Kinzer groaned as his body realized how strong Janka was even now without the totality of his immortal strength.
Janka snatched him by the hair, forced him to his feet, and bashed his head against the wall behind him. He tensed Kinzer’s own sword against his neck, tightening it until Kinzer grunted.
Kinzer couldn’t believe this was how it was going to end, so quickly, because of his own recklessness.
“Kinzer… stupid, stupid, Kinzer. If you had been wise and stayed away, as you should have, I would have let you be.”
“Not before turning me into the Council?”
A dark expression swept across Janka’s face. He looked menacing, sinister.
“Neeva isn’t as strong as she used to be, I suppose,” Janka said.
He threw Kinzer onto a nearby recliner, which was placed opposite the crib, before a mountain of stuffed animals. Kinzer landed on his chest on the arm of the chair. He felt a weight on his back. It must’ve been Janka’s foot, pressing down. He glanced over his shoulder. Janka held his sword high over him and drove it down.
He pushed against the side of the chair and wiggled to get free, but Janka’s hold was too strong.
This is it.
Memories with Janka flashed through his thoughts. Their love making. Their laughs. Their smiles. Those were all lies. And yet, he’d been so in love, believed so faithfully in his precious higherling. It was incredible how someone he had cared so deeply for could now be the very immortal who would take his life from him.
As Kinzer struggled, he felt maybe he deserved to die… maybe someone who had been so foolish in who they trusted didn’t have a right to exist.
This was the end of him, and he could only hope the others could compensate for his failure.
Janka’s foot suddenly retreated.
Kinzer’s body forced him into action. He crawled off the recliner and tossed up a stuffed giraffe and monkey as he scuttled through the pile of plush toys. He rolled onto his back to see why his ex-lover’s attack had ceased.
Janka bowed over beside the recliner, Kinzer’s sword at his feet. As he stood erect, Kinzer saw a dagger lodged in his shoulder. It was Hayde’s dagger. He turned to the door, where Hayde stood, sweat sliding down his cheek.
Kinzer was relieved, not only because he’d been saved, but because once again, he was reminded that Hayde had been honest with him about his allegiance. Honest, unlike the higherling they were with.
***
Hayde had heard a commotion down the hall and had headed toward the sound only to discover Janka about to decapitate Kinzer in the nursery, where he assumed Veylo and Janka were keeping the Christ. Since Janka was already striking down to slice off Kinzer’s head, he didn’t have time to negotiate, so he’d thrown his dagger through the air, into Janka’s shoulder, effectively stopping the attack.
Though he felt terrible about hurting Janka, he was more concerned about Kinzer’s life than the flesh wound he had to give his higherling fuck buddy.
“Well, isn’t this interesting?” Janka said, grinding his teeth.
His gaze flashed between Hayde and Kinzer.
“Janka, what are you doing?” Hayde asked.
“He’s not one of us, Hayde. I told you…”
Hayde remembered how Janka had informed him that Kinzer was a traitor, one who thoughtlessly wanted to tear the Almighty down for the Leader. But that wasn’t the immortal Hayde had come to know, and he couldn't help but wonder if he’d been misled about Kinzer’s intentions. Or perhaps Janka just had never seen Kinzer as he had… as the compassionate being he really was.
“I know what you told me, but I’ve talked to him.”
Janka’s brow raised. “I imagine you’ve done more than talked.”
He was insinuating that Kinzer had used sex to blind him of his true intentions, but Hayde knew better. Kinzer wasn’t like that. Surely, Janka knew that and could find it in his heart—the heart he knew he possessed—to let him live.
“Janka, all the time you’ve spent with him… you must know that he really does care. And I don’t know if he’s right about mortals or the Almighty, but I believe he’s trying to do the right thing.”
Janka’s gaze softened. He picked up Kinzer’s sword with one hand. With the other, he gripped onto Hayde’s dagger and forced the intrusion from his shoulder—once again making Hayde feel bad about his knee-jerk response.
