My chest rose and fell and I glared at the unmoving god. Another table appeared, more crystal, and I snarled again louder, clenching my fists.
“So, even if we kill her, kill Lana, she will come back?”
“Yes.”
My palms slapped the table over again, and I knew I was throwing a tantrum, but I didn’t fucking care. What was the point of this, of any of this? Morgana had made herself untouchable—nearly immortal. The only alternative was to make sure Jaxon and I never bore children and let our bloodline die with us. My stomach twisted at the thought of asking that of Jaxon… of Zara. I didn't know if Zara even wanted children… but the thought of taking yet another choice away from her—of that witch taking away another part of her. It had my chest caving in. Zara may be fighting our bond now, but I wanted—needed—to protect her, her choices, even if that future ends up not being a possibility for us.
“There is one path, Xavier. Only one, in which she is gone forever.”
Hope sprang in my chest, and I growled,taking a threatening step forward,“Tell me.”I would torture the knowledge from him if I had to. This was all happening because of them. Because of the knowledge they let slip into our world.
A ghostly wind slammed into my chest, knocking me back into my chair. My palms clutched at the arms as I gritted my teeth, trying to stand, but it was as if I were glued to it. Stuck. Thrashing, I glared at Caelan and watched as his gaze lit up, the glowing blue of his eyes shining brightly.
Quiet!
His ancient voice slammed into my mind, and I stilled, my breathing heavy.
“I need to continue the story, Xavier. We are running out of time,” Caelan barked viciously, and the pressure on my limbs began to ease. I rolled my shoulders, but my foot tapped impatiently on the floor as I waited for him to continue.
“The curse had a cost, one that her people paid and have paid for centuries. Their natural magic was taken, and her people were forced to forever feed on blood as their only source of magic. Weakening them and therefore weakening her.”
Understanding bloomed in my mind, and I breathed, “Magic will find its balance.” My uncle used to tell me that constantly.
Caelan simply nodded and continued, “Your mother found out her fate, and stole her mother's book, hiding and taking sanctuary in a neighboring kingdom.”
My gut flipped, and I squeezed my palms together in agitation.
“And as you can guess, she fell in love.”
I nodded, my chest filling with air, the pressure mounting with each uneasy breath.
“They had a son together, were happy, but then Eionian fell, and Morgana’s souls attached itself to your mother.”
“She asked my father to kill her,” I whispered, already knowing. Already feeling the truth in my blood, my bones.
Caelen nodded. “They used the book to try to rip her soul, Morgana’s, from her body. But it didn’t work. It only worked in pulling all the others except hers and Morgana’s. As she was the active host.
“Your father promised her they would find another way, but Morgana was already clawing her way to the surface. Eionian in the meantime was dismantled, their land divided amongst the other kingdoms, their people scattered.”
I leaned forward, my head tilting. “You said they ripped the other souls from my mother, wouldn’t that weaken her?”
Caelan nodded.
“What happened to them?” My brow furrowed as I stared at the table in concentration, trying to think, to follow along.
“Morgana believes they are held within her book.”
A flash of something went across my vision, and I stilled. “My uncle's pendant… it belonged to my father.”
“Precisely. When your mother was too far gone, your uncle and father tried to find another way. Only they did not understand the magic they were messing with.” Caelan growled low and deep, and power flared out around him, once again passing over me like a wave of ice. “Your father could not bring himself to kill her, his wife. So instead, he found a spell to open a portal to rid her of this realm. More mortals messing with magic they knew nothing of,” Caelan snarled, and I couldn’t help but defend my father.
“Don’t you dare blame my father,” I hissed. “This is all because of you. Your magic, your knowledge did this, started all of this!”
I was on my feet again, but quickly regretted it as Caelan grew into that mountainous figure again, his guttural bark echoing in my skull.
Enough!
My back slammed once again into the chair, and he was again smaller, his glowing eyes pinning me in my seat.
