CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 'I'm sorry Xenia'

On the high table in the valley's court, the seven keepers of the valley sat, arguing and agreeing with separate notions.

Lily was so pissed, that she slammed her fist on the table, staring at each and every one of the sisters with piercing blue eyes.

“So what you all say is Violet should be freed even though she might have a hand in the queen's DEMISE?!”

Alex flinched, staring at the rage in Lilly's blue eyes. 

“She's your daughter, lilly. Even today's her birthday and she's spending it in the cell!”

“Lilly, what makes you hate Violet so much? Today's her sixteenth birthday, there's no way she had anything to do with the late queen death. You know damn well she's closer to Thea than her own daughter!” Bashiru said.

“Exactly. Or do you think Violet is a heartless freak because of her unique hair and eyes colour.”

Lilly eyes twitched and she sat back on her chair, muttering in a tone tone, “That has nothing to do with this case.”

Gabriel scoffed, “I second Lilly's opinion. Her daughter did call the murderer her friend.”

“Gabriel!” Alex mouthed, “She's a child with a good soul, it's easy to have been manipulated by a bad man.”

“So you do admit she could've had a hand in the late queen's death?”

Alex sighed, “That's not what I —”

“—Our spies reported that Violet became a killer in keitan killer association to free Lilly. If I were Violet, i'd take someone else life to save my mother. That's what a good daughter would do, wouldn't it?”

The other keepers agreed and the decision was made.

Violet would undergo severe punishment to make up for her sin and Princess Dinah, the biological daughter of the late queen would descend the throne.

It was a done deal.

**

The coronation took place with immediate effect at midnight when the moon was full and the wind, heavy.

The burial of the Queen Thea had been done the previous but the wind still held the tale of the body being set on furnace by the river.

Dinah was dressed in a beautiful blood red dress that had a cut from her hip right to her feet. She look glamourous with jewellery and moon painting on her face and body.  

As she walked, the cuffs on her ankles dangled and she had a dangerous yet etheral look on her small face.

Her hair danced in the wind in splendor as the sisters dressed in white dresses danced around her, spraying rose petals on her as she approached the alter dedicated to their gods and ancestors.

As she reached the front of the carved images she smiled, grabbing the small knife on the altar— The same one used by the previous queens.

She slit the skin on her palm and hummed as it formed with blood. She let the blood drop on the bowl situated in front of the gods. Then she pressed the remaining blood on her forehead.

The crowd started beating and Dinah started moving like a statue, wiggling her hips everywhere along to the beat of the drum. She slowly turned away from the altar and to the seven keepers. Lilly had in her hand. The crown and bead of authority.

Dinah danced towards the keepers as though possessed and when she got in front of Lilly, she stopped, gazing directly into her eyes.

Lilly clutched the crown with both hands and carefully placed the brown on top of her forehead.

Then she used magic to make the bead carve itself into Dinah's forehead. 

Dinah grinned and the night took another turn as she gulped some wine and danced, letting the moon energy bless her as queen.

***

When Violet woke up, she remembered that she was forced to drink a disgusting liquid then she met Anya who told her that she was going to be punished severely. Then she was tossed into the mountain.

She'd passed out due to the cold but when she opened her eyes, she was in the same location except this time, she was surrounded by white wolves who stared at her like she was food.

She knew she was food.

Her shoulders went up and down as goosebumps appeared on her skin when one of the wolves bit the skin on her feet. 

The other wolves jumped on her, throwing her to the floor then they took turns, peeling off the flesh that most appealing to them.

She let them.

She was tired of living in a misfortunate girl's body anyways. 

She could always come back to life as human in another life.

Blood spilled and her bones started shaking due to how thin her flesh was getting and with all the blood leaving her body.

She felt lightheaded then she smiled, she recognized that feeling. It was what she was craving at the moment and she embraced it as the wolf bit off the clothes around her chest. She moaned as it took a huge chunk of the meat on her chest making another wave of goosebump hit her skin. It was getting really painful so she it felt it'd be nice if her death was quick and painful.

She slowly wiggled her fingers to create magic. If she could just create another creature worse than the flying snake she created before then.. It'd be perfect.

A gentle breeze appeared and the wolves surrounding Violet turned to dust.

She was surprised but couldn't move to see what was really happening. 

Did her magic turn the wolves to dust?

She sighed. Why was her magic saving her now? She wanted to die!

She felt something descend into her body making her let out a loud sneeze. Then white boots stepped into her line of vision. 

She froze when green eyes stared into hers, troubled.

It was Poison.

Rage passed through Violet's body and all she wanted to do was kill Poison for doing her wrong. She tried to stand and she was able to lift her body off the snow-covered mountain. 

When she stood on her feet, she bursted into tears. 

“HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!”

Poison stared down at his hands, “Sorry.”

Violet looked at him, “You're sorry? You killed my aunt and the only thing you can say is that you're sorry?!”

Poison kept his bowed as Violet approached him angrily. She lifted her hand and slapped him hard across the face. 

Poison didn't flinch as he was slapped across the face. Instead, he just stood there. 

“Let me get you out of here.” He grabbed her hand and she brushed it off angrily. 

“How can you just come here and try to boss me around?”

He sighed, staring into her gleaming eyes for the first time.

“Please let me save you. I'll explain what happened later.”

Violet looked at him with disbelief. There was no ounce of guilt in his tone and the way he spoke irked her. 

He came off as dismissive to her emotions.

She decided to end him no matter what it took. 

She let the rage flow through her veins as she looked at him. As he took a step further, she struck him with the wave of energy emitting through her chest. 

He froze and stared at her, amazed.

Another wave emitted from her chest and he fell on his knees, spitting blood.

Soon after, she fell and spat out blood before becoming unconscious. Her power probably backfired to her. That was a rare case for gods who knew well how to control their powers.

Poison struggled to stand, then he started at Violet's bloody nose.

“I did intend to save your aunt but.. I was too weak against his wishes. I'm sorry, Xenia.”

He exhaled and stretched his hand towards her, healing her at his expense. Then, he disappeared like the wind.