His breathing ragged, he watched as they burned to ashes. Then the wind caught them and blew them to oblivion.
If only real doubt was so easy to cast off.
“What did you do?” Xev asked.
“What I had to. No one attacks my family and gets away with it.”
Kody approached him slowly. “Nick?”
It was only then that he realized he was in full Malachai form. But he was still himself.
For once, there was no hatred or violence demanding release. Nick turned his black and red hands over as he studied them. “How can I be me?”
Xev took his hand. “Because thisisyou. You are the Malachai.”
That touch sent made his memories surge.
He saw his ancestors from thousands of years ago.
Monakribos … Apollymi’s son. The Malachai who started this curse.
He was standing beside Xev. They were young in appearance. Boys who were playing in an open field. Laughing in a way Nick had never known Xev to laugh.
They were shooting bolts of light into the darkening sky. It fell back toward them as sparks that reminded him of soundless fireworks.
Xev flew off and Monakribos chased him.
“You can’t catch me, cuz! I’m faster!”
His wings flapping faster, Xev grabbed his foot. “Say that again.”
“I’m taking it easy on you. You’re older. I don’t want to show you up.”
Nick was amazed at the beauty of Xev’s face. He’d never known this side of him. Too much had happened to steal that joy away.
Just as it’d stolen Monakribos’s sanity.
Why? Did life really have to be so harsh?
“Nick?”
The sound of Xev’s voice jolted him back.
“Where were you?”
Blinking, Nick glanced at the three of them. “You were friends with Monakribos.”
“I was.”
“He wasn’t always a demon.” For some reason, Nick had never thought about that. In all the memories he’d seen in the past, Monakribos had been a fierce warrior. Always stern and somber.
“We’re all kids in the beginning.”
Funny, he’d never really thought about that.
“But,” Xev said softly, “we were still demons.”
Because not every demon had to be evil.
