My Crown

Chapter 32

How naive do these people think I am?
Of course I had a plan in case they imprisoned me.
Anyone could see it coming.

And he might have fucked me stupid, but I am not stupid enough to reveal it.

Even so, I am extremely grateful.
Those two have gone above and beyond for me for as long as I've known them.
They are family.

"Would you consider yourselves a mafia?"
Fuck no.

"No." Mafias are brutal cults. I will never be in one.
"And why not?"

"You don't think I'll fall for that, do you?" By defending our group, I would be giving away valuable information about us.
Information I taught him to use to search for people.

"I hoped you would not."

"So this is a test?"

"You passed brilliantly." He does not look pleased.
"Why are you testing me?" And why is his face so impassive? He usually doesn't bother to hide his expressions.

"You are the mastermind, you tell me."

If only I could.

Ten days together and all I can say for sure is that Hades is not normal.

I do not know enough about psychology to properly diagnose him, but I suspect he does.

"My point was to demonstrate how similar our situations are. Small groups that operate like family. Both of our alleged activities may not be entirely legal and we are both well aware of but seperate from the Underworld."
Well, when he puts it like that.

"Wasn't Hades the greek god of the underworld?"
"He was."
"I did a little research on Hades. He wasn't as impressive as his title suggests. A glorified guard dog really."

"Hades did not concern himself with things that did not concern him. He is the guardian of dead souls, keeping the dead where they belong. The Underworld was his domain, only the dead know his face."
Why does that feel like a threat?

"Tell me, what would he do if someone was creating chaos in the underworld?"
Okay, that was a threat.

"Do you have a god complex?"
"Do you have a death wish?"

Sometimes.

"You did not really think I wouldn't piece it together; The Albanians, The Morellis, The Caravalhos, The Kings, The Wéis and The Zhăngsūns. Someone has been killing off Mafia families."

"And?"

"And the chaos that has ensued is bothering me."
"More people need to be bothered."

The Leos are out living this crazy pampered lifestyle on their own island without a care in the world.
They need to be bothered.

"Who did you lose?" His question startles me. I stop walking and he turns back to stare at me.
What do those silver orbs see?

"That explains it."
What is he talking about?

"Whatever you think you know about me, you're wrong." What does he know of my pain?

"Be careful, Helena. Your mask is cracking."

That sick son of a b... "You would not want me to see just how broken you really are."

Just like that, in the middle of the streets of Tirana, I fall apart.

He is right. They broke me. My soul is not only shattered, it's pulverised.

It shouldn't hurt this much. Hearing him call me out shouldn't cut so deep but it does. It cuts right through me.