“Well, no,” I admitted softly, walking right into the trap Sebastian set.
“So, Amelia wasn't in real danger then, was she?” His dead eyes found mine and he sat across from me accusing me of something I could not define. I saw his point, I heard his argument, but to risk his own sister's life was unfathomable to me, while I forced all my efforts and energy into saving my brother.
“You should make it easier for them to win,” Sebastian mumbled sarcastically.
“Do you know what? That's enough out of you.” I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking the tone of his voice.
“Whatever,” he sighed.
“No, don't do that,” I sat up straighter in my chair, commanding a discussion from Sebastian, I didn't care how tired he was. “What are you trying to say? Spit it out.”
“I'm just making the observation that you are not exactly playing this game on a level playing field. And if you want to win this war you've declared, you'd better step up and contend at the level your enemies are competing at,” Sebastian mimicked my narrowed eyes, silently daring me to disagree.
“Step up? Are you kidding me? I just broke into their fortress! Into the Prince's bedroom! There were like hundreds of Titans and I got out of there completely unharmed.” I sat forward in my chair, completely willing to arm wrestle my way to a win if I needed to.
“But instead of killing the Prince, you healed him and instead of finding out anything useful you gave them vital information about you and your damned healing smoke, so I'm not exactly sure what you intended to glean from your first espionage experience, but I don't think you won that altercation.” Sebastian looked out the window and I suppressed the urge to slap him.
“Did you know that would happen? Is that why you advised me to go? So I could heal your beloved cousin?” I swallowed the rage, the blind hatred that urged me to push Sebastian out of the airplane.
“How could I have known that you were capable of healing people?” He turned back to face me, the smallest spark of life, lighting his face.
“Fine, but all of your people believe that he was dying because of the detachment of our magics. So whether or not you knew I could heal him completely is irrelevant. Did you believe my magic alone would heal him? At least give him more time?” I asked directly, putting the pieces together.
“That was part of it, yes. I wanted him to have more time.” Sebastian looked down at the table, his chestnut hair, falling limply across his forehead.
“And what was the other part?” I asked carefully. I didn't know exactly what he would say, but still, a sweeping feeling of nausea washed over me at the anticipation of his words.
“Because he loves you.” He looked up at me again; he was strong-willed despite his weak state. “Eden, he has regretted that dreadful night since the moment it happened and I thought, that if you saw him, if you saw him.... dying that you would rethink this war of yours and sort things out peacefully.”
“Did you really think that was a possibility? That I would just walk into his bedroom, forget about my brother or my people, fall at his side all weepy and emotional and turn my back on this kingdom? That was your game plan?” I stared at him bewildered. How weak in love did he think I was?
“I had hoped,” he whispered.
“Please tell me that you have some semblance of loyalty for your family, that if Amelia was the one in prison, tortured daily and on the brink of death, that you would do everything in your power to save her! You have to love, at least her, enough to fight for her!” I accused and his dull eyes flashed with hatred.
“Of course, I would,” he snapped. “I would use any means necessary.”
“Exactly,” I agreed.
“Then use Kiran, for the love of God, don't you see that he is your means?” When I shook my head in disgust, he continued, “If you went to Kiran, if you fixed things with him, he would convince his father to release Avalon. If you and Kiran wed, then Kiran would share your magic, your children would have that connection and Lucan would be pacified. Avalon would be free.”
His argument sounded too inviting, he was giving me the exact words I longed to hear. Sebastian offered an easy way out, with my brother on one side and the man that I loved on the other. Only it would never be that simple. And my grandfather would never have vindication.
“That is a great scenario, Sebastian. Really, if I were to take your advice, everyone would get a happily ever after. Except of course, the rest of the Resistance rotting right along side Avalon in prison, or the Shape-shifters, or the Titans for that matter; your kingdom is still oppressed by racism and tyranny and everyone is still dying! Don't you see that this is more than Avalon, or even vengeance, this is about freedom. This is about restoring immortality to every Immortal.”
“You're a regular revolutionary,” he muttered, looking back at the window and refusing to meet my eye.
