Chapter 510:
“This is the Windsor Ducal residence by temporary extension of my presence,” William said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper that was somehow louder than his shout. “It is Royal Territory. Under the 1704 Accord, no hostile force enters these grounds without a handwritten decree from the Prince himself.”
He raised his bleeding hand. “Step one foot past that gate, Kane, and I will consider it an act of treason. My guards have orders to shoot on sight.”
As if on cue, a dozen red laser dots bloomed on the chests of the mercenaries and the lawyers.
Kane paled. He took a stumbling step back, his hands raised. “We… we have orders from the Dowager…”
“The Dowager is currently enjoying state hospitality,” William countered coldly. “Unless you wish to join her in a cell, or perhaps a morgue, I suggest you leave.”
The mercenaries looked at each other. The paycheck wasn’t worth a royal execution.
“Pull back,” Kane hissed, retreating toward his sedan. “This isn’t over, Vance!” he screamed up at the balcony.
The mercenaries began to withdraw. The lawyers, sensing the billable hours evaporating, scrambled back into the sedans.
Aurora watched them go, her expression unyielding. The convoy reversed, tires screeching, leaving a cloud of dust and the smell of burnt rubber.
William turned toward Aurora’s balcony. He smiled, a charming, dangerous expression, and held up his bleeding hand. “Well?” he called out. “Was that performance worth a marriage proposal?”
Before Aurora could answer, a warm weight settled over her shoulders. Elias had draped his jacket over her, pulling it tight, shielding her from William’s view.
“Thank you for the assistance, Duke,” Elias called down, his voice flat. “Send the cleaning bill to Thorne Industries. I’ll pay double.”
gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․çom has it all
William chuckled, licking a drop of blood from his palm. “Boring. But effective. You’d better check on your patient, Aurora. The adrenaline crash is coming.”
Aurora’s heart skipped a beat. “Mom.”
She spun around, leaving the balcony, rushing past Elias into the hallway.
The guest room door was ajar. Inside, the sound of whimpering broke her heart.
Seraphina was huddled in the corner of the bed, her knees pulled to her chest, rocking back and forth. Her hands were clamped over her ears.
“Don’t hit me… please, Miss Zelda… I didn’t break it…”
Julian Reed was kneeling on the floor, his hands hovering helplessly. “Aunt Sera, it’s me. It’s Julian. You’re safe. Zelda is in prison. She can’t hurt you.”
“No, no, no,” Seraphina muttered, her eyes squeezed shut. “The dark room. She’s putting me in the dark room.”
Aurora stopped in the doorway. It wasn’t just fear. It was chemical withdrawal combined with severe PTSD. Even though they had reunited yesterday, the lack of the suppression drugs was causing her mind to fracture, blurring the line between the past and the present.
Aurora walked to the bed. She didn’t touch her mother. She sat on the edge, making her presence known by the dip of the mattress.
“Julian,” Aurora said softly. “Get my bag. The silver needles.”
“She needs a hospital,” Julian argued, his voice thick with tears.
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