Page 40 of Dust to Dust

"Infinity," Nova whispered.

Anton nodded, "Our core symbol. Everything has a repercussion. History repeats. The end comes back to start a new beginning, a new set of trials, and rites, to be passed, and a new beginning marks a new end.

"So my father and uncles killed my grandfather, then what?" Dash asked from behind Anton.

"Then order and balance had to be brought to The Rites of Passage again. Your fathers were stripped of their ruling power as punishment for their father's betrayal. They were still allowed to maintain a voice on the council. They agreed to the consequences only if The Rites of Passage allowed their heirs to have their original seats of the ruling power." Anton grinned through bloody teeth, "So a new rite began, one all your fathers passed, except Marcus, who was taken out before he could commit to his trial. The sins of the father were not bestowed unto their sons as long as the fathers made the ultimate sacrifice. If power had not corrupted them as it did their father, then your fathers would have no problem giving up their power to their sons. Thus, the poison."

I tipped my head back and laughed, the sound echoed off the metal walls. When I stopped, I looked to Dash, who continued to watch Anton in a daze. Did he believe any of this shit? "You want me to believemyfather, Lucas King? What…" I threw my hands up, "took poison so I could have his ruling seat?"

Anton leveled me a stare, "Facts are facts, boy."

"And lies are lies." I hissed. "I don't believe a word you are saying." I cocked my gun and stepped toward Anton. Nova's hand stretched out and grabbed mine. I looked at her. She widened her eyes and parted her lips in a plea to continue to listen to Anton's lies.

I turned to Dash. "You do not believe this!”

Dash licked his lips. It was a gesture to tell me he was concerned and worried, "My father left me a letter. I found it in his desk when I went through his belongings after his murder."

I staggered back. I felt like I was the one who had been stabbed. He kept this from Damian and me and chose to reveal it now! We looked weak and not united in front of Anton and his new group, The Rites of Passage.

Dash looked down, ashamed. He should be. "I thought it was all lies, a bunch of madness from a mad man."

I stepped forward till I was chest to chest with him, "You endangered us all." I growled in his ear.

"I was going to tell you. I just needed to get my facts straight."

"It's too late. You fucked up." I pulled at the collar of my shirt. What else was going to come our way? I felt like a barbarian that wanted to scream a battle cry and hit my chest.Come at me! I can take it.

Dash tipped his head up and eyed me. "And you didn't? Tell me, brother, when did you find out about Nova? Why trust Damian and not me?"

"Don't tell me your feelings are hurt?" I goaded, but I was ashamed of myself for having lied to him. I ran my tongue over my teeth. We could not fall apart now. Secrets caused cracks in our walls, but they didn't reach our foundation. "You were handling Mila. I was waiting—"

"Till you gathered intel? Yeah," He hit my chest, "we are the same." No truer words had been spoken today. Dash, Damian, and I suffered together and trained together. We were molded from boys to beasts. We all had the same thought process.

I nodded, and that was that. Too bad getting Nova to end an argument wasn't as easy. "You want to believe him?" I whispered so only Dash could hear.

"We don't have an option. Too many things are checking out."

Dash was right. I couldn't shoot the messenger before he delivered us everything we needed to hear.

"Anton is a lot of things, Titan, but I believe what he is saying is true," Nova confessed.

Facing Anton again, I watched as a small puddle of blood started to form around his leg. Walking to the medical cabinet, I grabbed a piece of gaze, and then, with no tender touch, I tied it over the stab wound. He grunted. "Continue," I ordered. Standing, I walked back to Nova, who sat back in the chair and eyed Anton. What was she thinking? I wished I knew at the moment. Did she feel betrayed by the man who claimed to watch her back?

"You and your cousins endured extended trials and tribulations to appease the other kings and queens in power. They had to make sure you would be loyal."

"That doesn't answer any questions, Anton." I sneered, "If my father and uncles were welcomed back, then who killed my uncle Marcus? Why did you give my father poison? Why did he give up his power now? How does Nova get folded into this story?"

"Just because we won the war didn't mean we killed all the snakes in a fell swoop. That is why I am here. The Rites of Passage has a very lush garden that draws predators to our watering hole. We must always be vigilant." There was a spark of glitter in Anton's eyes. He relished in knowing more than we did. "You all will have to stand and fight as a front. At this very moment, other soldiers like myself are with your brothers. They will be given a choice like you. Accept or die. Let's see by the end of the day if all your brothers will stand. My bet is against Anders." Anton laughed.

Dash moved first as he locked his arm around Anton's neck, cutting off his air, "You mention my brothers again, and I will skin you alive." He seethed.

Anton tried to laugh through his choke hold, "I-If we w-wanted…" he struggled to say. Dash loosed his grip to let the snake talk. Anton coughed and gasped for air, "I-If we wanted you dead, you would be." Anton spat, "That is not your fate in life. Nothing in your life has been by coincidence. Every heir is put through tests, a series of rites, trials, to bond them." Anton smiled then, it was piss full of knowledge and I didn't like it. "And didn't you boys bond?" Anton raised a brow as his arrogance grew.

"The brotherhood," Anton stated, "I think you need a better name. You can be more creative than that. A brotherhood set on taking over control. Power is in your DNA. You're lucky the rulers didn't see your ideology as treacherous like Jules King. They believed your little band of brothers would only strengthen you."

Dash looked at me as I stood back and straightened. I nodded as Dash pulled out his phone to alert our brothers.

"Anton," Nova leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs, "I've been very patient. I've listened to a madman once today, and now, you're asking me to listen to you. We are not friends. You helped me as much as you broke me. There is no olive branch that grows between us. There is a beautiful blade behind you that I've been admiring," she nudged her head to the weapons cabinet and licked her lips, "you know knives are not my style, but I mind as well stick to them since Dash already stabbed you. You know what I'm capable of. You've got one minute to get to the point before that blade starts to cut your flesh."

---