Crystal Hearts • Book 2 Of The Crystal Trilogy • ⏸

-| 23 / underground |-

Lux didn't have to be told twice to heal up Phoebe and Edgar. Now that Alastor was feeling inspired, he was also feeling generous. In fact, he was so excited about his brand new ideas, that he paid no attention to everyone's glares and hateful expressions.

Phoebe and Edgar were immediately taken to the dungeons. The latter was still passed out while all that was happening, but Phoebe put up quite the fight and Alastor had to call in six of his strongest soldiers to manage to lock her up, and even then, they barely made it.

Caroline stomped her feet, and attacked and kicked and screamed, but she failed to save her friends. Eventually, she followed her father to his office and pretty much trashed it.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Edgar and Phoebe did nothing wrong! Haven't you already done enough to all of us?", she yelled at Alastor.

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm not executing them! They're both traitors, plotting against the crown!"

"It wasn't them! For the last time, you can't avoid giving me the blame! This was all my idea! I got Edgar here and I forced him to find out your plans and tell me! On the same false grounds, you executed Andy. And why the hell would you cut off Lux's hair? First you threaten her son and now this? How dare you?", Caroline shrieked, picking up a chair and throwing to the ground. Angry tears ran down her red from fury face. She clutched her fists and panted, trying to calm herself.

"Consider all this your punishment. Locking you up would mean nothing to you, but seeing your friends pay the price... I can see that you can't bear it.", he sneered.

"So it's a war you want, huh? Because apart from the war against your brother, you'll be having a civil one in here. When the time comes, know that I won't be on your side. You should have played your cards better. The way you're playing, you're going to lose all allies you may have had."

"You forget that I have your ex fiancé and the Harrow spawn in my dungeons. You have no choice, Caroline. It's either your allegiance or their death."

"Allegiance can't be bought! It's earned! You should know that better than anyone!"

"I told you my offer. And the Dows... There's only one of them left, is there not?"

"Leave Esmeralda out of this!", Caroline screamed again, throwing all the stuff off her father's desk. She took two steps back, glaring at him and his surprisingly calm behavior and trying to cool off herself.

"You're free to visit them, if you want, but they're not getting out of their cells any time soon.", he shrugged.

"Phoebe is not even sixteen years old yet, and you've thrown her in a cell to rot for how long? Huh?", the princess slammed her hands on the now empty desk.

"She knew what she was getting into when she came here and she knew what sort of trouble her brother is in. She is the one responsible for her actions and will be treated as such.", he told her, not losing his temper.

"I hate you.", she hissed and stormed out of the office, slamming the door as hard as she could.

Caroline immediately ran down to the dungeons and asked for Edgar and Phoebe's cell numbers. That's where she found out that they were kept separately.

She kept herself from kicking the wall in frustration and took a deep breath, once again clenching her fists. After thanking the guards, the took off for Phoebe's cell because it was the nearest one. The guards who took Phoebe there couldn't take her any further due to her strength (which she didn't let go to waste).

When she arrived, Caroline saw her friend glaring at the ceiling with a tinge of boredom.

"Phoebe?", she called.