Page 103 of Kingdom of Chaos
“That’s easily explained,” Kade says. “Creatures trapped in the human world have been mating and producing offspring with humans for over two thousand years. Lucian was no different. In fact, his bride was human. As far as we know, his bloodline has continued to mix with humans over generations, gradually diluting the creature magic.”
Every question we ask him, he seems to have an answer for. But there are still a million more.
I fall silent, turning it all over in my mind.
“I don’t know that I fully buy it,” I say at last. “You’re making a lot of leaps and assumptions. You’re basing everything on the fact that I opened a portal. It feels like you reverse-engineered this theory just to make me fit the prophecy.”
“I can see how it would look that way, but there’s more evidence than what I’ve told you,” Kade says, glancing over at Ares.
“Right,” Ares says, straightening slightly. “I guess that’s my cue. I have a very specific type of magic. I can detect bloodlines, specifically in creatures. I can also tell whether someone is human or creature, and if they’re a creature, what species they belong to.”
Talon shifts in his seat beside me, and Ares’ gaze slides over to him.
“Speaking of, you’re very rare, my friend.”
“You know what kind of creature he is?” Imogen gasps, her wide-eyed gaze bouncing between Talon and Ares.
Talon tenses, and Ares chuckles. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” He turns his attention back to me. “As for you, if you have creature genes, I’ll admit they’re very faint. But I am picking up Lucian’s line in your blood.”
It’s my turn to steal a glance at Titus. He’s watching Ares with a look of intense concentration, but as if sensing my gaze, he turns to meet my eyes.
He doesn’t smile, just gives me a small nod, letting me know that Ares is telling the truth. Or at least that he believes he is.
I blow out a slow breath, feeling like my entire world is shifting on its axis. Ensley chews on her bottom lip as she watches me, waiting for my reaction. Talon is a silent sentinel next to me, letting me work through this on my own while also being close should I need him.
“Let’s say all of this is true,” I start. “That I was stolen as a baby and brought to the creature world. I’m a descendant of Lucian, the Vampire King’s one and only son. I accidentally fulfilled some ancient prophecy handed down through generations of Order members.”
My hands come up in a half shrug, frustration and confusion tangling in my chest. “I’ve already screwed up and let Shadow Striker into the human world. What could you possibly need me for now?” I lean forward, pinning Kade with a stare. “Because right now, all that really matters to me is getting Becks back. And there’s something you want from me before you’ll let him go, so I’d like to just get to the point.”
Kade leans forward as well, his locs brushing against his cheeks as he does. “We need you to take down Kerrim, because if the prophecy is right, you’re the only one who can.”
Twenty-Eight
“What if he’s lying?Or not even that,” Ensley says, stopping mid-pace.
After Kade dropped his parentage-and-prophecy bomb, we all returned to the hotel room to figure out what to do next. Ensley’s been wearing a rut in the carpet ever since.
“What if he’s just wrong about this so-called prophecy? It might not be about you at all. Or what if it’s not even real? Talon and Imogen both said they’ve never heard the parts he brought up. It’s like a bazillion years old, right?”
“Two thousand,” I interject.
“Whatever,” she says, waving me off. “The point is, maybe the whole thing is just a complete fabrication.”
I shrug, not knowing what to say. She’s right. Kade could be lying, though I can’t figure out why he would. There’s no way for us to know if the prophecy is bogus or not. Only time will tell.
“Lock, if you face off against Kerrim, there’s a real chance you could die. Likedeaddie.”
“As opposed to living dying?”
“I’m serious,” she snaps.
I let out a sigh.
According to Kade, since arriving in the human world, Kerrim has been recruiting creatures into some kind of personal army. With Shadow Striker, he’s already powerful, but with the daggerandan army at his back, he’ll be unstoppable. Potentially capable of bringing the human world to its knees, just as the prophecies from both worlds warn.
And as if the part about Lucian’s descendant being the reason for Shadow Striker’s return weren’t enough, Kade claims Lucian made one final prediction on his deathbed: that his descendant would either become the savior of the human race—or the means by which it is destroyed.
And who do they think that descendant is? Me, of course.
