Chapter 50

Not easy? What else was I here for? The crown, the title was supposed to be mine right after I killed Gretel. They told me it would be mine and now they were backing away.

The confusion rose in the silence. Jaqueline and I shared a glance. "What do you mean by that?" She asked the witch.

Madeline rolled her eyes, "There is a little mistake in the law of witches. Our previous Queen's never had a child but there is a heir to the throne now and we are in doubt on who to choose."

What the fuck?

My eyes hovered at Lisa. There was something evil and uneasy about her. She must've convinced her way in along with Damon. The last time I spoke to him, he never wanted his Mother's throne, let alone do anything in the witch world.

"Red had failed us in completing the prophecy so there are a lot of us against her ruling. Therefore, the council will make the decision, choosing between her and Damon."

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Anna walking over to the buffet table and leaning against with while Ben walked in the other direction, guarding us. The silence was going to result in a blood war if none of us spoke.

I couldn't let Damon take the throne, especially after knowing Lisa is his wife. It would cause trouble for me, my family and my daughter for the rest of our lives.

"And who put you in charge?" I heard Cordelia behind me.

The color drained of Madeline's face and she slowly put her hands away from her chest. "I—I'm among the elders." The fear rose in her tone when she saw Cordelia.

Did she know her?

I watched Cordelia step ahead of me. I couldn't tell what she was planning to do or say. Neither of us could. I only knew this woman for maybe two months but that was enough for me to trust her and her actions.

She raised her hand in the air and a chair pulled by her side. She sat among the other witches that didn't dare to utter a word.

"I'm Cordelia Morelli," She heaved in a breath before continuing. Gasps rose between the crowd. "And I'm sure all of you are aware of me. If not, let me tell you who I am."

Who was she?

"For over four hundred years, I've trained every witch that has become your Queen. I have taught and mentored Gretel apart from bringing her to this land and allowing her to become a Queen." She spoke with courage that I never knew she had.

My jaw hung open.

"Did you know that?" Luciano asked.

"That she's four hundred years old?" I cocked a brow at him. "No!"

"I wrote that prophecy all of you so talk about. The meanings and words were twisted two hundred years back." Cordelia continued.

I gasped and took a step back, flattening my hand over Luciano's out of surprise. I didn't believe what I had heard.

"Till the true one takes her powers, restoring the balance of our lands." She poured out the words of the prophecy. I had read it once while I was in Jaqueline's room. "It never meant to destroy or kill the creatures that neighbored on our land but it meant—obtaining the balance and the peace with them." The true meaning of the prophecy finally revealed itself.

Neither of us were supposed to kill werewolves.

It was all a lie, bought down from our previous Queen's. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes and I closed them.

Jacqueline, my Mother and any other chosen one—we were all tormented for something that wasn't even real.

My heart tugged in my chest a little faster and when I opened my eyes, I found a witch running out of the door, fear in her face. A knife flew by me and landed just an inch away from the witch.

"No one's leaving and we aren't done here." Annabeth said from the corner of the room. She had another knife wrapped around her finger, waiting for the witch to make a move so she could throw it at her.

The witch, however, caught her threat and didn't move. The doors to the room were shut closed. We were in control now.

Cordelia stood up from the seat and faced the rest witches, "Gretel's son is not eligible to become our ruler so there is no default except for Red who has her entire right on the throne."

Lisa jerked upwards, "This is absurd!" She exclaimed at Cordelia before turning her attention over everyone else. "We shouldn't believe a woman who just walked in from nowhere. And, Damon can—will become the King, he has his right too, he's the heir to this throne!" She wanted a reaction out of the witches but they gave her none.

"For over centuries, our kind haven't had a male witch on the throne and this law will go on forever." Cordelia moved towards her and got in real close. They were only inches apart. "There'll never be a King, my dear Lisa so call your husband and tell him to get Red's crown here."

Fear appeared in Lisa's eyes, she stepped back while trying hard to spurt out courage. "Fucking no."

"Yes." Cordelia smiled at her. "Unless you want to die."

"You can't kill me." Her jaw clenched tight.

"I will, if necessary," She further threatened. "If anyone is against Red's ruling will face me. I'll kill them, bring them back to life, kill them again and repeat it a thousand times till they bow to their Queen."

"This is unbelievable!" Lisa shouted again, throwing her hands in the air out of frustration. Her gaze swept to the witches she thought were her friends. "This can't be true. Damon is the heir—"

Madeline inched close to her and whispered, "Get Damon immediately."

They both stared at each other before Lisa passed me and left the room to get Damon. The witches inside the room knew Cordelia, they didn't need an explanation from her and it was shocking.

She was popular among us.

Yet hidden away.

Why?

"Oh, also gather all the other witches and prepare for the coronation because we all will have a Queen by tonight." She continued, the grin barely leaving her face, not even for a second.

I was amazed at the woman I had trusted as she not only bought me to life but she saved us all from the misery of having Damon on the throne of witches.

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