I realized what she meant by "monster"—the car. The hulking, unfamiliar machine that must have seemed like some kind of beast to her. The way it roared, the way it moved without legs, the way it carried them here—it was no wonder she was terrified. And the treehouse, the clothes, the guns—all of it was beyond anything she'd ever seen.

Mary's lips curled into a slow, predatory smirk as her gaze raked over Helen, lingering on her trembling form with a hunger that made my skin crawl.

She licked her lips, her tongue tracing the curve of her mouth in a way that was deliberately provocative, her eyes dark with something far more sinister than amusement.

"Sister," she purred, her voice dripping with lustful suggestion, "why don't we do this...?" She turned her head slightly, her gaze flicking to Veronica before locking back onto Helen.

"You keep this man to yourself... and leave me that woman." Her words were laced with a dark, hungry edge, her eyes never leaving Helen's body. "What do you say?"

Helen's breath hitched, her fingers clutching at my skirt like she was afraid I'd vanish if she let go. She pressed closer to me, her body trembling as if she could melt into my shadow, her voice a trembling whisper. "My King..." She didn't understand their words, but the fear in her eyes was raw, instinctive. She knew danger when she saw it.

I didn't move.

I didn't speak.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut, the silence heavy with the weight of what was coming.

Veronica's voice broke through the quiet, her tone laced with frustration and something deeper—disgust. "Mary... how did you become so evil?" She shook her head, her fists clenching at her sides. "Always talking about killing and kidnapping people. What's wrong with you?"

Mary's smirk didn't waver, but her eyes flicked to Veronica, her voice sharp with mock offense. "Sister... are you worried about them... instead of your own sister?"

Veronica's expression twisted, her voice tight with emotion. "It's not that—"

Mary's smirk deepened, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Then what is it, Sister?" She stepped closer, her gaze locking onto Veronica's, her voice dropping to a low, taunting purr.

Veronica's face flushed, her voice rising in frustration. " Mary, you're sick! You talk about people like they're objects—like they don't even matter!"

Mary's cold laugh faded into something darker, her smirk slipping as her gaze flicked to Veronica. Her voice dropped, the usual sharp edge softened by something almost sad. "The only person that matters to me is you, Sister."

She stepped closer, her expression uncharacteristically serious. "And I will protect you... even from yourself." Her hand reached out, brushing Veronica's arm before pulling away, as if she couldn't bear to linger. "You're innocent. Kind. But we can't survive like that, Sister. Not here. Not in this world."

Veronica's breath hitched, her eyes wide as she stared at her sister, the frustration in her voice giving way to something more vulnerable. "Mary..."

Mary's voice hardened, her gaze flicking to me, then back to Helen, before settling on Veronica again. "Just think about it, Sister. What if you were captured by these savages?" Her words were deliberate, cruel in their honesty.

"Would they show you mercy? Or would they rape you? Or maybe even eat you alive?" She let the words hang in the air, her expression unreadable.

Veronica's face paled, her hands trembling slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Mary, that's—"

"The truth?" Mary cut in, her voice sharp again, the sadness in her tone replaced by something colder. "This is the world we live in, Sister. It's kill or be killed. And I'd rather be the one holding the knife."

I didn't react. I didn't move.

But something in Mary's words struck a chord—something dark, something primal. She wasn't wrong. This was the world we lived in. A world where strength was the only law, where mercy was a weakness, where the only way to survive was to be the one holding the power.

And right now?

That power was mine.

My gaze flicked to Helen, still pressed against me, her breath shallow, her eyes wide with fear. Then back to Mary, her hand still hovering near her gun, her expression a mix of defiance and something almost like regret.

I didn't say a word.

I took that single step forward, my gaze locked onto Mary as her eyes narrowed, her fingers finally closing around the grip of her gun. The air between us was electric, charged with the promise of violence.

But then—

Veronica's hand shot out, gripping Mary's wrist, her voice desperate. "No!" She turned to me, her face pale, her free hand pointing toward the dense forest behind us. "Go away. Now."

I hesitated. Just for a second. Because I knew—if Mary pulled that trigger, Helen wouldn't stand a chance. A bullet to the head, and it would all be over.

I reached back, gripping Helen's hand tightly, and began to turn away.

Mary's voice cut through the tension, sharp with betrayal. "Sister! You're taking their side?!" She yanked her hand, trying to break free from Veronica's grip. "Let go of my hand!"

Veronica didn't budge. "Mary, stop! You don't have to do this!"

The two sisters grappled, their struggle growing more frantic, their breaths ragged. Mary's fingers twitched on the trigger, her face twisted with fury. "You're weak, Veronica! You always have been!"

Veronica's grip tightened, her voice breaking. "And you're monstrous!"

Then—

BANG.

The sound echoed through the clearing like a thunderclap.

Veronica's body jerked, her hands flying to her stomach as she crumpled to the ground, blood seeping through her fingers. Her eyes were wide with shock, her breath coming in ragged, pained gasps. "M-Mary...?"

Mary stood frozen, the gun still clutched in her hand, her face a mask of horror. "S...Sister I—I didn't—!"

But the damage was done.

Veronica's body hit the ground, her breath shallow, her eyes glazing over as the life drained out of her.

Helen let out a choked sob behind me, her grip on my hand turning desperate. "My King... we have to—"

I didn't let her finish.

I turned, my gaze locking onto Mary, who was now trembling, her face pale as she stared at her sister's bleeding body. The gun slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground.

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