Chapter 152: Chapter 152

68. Brother to Brother ROYCE.

Alejandro catches Magdalene’s body before she hits the ground, laying her on the floor.

A wave of sadness washes over the room, and I lower my head for a moment in respect.

She took a stance against her goddess.

The other witches stare at her, acked, a few rushing to her side, where she lays dead.

“High Witch!”

“Magdalene!”

She gave her life to speak the truth….

Despite her stubbornness, she had her heart in the right place.

I turn my attention back towards Aleric, ready to end this once and for all.

“If you need any more proof, you are fools…” Skyla says to the people as a whisper of confusion spreads across them. “Everything I said against my family, and Royce was at his command. Ask yourselves if you really think I’m lying, or are you simply scared to admit that you have made a grave mistake by believing him? He is his father’s son!”

There is hesitation in the crowds, but it isn’t because they don’t believe her. They know they’re in the wrong and they don’t know what to do.

The witches are shaken, most of them staring at Magdalene, not knowing what to do. Die or survive?

Either choice, I cannot blame them, everyone deserves to live…

“If you are smart, you will fall back. I know you are under Hecate’s command… but you can at least try to abstain from joining the fucking battle. Those who fight against us are to be captured and held down!

No one is to kill the witches! I do not want bloodshed, am I clear!” Alejandro’s voice thunders through the room, the second part of his statement directed at the werewolves.

“We believe you…”

“I knew it…”

“What a bastard…”

I see a few who look humiliated or look to Aleric for a command and they are the ones who I will remember for later…

“I Skyla Silara Rossi, the Lycan Princess and the Lioness of Bastet before the eyes of the people, reject you as my mate a May Hades welcome you to the lowest s of hell when I’m done with you.”

Skyla says icily as she takes her stance before me. (4 Her power swirls around her as she reaches up, grips the collar of her dress and tears it right down the middle.

My eyes widen as she takes a moment to unhook the top skirt before shimmying out of what remains of her dress.

“There’s no way I’ll be able to move in that shit.” She mutters. 4 Got to love the confidence of my little doll.

I’ve missed her.

My gaze falls on her sexy ass which is only partially covered by her skimpy black bodysuit.

“Fuck.” I mutter, trying not to lose focus. Her ass looks fucking fine…

How is she going to fight in that and not distract me?

“Enjoy the view.” She whispers seductively, leaning back against me.

Aleric is scanning the crowds, realising things aren’t going the way that he wished.

“Oh absolutely, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to focus on the fight ahead,” I whisper.

This feeling of having her close, safe and being herself is unexplainable.

I will never take her for granted…

I place my hand on her stomach, pulling her back and pressing her against me, kissing her neck softly.

“Cut out the fucking flirting and take Ken Fucking Arden Junior out!” Alejandro growls. 14 My smile fades. I want him to make the first move…

“Chill out, Dad,” Skyla says, as she looks at Aleric, who is now glaring at us with hatred.

“A gift from your king for the battle ahead, my queen,” I say quietly, passing Skyla the Solaris Sword.

Her heart thumps as she takes it, and for a moment, it glows.

“May Helios assist.” I murmur, now stepping up beside her and reluctantly letting go of her.

“You played me… You. Played. Me!” His voice ends in a vicious hiss as he glares at me and Skyla.

“Aleric… We don’t need to do this.” I say quietly. “Want to talk?”

“Now you want to talk?” He hisses.

I frown.

“Are you for real? You tried to kill me. I tried to talk to you back then, remember? Or have you forgotten? When have we had the chance to talk after that?” I ask. “It’s not too late to surrender and accept what you’ve done.”

It’s futile, and for everything he has done, I can’t forgive him… especially what he did to Skyla… but I want to know deep down why?

Why is he like this?

“Of course, the son that got everything would say that! I have not seen a more selfish person than you!”

Aleric snarls. “I won’t fail. I deserve it all. That title you hold should have been mine.

I am the elder one! I hold the flames of the sun in my hand!”

“You don’t.” I say quietly.

“I do! The king should have Helios’ power and it should be strong at least!” he hisses.

He’s blinded, and it’s clear this conversation won’t get us anywhere.

“Wrong again, the Solaris King shall hold all elements…” I reply quietly.

