“It is. I was with child—I was carrying him when I left you. I gave birth to him not too long after that.” She bowed her head. She had to. “I am sorry that I did that to you, but I did not have the choice. I so wanted to tell you but I knew how you felt about them—about him.”
He knew instantly who that him was. “He raped you. He tortured you for days. How else would I feel about that monster?”
She understood this. She had felt it too, a long time ago before coming to this place, but now—it was just a memory. She needed him to understand all of this.
“What his father did was wrong, but it was not without reasons behind it. He did what he felt he must do.” She looked to the fire and slowly looked back at him again. “Kalima should not be held responsible for what his father did. He was innocent with this, even though I know how wrong it was, his being born.” She looked back into his eyes. “He is special.”
He couldn’t believe how innocent she sounded about all of this. She was right, he didn’t understand her.
“How could you carry a monster?”
She felt saddened with hearing this. She didn’t blame him for it either. “He is not a monster Jameson. He is my son, and thus our father’s grandson, as well as your nephew.” She looked at the flames but only briefly before looking back at him. He so looked like their father. He looked the same just more bruised. He was just as filled with hatred. “Kalima was meant to be born. He was meant to live. I did my part.”
He shook his head. “Your part?”
She smiled. It looked golden. “Things are happening that you could never understand my brother. Time meant him to be born.”
“Why? Why would he have to live?”
She stared right in to his eyes. “He is meant for something. He will make it happen.”
He suddenly thought back to the night in the tent after they found him. He thought back to what Kenar and Rochie tried to tell him. He heard their words, but did not see what they meant. She was right. He hated them for everything they did. He also now saw what they meant. He is special. He is different. You have to trust us with this. They told him but he just did not want to listen to it.
“He is the one who will bring this world together. He is the one that will bring it peace—a true and long-lasting peace that it deserves. He is the end of the world and thus will bring it a new beginning.”
He didn’t like any of this. “Is that why you were made to suffer? Is that why father had to be killed by the beast that took you away from me? Is that why you were forced to carry a monster that has changed the tides to evil? Is that why I have had to watch my friends and family die horrible deaths? That does not sound special to me.” He meant every word of this, and more.
She felt his pain. “I understand how you feel with this, I do Jameson. I too felt this way until I died and saw the truth. I came here and now I see everything.”
“What truth?” He heard this and had to know what she meant by it. To him, it just sounded used. It sounded wrong. It sounded downright bad.
She watched him carefully, felt every bit of his anger, and looked back to the flames.
“The world began wrong Jameson. The Walkers, the real ones, were not meant to live. They formed out of the chaos of death. The world did not mean for them, and has been trying to rid it of them ever since. Kalima is the answer to the balance. He is of both worlds. He is Blood Walker and human. His bloodline will bring this world the peace it deserves. He will lead them down the path, and set the world right again.”
He understood none of this, and knew that he never would.
She saw this in his eyes. It was too much for him to understand, so she turned back to something he would. “Kalima will turn. He has turned. He has tasted the truth of all that wronged him. He has seen the light.”
He heard this and didn’t agree with it. “He has done nothing but to kill and to maim. Death has only followed him.” He saw this wolf—his nephew as he thought about it—as nothing but a thorn in his side, and death in his heart. He just couldn’t be anything else other than this.
She shook her head. “I see that all of this pain has hardened you, my dear and wonderful Jameson, but you must believe me. You must trust what I say.” She turned some, and moved back to her side of the fire.
He watched her and hated seeing it. She was moving away from him, and he couldn’t let that happen.
“Do not go.” He took several steps to her, but he found that he couldn’t reach her. The fire it seemed would just grow bigger, just big enough to keep him three steps behind her and on the other side of the fire from her. Realizing this, not really caring how it did it, he stopped.
“I know he has hurt you. I know that he has been hurt.” She looked so sad.
It made him feel worse. He didn’t want to be the one that caused her such pain.
“He had lost his love. He had lost his very existence when he believed that his daughter had died as well. He has lost so much, and did nothing but live to justify it. In many ways, the two of you are exactly alike. You are him, and he is you.”
He bowed his head. “How are we alike?” He did try to listen, and why this happened next he didn’t know if it was she or he, but he did feel something. He suddenly felt calm again. He felt firm but resolved.
She did this to him too, more than he will ever know. “He has lost as you have. Together, the two of you can heal this pain. You can help each other mend your souls.”
He thought about this, and suddenly, he did understand. He didn’t want to, but he did suddenly feel for the black wolf. Again, she must have done this to him, but right now, he didn’t care why. He felt his heart warm his mind.
She felt this and continued the warmth. “He is family Jameson. He is of our father. He is of you. He is of me.”
This brought his eyes back up. “How can I trust him? This is what you are asking of me. How can I trust a wolf?”
She truly felt for him. He was trying so hard to think. He was trying so hard to believe. He needed more, so she knew that she had to give it to him.
