Blood and Roses

Chapter 11

Rosalia

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"You have to understand," Kane said, still holding me at gunpoint. "I did trust you."

"You," I spat. "I should've killed you when I had the chance."

"Mom?" Stella said, hugging her spell book to her chest.

"Oh, son of a bitch," Wren said.

"Bastard," Tami grumbled under her breath.

"It wouldn't have mattered," Kane said. "I would've come back. She was raising an army."

"You of all people should have known not to listen to her empty promises," I said. "She's a sadist, Kane. She almost killed our grandfather."

"He deserved it," Kane said.

"He was our blood."

"Like I care," Kane said, his finger twitching on the trigger.

I pounced on my opening. Slamming my hand into his stomach, I ducked the gunfire whilst prying Kane's fingers off the gun. My blow knocked him off balance.

"You forgot the code," I said, pointing the gun at his head. "Never hesitate."

"You wouldn't pull the trigger."

"You underestimate me," I said, firing the gun.

Stella

I didn't know what to expect. Maybe Mom would convince Kane to put down the gun and we'd all walk away intact. Not Mom pulling the trigger and Kane grabbing his shoulder, blood covering his hands.

"I told her...you wouldn't..."

Mom spun the gun around her finger, "Big surprise."

"Oh, well," Kane sighed. "You'll get what you deserve soon enough."

"Soon enough?" I said, turning to Mom in concern.

"I'm fine," she said with a sly grin. "If I was that easy to kill, I would've died a long time ago."

But was that doubt on her face?

"You know what she's done," Kane said. "She'll destroy it."

Mom turned pale for a moment, but she forced a brave face and a defiant stance, "She doesn't have the guts."

"Mom," I said, later on, coming into the King and Queen's suite. Mom sat on the couch, a pile of papers spread on the table in front of her. For once, she wasn't wearing one of those gaudy dresses. Instead she sat cross legged, wearing a pair of black pants and a black cropped top. Half her hair was pinned up in a high bun on top of her head, the other half hanging loose. A pendant was around her neck, a sun charm hanging from the chain.

"What was Kane talking about?"

"Nothing," Mom said, clicking her tongue against her teeth. Judging by the metallic sound, she had a tongue piercing.

"You're lying," I said. "How is lying going to help you?"

"Stella..."

"Tell me the truth. I'm sick and tired of people lying to me all the time."

"Fine," Mom said, turning her ring around her finger. "You'll want to sit down for this."

So I did, sitting down on the floor.