Chapter 44
Chapter 44 Grievance
CA SSANDRA
As Adalyn continued to re daggers in my direction, I turned to look at
Finnick.
“Did youy a hand on Prince Marco?” I asked as evenly as I could possibly manage. Finnick took a
moment and then shook his head.
“I didn’t do anything,” he said quietly, but his expression told a different story. Finnick tended to nce
down at the ground when he was lying, and he’d done just that a moment ago. So, I took a breath and
repeated myself.
“Finnick, this is serious,” I said in a much sterner tone. “I want the truth. Did youy a hand on Prince
Marco?”
Finnick took a moment of pause, and then he nodded.
“Sort of,” he admitted. “But it was just a light push, Mommy. And Marco hit me
first-”
“Prince Marco,” Adalyn corrected him through bared teeth, and then she rushed over to us. She
seemed as if she were going to sn atch my son away, but held firm. and lifted him up before she could
do anything.
I red at Asher’s wife as she stopped in front of us. No one, royal or not, was going toy a single
finger on my son.
“I’ll take my son and leave-” I started to say, but as I turned to move, Adalyn’s hand mped down on
my shoulder.
“I’ll tell the Alpha King,” she spat. Her nails dug into my skin, but the pain didn’t matter. I was in
protective mode and my only concern was my son.
“Tell him whatever you like,” I retorted, and I yanked my shoulder away with
impressive force. “But I’ll be taking my son away now.”
Prince Marco began to wail.
“My father is going to punish you!” he cried, and he pointed his finger at Finnick. “You’re going to be in
trouble!”
Finnick opened his mouth to speak, but I shushed him immediately. I didn’t wait for Adalyn to dismiss
me. I simply turned and rushed right out of the room and into the busy hallway. I walked as quickly as I
could with Finnick in my arms, and I held him tightly against me.
“Mommy,” Finnick whimpered as I sped toward our chamber. “Mommy, I’m
sorry-”
“Why did you push Marco?” I asked him sternly.
“He deserved it,” Finnick insisted, but I wasn’t having it. I set him down on the ground and stared at
him.
“There’s never an excuse for physical violence,” I chastised him. “Now, tell me Finnick, why did you
push the prince?”
Finnick was quiet for a moment, and then he began to sniffle. It was soft at first, and then it grew a little
louder. I paused for a moment and looked at him.
“Finnick?” I prompted him quietly.
When the tears fell down his cheeks, my heart began to ache. Finnick hardly ever cried.
“He was making fun of me,” Finnick revealed through his sniffs, and the whites of his eyes turned
slightly red. “Heughed at me, Mommy, for not having a daddy. So, I told him that he was abandoned
by his parents.”
I was shocked. I hadn’t realized Finnick had overheard what Erika had said to mest night. Even if I’d
known, I’d never have expected him to repeat it back to Marco. Finnick wasn’t usually that mean.
“Finnick, that’s not okay,” I said loudly. “You don’t say things like that to people.”
Anger swelled within me. I didn’t understand what had gotten into Finnick. I hardly ever raised my
voice, but my son needed to know he was in trouble.
Finnick knew right away and suddenly began to s ob.
“I hate you, Mommy!” he eximed, and before I could say anything else, he
took off down the hall toward our chamber.
“Finnick!” I called after him, but it was no use. Tears welled in my own eyes. My worst fears were
coming true.
This ce was toxic.
Footsteps rang out behind me, and I readied myself for the stern hands of guards, but when I turned, it
was just Erika.
“Are you okay?” she asked, and when I shook my head she sighed. “Shhh… don’t cry. Finnick didn’t
mean it. The boy is young.”
“He’s never said that to me,” I whispered through my cries.
“I know,” she assured me. “He’s not that kind of boy. I must tell you, Ca ssandra.. This is all my fault. I
stepped out of the ssroom to grab some water and left the boys alone. I didn’t expect them to
quarrel.”
The maid looked terrified and I didn’t me her. Adalyn was on the war path and would likely seek
revenge on anyone involved in the situation.
“It’s not your fault,” I said as I wiped my cheeks. “Thank you for getting me. I appreciate it. I’ll handle
Finnick from here.”
“Okay,” Erika said, and she offered me a small, apologetic smile. “Thank you, Ca ssandra. Please, take
care.”
The maid turned and walked down the hall. Once she was gone, I continued toward my chamber.
Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.
When I got there, Finnick was in bed with his head buried in his nket. I quietly closed the door
behind me and then approached.
“Finnick?” I called out softly. “Finnick, I’m sorry.”
Finnick raised his head up slowly. I took a seat beside him on the bed and we
sat there in silence for a minute or two.
“Why didn’t you tell me you overheard usst night?” I asked. “And why would. you repeat our words
back to Marco?”
Finnick sniffled. “Marco is always saying bad things about you, Mommy. I… just wanted to say bad
things to him too.”
I swept him into my arms. “Honey, it doesn’t work like that. I know you meant well, but you can’t say
things like that to people, even if they’re mean. You also shouldn’t keep things from me-”
Finnick squirmed. “You always keep things from me, Mommy.”
I was taken aback. He was right. I was so full of secrets l,could hardly breathe.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“I’m sorry too,” he whispered. “I should probably say that to Marco too.”
“When the opportunity presents itself, you should,” I agreed. “For right now, everyone needs to take
some time to cool down.”
“Mommy, did Daddy leave because he didn’t like me?” Finnick wondered, and my heart ached again.
“Why would you say that?” I asked in shock.
“Because that’s what Marco said,” he replied.
“That’s not true,” I assured him, but he didn’t seem convinced.
“Daddy never seemed to like me,” he said.
I sat there in surprise for a moment as Finnick’s words settled in.
Emmett had never been good with emotions. He only seemed to care about two things- his patients
and his career. In fact, he never showed much affection for Finnick or me for that matter. Of course,
he’d never wanted to marry or have
children in the first ce, but that wasn’t fair
for Finnick.
I considered my words carefully. Emmett hadn’t been a great example of loving parenting, but I wasn’t
like him.
“Finnick, Daddy loved you very much,” I assured him softly. “He just didn’t know how to express it.”
“Promise me you aren’t lying,” Finnick whispered.
“I’m not,” I said, even though I wasn’t convinced.
I hadn’tpletely lied to him. If it weren’t for the inferno that’d destroyed my life, Asher could have
been a loving father to Finnick. That much was obvious by the
way he treated Prince Marco.
Bitterness rose up in me again.
It always came back to the inferno.
Finnick nodded carefully. “Mommy, it’s sad and lonely here. Can we visit Anemond?”
“I don’t know, baby,” I said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy. I just have a lot of work to do-
“Oh,” Finnick whispered, and he bit his lower lip. He was so crestfallen that I needed to find something
to cheer him up. Pce life wasn’t easy and I knew he was homesick and lonely. I had to do something
to reassure him.
“I’ll talk to the Alpha King, okay Finnick?” I said as I drew him into an embrace.
“We’ll find a time to visit Anemond. I promise.”