Page 53 of The Light Falls
Faris raises his hand. “I volunteer.” He flashes me an innocent look I don’t buy for a second. “I would like to ask Lord Lorn, who is also familiar with the area, to join me. And Lady Estrella, of course.”
The red-haired woman narrows her eyes at Faris but agrees with a nod.
Lord Lorn’s bright smile flashes, but I can see its brittleness from here. “I’ve got several matters to attend to here, but, if necessary, I can make other arrangements.”
Faris’ satisfied smile grates on my last nerve.
Camon holds up his hand. “It’s settled. Lord Faris, Lord Lorn, and Lady Estrella will be assigned to this task. I’ll join you as the fourth.” He looks at Faris. “I’ll make arrangements for us.”
I hold up a hand. “Let’s not be excessive, Lord Camon. Three is plenty. Besides, I have another task for you. I’ll send you the details.” Ignoring his outrage, I contemplate the handsome but stern man in front of me. He’s the last person I thought would join a rebellion. In fact, he looks more like a hero. Maybe we can make him into one.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
CORMAL
Feet propped up on the balcony, Meri stares sightlessly into the garden below. To a casual observer, they might think she was daydreaming, but the small, elegant fingers drumming on the arm of the chair tells me her mind is a whirlwind.
“Penny for your thoughts,” I offer softly.
She turns and sweeps me from head to toe. “That’s a very human thing to say. Are you slipping in your old age?”
Somebody is upset with me. A dark chuckle escapes. “Like you, I don’t age.” Her words from last night are still echoing in my mind. She’s right to call me out. We can’t continue to dance around each other. Her casual acceptance of the growing distance between us terrified me like nothing else.
Taking off my suit jacket, I roll up my sleeves and take the seat next to her. With a thought, a beer appears in my hand, and I take a long drink of the cold brew.
“My father was the first Druid,” I begin, watching her fingers stop their dance. “Viridis, a goddess, gave him her blood along with a dose of her powers. She felt the human race needed their own magic to protect themselves against the supernaturals of the world.”
A wry smile twists her lips. “Smart of her. Although, I’ve come to realize power doesn’t equate to strength, and humans are surprisingly resilient to the force we’ve exerted on them.”
I proudly reassess the woman changing right in front of my eyes. “True. Like most supernaturals, the Druids became arrogant and kept the power for themselves. As a result, they almost became extinct while humans flourished.”
“So, Daddy became a Druid, but you were born a human without powers. Why didn’t you inherit his powers at birth?” she asks, subtly prompting me to continue.
I take another swig. “Four of us were born before he received his powers. He gave us his blood in an attempt to make us Druids, too. It backfired. One brother died instantly. My sister, older brother, and I changed into brùid or beasts. Thankfully, Viridis was able to reverse most of the effects and save me and my sister. My older brother was lost forever.”
I stare down at the bottle. Bourbon would have been a better drink for this conversation. “Being a beast changed something fundamental in us. My sister and I were Druid, but darker, hungrier than the others. Our never-ending thirst for power took us into the Underworld, where we immersed ourselves in black magic. Ri´ was always smarter than me. She discovered a way to get us more magic than we ever dreamed possible. Unfortunately, a demon overheard and kidnapped her. By the time I caught up to them, he had sold her to another. This happened again and again. Every time I chased a lead, it was too late. The last demon sold her to a dark Fae, and the trail went cold. I never found her.” I upend the bottle and finish it off.
Meri settles onto my lap and brushes the unruly hair back from my forehead. “Just when I think you don’t know how to love, you show me this side of you.” She sighs. “I’m so sorry you haven’t been able to find her. But you will. You’re the most determined man I know. Look at what you did. Facing insurmountable odds, you went from being a human without magic to a powerful immortal running a massive criminal empire with fingers in every pie. Essentially, you extended your life span and expanded your reach. You did that for her. The odds are in your favor. It’s only a matter of time, but I truly believe you will find out what happened to her or find her. Honestly, if she’s anything like you, she exceeded her original limitations too, and she’s still out there.”
Her turquoise eyes stare steadily into mine, her belief in me shining in their depths.
“Thank you.” They’re the only words I can squeeze out of my tight throat.
Crushing her to me, I hold on to the only thing in this world I want more than to find my sister. She feels so tiny and fragile in my arms. Vulnerable. I tighten my grip even further.
Her fingers stroke the back of my neck and run soothingly through my hair until I find the strength to ease back a little.
“You might not know all the details of my life, but you know me.”
She stiffens. “In some ways, yes. The way you think, your determination, and the code you fiercely hold on to despite your darkness. But nothing of your past until tonight. And never how you feel about anything.” She stops with a sigh and slides off my lap.
Including how I feel about her. She doesn’t say it, but she doesn’t have to. For a long time, I couldn’t say anything. The pact with Leandra prevented it. While it no longer stops me from telling Meri how I feel about her, why would she believe me? All those years of holding her at a distance… She needs to remember the past for it to all make sense. The truth of us from the beginning, not the middle.
But what if she doesn’t remember?
The thought terrifies me. I point to her, then me. “You want words? This, between us, will never go away. It’s a forever kind of thing. I don’t care if you’re queen or pauper or if you have ten other lovers, you’re mine. And I’m yours. We can’t be undone.”
Her eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms across her chest. “Why are you telling me this now? Because I’m finally moving on and finding my own way? Because I’m saving myself? Tell me.”
