Chapter 56.

"What did you do to her Yvaine?"

"The kind of magic she has... It's too much for an halfbreed."

Ianthe added as she gathered herself. Lacey fled and she didn't have time nor the energy to chase after the youngster. Especially one with such questionable powers.

Her sister though had taken precautions and portalled her daughter out of the house.

Good. She wouldn't have been able to control herself if she was still around.

The gift of creating portals and travelling through worlds and destinations was a rare one, one that Yvaine was the only one who possessed it in the whole Fae Kingdom. The last time a Fae had possessed such powers, it was during the era of their father and the Fae who had the powers had died too early. Stuck in between both realms, killed by the very powers he had.

That was the kind of magic Yvaine possessed, amongst others. It was what made travelling so easy for her. One minute she could be in Aron City and in another minute she could be in the Fae Kingdom. But ever since her fight with Hades Vigilanco, a huge chunk of her powers had been torn off and she was frequently weak. She couldn't muster as many portals as she could and she definitely wasn't awarded the luxury of portaling as much as she wanted to.

Which was why her second power proved useful, apart from the usual spells and enchantments she had to learn as a queen and a fae, she was also blessed with the ability to steal other powers.

A fitting power for a queen.

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

Yvaine shrugged as she looked away. She couldn't explain it either, nor did she particularly care to explain it to Ianthe.

Ianthe scoffed.

"Surely you must have some kind of idea. You simply cannot pretend not to know what I'm talking about."

"What I know is that you have become a nuisance and a disgrace to Faes everywhere. And if you're not careful, I will have no choice but put you down."

Yvaine said as she breathed out heavily.

Ianthe raised her eyebrows.

Her sister couldn't be serious.

"At what cost Yvaine?"

She asked mockingly and Yvaine's temper started rising.

"Do not forget that I am your Queen."

She said in a commanding tone and Ianthe scoffed.

"And do not forget that you're vulnerable."

She paused as she walked around Yvaine. Yvaine on the other hand was on guard and alert.

It wasn't going to be the first time she and her sister would fight physically.
They sparred together as kids.

And Ianthe was fond of trying to test Yvaine's limits.

Not once, not twice but many times and her guard had always been up.

But after locking up Hades Vigilanco, after using so much of her powers to rid him from humanity it had been hard.

She tired easily, she wasn't as strong as she was.

It didn't stop her from wielding the power she needed as Queen, but she had to be careful, Ianthe was not the same and the new powers she had acquired were deadly.

"Vulnerable?!"

Yvaine asked and Ianthe shrugged.

"You lost a daughter to me. I warned you to stop meddling in my affairs..."

She said and Yvaine froze.

What?!

What was she even insinuating?!

Why was she willing to go that far.

"You wouldn't dare..."

Yvaine said in a low and dangerous tone, her anger was simmering. It became a living simmering thing and she felt it radiate all around her.

She was livid.

Ianthe seemed to be enjoying her sister's rage.

"Oh you wouldn't want to try me. I can snap Lacey just as easily as I snapped Lila."

"And there's nothing you'll be able to do about it."

"You know why?"

Ianthe whispered but Yvaine didn't respond.

"Because you can't stop me. Yes, you may be the Queen. And yes, your powers and magical prowess might be vast. But... I know you've not been as strong as you were before."

"And I on the other hand... I have acquired a new skill set..."

"This really isn't the time for you to be making me your enemy."

Yvaine sighed.

Would Ianthe really do it?

Would she go after Lacey.

She'd be damned if she let the same thing that happened to Lila happen again with Lacey.

She would never be able to forgive herself if it did.

But there was also the question of whether or not she was going to be strong enough to take her sister.

She didn't have what Ianthe have and Ianthe never played fair.

She had to be careful.

As careful as she could be.

"What do you want from me?"

Yvaine asked after a long period of silence.

Ianthe smiled.

"Stop fighting me."

She said and Yvaine raised her eyebrow. She didn't really understand what she meant by that, but she didn't press her for an explanation either.

"I know you are Queen. And it's within our laws for you to try and stop me."

Ianthe sighed as she sat on the nearest chair and put her hand on her forehead.

"You're interfering. And I don't like that. If you don't stop, it will cost you another halfbreed daughter."

"You don't expect me to just turn a blind eye when you drag our name into the filths."

"Filths?!!"

Ianthe exclaimed as she chuckled.

"Oh sister you overestimate this horrendous city."

"I don't know why you decided to stay here... Or why you even decided to have a child with some spineless nobody human male."

"You truly have made your fair share of bad decisions."

"You can't hurt Lacey."

Yvaine breathed out.

That was all that mattered to her. She couldn't, she had barely healed from Lila's death and Ianthe was threatening her with taking away Lacey from her.

The more she thought about it the more she felt sick to the bones.

She hated Ianthe, with every fibre of her being. It was still shocking there was a time that got along.

"Would you like to see me try?"

"I promise you I'll enjoy breaking her. Why are you so surprised? Do you love her?"

Yvaine kept mute.

"She's my daughter."

She finally said and Ianthe raised her eyebrows.

"An halfbreed you didn't know about until a few months ago. She's not even recognised in court as your daughter!"

"If she was truly your daughter you know what you should have done."

"I did what I had to do to protect her."

Yvaine said and Ianthe scoffed.

"Protect her?! Well how did that work out for you? You lost one already."

"And I swear you'll lose another if you don't back down with your threats and insults."

"Go back home Yvaine! Go and rule!  Stop coming back here."

"You're a Queen. You should be in your own kingdom. Not here."

Yvaine sighed.

"If you touch her..."

Ianthe shook her head.

"I give you my word. I won't lay a hand on her, unless you cross me."

She said as she outstretched her hand,  Yvaine did the same too and they both watched the black ink swirl across their wrists.

The promise had been made. Ianthe wouldn't dare break it. Yvaine either.