“Aye, to that.” Vawn was braiding his hair so as to keep it from his eyes. Or her eyes, rather. It was ever confusing as to how to refer to him as Kody was never quite sure, given his situation. Luckily, he was forgiving when it came to his gender, and only took offense whenever someone intended to offend him about it.
And for the first time, Kody considered how long the three of them had known each other and battled together. Nigh on an eternity. Brothers-in-arms. They would die before they failed each other. Die rather than betray. And bleed for each other without hesitation or faltering.
Everyone should have a friend like that.
It was a sad testament to the world that there were so few who did. Especially given the fact that they’d come together through adversity and from vastly different backgrounds. Indeed, Vawn, Aeron and Kaziel should be mortal enemies. Instead, they were bonded tighter than most families.
Vawn paused to scowl at her. “You all right, there, lass?”
Kody smiled. “Fine. At least as much as I can be given the unrivaled beauty of this particular day.” Her tone dripped with her intended sarcasm.
“Truth to that. Me gaping wound be throbbing already. Can’t wait for the next one to joining it.”
Kaziel snorted as he moved to stand nearer to Vawn. “No worries, mate. I’ll be tearing the throat of the next one what comes at you.”
Caleb’s gaze darkened. “We need to find our Malachai. I’m thinking this portends something foul.”
Aeron cast a droll stare toward Caleb. “What are you? Mad, demon? I’m thinking this portends something ate our Malachai. Why else would he be missing?”
Kaziel nodded. “Agreed. He be in the belly of some beast most foul.”
As much as Kody hated to admit it, they might be right. Because deep inside, she couldn’t feel Nick, either. “Caleb? Can you contact him?”
The expression on his face confirmed her bitterest fears. “He’s not on this plane, is he?”
Caleb swallowed hard. “No. May the gods help us. I think Noir has him.”
And if he did …
This world was doomed.
CHAPTER 9
Closing his eyes, Nick felt himself falling through the aether. He was so lost to the grimoire now. To the power of it, and to his past and future.
All at once in his mind, he saw the lives of every Malachai. It filled him with so much anger and hatred that it was explosive. And at the same time, it saddened him that this was what his lineage had been left with.
Why?
Because of a war they hadn’t started? Because two people had loved each other and it had angered others? How could so much tragedy come from something so simple and basic? Something so innocent and good? It staggered his mind.
Monakribos’s father, Kissare, had been a Sephiroth of unquestionable loyalty and supreme power. The kyri of the Mimoroux—their top leader before Myone. He, alone, had given a heart to the darkest of all the gods, and taught her to love and care for something other than herself.
Just as Myone had done for Xev. No wonder the two of them had been so scared and paranoid. They had already seen how this played out. If the Source powers had been so cruel to their own over it, then they had held no hope for themselves.
Nick couldn’t blame his great-grandparents at all.
Before time began, Kissare had been so pure of heart that he’d been chosen by the sword-spirit Takara as the first of the Sephirii to wield her in battle.
And, after Kissare’s unjust death the gods had demanded because he’d dared to fall in love with the goddess Braith, who had outed their relationship when she’d birthed their son Monakribos, Takara had refused to serve another warrior. The sword had taken a stand for the couple and the injustice done to them.
For centuries the sword had lain dormant, willfully silent, refusing all the Sephirii who attempted to activate and use her.
Until Jared.
Nick’s maternal grandfather. How ironic, really. It made him wonder if Takara had known that Jared would be the last Sephiroth whose life would be bound to the final Malachai. That the sword had chosen her war partner intentionally with full knowledge that Jared would be used in the future for such a nefarious scheme by the very gods who’d first cursed Nick’s lineage.
As it begins, so it ends.
