Darkest Hours (MGL series Book 2)

Chapter 44

Stream of tears followed the cheeks of Fina as pain and suffocation overcame her. The overwhelming constriction of the strings of her heart knocked the air out of her. She felt lost as she heard more and more of what Alder was to say.

It was already difficult for her to ignore Madonna and pretend she does not know who she was but with Alder narrating the evil deeds he had done to her and her kin with Madonna in presence was nearly tormenting.

How her sister was putting on an amused face was beyond her understanding.

"The great Thorne family was adamant in not supporting me so I had to kill them all with the help of my other powerful acquaintances to gain their powers." Alder said with a sigh of pretentious remorse although his face was adorned by a smirk.

Madonna's hand formed into a fist as she hid it behind her. How she was controlling her tears and anger was surprising her as well.

If it wasn't for Alder's unknown cohorts who were helping him behind the shadows, she would have killed him slowly and painfully. If only she knew that one person or one group of people she was sure were still hiding in the dark while helping Alder, she would have had finished them and Alder once and for all.

Madonna leaned over the dirty stone wall in a relaxed manner as she adored her beautiful hand just as Alder turned to her. She put on a mask of indifference to divert Alder's doubts from her.

"You sure did many things in your young years, Milord." Madonna scoffed casually as she raised an eyebrow at the loudly weeping Fina.

Just as Alder returned her scoff with his own and turned to Fina, Madonna blinked for a couple of times towards Fina, silently assuring her.

"I could only acquire a small part of their powers as they were completely in the death halls. I was to use their burned ash to acquire more of their strength, however, someone dear to them outwitted me and took care of their ashes. But I am Alder Emor and I always have makeshift strategies in any case. Guess what I must have done then?" Fina glared at him as he kneeled before her as he asked her to guess his actions of past with such cheerfulness that she used all the energy she had at the moment and slapped him hard.

The sound of the smack resonated through the dark lanes of dungeons making Madonna take a step forward in an attempt to save her younger sister from the possibly angered Satan of a person.

Although she felt relieved that Fina smacked him hard which gave her a sense of satisfaction, it was foolish of her to choose that time to do so.

Alder's old and weak body fell back with a thud at the strong smack he received from a young dainty girl. He should have slapped her back or tormented her in a worst way possible but Alder instead laughed out loud at the audacity of the young girl.

He was furious but he was amused as well. He cannot hurt the young Phoenix as he needs her blood for the night's ritual so he laughed it out to confuse everyone.

"I see you got more of your mother's attitude than her son. Your mother smacked me in the same manner several times all those years when I forced her in doing a grave sin." Alder spoke out as he rubbed his cheek and went back to kneel before the young Phoenix.

Madonna seeing the opportunity, used her power and raised Fina off the floor with her magic as she threatened her to hurt her badly for pulling a stunt like she did against Alder. Alder stumbled on his feet and scrambled to Madonna as he ordered her politely to drop her down slowly without hurting her.

Madonna looked on to Alder for a moment and obliged. She knew Alder would not hurt Fina before she was no use to him so she took the chance to both protect her from possible strike from Alder as well as clearing away Alder's qualms.