Imperial (Insight #8)(75)
I had no words to offer him.
“And you have not done that.”
“I am guilty of that. I led them the wrong way. I understand that,” I admitted.
“You have not led them at all.”
That was harsh.
“I’m not speaking of your line or the kings you tried to sway.”
I furrowed my brow. Perfect. I was blind again. At the one moment I should not be.
“Seven. Seven that will be coupled with seven more, and rise. They need their queen.”
“The seven lights.” It was more of a question than a statement.
“The seven loves that will rule and protect our tomorrow.”
This was truly hard for me to understand. For the longest time, I did not think there would be a tomorrow. The Fall had closed its passage not long after I became a sovereign, and since that time our reality had grown darker. Today, this universe, this reality was at its darkest hour. We had brought about our own extinction. And in time, because we had done so, our twin reality would also perish.
Knowing that there was now metallic energy, that there were already souls fighting the kings that had incited this downfall had given me hope, hope that had no reason to exist before this day.
“If you grant me my stay, I will call them each home. Together, we will reach our victory swiftly.”
“That, you cannot do.”
My soul was starting to shatter. I dared to look over my shoulder at Vade. I had to look at him once more before the Reaper pushed me into my next life and found a suitable replacement for my failed life plan.
“If it were that simple, Glory, it would have been designed to happen in such a manner. These seven loves do not need to be told what to do or how to do it. They feel it within, and the paths they take to reach those points will allow them to embrace the reign they were chosen for.”
“I want to see my daughter fulfill her fate. I want to see this universe restored. And I want to be a part of every step.”
“By loving and living your own life, you can do such things. The universe is well aware of what it needs and will guide you like the wind to where you need to be when you need to be there.”
“I can do that with great honor,” I swore.
“You can aid these seven when the wind calls you to, love Vade, your daughter, and your line.”
“I can.”
“Do you plan to seek vengeance?”
“I have a great desire to avenge many, but I understand that there very well may be those that are already chosen to bring such karma.”
“Patience. Have you found that?”
It was not wise to lie to the Reaper.
“I have not.”
“The lack of such emotion leaves you hungry for a victory?”
“That it does.”
“Then in some way it leaves you capable of leading the seven loves.”
I didn’t really understand that.
“You balance Vade.”
“I push him.”
“I assure you, he does not need to be pushed. You may be able to see across dimensions, but the man that holds your heart can see across time, he can see every reaction to each action—and therefore, he has patience. He can watch agony, for he knows that once the hell is over the lesson is in place and bliss is born.”
I knew he was telling me that my impatience would bring more harm than good, that Vade could guide not only our daughter, but also these seven loves.
“You are needed, Glory,” the Reaper stated evenly. “These seven will find common ground with you, and when you finally learn patience they will in turn learn that from you.”
“Are you restoring my life?”
“It was never taken.”
“Excuse me?”
“You wished to be here, to protect your line, your First, and teach Vade a lesson that he did not need to learn.”
I was really lost now.
“He loved you. He spoke the words a million times over in his mind as he held you. Absence would not make him see how desperately he needed you. He already knew that.”
Now I felt guilt, horrible guilt.
“You needed a place to go and think and grow. You had always been in the care of another, the care of a horrible mother, then the care of Vade. You had never once been in a place or position where there was no one to guide you. Here, you guided Mazing, you protected The Fall, and you realized that no matter how much time had passed that you could not forget the likes of Vade, the other half of your soul.”
“That, I did.”
“If you had ever asked me to return, I would have guided you to your home personally.”
I suppose I never once asked to move on. I assumed I was imprisoned by my choices.
“You sacrificed the dead you adore for the sake of the lessons I took so long to learn?”
“And one of your seven has already begun to return them to me.”
Now I was really puzzled.
“Your army is fighting, and they need a leader. A silent, strong leader.”
“How silent?”
If I was free, if I was never really imprisoned, I wanted to make sure that there was no path that I should avoid to keep me from truly dying in some distant future.
The Reaper smirked. “You are the queen of wrath for a reason, my sweet Glory. Do not let that girl inside loose, only to kill another part of you. Become both, rule the way your soul tells you to. Seek what your soul wishes you to.”