Yeah, this was love. Because there was no other reason he’d suffer through something he despised this much to make someone else happy.
And he would never be able to tell her how he really felt. Which made this so much worse than Brigid.
Because Simi was loyal. She would never denounce him, never turn on him, and he would have to spend the rest of eternity pretending to be just her friend.
32
January 3, 2015
Thorn froze the moment he returned home to his bleak, dark castle in the Nether Realm of absolute evil. As he entered his study to drink what he needed for nourishment, he felt a powerful presence in the room.
Why would he be here?
Other than to annoy him. “What are you doing?”
With long dark hair and mismatched eyes, Jaden stepped out of the shadows. “I felt that which should not have been done. Valac is dead?”
Thorn sighed wearily at the mention of the demon they’d executed. “He is.”
Absolute horror darkened Jaden’s eyes. “Only the Sephiroth has that power.”
“Apparently your grandson has a friend who can also do it.” Even though Jared was the last Sephiroth left alive, he wasn’t the only one to share that power.
Thorn moved to his crystal decanter and poured himself his favorite fermented libation. “As the Chthonians rose from the Source as a counterbalance to the gods who were abusing their powers to prey on humankind, it seems we have a new species born to balance the demon races.”
Jaden cursed under his breath. “Forneus?—”
Thorn hated whenever someone used that name. It was the one that allowed someone to control him. “What would you have me do? Tell me what power can destroy this one?”
“The Malachai.”
That was laughable.
“You want to pit the Malachai against Jared and make the Malachai all the more powerful? Is that really your plan?” He shook his head at the idea of Jaden allowing his grandson to square off against Nick. Not that it would matter given that Jared was Nick’s grandfather.
He couldn’t imagine the two of them ever in battle. Jared would sacrifice himself before he’d ever harm a hair on Nick’s head now that he knew he was Cherise’s father, and Nick’s granddad.
Cam had picked the perfect way to set up the Malachai. Jared had unknowingly fathered Cherise Gautier.
Nick was now part Malachai, part god and part Sephiroth. A unique mixture that would either save the world.
Or end it.
“Good one, Jaden. Let’s set off nukes while we’re at it. At least then, the planet would be habitable again … eventually.”
Jaden rubbed his hands over his eyes. “You’re insane. You should have killed your son at birth.”
Thorn wouldn’t argue that. It would have saved all of them a lot of trouble if Cadegan had been suffocated on arrival. But he could never do that to one of his sons, anymore than Jaden could. “As you should have killed your progeny?”
Jaden’s eyes flared with his hatred. “We don’t speak of that. Ever.”
Narrowing his eyes on the beast he hated most—the bastard who was solely responsible for Thorn’s regrettable birth—he swallowed his drink. “Ditto. What do you think would happen if Noir ever learned of my son’s existence?”
He would use both of Thorn’s children as tools to subjugate the gods and the world.
Well aware of that nightmare, Jaden glanced away. “What game are you playing?”
“The same game you are. Survival.”
