decided honesty was best. "I knew that these women were important to our mission where you are concerned." he began.
"You must be referring to the fact that they are meant to kill me." Drake drawled sardonically.
"Well, that's not exactly true," Larkin continued. "They aren't actually meant to kill you. They are meant to bring you back from the precipice you seem to enjoy hovering on."
Everyone now seemed confused, but continued listening, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"All those years ago, when you had fallen in love with Aideen, Valkala was stunned. For one of us to fall for a human was unheard of. And yet, there you were, pledging your life to hers." Shaking his head as if he was still trying to understand it, he went on. "So, we thought we would let it play out and you would become bored with her, especially when there had never been a coupling between you."
At the use of the word coupling, Branna and Kyna looked at each other and giggled like two school girls.
"Coupling?" Branna laughed out. "Is this guy for real?"
"Jesus, Branna, can you just shut up for once?" Nova ground out, irritated and embarrassed with her sisters interruption.
Branna had the good graces to look apologetic. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Kyna elbowed her in the side but continued to grin in amusement. "Please, continue." she said to Larkin.
Looking less than thrilled to do so, he held Kyna's gaze for a moment longer than necessary, then turned back to Drake and began again. "As I was saying, due to the lack of sexual intercourse," he paused and looked at Branna, daring her to comment. Luckily, she refrained and he continued, "we assumed you would tire of the infatuation and move on after the battle had been won. But then she was killed, and you went crazy. You were so filled with hate and anger, and had begun slaughtering the humans as if they were nothing." Larkin's voice dropped off for a moment, lost in the memory of Drake's downfall. "I knew I had to do something before humans and Valkalans alike were calling for your head for the travesty against their people. So, I chose the lesser of two evils, and banished you to the Underworld and made you the Underlord."
Nova stepped forward. "So, if you banished him there, how come you gave him a loophole? Why create us?"
Both Kyna and Branna nodded, also seeking the answer to that question.
"Ah, you see, the Universe must have a balance. I did not create you, the Universe manifested you so that Drake would have a chance to redeem himself when the time came."
"What if it is not redemption I seek but revenge?" Drake said, sounding unconvincing even to himself. He avoided Nova's eyes, not wanting to see how his words were affecting her.
"Do you really still believe that is what is necessary here, brother?" Larkin asked, hoping Drake could see the useless pursuit of revenge for what it was.
Drake looked unsure but said, "I do, brother. I promised her I would avenge her death, so that is what must be done."
Nova couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he still feel that way after what had just happened in her room? Her chin went up and she set her shoulders, brushing past Drake she looked at her sisters, "I think we're done here, let's go."
Branna and Kyna each threw an arm over Nova's shoulders and Nova wrapped hers around their lower backs. Together they marched out the front door, Nova not willing to look back.
Decklin, having observed the emotional byplay between Drake and Nova, looked at Drake and said, "Ye can strip away her power and ye can separate her from the family she loves so dearly, but ye canna take that girl's heart and stomp on it. I'll warn ye only this once, lad. Dinna hurt what's mine if ye value your existence."
Rían and Decklin followed Nova, Branna and Kyna out the gaping hole that used to be the front entrance.
Chapter 18
Drake stood there, wondering what had just happened. Not only had he lost Aideen and failed to avenge her death, he had just
"You must be referring to the fact that they are meant to kill me." Drake drawled sardonically.
"Well, that's not exactly true," Larkin continued. "They aren't actually meant to kill you. They are meant to bring you back from the precipice you seem to enjoy hovering on."
Everyone now seemed confused, but continued listening, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"All those years ago, when you had fallen in love with Aideen, Valkala was stunned. For one of us to fall for a human was unheard of. And yet, there you were, pledging your life to hers." Shaking his head as if he was still trying to understand it, he went on. "So, we thought we would let it play out and you would become bored with her, especially when there had never been a coupling between you."
At the use of the word coupling, Branna and Kyna looked at each other and giggled like two school girls.
"Coupling?" Branna laughed out. "Is this guy for real?"
"Jesus, Branna, can you just shut up for once?" Nova ground out, irritated and embarrassed with her sisters interruption.
Branna had the good graces to look apologetic. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Kyna elbowed her in the side but continued to grin in amusement. "Please, continue." she said to Larkin.
Looking less than thrilled to do so, he held Kyna's gaze for a moment longer than necessary, then turned back to Drake and began again. "As I was saying, due to the lack of sexual intercourse," he paused and looked at Branna, daring her to comment. Luckily, she refrained and he continued, "we assumed you would tire of the infatuation and move on after the battle had been won. But then she was killed, and you went crazy. You were so filled with hate and anger, and had begun slaughtering the humans as if they were nothing." Larkin's voice dropped off for a moment, lost in the memory of Drake's downfall. "I knew I had to do something before humans and Valkalans alike were calling for your head for the travesty against their people. So, I chose the lesser of two evils, and banished you to the Underworld and made you the Underlord."
Nova stepped forward. "So, if you banished him there, how come you gave him a loophole? Why create us?"
Both Kyna and Branna nodded, also seeking the answer to that question.
"Ah, you see, the Universe must have a balance. I did not create you, the Universe manifested you so that Drake would have a chance to redeem himself when the time came."
"What if it is not redemption I seek but revenge?" Drake said, sounding unconvincing even to himself. He avoided Nova's eyes, not wanting to see how his words were affecting her.
"Do you really still believe that is what is necessary here, brother?" Larkin asked, hoping Drake could see the useless pursuit of revenge for what it was.
Drake looked unsure but said, "I do, brother. I promised her I would avenge her death, so that is what must be done."
Nova couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he still feel that way after what had just happened in her room? Her chin went up and she set her shoulders, brushing past Drake she looked at her sisters, "I think we're done here, let's go."
Branna and Kyna each threw an arm over Nova's shoulders and Nova wrapped hers around their lower backs. Together they marched out the front door, Nova not willing to look back.
Decklin, having observed the emotional byplay between Drake and Nova, looked at Drake and said, "Ye can strip away her power and ye can separate her from the family she loves so dearly, but ye canna take that girl's heart and stomp on it. I'll warn ye only this once, lad. Dinna hurt what's mine if ye value your existence."
Rían and Decklin followed Nova, Branna and Kyna out the gaping hole that used to be the front entrance.
Chapter 18
Drake stood there, wondering what had just happened. Not only had he lost Aideen and failed to avenge her death, he had just
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