“He is father’s grandchild. He is my child. He is a piece of me and of him.” She stepped a little closer to him. She stepped through the fire.
He watched her and felt amazed that she could move through it without it burning her. The fire seemed to shrink for her, as it didn’t for him.
“Look into his eyes and see the truth of who he is. You will see me in him. You will see father in him too.”
He nodded. He could never disagree with her, so he couldn’t start now. She had him in her spell.
He was more right than he would ever know.
“I will try. What am I supposed to do?”
“He will come to you. You will find him on the road. You must take your people and make your journey to Devish’s home. You must allow time to pass and for things to be set right again. You must allow him the time to do what has to be done.”
“What is he supposed to do?”
She moved back to the other side of the flames. “He will cause the end times. He will give you the truce. She will help the both of you.”
He heard the she part of this, so he had to ask, “Who will help us?”
She grinned with a soft looking glance. “His daughter will sacrifice herself for all of you.”
He heard this and his heart sank. “The one that told me to come here?”
She gave him an equally soft nod.
“Who is she? What is she?”
“She is the future.”
He watched her, but suddenly, he saw nothing there. He didn’t even see her vanish or anything like that. She was just there one minute and then gone the next.
He didn’t even blink. He didn’t even call her name.
He just opened his eyes.
Kenar watched him turn his head to him. For him, time had passed only in seconds. He had just watched him close his eyes. Nothing else happened. He didn’t see the flames. He didn’t see anything but Jameson as he turne
d his head. When he turned back to him, he didn’t know what he now knew.
Jameson saw the look on his face. He saw the confusion. He heard a soft voice inside his head.
Do not speak of anything you just saw to Kenar or to anyone else. He cannot know what I told you. He cannot know what I showed you. Keep this between you and I.
The voice vanished as fast as it had come. He wasn’t even sure if it was even there.
Kenar felt more than just confused, he felt odd. In other words, he didn’t know what to think.
“What happened? Did you lose your concentration?”
Jameson felt rather stunned yet strong. “I saw her. I saw my sister.” He stood up. His legs did crack some at the knees when he did. The old wounds would never fully heal, but right now, he didn’t really care. He had things to do. He had a journey to take.
Kenar felt more confused than ever. “You were there? I did not see anything.” He didn’t understand this. The last time he went to the clearing in the trees, he saw the flames. He saw everything. He didn’t know why he didn’t this time, until he too heard a voice inside his head.
Sima spoke loudly and clear. He saw what was for him and him alone Kenar. You must let him have the privacy of his sister’s voice. You must let it be and follow him.
He agreed with this, but begrudgingly. It seemed that he didn’t have the choice anyway, so he stood up too.
When he turned, he noticed that Jameson was already out of the tent, so he followed him and went outside.
Rochie greeted him just at the door. “I am taking it that he saw what he needed?”
Kenar shrugged. “Why do you say that?” He didn’t know what was going on, and in a way, he felt rather reassured. Sima told him this when he was at the flames, hadn’t she. She told him to follow. She told him to stand aside. She told him that things would happen all on their own. He just never figured that it would happen this fast.
Rochie obviously knew nothing. “Jameson just came out of the tent and told Donte to have everyone ready to march. They are riding east. They are heading over to the island of Britannia.”
I guess that is that then. Kenar just shrugged again. “I guess we are heading off then too.” He looked right. All of the yellow colors of the humans flashed all around him like fireflies dancing around your head on a warm summer evening. It was blinding and yet mesmerizing all at the same time. It also hurt some too just by seeing the streaks they caused to the eyes as they moved.
This was already obvious to Rochie. “I can see that, but why? Why are we going?” He felt hollow. He felt so alone.
Kenar could agree but now was not the time to explain any of this—not that he could do it anyway. “Just get ready. We head out with them.”
It was all they could do so it was time to get to it.
21
Rana stormed inside. She kept up her pace. She moved with strength. It was time to get this over with, one way or the other. It was time to set it right. Devish deserved more, and if she could, she would be the one to give it to him in the end.
She moved through the overly large foyer and turned left, and headed straight in to his throne room with a heavy push. She stomped through the door.
He was sitting on the chair.
“Rana, my dear, it is so nice to see you again.” He didn’t flinch. He didn’t even move an arm. He of course was waiting for her. And like her, it was time to end this. It was time to have her back again.
Her eyes went blue. She found him with in her thoughts and grabbed him with everything she had. Holding him, she pulled.
One moment he felt the chair and the next he felt his feet leave the floor. He then felt them as his toes dragged across the tiled floor as she pulled him through the room.
She pulled him to her face.
He didn’t once try to fight her. He just stayed calm. He stayed relaxed.
She watched his eyes stay brown and dark. She felt insulted by seeing this. “Fight me!” she roared. She spit her insult right into his face.
“Now my dear, why would I wish to do that? You obviously would easily overpower me.”
