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The fingers on her lap flexed. “Aeon was once your home. Would you truly see it rot away?”
He gave a casual, unbothered shrug. “I don’t really see how it’s my business.”
“How can you not care that you have given sanctuary to someone who is clearly a dark power?”
“I’ve been described as a dark power plenty of times. Maybe you’ve forgotten, Lailah, but Devil’s Cradle goes by another name—the Home of Monsters. What better place for her to live?”
“She knows there is bad history between the Aeons and the Ancients. She is using you. Relying on you to keep her safe. Depending on you to fight at her side if a battle ever began.”
“Considering war again, are you?” Cain truly did hope so.
Lailah’s eyelids dropped slightly. “She must be made to undo what she has done, or Aeon will be no more.”
“You can relocate. It’s not so hard. We all did it. It wasn’t our choice, just as it won’t be yours. And we weren’t too pleased about it, just as you won’t be. But sometimes things simply don’t play out as we’d like them to.”
“Is that what this is about for you? Revenge?”
“Of course.”
She drew in a breath through her nose, and then her face softened into an expression she’d often worn in front of him many years ago. “Cain, please, think of—”
“Switched tactics quickly, didn’t you? Don’t bother playing that card, Lailah. I stopped giving a shit about you long ago.”
She winced. “I didn’t choose Abel over you, if that’s what you think. It wasn’t like that. I chose him because I couldn’t be with you. Your creature would never have accepted me. It didn’t like or trust me.”
“And you later proved that it was right not to. Is this why I’m talking to only you rather than all four ruling Aeons? You all thought that I’d be more likely to agree to cooperate if there was a ‘friendly face?’” Much like they’d thought sending a ‘friendly face’ to Wynter might help their cause. “Let me be very clear. This conversation was a waste of your time. I won’t hand Wynter over to you.”
Lailah’s mouth went flat. “Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”
“No.”
“Don’t be so quick to disagree. You have not heard my offer yet.” She seemed utterly convinced he’d fall all over himself to accept it. “Give us Wynter, and we will give you Eve in exchange.”
“No.”
Lailah’s face went slack, and her eyes widened. “No?” she spluttered. “But she is your mother. You spent years demanding to see her.”
“According to Adam, she didn’t want to see me.” Cain knew that wasn’t true, though.
Lailah looked as if she might admit as much, but then she coughed. “That has changed in recent years. Eve misses both you and Seth. I know your brother would very much like to have her at his side. Let’s not pretend you don’t wish to make the trade. I know you do. You simply don’t want to back down so easily.”
“There will be no trade.” He planned to retrieve his mother himself once he was free. “There is only one thing—one—that I want from you and the other Aeons. You already know what that is.”
She averted her gaze. “We cannot grant you your freedom.”
He hadn’t thought for a moment that they would. Because theyknewthat he and the other Ancients would wreak vengeance. “Then we have nothing further to discuss.”
“We have unless you want war. You would be foolish to take us on. You were powerful once, but being contained has weakened you all over time. None of you would stand a chance against any Aeon, let alone a group of them and whatever army they brought. Don’t put us in this position, Cain. Don’t force our hand. We have left you in peace.”
He barely held back a snarl. “You left us in a cage. You hoped it would send us stir crazy and that we’d destroy each other. You left us to rot. Tell me why the fuck I shouldn’t do the same to your precious land.”
She inched up her chin. “Then you leave us no choice.”
“There you go again pinning the blame for your actions on me. If you instigate a war, it will be your choice. It will also be your mistake. But then, you’re good at making those, aren’t you?” Without waiting for a response, he returned his consciousness to his body.
Cain blinked twice, bringing the room into focus. No one had left, and Maxim was now in the room. Cain flicked the males from Aeon a look and then told his aide, “Show them out.”
Rafe slowly stood. “Will you truly protect Wynter? I know you’re powerful. But will you eventually get tired of people coming for her? Will you one day give her up just to get the Aeons off your back? They’ll kill her if you do. Maybe not right away, but eventually. And they’ll make it hurt.”
