10: Threats and Secrets

HERA

Heads turned.

There were the elders in the room, their faces startled and confused as they stared at me, but I ignored them all. My eyes were locked on Atticus, who stood at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.

“What the hell is this?” Elder Ayo growled, rising from his seat, but I didn’t spare him a glance.

I stormed toward Atticus, my body trembling with rage.

“You!” I spat, my voice echoing through the large chamber. “What the hell have you done?” I snapped at him.

Atticus’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained calm, his gaze steady.

“If you have manners, you'd know that this isn't…”

“I don’t care!” I cut him off, my voice shaking. “You think you can just strip me of my powers, have me beaten, and throw me into some maid’s uniform like I’m nothing?”

The room fell silent, the elders exchanging shocked glances, but I didn’t care. I was beyond caring. All that mattered now was the man standing in front of me.

Kai, his beta started to make his way toward me but Atticus raised his hand, stopping him mid way as he stared at me, his jaw tight, his eyes darkening.

“You will watch your tone,” he said quietly, but there was an edge to his voice, a warning. I took a step closer, my chest heaving with fury.

“You think I’m afraid of you?” I growled. “You think you can break me? You and your bitch, Lilith?”

He raised an eyebrow at the mention of Lilith’s name, but didn’t speak.

“I’m not some weakling you can throw around,” I continued, my voice trembling. “I’m not going to let you or anyone else control me.”

The tension in the room was suffocating, the elders clearly uncomfortable, but Atticus stood his ground, his eyes locked on mine.

“You’re in no position to make demands,” he said coldly. “You will do as you’re told, or you’ll find out just how much worse things can get.”

I glared at him.

"Don’t embarrass yourself, Hera,” his tone was dismissive. “You’ve already done enough of that."

The casual dismissal in his tone only fueled my anger.

What an asshole!

"This isn’t over," I said, my voice low and sharp. "You think you can play your little games, but you’ll regret this."

Atticus’ gaze darkened, but he remained infuriatingly composed.

"If you don’t want me to get rid of your tongue, I suggest you stop speaking to me like that,” he said darkly. “You have a new duty now, and I suggest you get started before things get even worse for you." He ordered.

"You’ll regret underestimating me." I promised him

Atticus looked past me, his eyes flicking toward the guards by the door.

"Take her away."

One of the guards immediately stepped forward, his large hand grabbing my arm roughly. I yanked against his grip, my body tensing with anger.

"Don’t touch me!" I spat, but the guard’s grip only tightened, pulling me back toward the door. I glared at Atticus.

“This isn’t over,” I growled at him.

Atticus barely spared me a glance, his eyes cold and distant as if I were nothing more than an annoyance, a mere obstacle in his perfectly controlled world.

"You’ve wasted enough of my time," he said dismissively, his voice cold. "Get started with your new duty, or you’ll see just how much worse things can get."

Murmurs filled the room as the elders watched me be thrown out. It was embarrassing. The guard dragged me out of the room, the heavy doors slamming shut behind us.

I wasn’t done with him. Not by a long shot.

****

As I paced the hallways, trying to make sense of what had just happened, my mind raced with possible next moves. I wasn’t the type to submit, and I wasn’t about to start now, but without my powers, I was at a disadvantage. I had to think, strategize, and figure out how to get out of this mess.

I hadn’t gone far when I heard soft footsteps behind me. It was Agatha. I remembered her from the first day. She was the only one that had been nice to me.

"Hi," her tone was almost hesitant and she glanced around before stepping closer. "Hmm, I’m sorry this is happening to you.”

I ignored her. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone else, especially someone from this palace.

“I know you're annoyed and all that but Lilith… She really liked Rachel. They were like 5 and 6. And now that the person who's presumed to be responsible for her death is living in the palace, I’m sure she'd do everything to make your life a living hell. Just obey her and it won't be as bad as this.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. Is she joking?

"You think I should just obey her?” I scoffed, “do you even know who I am?”

“Who you were outside the palace? Yes, I do but you're here now, in the palace where she rules and there’s the rumor that the Alpha took your powers so it’s just…”

“Leave,” I spat out, my anger building within me. It wasn't at her, it was at Lilith and Atticus, at what they were doing to me.

"I will but you know, rebelling against Lilith won't solve anything. Maybe you should just obey blindly for now while plotting how to get back at her.”

With that, she turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving me standing there, alone and angry. Her words stayed with me, maybe you should just obey blindly for now while plotting how to get back at her. She was right, I wasn't going to achieve anything by getting myself beaten up.

So I got to work; sweeping and mopping like a common maid—it was humiliating, but I wouldn’t let it break me. Not when there were bigger things at play.

As I moved through the halls, mopping the marble floors, I came across a door. It was locked, but something about it drew me in. There was a strange energy radiating from it; it was the same energy I felt during the Tanzu ritual. Whoever and whatever helped me was behind this door.

I stepped closer, pressing my palm against the cool wood.

And I felt it. The sharp surge of power coursed through my veins.

Someone with black powers, the same kind that Atticus hated, was living in his palace. And the door was locked, completely locked that the frames didn't even move when I tried to open it.

"You don’t listen very well, do you?"

Atticus.

His presence filled the hallway before I even turned around to look at him. his expression was unreadable, but his eyes narrowed as they landed on me standing in front of the door.

His voice was low, a dangerous edge beneath the calmness.

"What’s in there?" I asked, refusing to show any sign of me backing down. His gaze hardened, and he took a step closer, looming over me.

"It’s none of your concern,” he spat back. “Don’t get curious about things that don’t involve you."

"Everything in this palace involves me now. It involves me more because the energy coming from this room is that if black magic, the same one that you hate. So tell me, my beloved mate, what do you have behind this door?”

His eyes narrowed and the next thing, he was slamming me against the door with his hand wrapped around my neck. He was angry. His eyes were blazing figurative fumes.

"Do yourself a favor and drop it, Hera,” he said, leaving no room for arguments. “Don’t go around digging your grave because of something that doesn't concern you.”

He dropped my neck then and he walked away. The threat in his voice was final and yet, I wondered what was in the room. Maybe it was something I could hold over his head and get him to undo whatever he did to my powers.

That made me curious. That made me want to open the door.

That made me conclude to come back and open the door.

I took one long look at the door before walking away. As I walked away, I heard it, deriding laughter, echoing in my mind like a mocking whisper.

I glanced back at the door one last time, a knot of unease forming in my stomach. Whatever was behind it, it was immensely powerful.

Now, I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.