what 60
810 Words
Chapter 60
Court POV
I couldn’t breathe. My ears were ringing, my chest tight, like the world had just flipped upside down and I didn’t know which way was up anymore.
“They… killed him?” I asked again, my voice barely above a whisper. My father. I never met him. Never even had a memory to hold onto. Just stories, well… no, not even stories. Nothing. Just an empty space where he should’ve been. And now this? Momm watched me closely, like she was waiting for me to break.
“What did he do?” I asked, louder this time. “You said he was a bad man. How bad?” She hesitated. That was all I needed to see.
“You don’t even want to say it,” I muttered, shaking my head. “So it wasn’t ‘for no reason,’ was it?”
Her eyes flashed. “He didn’t deserve to die.”
“That’s not what I asked!” I snapped. Silence filled the room again, thick and suffocating. I ran a hand through my hair, pacing now. None of this made sense. Or maybe… It made too much sense.
“You’re lying,” I said finally, stopping in my tracks.
Her head snapped up. “Excuse me?”
“You’re twisting it,” I continued. “Leaving parts out. Making them the villains so you don’t have to feel like one.” Her face hardened, but I didn’t stop “You said he was a bad man. People don’t just kill someone for nothing, especially not a king. There had to be a
reason.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she warned.
“Then tell me!” I shot back. “Tell me everything! Because right now? This sounds like revenge, not justice.”
Her jaw clenched. And that told me everything. My stomach dropped.
“Oh my god…” I whispered. “This is revenge.”
“It’s not that simple..”
“It is!” I cut her off again. “You’re spying on a kid, Mom. A kid. And you just admitted you were going to take her!”
She didn’t respond. Didn’t deny it. That made it worse.
“What were you going to do to her?” I asked, my voice shaking now. “Huh? What were you planning?”
Still nothing. I stepped back like she’d just burned me.
“I don’t even know you right now,” I said quietly.
Her expression cracked for a split second, but I was too far gone to care.
“And Amber…” I swallowed hard. “She doesn’t even know any of this. She didn’t do anything to you. She wasn’t even born.”
“Neither were you,” Mom snapped. “And that didn’t stop them from taking your father from you.”
“That’s different!” I yelled. “He was involved! She’s just a kid!”
The words echoed between us. For a second, neither of us moved.
Then I shook my head slowly. “No… this isn’t right,” I said. “None of this is right.”
“Court…”
“No,” I stepped back again. “If what you’re saying is true, then fine, we find out the truth. All of it. Not just your side.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “And if it’s not?” she asked carefully.
I met her gaze, my heart pounding. “Then you need to stop before you become worse than the people you hate.”
That hit.,I could see it. But I wasn’t done.,“I’m going to the castle,” I said.
Her face went pale. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. I’m going to hear their side. I’m going to find out what really happened to my father.”
“You step foot near that place, and you could die!” she snapped.
“Or I could find out the truth,” I shot back.
“You don’t know what you’re risking!”
“And you do?” I challenged. “Because from where I’m standing, you’re about to destroy everything over something you won’t even fully explain!”
Her hands clenched into fists. “Court, I’m trying to protect you.”
I shook my head slowly. “No… you’re trying to control me.”
That one hurt her. I could see it in her eyes. But I didn’t take it back.
“I’m not a little kid anymore,” I continued. “You don’t get to decide what I believe.” The room fell silent again. Heavy. Final.
“I’m going,” I said, turning toward the door.
“Court…don’t.”
I paused for just a second… then kept walking. Because for the first time in my life… I didn’t know who the real enemy was.
- Writer
