momma, you didn't hide it too well." she confesses and my mouth drops open a little in surprise. "I just needed a face to go with it. I fell into the barrel of powder on accident, but it was a happy accident! I met Daddy!" she cheers and fear comes up in my stomach.

But before I can ask what all happened, Harry spoke up, glaring down at Layla. 

"Then how did you know her weakness? What is it?" he asks and Layla puts her hands behind her back, giving her father an innocent smile. "Me." she answers and Harry looks at her gobsmacked, his eyes wide as he stares down at the child.

"Momma will do anything to keep me safe. I knew that." she explains and my eyes widen as well, figuring out what they were talking about. Did my daughter just con her father??? 

Harry brought a hand to his mouth, beginning to laugh. He bent over, laughing hard as both Layla and I stared at him confused, and for some reason I didn't feel like it was a happy laugh coming from him.

"This is too perfect." he cackles, his hand on his forehead as he stands up straight, a deranged smile on his face as he chuckled. 

"Bella!!" 

I turned at the sound of my name, seeing a frantic Shayla running towards me and I tensed up. Was it really okay for her to see Harry right now? "Have you found her?" she asks as she comes up and I nod, motioning behind me and her eyes follow, shock and anger coming on her face.

"He had her?" she asks and I nod. "Apparently my daughter set this up." I murmur, turning back around to face Harry, who didn't seem to notice Shayla had joined us. He pushed his hair away from his face, grinning down at his daughter.

"You held up your end of the deal, now I shall hold up mine." he says darkly and I see Layla's eyes widen, and before I can even react, Harry has his sword out, grabbing Layla and tugging her towards him, his arm tightening around her waist as his sword goes to her throat, facing me with a daring smile.

I stare at him in horror, Shayla taking in a deep breath as he now eyed both of us, Layla looking a little terrified as she stared out at me. "Mommy." she whispers and my heart clenches and I take a step forward, but Harry moves the sword closer to her neck and I freeze, staring at him.

"You wouldn't." I say and he grins. "If she is indeed your weakness, this is my way of tying up loose ends, just as she suggested I do. I'm sure she had different intentions, but this is my move. You would do anything to keep her safe, correct? But what will you do now?" he taunts me and Shayla takes a step forward but I stick my hand out, stopping her.

"You're still here?" Harry asks her bored and she huffs. "Where else would I be?" she snaps back and a grin comes to his face. We stay at a standstill for a moment before he chuckles.

"You haven't changed a bit. You still have no idea how to handle the big choices. What's it going to be this time Bella? What can you offer me so that I don't kill her?" he sneers and I grit my teeth together, anger building up inside me before I glance to the side, an idea coming to my mind.