Page 15 of Bound By Darkness

Because wewerebrothers, regardless of the differences in our lineage. For all our bickering and our disagreements, we were balanced. Where one of us had weakness, the others had strength.

Variant tipped the scales; the three of us could never hope to return to what once was. It took me a century to come to terms with that; how long will it take Baron? Even now, I wonder if this attempt of ours to cement our proper place among the kingdom is a wasted endeavor? But what is the alternative? Return to Geldingstock and become Variant’s prisoner again? I believe Variant is just looking for reason to end Dragan and me and now we’ve given him reason. So, maybe that means I wouldn’t even be allowed to return to being his prisoner again?

No, there’s no going back.

Much though I believe we are headed for certain doom, there’s no other path on which to travel. And now that the angel has proven herself to be anything but the answer to overthrowing Variant, we haven’t a hope in hell.

Of course, while it is true that I don’t trust her, I also can’t say with any conviction that I believe her to be working for Variant. I can’t imagine why he would allow her to maintain her wings if such were the case.

Then the question remains: who is she working for?

It’s a question I hope to answer soon.

For now, I must come up with a plan. Clearly, I’m the only one who can.

Dragan is a fool and Baron is unreliable at best. In fact, I’m not even certain he’ll remain with us after I free him from the influence of the stone. He seemed intent on leaving as soon as his memories were returned to him. Not that I blame himnecessarily. Were I in his position, I should most likely make the same decision. Of all of us, Baron is blessed in his anonymity.

I envy him that.

As to my plan moving forward… I do have one. It’s still in the process of taking shape in my mind but the more I think on it, the more reasonable it becomes. First things first, I need to know what Baron’s plans are once I disengage him from the stone. Then I need to decide what to do with Eilish.

It’s my preference that we leave her somewhere and do so soon. She can no longer assist us with our cause and she’s untrustworthy, at best. Therefore she must go. After that, we must begin to assemble an army. We have no chance of going up against Variant and his forces if we have no forces of our own. And that is the sticking point on which I continue to beat my head against the proverbial wall…

I grow tired of the silence and Dragan is too far ahead for me to taunt him. I turn to Eilish. “So,” I say, “whowereyou talking to?” My voice is bordering on friendly.

“Maybe no one,” she confesses with a shrug and I’m momentarily surprised to hear her finally confess the truth.

“Then it was someone?”

She cocks her head to the side. “I’m beginning to think it was all a dream.”

Her face is clenched in great concentration, but even so, she’s stunning. A tendril of hair falls in front of her focused features. “Did you see anyone?” she asks, almost hopefully.

“No,” I tell her. And it’s the truth. I’d heard her voice, but when I arrived at the pond’s edge to see Eilish, she was entirely alone. I’d even summoned theCommune With Naturecharm in order to scan the forest nearby but she was the only one there.

“Cambion,” she starts and looks up at me. Her voice is soft and hushed and, despite my grating distrust of her, I feellulled by it. Hearing her say my name tugs at something in my abdomen. I want to hear her say it again…

“What?” I ask, rather curtly.

“Is there anyone more powerful than Morrigan?”

I stifle a laugh. “Of course not!”

Eilish nods, but appears as though there’s more on her mind. “What about gods?”

“Did that stone turn your head?”

She’s quiet.

“Why are you asking me about gods?” I ask, in a softer tone. I don’t know what it is about this woman but she makes me want to bark at her but at the same time, I recognize my own acidity and sometimes I even regret it.

“The gods…” She looks up at me expectantly.

I stop myself again. “You’re choosing an odd moment to begin a discourse on philosophy,” I say.

She nods but her mind is elsewhere. “How do I learn more about the gods?”

Somehow, I’ve all but forgotten I’ve just found her conversing with someone in the woods. I continue, “Variant burned all books referencing any of the gods when he took power.”

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