Jaden snorted at his honesty. “Wondering how long it’ll be before the Malachai escapes and what the fallout for this travesty will be.”
“That’s easy. Bloody.”
Jaden nodded. “I don’t know what they’re thinking. This won’t endear Apollymi to them, and even if she could leave her prison, she’d only come here to kill them for what they did to Kissare and Monakribos.”
“Sounds about right.”
“So, what’s their purpose?”
Thorn arched a brow. “You’re asking me? You’re their brother.”
“If I could understand them, I wouldn’t be enslaved here, and my child wouldn’t be cursed.”
Only it wasn’t really his child who was cursed. Jared was his grandson. Shadow had told Thorn of the farce that Jaden created to protect his son, Xev, who had an illicit affair with Jared’s mother.
Not that it’d been enough to save her or Xev for that matter. Xev was enslaved for eternity to the Malachai while Xev’s wife, Myone, had been killed in battle.
Their son, Jared, had been tied to the Malachai’s life. Damned to live out eternity with the knowledge of what he’d done and that his life had been bought in blood. All because of Noir’s cruelty.
Everything came back to his father’s insanity.
“Such a mess,” Thorn whispered.
Jaden nodded. “They won’t stop until they rule the world and we’re all subjugated under them.”
“I’ve never understood that mind set.”
“Because you’re not insane.”
Maybe. But it seemed like there ought to be more. What was the purpose of ruling over those who hated you?
Jaden met his gaze. “Look, kid. Nothing that came out of the Primus Bellum was good. We were all scarred by it. And that’s the saddest part about war?—”
“No one walks away unscathed,” Thorn finished for him. “I was a warlord. I know that better than anyone.”
“Exactly. Most learn that lesson while some, like your dad and Azura, just never seem to get it.”
How could they not understand something so simple? But then his father could be a bit thick. “Where does this leave us?”
“I don’t know. Noir is always scheming. They think the Malachai will feed their powers. Even if he does, it won’t be enough to let them out of here.”
That left him with one basic question. “What could release them?”
“Lilith has the ability, but that’ll never happen. She hates them even more than I do.”
Thorn appreciated his conviction, however he knew one universal truth. “Never say never, Uncle.”
13
April 19, 411 AD
Simi sat with akri-Thorn in his dark hall, playing chess and munching good eats when all of a sudden, a loud screech sounded.
Eyes wide, she looked at him, then toward his doorway. “What was that?”
He shrugged. “Not sure. Since all my body parts are still attached, I know it’s not your father upset that you’re spending time with me in a place he told you not to visit.”
She rolled her eyes at something he said a lot to her. “Pish! It was a terrible sound. Should we look-see?”
