Imperial (Insight #8)(40)
“What king?” he seethed.
“Xavier. The king of shock. How many times has he shocked you, that adored of yours?”
“He is pure evil,” Silas fumed, clearly not recognizing the title of king, and I respected him for that.
“Evil that knows how to use wrath against you. Xavier played you.”
“And I will end him for it. That is, unless you love him, too.”
I wish he would quit saying that word. It was so hard to face the fact that I could not feel such a thing or even state it.
“I do not.”
“But you do love the other king, the one that reeks of mint. The one who has one of his squires firmly bent on consuming the girl I love.”
“He would do no such a thing.”
“Draven has tried more than once.”
“Tried, or has had trouble balancing who he is with who she is?”
“What is the difference? If nature itself protests the love, then it cannot exist.”
“Easy come, easy go, Silas. She came easily to you. You were literally taken to her side, and she left your side just as easily. This boy you fight—Draven, is that his name?—and this girl you adore did not find each other easily, and they will not let go of each other easily. Xavier knows if you kill him, you strike the most powerful king at his core and in turn bring tragedy to our line. You have been played, and it is time to wake up and come home.”
“I am home.”
“No, you are a lost child entangled in a web against the king that stole you from me.”
“You are the one that is lost, outdated, and blind.”
The energy encasing us rippled, and the aroma of mint seeped through. I wasn’t entirely sure how Vade had heard those scornful words from where he was, but I knew if I did not put Silas in his place Vade surely would.
Silas wrinkled his nose and cleared his throat, as if the scent were agony to him.
“I have limited choices with you. I’m not standing between you and someone you adore. I’m protecting your life. If you continue your pursuit against that squire, you leave me no choice but to permanently stop you.”
No comment. Just a cold stare from him.
“Back away from the girl. Come home and let me show you what a true Escort does.”
“I do not love her to spite anyone.” Silas’ eyes bore into me. “If I come with you and lose the right to feel the emotion that each soul is created with, I will perish. Now, I don’t know what you did to my head or why I smell and see things differently, but something tells me that coming back with you, dying instantly, will do nothing but harm you and the others that you have left behind.”
“Why would death come to you? I’m offering you a clear vision, a way out of this prison your heart and wrath have trapped you within.”
“You are clearly unaware that no matter what you claim I was before or should be that right now I am a Witness. If I forget to love, I die.”
“Your Witness life will die. Not the Escort.”
“Not that it matters, but how sure are you of that? How many people have crossed this line you are asking me to?”
“None.”
“One of a kind. I like that.”
“Like it or not, this is over. You will fight from a different perspective with a higher cause.”
“A higher cause.” He smirked. “You have no idea what I fight for.”
“A girl that cannot adore the same as you do.”
“No.” His eyes grew cold. “I’m more than aware of where Charlie and I stand. That she raised me to this life and left me. But I do not love her for any misguided reasons, or even for the sake of my existence. I love her—feel love—so that I can fight against the evil that is bred here and bring our tomorrow into life. You see, my sovereign, my love for Charlie is a necessary evil.”
The scent of mint intensified, though there was no rumble in the energy.
“Are you telling me that you can feel that emotion for her and not hurt another Escort?”
Silas glanced to his side to the waiting war that was still paused. “No. I plan to kill at least a hundred as soon as you set me free.”
“Those are not Escorts.”
“Then what are they?”
I almost used Rasp’s word, but I held back. “Evil. Evil that you can kill all day long. It is the true Escorts that you cannot harm.”
He clenched his jaw. “When Draven takes energy from Charlie, he kills her, which kills me. I have to stop that so I can live out my duty. A necessary evil.”
“There will be no duty to live out because you will end up killing yourself. How is that not clear to you? How do you not see that Xavier wants this to occur? You are connected to me, therefore connected to Vade and his line, this Draven boy.”
“It’s clear. I know this is a dance with fate, but I rather liked dancing when I tried it before. I’m not going with you. I have a battle to end and a charge to fulfill.”
“You deserve time to mull over this awakening, and that will be afforded to you. Let me be clear: if you do not accept this heritage—if you continue your threats against our kind, I will have but two choices: I either imprison you or smite you where you stand. Neither would not bring me any comfort.”
I let my energy clear so he could see out, so he could see those clones of evil. Mazing was just before Rasp, out of my sight, but I knew she was there. With one thought, I struck each and every one of those clones of evil. One thought was all it took. Instant demise.