Fallen From Grace | BOOK 1 ✔️

Chapter Twenty-One

Christophe's P.O.V

"What you are doing is treacherous! If you have any fear for your life, you would stop this immediately! This is folly! Cassius is your cousin! He is your blood!" I hear the auburn haired woman yell till her voice grows hoarse. It causes the sides of my mouth to upturn into a grin.

She tries to lunge at me, but I push her back into her chair before any of my men can do serious harm to her. After all, she is no young she-wolf any longer. I must treat her with some delicacy.

"You cannot do this, Christophe!" Tears begin to brim from her eyes as her voice breaks under my cold gaze. It matters little to me the blood my cousin and I share. He never meant anything to me. After all, he was nothing more than a replacement for me.

I suck on my teeth before my gaze on her intensifies. She is a shrewd and shallow woman, that she is. All of her cunning and trickery had lead to my father's death and her place sealed on the throne beside my uncle.

"He is my son!" she cries out which only incites more of my anger.

"I am your son as well! Or have you forgotten, dear Mother? Yet, you do not hold me in the same regard as the Mighty Cassius!"

"Is this what this is all about? If it is, then let us reconcile. You do not need to do this. Cassius will never forgive you. Stevens...Stevens will never forgive you." The drops of water slowly begins to trickle down her saddened face. She is pleading for the inevitable. I will not relent. Not until he lies beneath my feet.

"Forgiveness is not what I want, stupid wench. I want what is mine, what was promised to me!" I spit with so much anger I even surprised myself.

"You were never meant to be conceived. You were born from unwanted love. That is why you have no right to the throne!"

"Enough, woman. Keep her locked up here. Make sure to treat her well. We cannot let my dear cousin know what I have done and what I plan on doing." He bows and takes my mother by the arm dragging her into the next room as she screams and wails.

The time has come. There is nothing in this world or the next that will ever convince me otherwise. I walk out the room with a smirk trying to hold in a bout of laughter.

"How could this have been so easy?" I murmur to myself while the laughter began to surface from my throat and out my mouth.

"If it was not for me risking my life, you would have nothing right now." Her voice pervades my ears causing me to roll my eyes.

"Ah yes, a simple eavesdropping makes you the hero of the hour."

"You wed me to him! I had to agree to a farce marriage because of your wretched plans. For a moment, I had half of mind to disclose this ridiculous plan of yours to him." Her green eyes peer into mine with so much resolve I had to give her a small smile.

"My dear Cecilia, do not feel bitter now. What you did was for the good of the kingdom that you and I shall have." My arm wraps around her thin figure as my lips brush lightly against her cheek. "You made a fine choice, indeed."

"Promise me you won't harm him in any way. He was very kind to me, even when he caught me. I could have been executed Christophe. Yet, he still spared my life."

"His mistake is my gain." I kiss her cheek as her mood only begins to sour. "It is too late to show actual human decency now, don't you believe? Do not try to act like something you no longer are."

Her eyes begin to water as she bites down on her lip to stop herself from shedding any useless tears. I can care less what she decides to do now. Her role has already expired.