Half Mad (Sequel to Half Bad)

Chapter 23

"There will always be poor people just as there will always be rich ones. There will always be strong witches just as there will always be weak ones. Not everyone is willing to see past differences in appearances. You will find that out the hard one." Her lips curved into a smirk.

Leah set back her shoulders, hid her worry well, her voice firm. "If you wish to frighten me, Madam Cecilia, you have failed. You have only provoked more hatred in this community, and I cannot allow that to happen. You are wrong about people. It may not happen in this lifetime, but justice will always find it's way to the top."

Cecilia made a tsk-tsk noise with her tongue. "Forever naive. Such a shame."

Just as quickly as it stopped, the fight began again. The rest of the rebels tore off their hoods, drew their swords, prepared for a battle. They made the first movements of attack, their satisfaction lying in the whoosh of their swords as they impaled and decapitated innocent bystanders.

Rose put her back to mine, ready to fight just as I was. It would take getting used to knowing that she was just as strong as I was, if not more so. Which I already knew, already sensed. Rose was brave and strong in every sense of the definitions. She could stand her ground just as any other man or woman could. She was frail, but invincible.

I enjoyed protecting her, though. Even if the situations do become redundant over time, I would always be there. Protecting her. Fighting for her. Even if she could protect and fight for herself. It was in my nature to be her guardian, and it was an obligation I had no problem complying with.

We somehow separated, just the slightest bit while in the midst of the action. Four men came at me from every angle, making the ordeal increasingly difficult but still hardly anything. I've taken on an army almost by myself before. I've been abused, caged, defeated, and yet miraculously always managed to be the winner.

Leah was right—justice always found a way to overpower all other forces working against it.

An ear-piercing whistle brought my attention away from the four men now lying on the floor, more or less unconscious rather than dead. I looked up, exhausted of the whole game and of being Cecilia's pawns no matter what. For God's sake, she was supposed to be locked up in an highly secured institution.

...is that what it felt like for her when I always succeeded in escaping?

No matter. She deserved the punishment whereas I did not.

"Over here, Harry!" Cecilia's voice sent anger racing through my veins.

But then the blood pumping nearly stopped altogether.

A long dagger pressed against Rose's throat, already drawing blood with none other than Cecilia's hand behind the horrific actions.

"It's over," she sneered, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Look around, Harry. You and your precious gang have finally lost."

I didn't want to, but I did. I looked around and regretted it.

Daniel, Aiden, Jessie—all on their knees with swords daring to slice off their heads.

Leah—my mother—bleeding out on the stage beside the podium. They hadn't even saved her for show, merely took her away.

The air suddenly fled from my lungs and my legs threatened to buckle beneath me. I hadn't even known her an entire two days, and just like that—gone. And just like that—all my loved ones soon to join her. There was no way I would have time to save them all.

Save one, the rest die.

Save none, they all die.

"Now." Cecilia was grinning again in that disgusting way. "You give me back this palace, and I may let all of you go. By that, I mean back to the madhouse. Perhaps that's worse than death, perhaps it isn't. So choose." She laughed some. "All of you die now or all of you slowly succumb to insanity and then die."