SWNOVELS Chapter 42 (Aliyana)
1 month later
I head to the door of my house, and that is when my phone rings. They say a ring can come in many forms, and mine came in
this one.
“Hello Papa.”
“Hello, Aliyana.”
“You sound so serious, is everything okay?”
“I need to see you, I'll be there in the next hour.”
“Okay. I didn't know you were in the city.”
“I wasn't until a few hours ago, there has been an accident, the Rasetto’s family plane blew up, no one survived.”
I listen to my father and I still don't know what that has to do with me. But Marco comes to mind and my hands get sweaty. I
haven’t seen him since my sister and her baby died.
The other Shadows agreed it was best he kept his distance. The death of my sister still a wound not yet healed.
Lucca Sanati attacked me because of Marco. He kidnapped my friend Kylie because of Marco. The Shadows searched for her,
day and night but we couldn’t find her. We knew the clock was ticking.
My father arrives in an hour just like he said and I go to his office, that was destroyed in the explosion along with my sister. My
mother’s picture no longer sits on his desk. His office is just a room, with some books, not his any longer.
“I have killed many innocent people in my plight for power, I have never claimed to be a noble man or a fair one. And life has
certainly not given me any reprieves, I have taken the power I have wanted in blood. I have loved one woman only to lose her
because of her betrayal. But Aliyana, from the moment you were born you have been my redemption, you, Aliyana have been
the one thing in my life I have loved without condition. You always knew I was a bad man, but you accepted my love, my status
as your father.”
“Papa?”
“You knew that I would protect you from anyone who did you wrong. And I have, I have made you strong. Given you everything
and only asked you for so little. But today my child, I must ask you for forgiveness after I ask you to give yourself to another.”
“Papa?” I whisper again, confused.
He turns to face me, I am confused, what is he talking about?
“As Sicilian tradition has it, when a child gets married the father of the bride cannot refuse a favor. It is considered bad luck but
also shameful and weakness we do not need. I am afraid that I was asked a favor that has doomed us both, my daughter.”
“Papa? I don’t understand.” What is he talking about? His eyes are so red that I am sure if look hard enough I would say he is
crying.
“The Rasetto’s weren’t the only ones to fall today. There is a shift in power, the Capo Dei Capi has got a new name, and that
name needs a wife Aliyana.” I close my eyes because I knew he would rise.
“Papa, please no, I... I love Xander, I was going to tell you, I want to marry him.” I am not sure how true of a statement that is but
it’s the only excuse I can think of.
My father looks at me, and for the first time I see his tear in his eyes fall, “That will not be possible any longer, like my daughter,
The Consigliere of The 5th State I order you to do as you are told.”
I drop down to my knees and cry. I have thought of a thousand ways in which I would one day come to this moment, me on my
knees in front of my father, as many have done but not like this.
“Who is he?”
“I am so sorry, I have doomed us both. But even with all my power, I am not strong enough to deny him, neither are you. The
Shadows can’t help you here.”
“Who is he?” I scream at my Papa.
“I hope you will forgive me, Aliyana.”
“Who, tell me dammit,” I yell as my heart rips.
It is like we both freeze for seconds as my father's haunted gaze holds my own tormented one captive. All those moments
growing up with this man who has loved me with a fierce determination that has made any other fatherly affection dim in
comparison flash through me.
His crinkling eyes as he laughed, his one-sided smile when the five of us needed help and called him. Always my Papa, there to
rescue us, me. Memories that have brought us to this day, me on his office floor and him, the powerful man who promised to love
me, protect me now offering me up, taking my freedom.
Now, as I lay on this floor looking at him, he is not that man who loved his daughter, and I am not his little girl. He is the
Consigliere of the Capo Dei Capi, a powerful member of the 5th State, and I am a grown woman who controls a powerful army of
men, known as the Shadows, A Queen with no power against the leader of us all.
“Who?” I whisper.
“Marco Catelli.” I close my eyes as that name was once such a big part of my world until he took from me so much.