His voice sounded so soft that she nearly missed it. Hearing it as she did, she felt even more surprised. She didn’t know what he meant. At least until she felt the pain. She felt the pierce blow through her left shoulder blade. She felt it fly straight through her chest. She felt the stunned shock slowly ebb away as she looked down towards the pain. She saw what looked like a large finger protruding out through her chest just above her left breast. This pain, this agony, then erupted through her left arm and made her mind fly numb. With it, she lost her grip of Devish.
He felt his feet return to the floor rather gently. Once he was standing again, he stared in to her eyes. He saw her flaring pain. He saw her mind open up to his. He saw everything, and he loved what he saw.
He saw her father lying on the floor, his blood pooling all around his now lifeless corpse. He saw her brother, Rochie, as he tried to stop her from riding off on the horse. He saw their fight. He saw her pain. He saw the hurt.
He then saw Kalima standing in the clearing of the trees. He heard him ask her to leave with him, and then heard her answer. He heard her reasons.
Her mind flashed.
He saw Kalima again hearing the truth. He felt his pain. He felt his longing for his little girl.
He shook his head. “How weak they really are?” He looked back at her and smugly laughed.
Elizabeth, standing behind Rana, pointed her left finger down. She was heavier than she thought she was. Her finger could not bear her entire weight. This surprised her some, but in the end, not nearly enough.
Rana fell to her knees. She went down rather softly all considering, until she was also sitting on the backs of her legs.
Devish watched her fall. He saw the look on her face. He saw tears swelling up within both eyes. Seeing all of this, he felt nothing but pride. He did have some amount of sadness for her, but not much. He still loved her, but seeing her weakened like this made him feel strong again too. That feeling was better than the first.
“Oh my dear Rana, how I wish this did not have to come to this? It truly saddens me to no end.”
She knew him better than that. “You are loving this Devish. You are loving seeing me on my knees. So do not try to fool one that can see you as clearly as you really are. You are a fool and always will be.”
Elizabeth heard her mocking voice and because of it, she bent her finger at the first joint, the one closest to her hand. It was inside her flesh. It would hurt her most, and it did.
Rana screamed with the pain, as it shot its way through her chest and into her waist. Some of it blasted through her mind.
Being this connected to her for the first time ever, Devish felt its blow. He felt her pain.
“No!” he screamed, as he looked up from the shock. It had sent his eyes down.
Elizabeth truly didn’t understand why he wanted it. She deserved so much worse than this.
He let his red eyes flare to hers. “She is not to be injured beyond repair Elizabeth. Either do my bidding, or step aside.” He meant every word. He needed her. He wanted Rana as he ever did. She just needed to be put in her place. All other concerns did not exist.
Elizabeth bowed her head.
He looked back to Rana.
She now felt completely confused. “Why? Why do this if you do not intend to make me suffer?”
He laughed and looked down to the wound around the finger through her chest. He could smell her blood. He could smell her sweet taste.
It forced him to hold his breath. It helped him to stop the laugh too. “I…,” he paused and stood back up. “I am not doing this to make you suffer Rana.” He turned and walked back to his throne. “I know of you and Kalima, but I do not condone it. I cannot allow you to be with him.” He looked at the cloth covering his chair. Its red color almost seemed to glow surrounded by the torches in the room. It made it look so beautiful that he forced himself
to look at it. It helped him to gather his thoughts back to the task at hand too. “I am instead going to make you forget him. I am going to get you back to my side.” He turned back to her. “You will be my eyes again. You will be my will.”
She now understood, and hated him forever for it. “You are going to wipe my mind?” She had heard about this before of course, and had always feared it. Wanderers and Walkers alike have the ability to control the mind to the point of planting memories and an existence within another’s mind. Having this done to her, she would forget about Kalima. She would forget about the way she feels. Instead of this, Devish can plant whatever feelings, whatever memories, he wishes her to have inside her own mind. She would not only believe them, but she would only see them as real. She wouldn’t have the choice to live it, and be what he wants her to be.
He saw the understanding all over her beautiful eyes.
Seeing the look of devotion in his, a devotion that obviously belonged to her, she cringed. “You cannot make me love you Devish. I would never do that.” She knew this wasn’t true of course. She only said it to prove her venom towards him.
He laughed again with this, but it wasn’t full. It sounded empty as it was. “I am not going to do this to you my dear. I am not my father.” He walked back up to her and stood right in front of her again. “I am only getting you back on my side.” He went down to his knees. “I only wish to feel your power again as it was meant to be—in my control.”
She saw his eyes, and with this one thing, she did believe him. He didn’t intend to make her his slave, and this made her relax some. Knowing everything else, knowing what he was going to do, she decided to play his game for one last time. “Kalima knows what you did Devish. It is too late. He has already gone to get his daughter back.” She smiled through the agony. She laughed through the tears. “With her again with him, you will lose him forever. He will never again trust you to give you what you want.”
A Werewolf's Saga, The Beginning (A Werewolf's Saga Boxed Sets Book 3) Page 61