“And Maddie,” I said, in a gentler voice. “What was done to her was the worst of all.” Flame, her husband, bared his teeth in response and clutched her to his chest. “Judah, Rider’s brother, would have no doubt put children through the same abuse as she suffered. But he did not get the chance because of Rider. And Rider was thrown in prison because he killed a man for taking a child! He endured daily beatings because he fought for what was right. He saved the life of a woman he barely knew because he could not see yet another innocent be tormented under the guise of God. He brought me back to my sisters because all he wanted me to be was happy. And he willingly walked through your gates of hell, knowing he would die!”
My lips trembled, and I faced my sisters. Each one of them. “If I had known my return would have meant sacrificing his tormented soul to your unforgiving men, I never would have allowed it.” Mae’s eyes widened. “We wanted freedom and kindness. All I have seen since I came here is cruelty and vengeful bloodlust.”
I stepped forward, my legs threatening to buckle. I forced them to stay strong. They would not see me fall. Sighing, I addressed Styx. “Not one of you blamed my sisters for being so conditioned to The Order’s ways. You pitied them. Gave them safety and guidance in the outside world. But because Rider is a man you show him no mercy.” Hot tears fell from my eyes and I coughed back an angry sob. “He was taken from his parents, raised in isolation. He was alone his entire life, with only his evil, manipulative twin by his side. He never had anyone to care . . . to love him in the way he deserved to be loved.” I breathed deeply. “We Cursed Sisters at least had each other. He had only his brother . . . the brother he just killed to save us . . . to save all of you!”
I walked back to Rider, almost breaking when I saw a tear fall from the only eye he could force open. I lifted my hand and laid it on his waist. “I love you,” I whispered, then turned around, all my strength gone.
“He killed the only person he had in his life because he knew the world would be a better place without him.” I stared at Ky. “Could you kill Styx with your bare hands? If you felt you must?” I shook my head. “You could not, just like I could never kill Mae, Lilah or Maddie. But Rider did. And I now realize that he did so knowing he would give himself up to you . . . to torture, to punish and to kill.”
I wiped away my tears. “But if you take him from me, then you will take away my heart.” I met my sisters’ eyes. “You will take away my reason for living. Against the odds, we found one another in hell. I will not let you take him from me when we have finally completed the treacherous journey to heaven’s gates. And if you do . . . then you can kill me too.”
My head dropped and I sagged in defeat. But I meant what I had said. I had not come this far to live without him. “He deserves to live,” I whispered. “A man who would risk everything to atone for his sins to such a degree . . . a man who would sacrifice himself so others could live deserves to be saved. How”—my breath hitched—“How can you not see that? How can you be so cold?”
I stepped back until I was at Rider’s legs. I stood my ground. I would not move unless they either freed him . . . or killed me first.
The brothers all stared at me, then looked to one another. Ky eventually inched forward, an unforgiving harshness in his stare. And my stomach plummeted. I could see his answer.
Rider would die.
Then I would die too.
“Bella,” Ky said sternly. “Move the fuck—”
Ky’s words cut off when Lilah moved from his protection, walked forward and joined me at my side. I stared at my sister in astonishment. Lilah cast me a watery smile and threaded her hand through mine.
Lilah looked directly at her husband, who was staring at her, open-mouthed. “Li!” He moved toward her, but she held out her hand and shook her head.
“After what that prick let happen to you?” Ky asked. “After all the shit we’ve been through since you came back from that hell?”
“He tried to save Phebe. She trusted him. Believed in him. And he saved Grace so that our lives could be blessed with a child of our own.”
Ky gripped onto his hair and shouted, “And he let you get gang fuckin’ raped! Burned, lashed and raped!” I flinched as he shouted those words. But Lilah stayed calm.
“It happened to me,” she said softly, and my chest bloomed with pride. Lilah met her husband’s tortured gaze. “It all happened to me. And I choose to forgive him. I choose to see his life spared. I will not see any more blood spilled in my honor.” Lilah sniffed lightly. “The commune is gone because of him. He killed so that we would have life. He saved Grace from Judah so we could have her as our own.”