Page 82 of Petals for Deadly Power

“What is it you offer, son?”

“I offer all my panom blood.” Ciaran bowed his head, a sign of respect and an apology at once.

The West Cardinal frowned, the shine in her eyes very similar to human disappointment. “Why, I wonder, do you want to offer the most valuable treasure you own?”

When Ciaran spoke, his voice was a whisper. A whisper too loud in the silence that was going to shatter Hope’s mind.

“The whispers have spoken, and her life is full of death. I offer my panom blood, until the very last drop, so when she dies, Hope Nevada can be reborn. The world can’t risk losing her again.Iwill not risk losing her again.”

“You were so patient, and you’ve protected her well.”

The muscles on his shoulders tensed when the West Cardinal didn’t continue speaking, but he didn’t speak either. After painfully silent seconds that seemed endless, she spoke.

“If you gift me your panom blood, you will not be complete ever again.”

It was then that Ciaran turned to look at Hope. Her tearful eyes did not forbid her from appreciating the unfaltering conviction in him. She wished there was no one else here. Here, in Terrha.

She wished their lives were different, uncomplicated, not so complexly influenced by fate and powers of gods and goddesses.

She wished their love was free and not forbidden.

His eyes glimmered as he said, “I have never been complete before. I am now.”

Hope felt the Core Cardinal nodding from her pedestal.

“You must swear to seek a suitable, deserving candidate to inherit the West House from your father when he passes,” the West Cardinal said.

“I’ve been raised in the West House and will endeavor to ensure the continuity of its line in a way that respects our beliefs.” He smiled, more to himself than anyone else. “I have a few candidates in mind. I would like to discuss such a responsibility with them, but I swear a candidate will be chosen and presented to you.”

“In that case, I accept your offer, Ciaran Castel. Your panom life finishes now.”

Hope gasped as the West Cardinal inhaled sharply, lifting her hands as she stood. Ciaran’s back arched in an inhuman way, his long hair floating backwards, his feet not touching the floor as ten tendrils of blood left different parts of his body and floated to each finger of the West Cardinal.

His thick blood was red, dark green sparks intertwined with it, and there wassomuch. The Cardinal’s fingers sucked, sucked, and sucked his blood as she redirected to a crystal vase, filling it without cease.

Fear rushed up Hope’s veins at a new speed. Panom or not, he neededsomeblood to live.

Just when she stepped forward, ready to stop whatever this nonsense was becoming, the blood stopped floating from his body to the Cardinal, and his body fell like a dead weight on the ground.

The West Cardinal put a crystal lid on the vase and made it float towards the Core Cardinal. “Sister, keep it safe.”

The voice of the Core goddess sounded next to Hope, but she could have been miles away for all the attention she gave it. “I will.”

Hope’s focus was on the stillness of his body. Ciaran’s hair covered his face but thank the Fifth and all these five cursed and blessed Cardinals one by one, his fingers grasped the floor.

Shadows from each corner of the chamber went towards him, like magnets unable to resist a huge metal force. They trailed up his legs, up his biological and metallic arms, swirling around him—withhim.

The first thing Ciaran’s eyes searched for when they opened was Hope.

He stood up, owner and master of shadows as ever, every single dark trail readjusting and finding a way to hover around his feet and hands.

It almost was as if Llunal was welcoming Ciaran to his new version of life. A life where he was not the heir of any Thyrian House. A life where he was not dual powered, but courtrade.

A life where they could be together.

Hope felt the skin on her forearm tickle, and tears of happiness filled her eyes when she saw not dark green ink but shadow ink with Ciaran’s handwriting.

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