With a measured breath, I began.
“I am many things—a father, a guardian, a demon, a lover, and a friend. I am of Romany descent, what some call ‘gypsy.’ That is why I look the way I do.”
Their expressions remained unreadable, but they listened.
“When my Timeborne created me, I was just five years old. I understood nothing but the hunger to kill. The need to consume souls was all I knew. I had no guidance, no purpose—until I met Balthazar.” My voice dipped into something darker, something jagged. “He took me under his wing and told me he would be a father to me. He would raise, teach, and shape me into something greater.”
I turned fully toward them, locking eyes with Olivia.
“I was a child. How could I have known any different?”
For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, Olivia nodded as if she understood.
“Balthazar shaped me. I worshipped him. Killing felt as natural as breathing—it wasn’t wrong, not to me. It was how I survived.”
I paused, scrunching my nose in thought, the memories drifting back like ghosts. “He used to bring back trophies from his missions. Barely alive bodies were tossed at my feet, their last shuddering breaths filling the air. He would urge me to finish the job, to drink deep of their life essence. And I did.”
I drifted toward the mantel, running my fingertip along the smooth brass edge of the turret clock. The constant ticking filled the silence. Then, reaching for the iron poker, I prodded the burning logs in the hearth.
Sparks leaped, and flames roared back to life.
Satisfied, I moved to my high-backed chair and collapsed into it. “Balthazar told me our purpose was clear—to hunt and destroy Timebornes. That was the mission. That was the only truth I knew.” My gaze turned to Olivia. “And for years, I believed it.”
She stiffened under my scrutiny.
“What?” she finally asked.
My gaze softened. “I was just thinking about your mother. Alina.” I hesitated before adding, “Balthazar was obsessed with her. Utterly besotted.”
The same way I once loved you. And still do.
I sighed, pressing the unspoken words deep into my chest. There were things in this life I would never have. Olivia would always belong to Roman.
Leaning back, I let the shadows of memory stretch long and deep across my mind. “I never meddled in his romantic affairs. By the time Balthazar met Alina, I was no longer a boy, not in the way humans perceive time. The darkness… we age differently.” A faint smile ghosted across my lips before vanishing. “While he pursued Alina, I had my own desires. My own hunger. I traveled obsessively, seeking knowledge, devouring languages, and immersing myself in every culture I could. But no matter where I went or how much I learned, it was never enough. My thirst was endless.”
But no amount of knowledge could teach me how to undo the choices I had made.
I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my legs. “I traveled to Anatolia and met a pasha—a Turkish officer of high rank, in case you’re unfamiliar. He admired my intelligence and took a liking to me. He welcomed me into his home, where I met Layla.” My voice softened. “His daughter.”
The name alone sent a pang through my chest.
“She was my first love. Beautiful. Brilliant. Glorious. Kind.” I trailed off, lost in the whisper of memory.
Silence thickened around us until Olivia’s voice gently pulled me back.
“You must have loved her very much.”
I met her gaze. The searing passion I had buried for Olivia flared to life, scorching through my soul like wildfire. I had to look away.
“Yes,” I murmured, my thoughts tangled in the past. “Very much.”
I licked my parched lips. “Of course, no matter where I traveled, I had to maintain my… lifestyle. Which meant killing to survive.” My expression darkened, my jaw tightening. I sat back, fingers curling against the chair’s armrests. “One night, Layla saw me kill. She was terrified. She ran.”
I exhaled sharply, the memory slamming into me with full force. “I chased after her, desperate to explain. I told her I would never hurt her, that I was too in love with her to do such a thing. But she didn’t believe me.”
Olivia sucked in a breath. “She must have been horrified.”
Roman leaned forward. “How did she take the truth?”
