Page 11 of The Brotherhood

“Oh, please do, Mr. Skul,” she pled gently. “It’s been very difficult waiting when usually your manner of speaking is straightforward. Not that I mind, other than I’d really like to know.”

“That’s because what I’m asking is difficult,” he said, aiming his angry words and body right at her. “It’ll be hard for you and that makes it very, very, problematic for me.”

The severity of his words both alarmed and warmed her. He wasn’t a man of emotion, but she was pretty sure she now understood the reason he was so terribly upset. He cared. For her.

He suddenly paused before her, and she snatched the smile from her lips. “I’m afraid I don’t understand who Handy is in all of this still, and how he ended up in another… being,” she hurried. “Which being is he in?”

Mr. Skul’s brows narrowed sharply on her. “They call him Kaphas.”

She couldn’t stop her gasp. “Oh!”

He paused. “You’ve heard of him?”

Her smile returned. “Everybody has,” she informed quietly, lowering her eyes when he seemed to be digging for what else she knew.

He finally resumed his pacing, slower now. “Kaphas wasoriginallyHandy,” he announced, dumping more puzzle pieces as he parked himself on the edge of the desk again, crossing his arms before finally laying it all down in one go.

Midway through his exposition, Poppy was on the edge of her seat with fascination and sadness of how this man came to be.

“So the Quantum King removed these demons—”

“Demons,” she blurted, alarmed and a little confused.

“Demons, spirits, energy,” he clarified or reminded her.

Ah yes. Everything was a form of energy. Humans, plants, animals, demons, angels. Even God himself.

“And now they intend to remove Handy from Kaphas and put him in another body—his own body. Along with the dark energies I mentioned. They’re creating a kind of living prisoninside of him, one that fuses with his neural and biological architecture, ensuring the entities can’t escape. But this body isn’t merely a shell, it’s going to be engineered to sync perfectly with Handy’s essence. Every cell, every nerve, every pathway will be designed to trap these dark energies, using his very life force as both the warden and the key.”

She tried to focus on the technical side of it but kept wondering about the wife of Kaphas. If they were once the same people, how did that work?

“So the prison and the warden will be one and the same,” he said, to which she nodded to show her attendance.

“So…how can I assist?” she asked when he appeared back to great duress.

This time when he returned from his erratic pacing, it was with an enormous, dreadful sigh that knit into her muscles. She suddenly knew to fear whatever had the power to put him in such a condition. “I wouldn’t be considering any of this if you hadn’t signed up for the Prodigy Program.”

Oh God, what on earth was he saying?

“And you can say no to this,” he assured, pressing the words into her with such force she was ready to refuse whatever it was in that second.

“Whatever I’m needed for,” she hurried instead. “I will do my very best.”

“Your ability and performance is the least of my concerns.”

She still had no idea what she was to do. “Are you… asking me to be his mate, Mr. Skul?” she forced out, ready to have it on the table, sure that had to be it.

“I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m asking you,” he finally shot out, more furious than ever as she fought to hide what that news did to her. His mate. That must mean he did not have thewife he once had. How long did he have her and why was he the one leaving the body and not the Kaphas one?

“Is this dangerous?” she thought to ask, ready to walk him through his own fears, whatever they were.

“Anything with those people is dangerous, Poppy,” he said, stabbing his finger at the south side of the room.

She lowered her head, fighting the giddy joy bubbling in her veins. This was huge. Hugely important. This was her chance to finally make a difference, to truly help somebody with her gift now that she no longer feared it.

“What are you so thrilled about, Poppy?” he all but accused with great contempt.

She forced her gaze to meet his and this time used her own gifts to help herself manage it. “That you care so much,” she said giving a light shrug at his shock. “I value that greatly coming from you.”

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