Destined for Greatness ✔️

Chapter 16

Silver was a nasty substance, and Ryleigh hated it with a passion, but if she had to choose between getting pumped full of silver or Jade returning, the choice was an easy one. Alas, no one ever listened to her, and the next morning Jade returned.

Ryleigh was lying on the bed, one leg drawn up, her arm draped across her face. She didn't need to look to know Jade was standing outside of her cell. She had recognised the sound of her footsteps. However, judging by the noise Jade hadn't come unaccompanied. Ryleigh took a few seconds to make a bet with herself. Who would it be? Austin again? Ellis? Alder? Perhaps all of them.

"I know you're awake," Jade said. She tried sounding stern, but Ryleigh knew better. Jade was a nervous wreck and no amount of feigned confidence could change that. Ryleigh also knew there was only one reason Jade had returned: to continue yesterday's conversation and, more than that, to supposedly 'fix' her mind. Needless to say Ryleigh wasn't willing to let Jade inside her head. Needless to say no one would care.

Ryleigh removed her arm and sat up. She ran her hands through her hair and swung her legs off the bed, planting her feet against the floor.

"Good morning, Ryleigh," Alder said.

"I must be special if you come to visit me twice in as many days. The last time you had me in your prison I didn't see you nearly that often. Flattering as it is, your face is not one I enjoy looking at."

"Remember who you're speaking to," Ellis said. Yes – they were all there. Austin too. She didn't quite understood why he'd come. What was he to her? He'd kicked her out of his life and his pack, so why would he still want anything to do with her now? Was it a form of psychological torture? To confront her with everyone she'd lost, just to rub it in and make her feel even more miserable than she already did? Well, joke's on them. Her loss no longer hurt her. It drove her. If anything, seeing the people who had betrayed her made her all the more determined not to rat out her kin.

She pushed to her feet, approaching the bars and halting in front of Ellis. "I know exactly who I am speaking to," she said. "That's why I'm disrespectful."

Ellis' jaw tightened, but he didn't press the matter. Perhaps he understood it was futile to try and teach her manners.

"Did you bring silver, Your Highness?" she said, turning her head towards the king. He looked a bit better than he had the day before, like he had finally had a good night's sleep now that his tormentor was back in jail. Jade, on the other hand, looked as pale and downtrodden as she had every time Ryleigh had seen her since Jade first got her arrested.

"I did not," Alder said. "I wish to explore other options first. Besides, as you already pointed out, silver does not seem to have the desired effect on you."

"Right. And Jade will, do you think? That is why she is here, right?" Ryleigh's eyes came to rest on her sister. "You are going to forcefully break into my mind and manipulate my thoughts, allegedly to 'break my father's spell', but really to leave a spell of your own, I imagine."

"No," Jade said. "To help you."

"Right. So you won't poke around a bit while you're in there, to see if you may figure out a location or a plan?"

Jade cast down her gaze and Ryleigh knew that Jade had officially joined the other side. If she was willing to mind-control her own sister, there really was no hope for her. Ryleigh didn't think she had ever been more disappointed in Jade than she was right then. And not just disappointed, but angry. Raging mad.

"Your mind is made up?" she asked. "You will get into my head, one way or the other? I told you I'd fight your powers."

"You can't. I'm stronger than you."