Chapter 344: The Future 3
FIA
My voice trembled again, and I hated it. I hated how small I sounded when the fear ca through.
She stepped closer until there was barely any space between us. Close enough that I could see the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Close enough to notice that even she looked tired.
"You love him," she said.
It was not a question.
"Yes."
The simplicity of it made sothing inside
crack wider. I loved him. Enough to beco sothing ugly if it ant he would live.
Morrigan exhaled slowly. "And you think you are the only one who sees the threat."
"I think I am the only one who has seen him die," I said.
Her hand lifted as if she ant to touch my face, then hesitated before settling on my shoulder instead. The gesture grounded
more than the bottle ever had.
"You should have told ," she said softly.
"I know." The sha of it burned hotter than the tears had. "I was afraid that if I said it aloud, you would look at
like I was mad. Or worse, that you would believe ."
She gave a faint, humorless smile. "You think I have lived as long as I have without learning to take visions seriously? Plus, I have seen what you can do. Nothing you can say will sound insane anymore."
That almost made
laugh, but the sound died in my throat.
"But protecting my son is not all I need to do now," she continued. "I have to protect you as well. If you do this, if you take this path, there will be consequences."
"I know."
"You say that now," she said, her eyes searching mine. "But knowing and living with it are not the sa."
My chest tightened. I thought of blood on my hands. Of the way Cian would look at
if he ever found out the lengths I had gone to in order to save him when and if punishnt ca for .
"I would rather he hate
and live," I said quietly, "than love
and die."
The words felt like a confession.
She closed her eyes briefly, as if absorbing that. When she opened them again, there was no anger in them. Only sorrow. And sothing that looked dangerously close to understanding.
"You are asking
to stand aside," she said.
"I am asking you not to stop ."
That was the truth of it. I did not expect her blessing. I just needed her not to be my obstacle.
She studied
for a long ti. Long enough that my breathing began to feel too loud in my own ears.
Finally, she nodded once, slow and reluctant.
"I will not pretend I agree with you," she said. "But I see why you believe you have no choice. I an... after all his sins, there is a possibility that that monster will hunt my son and kill him."
"I’m sorry." The words felt inadequate. But I could feel that creeping fear in her voice. "But this is also partly why I couldn’t tell him. Why I couldn’t tell you either. It’s a scary thing to know soone you love could die... will die. I have been there and it is such a dark place and—"
Morrigan pulled
into her arms.
I lted into the embrace, my body sagging against hers as she said, "That must have frightening. Holding that on your shoulders."
Tears ford around my eyes again, hot and insistent.
"But no one should ever have to shoulder that themselves," she whispered.
She broke the hug then, stepping back. She looked down at the purple vial now in her hands, turning it slowly in the light.
"But you cannot be the one to do it."
My eyes widened. "What does that an?"
I reached for it, but Morrigan pulled it away, holding it just out of reach.
"You are the future," she said firmly. "I am not."
"What? No!" I grabbed at it again, but she held it tight, her grip surprisingly strong.
"You know I hate that bastard," Morrigan said. Her voice was low, tight with emotion. "He used . He probably laughed behind my back, knowing despite everything he has done to ... to this family, I would hold his hand like a lifeline." Her voice cracked. She paused, composing herself. "Even after what he had done to his own brother... My husband. Goddess rest his soul."
She looked at
then, and I saw sothing fierce burning in her eyes.
"He deserves death if he will do the sa thing to my son. But I will be the one to do it." She lifted her chin. "I’m old anyway. If it bounces back on
because of traditional archaic laws, I can take it."
"No." The word ca out sharp. "Cian would never forgive himself. I will never forgive myself."
Morrigan looked at
steadily. "And what makes you think that you are the expendable one?" She let the question hang there for a mont. "No matter which of us it is, it would hurt my boy."
She shifted the bottle to her other hand, her expression hardening.
"If you do it, it becos an Oga’s revenge or madness. If I do it, it becos a Luna who has a rough day." Her words were clinical now, calculated. "At the end of the day, most of the elder circle anywhere will still see you as an oga to the bone whose only redeeming factor was that you married classes higher than they believe you deserve. But excuses will be made for a Luna."
She stepped closer, her voice dropping.
"Let
be the one to do it. I’ll have easier access. Since he thinks he still has
in his corner, I have an advantage over you." Her mouth curved into sothing that wasn’t quite a smile. "He will not see this coming from ."
I hesitated. Every part of
wanted to argue. To take the bottle back and do this myself. To protect Morrigan from this burden the way I had wanted to protect Cian from the truth.
But she was right.
She was right about all of it.
I nodded slowly. "Okay."
Reviews
All reviews (0)