Raising my hand, I summon a ball of fire. It’s small because I know how powerful and hot it is. The heat from it is so intense and the heat waves are visible in the surrounding air. “I hold all the elements, each extremely powerful, Aleric… I just never wanted to use this one much. You always said fire is yours.”

“Don’t try to patronise me! You took my mate! You kissed her in front of me and you think you are some kind of saint!” He screams.

“I am not yours!” Skyla snarls.

“I would regret my actions if you didn’t keep abusing her. You injected her, wanted to control her, and have hurt her…” My eyes flash.

“She deserved it!”

“You are past that point of winning sympathy. I know we both suffered at the hands of our father, but it is no excuse for what you have become. You killed Quade, who was like an uncle to us! Our father tried to have Victoria killed, Quade saved her, and you- you just killed him in cold blood!” 2 His eyes darken as he glares at me.

“Who cares about that baby? It was a girl! She was a weakling before she was even fucking born! Dad, only did the Arden name a favour!” He snarls. “I just wish he did the same to you! I tried to do everything to protect you! You selfishly lived your life whilst I tried to meet Dad’s expectations and suffered because of you!” 3 Those words only anger me further.

“How dare you… Do you want to follow in Dad’s footsteps, Aleric? Because for someone who knows firsthand what he is capable of, you sure seem to be his spitting double.”

“Easy for you to say! You had it easy!”

“I am sorry you feel that way, but I never meant for that to happen,” I say quietly.

“Of course, you were too lost in your own selfish life to care for what was around you. Never once did you think about me!”

His words sting, and I don’t even know why.

“That’s not true… I have been a victim at his hand, too. When I refused Dad… he told me if I didn’t cooperate, he’ll carry out the testing on you instead and so I would listen. I didn’t know you were going through the same. Let me guess … he experimented on you until you’d black out from the pain?” 3 His eyes flicker back to grey, a glimmer of surprise in them. The darkness around him is growing. Even if Apophis is barred, the power he has given him remains… I just don’t know the extent of the powers Aleric holds, but that teleportation ability the serpents seem to have is dangerous.

“He played us…” he laughs manically, but my reaction is entirely different.

Regret.

We had been so blinded in trying to protect each other that we never spoke to each other and shared our pain.

‘Twins. It means you always have a best friend to rely on… to share everything with…’ Mom’s words from long ago whisper through my mind and I look down.

It’s too late now, but I want to try to show him that we were both victims of Dad’s abuse.

I step forward and Skyla looks at me sharply, placing her hand on my arm protectively, and I give her a small nod.

I’m ok…

I lift her hand to my lips, kissing it before I look at Aleric.

“I am sorry, I know it won’t fix anything, but I honestly thought I was protecting you by tolerating everything father did to me.”

Aleric frowns before his shoulders slump, and the darkness around him eases up a little.

“It’s too late for an apology…” He says, his voice full of anguish. “You took it all from me… even my mate… She was made for me and even that you claimed.”

“We can’t force love, Aleric,” I say quietly. Your treatment of her and your intentions aren’t justified simply because she is fated.”

(C “Don’t you think the only reason she is attracted to you is because you look like me?” He asks bitterly.

“It’s too late… we have chosen our paths and now we must walk them.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that. Surrender and admit to your crimes. You will find peace, Aleric.”

I hate everything he’s done. I have felt anger and hatred towards him, but when he’s standing there laughing like a madman, I wonder if all he ever needed was guidance and someone to reach out…

When his good intentions morphed into bitterness, resentment, and hatred… the Aleric who wanted to protect me is g gone and, in his place is the monster that Father created.

“Never. I don’t règret taking what I want, I don’t regret it at all! And when Apophis steps into this world you will be the and one begging surrendering!” He shouts, “Tell me, brother, am I wrong!?”

I look down, spreading my ha o sword of pure ice, “Yes, you are.”

He smirks.

“Fool.”

and forming a I glance at Skyla. I can weaken my brother for her, but she will be the one who has to deal with. the hold Apophis has upon him and vanquish him from this world for good.

Regardless of how that might be.

“A total of seven serpents have shown up.”

Skyla says to me.

I nod, turning my attention back on Aleric, fire spreading from his hands, and it now looks far darker than normal. Our eyes meet as both our auras rage around us. 2 “Back up, Love.”

She nods. She knows the drill. We do this together… but first, it’s just the two of us.

A dance between fire and ice.

A fight between brother and brother. 2 A battle between dark and light. Once and for all.