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Damn it.
14
Dusk
I’ll admit,I thought the mating bond legend was true. I also thought that as soon as we bonded with Ann that something magical would sweep over the land, that the shards would cease to light, and that the fighting would be over. Or something like that. But, basically, that we would win and all would be well in this world and in ours.
Prophecies are rare, even in the shadow world. When the shadows whisper one, people stand up and listen. They see a prophecy as something sacred and powerful, like fate. Something to believe in in the darkest times. And we're certainly in dark times. Times of war. Where brother is forced to fight brother. I wanted, no, needed, to believe that once we mated Ann, we would be free.
And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who needed this to be true. They’re staring at us. Waiting. Not quite hope in their eyes, but perhaps, desperation.
I hate that the prophecy doesn't seem to be that easy. I've never feared our men before, but a streak of concern is flowing through me. Instincts are going off inside of me like alarm bells, and I actually wish I could speak to Phantom privately. Tell him to break the news gently, or with some hope still attached to it, since my brother tends to say things in a direct way. It's good for leading a war. Good for running people, most of the time. But not now.
Our men continue to close in around us, so we move more tightly around Ann. No, I don't think they would hurt her. But people are capable of surprising things when they're desperate.
Phantom looks at me, Onyx looks at him, and Rayne looks at Onyx. He’s one of us now. And he isn’t going to let anything happen to her. It's weirdly nice to know we have one more person who has our back right now. Who is here to protect our woman.
My brother stands up taller. "The shadows have whispered from the time we were children that our chosen mate would bring great power. And when this war came to pass, they whispered that she would be the one to end this war."
There's a low murmuring of agreement.
"We all saw Ann's power on the battlefield. Her ability to control the light."
More murmurs, these ones more excited than the last.
"Within her control is power enough to destroy a smoke dragon and to harm the shadow king."
"Get to it!" someone shouts.
Phantom glances in my direction. It's half a second, but I see the concern in his eyes before his expression is fully one of confidence. "The mate bond is complete. Now we need only wait for the shadows to show us the next step."
Silence. His words are met with complete and utter silence.
"So, you don't know what to do next?" Flame asks, pushing through the others and coming to stand right in front of us.
"Prophecies aren't simple. We must still be patient."
"We've been patient for a very long time," Flame says, and there's disappointment and frustration in his voice.
"I know," Phantom tells him, his voice gentling. "I know that when all of you followed us to this world, you had no idea what was in store. None of us did. But I'm proud of you. You're fighting, not just for yourselves, not just for us, but all the people still enslaved beneath the shadow king's hold. When we stop him--"
"Ifwe can stop him," Flame says, his dark eyes locked onto Phantom's. "Ifwe can stop him, then what? When we fight the other shadow beasts, we're fighting our friends, our family. If this keeps up, we'll be returning to a dark world we can't survive in, and all the people we once loved will be dead, casualties of this war."
"There are always sacrifices in war." Phantom's voice is grave. "But with the prophecy fulfilled, we just have to hold on a little longer. Not lose our faith."
More silence.
"We've run out of faith," Flame says, and his words sound like an apology, which I don't understand.
But I do sense the way the tension around us increases. I see the way our men's eyes narrow, and even a change that sweeps through them as they exchange glances.
This isn't good. Not good at all.
I breathe out slowly, my muscles tense, then slowly lay my hand on the hilt of the dagger on my belt. Maybe I won't need it, maybe I'm worrying about nothing, but itfeelslike a storm is brewing.
Phantom gives a slight nod, his gaze meeting mine, and then sweeping over the others. If we have to fight, if there’s no other choice than to go against the shadow beasts we’ve fought beside and would continue to fight beside, then we will fight them. But I hope that's not what's brewing. I hope this is just something that can be talked about.
Flame looks each of us up and down like he’s sizing us up, like he’s assessing the danger. And the rumbling in my gut turns to a roar. They’re about to betray us. I can feel it. Then, he speaks to all of us, but looks at Phantom. “We’re tired of the violence and all the death that comes from fighting the king.”
