(Alnitak)

My mind is occupied by the woman who gave birth to me. We have a plan for her but I wish to confront her, stare into her eyes and ask why?

I am the only one among us six who has faced the least of her wrath. She has deeply hurt all of them, left wounds which will never heal except for me.

I guess that’s what shaped me differently from my brothers. Our moods, our personalities differ. They all carry childhood traumas and they extend into their adulthood.

I had always believed she loved Alnilam and Mintaka more than me, that’s why I always clung to her for attention. But it was me whom she hurt the least.

I don’t know why and what that means but as a mother she failed, as a woman she failed too.

Then there are my half-siblings, whom I hate with every cell my body possesses. One raped my brother and the other killed Jamina. I want nothing else but for them to die.

I am unsure about Meissa. Amaia says she is being controlled too but let’s see.

There is a hustle in the castle. Seems like they were only half prepared. They must have estimated that it would take us weeks to reach them without portals or modern tech. What they didn’t anticipate was Amaia’s newly acquired portal-opening powers.

Amaia is holding Rigel’s hand. The grimness on his face and the rage that brims in our shared bond tell me he is hardly holding on.

We had promised to do everything together, like one unit. Be each other’s strength. That’s what we will be doing.

Saiph has his jaw set tight and his eyes are focused only on Bellatrix—who can’t help but steal awkward glances at him.

They lead us to the central courtyard. Guards and Reavers stand on the sides.

There I see her, wearing a soft white gown as if she were the epitome of innocence and purity. The high collar of the gown is hiding her neck.

But it’s the face and hair that leave me halting in my tracks. The right side of her face has been completely burnt. Amaia’s powers are truly deadly. The skin appears hard and blackened. Like stones have been glued to her face. Even the rest of the face is wrinkled, not the smooth skin I remembered.

She appears like an old hag we usually read about in fairytales.

For hair, she is using a wig and I can guess that Amaia burnt her hair too.

"Mom, they are here," Bellatrix announces, going ahead and standing behind her.

Her gaze fixes on us, and her mouth forms a sneer, seeing my brothers. Then her gaze finds Saiph and her eyes go wide, that evil smile drops.

"...how? How are you alive?" She stammers slightly before gaining her composure and straightening her spine.

Saiph doesn’t answer her, just observes her like a hawk. It’s Amaia who speaks on his behalf.

"You thought it would be that easy to kill him." Amaia snorts at her. "You messed with the wrong woman and her mates."

Horrors descend in her eyes but she composes herself. Spreading her arms, she ignores what Amaia has said.

"My beautiful sons. I knew you would come for me." She lifts her hands and revulsion weaves through me at her fakeness. I want to puke.

I see her now, I clearly see her for who she is and what she is.

I stay in front of my brothers. Everyone has halted behind me and I can feel their collective hatred for her.

"Don’t call us that with your filthy tongue," I blast.

The guards remain alert on her side and it’s the same on ours. I can sense Amaia’s shield surrounding us in case she tries her abilities.

"But you are, especially, you Alnitak. You were my favourite. Haven’t you figured that out by now?"

Others stay quiet, they let me speak to get this off my chest. I sense Amaia’s supporting hand on my shoulder.

"How could you be so vile? Hurt your own children. Hurt your step-children. Why?"

Her callous eyes hop from one to the other. She takes all of us in while her two minions watch from her flanks.

"I don’t care about them but you and Min. They are just pawns who did their part and are ready to be eliminated." Her words are heartless, there is not an ounce of remorse in this woman’s face or eyes.

The rage inside me wants to burst out in the deadly powers I possess and choke her. Ironically my powers I have inherited from her. So much of me has been passed down from that woman.

Alnilam’s hand on my other tensed shoulder makes me ease down. He steps forward and stands facing her.

"You cut off my wings. You raped Rigel and you abused Saiph. These are only a few of your crimes. Did you ever halt and think, these are children I am hurting?" He asks, composed but his jaw is tight like a screw.

She shakes her head and lets out a small snort. "Remorse? I want all of you dead. And you will be once I am done. You walked into my kingdom, only your dead bodies will leave." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"You still think we are afraid of dying? I died so many times in that dungeon." Rigel scoffs. "I am not afraid anymore, especially not of a wrinkled raisin like you." He spits on the ground, showing what he thinks of her.

Her visible intact skin goes red in rage. The twins bristle behind her. "You shadow controlling freak. How dare you insult our mother?" Betelgeuse is the one who breaks first.

He attacks. His powers can break shields and siphon powers from charmed weapons like sponges.

But breaking Amaia’s shield is no joke, his attack reverberates back to him, hitting his body with full force. He is rooted from his feet and is sent flying, colliding with a pillar behind.

"Thwack!"

The force vibrates the whole courtyard. Amaia’s shield and Alnilam’s magic have created this uniqueness that whoever tries to attack or harm us feels the double impact of their own attack.

The poor guy didn’t realise that we had just ragebatted him.