NOVGO.NET Chapter 1089: Present
Chapter 1089: Present
Quinlan had nothing personal against Cassandra Valor. In fact, he had a very favorable impression of the loyal woman. But he had no mercy to spare. The royals had pushed his buttons; he couldn’t afford something as luxurious as being merciful.
Just as he spared no innocents back in the capital when he released pure mayhem to serve as a distraction, killing men, women, and children alike without sparing a single soul, he couldn’t afford to spare Cassandra.
She was now his greatest pawn, alongside the Greenvale twins. Her role was far too important to show her mercy.
Perhaps once he was strong enough not to be threatened by the royals, he would set her mind and emotions free once again.
Perhaps.
A small weight was lifted from Liora’s shoulder. Rosie floated off with a cheery little hum, darting through the air until she was before Quinlan’s face. She hugged him fiercely, planting a tiny kiss on his forehead. It was her personal welcome-home ritual.
Then, with a curious sparkle in her bright eyes, she zipped away.
Her path carried her toward Jasmine and Gina, who were still tangled together in tears and trembling arms. Rosie circled them once, then twice, then a third time. She tilted her head this way and that, studying the scene from every angle like a little scholar.
She was visibly curious about the strong emotions that were being displayed before her. Rosie’s wide eyes finally locked onto Gina’s face. The tormented woman instantly gasped and yelped as soon as their eyes met.
“Wh–what is this creature?!”
Rosie wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She puffed out her tiny chest, placed her fists firmly on her hips, and declared with pride, “I’m Rosie Elysiar!”
“… Who?” Gina blinked in shock while glancing at her daughter, expecting answers.
Jasmine giggled tenderly through her tears. She extended her hand, and Rosie beamed, darting straight into her embrace like a dart of joy. Jasmine squeezed her gently against her cheek.
Gina’s confusion only deepened. Her daughter wasn’t a woman who’d hug random young girls like this.
Rosie, with all the authority her tiny body could muster, proclaimed, “If you’re Daddy’s mother-in-law, then that means you’re Rosie’s grandma! Grandma Gina!”
“… Huh?” Gina stared blankly, stunned into silence. Her tears forgot to continue flowing.
Jasmine patted her mother’s back with a warm smile. “We’ve got a lot to catch up on, Mom. But first… I want to introduce you to my friends. My new family.”
One by one, the introductions were made, brief but heartfelt. Gina struggled to process the strange mix of faces, races, and energies gathered around her daughter, but she could see clearly enough: Jasmine belonged with them. She was as far from being an unwilling captive as possible.
Just as the last introduction ended, Jasmine’s expression shifted. Her tears dried, her gaze hardened, and her voice dropped lower.
“Mom… we have a big surprise for you.”
…
Jasmine led her mother through the stronghold with excited steps. Gina’s fragile eyes widened with each passing sight. Warriors sparring in the courtyard. Strange magical constructs pulsing with light. Then, in the distance, her breath caught.
A massive tree towered toward the skies like something plucked straight from a fairy tale. Around its roots, five elven women tended lovingly with serene, content smiles adorning their faces. They radiated peace and fulfillment, as if they had been born to nurture that wonder.
“Incredible…” Gina whispered, momentarily forgetting it all. For a heartbeat, her eyes softened.
The group paused, letting the woman look for as long as her heart desired. Gina realized it too. As such, despite feeling like she could watch that wonderful sight for hours, she gestured for Jasmine to lead the way.
Gina had a feeling she could observe the tree and its caretakers later, so she elected not to hold up so many people.
They came to a smaller structure, quiet and sealed away from the others. At the door, the group stopped. Quinlan and the rest remained behind. Rosie pouted and whined, but her mothers had been strict: she was forbidden from entering.
As they entered, Gina blinked in confusion. “Jasmine… what is this? You don’t need to give me anything. I don’t want riches or gifts. I just want…” She squeezed her daughter’s hand weakly, her voice trembling. “I just want to make memories with you. To enjoy freedom by my daughter’s side. To finally rest my tired bones and eat filling meals…”
Jasmine’s fingers tightened around her hand. She smiled softly, though there was something strangely sadistic beneath it. “We’ll do that every single day from now on, Mom. But… maybe this present is to your liking.”
She pushed the door open.
The stench hit first. Copper, sweat, old blood. Inside, a man was strapped naked to a chair, slumped and unconscious. The floor was stained. Whips, pincers, knives, and many other torture devices lay scattered around the room, each marked with use.
Gina froze. Her body locked, her instincts screaming to turn and run. This cell and its torture devices triggered her PTSD much stronger than Quinlan had.
She did just that, tried to wrench away, but Jasmine’s grip was iron. “Mom, I apologize, and I won’t force you to stay. But please, before you leave, take a look at this man.”
Hearing her daughter’s pleading words, Gina’s eyes snapped back toward the man.
No… it couldn’t be.
Yet the face, broken and pale, was unmistakable.
“… Aurelion.”
Her voice was a whisper of disbelief.
Jasmine flashed a manic grin and reached to the table, plucked a long, rusted nail, and without hesitation drove it into his knee. Flesh split. Bone cracked.
Aurelion screamed awake, thrashing against his bindings, spit flying as he cried, “Mercy! Mercy, please!”
His wild eyes darted between the familiar tormentor, his very own daughter, and the new presence standing at her side. His heart stuttered in terror. “N–No… you…?”
Gina’s lips parted, her tears and panic attack completely forgotten. Her shock trembled, then twisted. Slowly, her expression warped into something dark, unfamiliar, liberated. A broken laugh escaped her.
“Daughter… maybe this present isn’t so bad after all!”