The Way

Chapter Sixteen

Regina mentally cringed as Snow White cast a sharp glance in her direction following the former queen's treatment of David. Everything about that look said 'Unnecessary!' but Regina would be lying if she tried to say she hadn't enjoyed what she had done just a little. David was just another pawn in the game, not one Regina had ever been after for any reason other than his decision to marry Snow. Alas, an excuse to shut him up for a while was excellent fun.

Then her attention fell to Emma, who was barely conscious, and Henry, whose eyes were settled on his adoptive mother so sternly that for a moment she felt much like a child herself.

Forcing herself to maintain her cover, Regina shoved Snow White forward and then promptly magicked her against the wall on the opposite side of Charming, well away from Emma. Then she looked at her mother.

"Care to explain to me how exactly you wound up down here mother?"

The tight smile that Cora offered her in return made Regina's gut wrench with the desire to curse the woman right then and there, but she restrained herself. Her gloved hands threatened to clench into fists. Instead, she merely raised an eyebrow while Cora began to speak.

"I think you already know, dear. I took note of your handiwork on your Sheriff, here, and made the decision to assist you. I can hardly believe you've allowed her to survive this long."

The brunette was surprised. Cora thought she had injured Emma? Until then, Regina had been certain she and the Savior's link was something Cora had put into motion. It was a matter that warranted further study—assuming they made it out of this situation alive and well—but for now, Regina knew she could work with this revalation.

"Perhaps if you had arrived sooner I wouldn't have needed to resort to such tactics. What took you so long?"

Suddenly, Henry's voice echoed through the room.

"You knew?" he cried, betrayal and disbelief showing in his eyes. "But you said...the well...you were going to blow up the well to stop her, and all this time you were just waiting for her?!" His face was contorted into the kind of exaggerated fury only a pre-teen can perfect, and though it damn near killed her, Regina smiled at him.

"Honey," she cooed, stepping toward him and when she was close enough, placing her index finger under his chin to lift his gaze to her own, "I only want what's best for you...for us..." The former queen gave a long sigh. "When you're older...you'll understand why I did what I did."

"No!" Henry shouted, jerking away from her and struggling against his own invisible bonds. He looked annoyingly like Charming as he did so, and Regina almost rolled her eyes in irritation. "You said you had changed! That you were trying to be a hero!"

It took all of Regina's self-restraint to continue on with her act.

"Henry that's enough," she said calmly, straightening and crossing her arms over her chest. The satchel hung by her side and she thought she saw her son's eyes flicker to it in confusion—she rarely carried a purse, and she hoped it might help him understand the situation. Cora's voice from the background made her flinch.

"You will learn to respect your elders, boy," the older sorceress scolded as she came to stand beside Regina.

The brunette rounded on her mother, jabbing a finger out at her.

"Just because you managed to find a way into this world does not give you the right to talk to my son that way," she hissed, her lips pulling back to reveal her teeth as she spat the words out. "I haven't forgiven you."