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“I will.”
Castian, who’d slowly made his way down from level to level using the dark pathway he’d created, spotted the opened entrance as he moved along the wall. He kept his eyes on the four men below. He maneuvered himself around the corner and nearly pissed his pants when he heard a shrill sound of the alarm right when he reached the exit.
“Who’s there?”
He barely dodged as a bright light of magic slammed into the wall where he’d once been standing. Quickly he took off running, hopping from one shadow bed to another. He panted as he felt his control on his magic slipping. He pressed his back against a tree and slumped onto the dirt. Breathing harshly, it took him a while before he could take a look around to know where he was.
He sat a few feet away from the pool house where there remained a large portal to the underground. Asher searched the entrance way, holding his short staff out. Before he was called back. The entrance disappeared and the pool house returned to normal.
Castian sat on the ground, his hand shaking as he brushed it through his wild hair. And soon after he was laughing; he couldn’t hold it in. His laughter turned maniacal and then morphed into long drawn-out sobs.
If the other Jackals saw him like this they’d get a good laugh. He, the mad warlock, was sobbing outside of his childhood home. How had he’d been so blind, and so goddamn arrogant.
Even knowing he should get up and leave, he remained on the ground until his crying trailed off. Eventually the silence around him comforted him to some level.
He now knew who the mastermind behind everything was. Robert was not only the brains behind Tillon but also Asher and he used him as a line of communication with the Lord. The question now was what exactly Castian would do with this information.
At this very moment, he should have sent off a flyer to Raijin, but he hesitated. He was here for revenge; he’d schemed to get back to his home. Castian had to choose between his desire for revenge or saving those innocent people who were about to be sold off.
He squeezed his eyes tight.
“The best thing I did was put him out of his misery, to bad mother happened to see it.”Tillon’s cruel words rebounded in his head.
He would keep this information to himself for now. Castian had never claimed to be a hero. First he needed to free himself of Ashiya, after that he’d decide what next to do.
Coming to his feet, he batted at his coat and brushed a hand through his curly hair. Reactivating all his many talismans. He felt more like himself.
He wasn’t a hero.
He was a warlock, and warlocks always put themselves first indeed and in hand.
Without another thought he disappeared and reappeared in front of the door to the room he shared with Oye. Entering the room, he was with the sight of Oye sitting on the floor in her pink dress, her cheek resting atop her hands as she leaned against the window seat.
He dispersed his many items and once again he stood in simple slacks. Walking over to her side, he knelt down beside her and spotted the residue of tears upon her cheeks.
Castian debated with himself on whether he should move her or not.
Castian knew enough about her to know that she would hate him seeing her in such a venerable state. If he moved her, she’d know for sure that he’d seen her.
The longer he thought about it, the more he found himself studying the way her hair curled against her cheek.
He reached out and drew a finger along her cheek, watching as it sparkled like diamonds. When he reached her chin he withdrew it.
For someone who wore her confidence like a shield, she was very soft and delicate.
Oye was meant to be free. When dealt with her difficult clients at the Shade she grinned at the thrill wrangling them. She enjoyed the challenge; every time he’d snuck in he’d spot her boisterously laughing as she kicked out another Being.
He bent down and picked her up. He used magic to lower the zipper of her dress. Carrying her over to the bed he laid her down and gently pulled the dress off her. Tossing it aside, he retreated to take his own clothes off. Finished, he lifted the covers and slid in beside her, pulling her close and relaxed against her.
His soul felt battered from everything he’d heard and from the choices he’d made. Castian’s biggest fear was that Oye would learn about his betrayal, he would have to lie to her.
No that he hadn’t already but something about doing it now felt worse, wrong. But if he wanted to avenge his father he would have to do it this way. He just hoped he wouldn’t pay a high price for it. He had nothing else he was willing to lose. He wouldn’t let another thing slip from his hands, and right now the most important thing to him slept in his arms.
He would do what he had to do.
Closing his eyes, he nuzzled closer to her. Pretending for a time that no lies or secrets lay between them. He pretended that he was a normal man, and that she was a normal woman.
With that he drifted off to sleep.
