Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 898

Aurora was roughly dragged to her feet, her hands shackled behind her back. When she was slammed to the ground, her face scraped against the sharp stones, drawing a few thin lines of blood.

She first shot a look at Barrett, her eyes filled with nothing but disappointment. Then, her gaze turned to Carissa, sharp and unrelenting. Carissa's official uniform was everything she had ever dreamed of, yet here she was, never even having the chance to touch them, let alone wear them.

Carissa pulled the whip back and stood directly in front of Aurora. The two locked eyes—one pair filled with resentment, the other brimming with unabashed hatred.

For the first time, Carissa's hatred for Aurora was unmasked. Even in front of her parents' memory plaques, Carissa had tempered her feelings, unwilling to let the spirits of her family see her consumed by such hatred.

But now, with everything coming to a head, there was no holding back. The resentment that had festered in Carissa's heart boiled over. Aurora had destroyed her family and dragged her grandfather down with her—this grudge was something she could never forgive.

In the face of such hate, Aurora's jealousy and unwillingness to accept her fate seemed like nothing more than a pale shadow. After just a moment of meeting Carissa's gaze, the weight of the anger was enough to crush her.

She turned her eyes away and glanced at Barrett, this time genuinely seeking help, her expression pleading for mercy.

Barrett's heart twisted, caught in a turmoil of emotions. Earlier, he had purposely let Alistair stop him when in truth, it was him who had been standing in Alistair's way.

Aurora couldn't have truly taken Barrett hostage—it wouldn't have worked, and Barrett knew it. However, holding the Ministry of Justice's deputy minister hostage would make the entire ministry's forces step back. He understood Aurora's intentions. They had always had an unspoken understanding between them.

During their time at Victory Pass, it wasn't just about Fawnrun City. Before that, they had fought side by side, killing enemies together. Their bond was forged in that shared danger, and it had led to moments where their hearts and minds had aligned.

Barrett remembered the time when, during the mission to burn the supply depot in Fawnrun City, Aurora had asked him what he would do if she found herself in mortal danger. He had answered, without hesitation, that he would risk everything to save her—even his life.

And now, when Aurora had looked at him earlier, he had felt that same struggle, but his promise still held. No matter the cost, even if it meant losing his title or facing punishment, he was willing to keep that promise.

Yet, Carissa's appearance was like a slap in the face. While he had kept his promise to Aurora, why hadn't he upheld his vows to Carissa at the start?

At that moment, Barrett felt as if he was being torn apart from within.

A sharp pain in his foot brought him back to reality. He looked up to see Alistair, who had just stomped on him, face twisted with anger. Alistair had seen through Barrett's intentions.