“For me, right? It’s about finding a way to free me of it.”
“Of course.”
“Dad, even if you find a way, I’m still part Wraith, and the only reason Mom could manage it, as she said herself, is because she also has her Dark Fae side.”
“Let me handle it. I always find a way. You know that.”
“Damn fucking straight,” Pops said.
“Why did he let you go?” Zayn asked all of a sudden.
I frowned. I thought I’d explained things enough where that entire misconstrued abduction was concerned. “He just wanted to talk.”
“But he needs you for something, to power his parasite… whatever. You also said his ability to do that is weakening. So it’s urgent. Why let you go, then? Why already try to seduce you with showing he’s the only one who’s found a way to protect you from thatNihilumbrashit, basically bonding with you?”
“Seducing me? That’s not what happened,” I said, screwing up my face at the thought of it. I looked at him, Vax, and Evira in turn. “I wouldn’t allow anything like that. It’s the four of us now, nothing and no one else.”
“We’re all well aware and that’s not in question. I didn’t mean it in a sexual way, Win. There are other forms of seduction.”
“I… he said it wasn’t time yet, that I wasn’t ready.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you begged me to train you?”
I flinched. “You think I’d only come to that conclusion about the training under the influence of another? Somebody I’d just met?”
“It’s not your fault, Winter,” Father said. “This is what Ruxnoth does and he’s lived for centuries perfecting these psychological assaults and manipulations.”
“I’m not manipulated. Sure, yes, he said I need to be ready,butwith everything else that was brought up, the fact I was taken and couldn’t prevent damage to Ambrose just becauseRuxnoth was protected by some necromancers, then hearing about Temperance, what Sanctus needs from me, and realizing the bigger scope of what all of you are protecting me from… it all made it undeniable that I can no longer run from my fear of delving deeper into Necromancy.” I sucked in a breath. “And maybe if I take it all the way, there’s a chance that those who fear me will see that I’m not going to become like Morien.”
Dad turned from me and looked out at the family. “You see what that fucker has done? No matter which way we go, he’s forced this training on his terms. If I do it, it could serve him andreadyWinter. If I don’t do it, Winter is at a disadvantage. And with Ruxnoth making himself known, it’s only a matter of time before this all comes out, so Winter will need to be able to defend himself at maximum power and optimal knowledge base.”
“Dad, no. You don’t get it. I’ve wanted to take the burden off the family for a long time. I just thought that I could do that by moving out, thinking you’d see I was fine on my own. And growing my Wraith power and abilities—which I’m all set in. But I see now that it also needs to be the Necromancy.”
“Oh, Win,” Mom uttered. “You’re not a burden to us. You’re our son. Look at your Pops. Grandpa and Grandma are still very much involved in his safeguarding, despite his age. It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with it being what family does. We don’t see it as a chore.”
“I understand that, Mom. But in my case, it’s different and you all know it. The danger is much greater. Pops isn’t feared so intensely and by so many. I am. And I always will be. Now knowing about this Temperance situation and that there are protocols in place with the Guardian Movement and all those in a position of command specifically against me if I step out of line, we’re talking about the very real possibility of all of you being wiped out in defense of me. That’s not a normal familial safeguarding situation.”
“It is with our family, Win,” Pops insisted.
Fuck.Their mentality and approach that they just couldn’t allow themselves to waver on was exactly why I needed to do this. It was exactly why I worried so much about the worst coming to the worst. And it was all the more devastating now I’d found out from Ruxnoth just what thatworstactually was.
A lot of what Ruxnoth had told me rang true, but not everything.
He’d said Dad wouldn’t survive my rise, me growing in power.IfI remained on this plane. Obviously, because he’d wanted me to go with him to Sanctus.
But he’d missed the fact that once I came into my full power, I would then have the means to stop my family—even the great Sylas Morgrave—from going to those lengths for me.
I could change their fates.
I could finally safeguard them.
I could protect my family, my loves.
“Head back to Loxley Academy and settle in for a few days, then we’ll begin your training,” Dad announced.
Just like that.
What the—
