Crystal Kingdoms • Book 1 Of The Crystal Trilogy | ✔️

-| 24 / campfire and apples |-

"You what? Where is she? What did you do with her?", Caroline shot up from the bed at the sound of what had really happened to her cousin.

"I didn't kill her, if that's what you're asking! Cheryl hasn't seen her ever since, though. Not that I knew of, anyway...", Lux bit her lip.

"Do you even know where she is?"

"Of course I do! I didn't just kidnap an infant and leave it in the woods for the wolves to feast upon! I'm not that heartless. My soul isn't that dark."

"Then where is she? What the hell happened to her?"

"Don't worry about that, I left her with someone I trust.", Lux snorted.

"Right...", Caroline said in disbelief.

"That's not the point!"

"Yeah, the fact that you kidnapped my cousin when she was a baby and left her with someone you trust isn't the point here. By all means, tell me more about your ex.", Caroline said sarcastically, crossing her arms and glaring at Lux, who didn't miss the chance to give her a death glare.

"Of course I'll go back to talking about Benny. Benny is dead, your cousin isn't."

"You still love him, don't you?"

"How did you figure?", Lux rolled her eyes.

"I know a thing or two about being hung up on dead exes.", Caroline looked away.

"Ouch.", Lux cringed. "Aren't you a little young to have a dead ex?"

"Tell that to whoever murdered Faith.", Caroline grumbled, blinking back tears. "Anyway, why did you and Benny break up?"

Lux sighed at that. "Well... Things were heating up between your father and your uncle at the palace. Benny didn't want to get caught up in that kind of drama and he was right. He told me we should run away from it all, but I thought that my hatred for Cheryl was more than my love  for him. I stayed behind to get back at her. When I realised I should have left with Benny, it was too late. I'd already made a deal with your father.", she said bitterly.

"What kind of deal?"

"You sure know how to ask a lot of questions.", Lux glared at her again.

"Yeah, but they're usually the right ones.", Caroline shrugged.

"Alastor offered something I'd wanted for a long time; the chance to get back at your aunt and show her who the real boss was. She might have been in line to be queen because Dan fell for her, but I wasn't going to bow to her. He was going to mask everything under a greater cause so that people wouldn't realise that everything happened because he got friendzoned."

"Wait, what?", Caroline asked, tilting her head in surprise and confusion.

"Oh, come on! Isn't it obvious? Your dad had a thing for your aunt and got mad because she was into his twin brother. What did you think their fight was about? Alastor couldn't handle not getting what he wanted. I have to give it to Cheryl, though; she might not be a powerful witch but she can throw a really good punch when needed."

"Dad had a thing for Cheryl?!"

"Um, duh? Trust me, one of the little things that can get in the middle of great friendships and siblings are girlfriends and boyfriends. Cheryl tore them apart for good.", Lux sighed, but failed to conceal a smirk.

"This is messed up..."

"Yeah... The friendzone is a dark place. It can make people do crazy things. Your father is a live example.", Lux shook her head in disappointment. "Anyway, I'll leave you to process all that new information."