“Sebastian, I am only unique in my immortality because there is one of me, and my parents got a little bit lucky with their genealogy. But what I have, this power, this longevity of life, it could be available to this whole kingdom if Lucan would let it. If he would open up marriage and allow the Shape-shifters complete freedom, we could all live like this.” I argued, confidently.
“Lucan will never do that,” Sebastian promised and I believed him.
“And that is why his bloodline has to die,” I countered.
“So you are not just worried about Avalon?” He asked, carefully.
“That is my goal, right now. Of course, I'm worried about him. But he and I both knew that when they took him that night, there was a chance we would never see each other again. And this cause was worth both Amory and Avalon fighting for, and worth dying for. And now I have inherited not only their willingness to sacrifice everything for freedom, but their passion as well.”
Sebastian listened to my words, but didn't respond. I too fell silent, letting the reality of my claims sink in. Until this moment, I focused on revenge and rescuing Avalon, but I had to accept that my mission was bigger than my brother. I didn't have access to our open communication any more, but I knew without a doubt that he was willing to die for his people, even if I was going to do everything in my power to stop that from happening.
Somewhere along the way, I started to believe in something more than revenge, and found a purpose. Not that long ago, I was confused about which side of the aisle I stood and when they killed Amory and took Avalon, I thought they decided for me. But now I held my own beliefs, my own vision for this kingdom and that alone was enough to lessen the hold on me that Kiran still owned.
Chapter Twenty-One
We landed eight hours later at the same airstrip I used during my Eternal Walk. Jericho explained to me that Amory had several private hangers all around the world, and so storing a jet was no problem. I tried to comprehend what several hangers around the world meant, but wondered if I would ever get the hang of this literal jet-set lifestyle.
I almost expected the silent stewards to greet us at the end of the tarmac, and was a little disappointed when they didn't. I missed those women. We never spoke a word to one another, but I craved their calming presence and attentiveness. Most of all, I craved their femininity. I started to resent being the only girl. After India, our next stop would be Romania; I needed get to Lilly. Even Roxie would be an improvement, for that matter.
The moment we landed in India, something started to stir inside of me, the blue smoke was home and I felt that deep within. My magic perked up and my senses heightened. India held an eternal calling, a shared language with my magic.
I fingered Kiran's pendant and engagement ring, still hanging from my neck. They burned against my skin as if blasphemously out of place. I cleared my throat and shook my head, reminding myself that I stripped them of their power. I stole the magic from the necklace and I emptied the engagement ring of any significance. Still they lay hot against my skin, foreigners in a land where I felt native.
Despite the necklace, I sighed with contentment. India was the right step to take. I could leave London and my failure behind and breath in the humid air, listen to the jungle calling and cleanse myself from disappointment here.
“Do you know where we're going?” I called out to Jericho and Titus.
“Kind of....” Titus answered. The two of them were commandeering a vehicle for the trip. Titus insisted on individual motorcycles since before we landed, and Jericho was adamant that we needed something sturdier.
“Great,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes. “Gabriel, aren't you hot? Don't you want to change?”
Gabriel hung back with me, tasked with guarding Sebastian. He still wore his priestly outfit, but the heat forced him to tug at his collar. He turned to me with a stern glare, the bright orange flare of his eyes, dimmed behind dark, aviator sunglasses.
“What a funny question you ask a man of God,” he commented without answering my question. “I have taken my vows for life.”
“No, I meant, your outfit. I am not asking you to give up the priesthood!” I shrieked, realizing we had serious communication issues.
“Hmmm....” he sighed and then walked away to see if he could help Titus and Jericho decide what to do.
“You do a fantastic good job of assembling the best of the best, don't you?” Sebastian asked, snidely.
“Don't start!” I threatened, grabbing a hold of his arm and pulling him along towards the other guys.
In the end, Jericho found an old, eight passenger, white, van whose sides were completely rusted out and one of the back windows was broken and replaced with cardboard and duct tape. Not a lot of options existed for shopping around at an airstrip in the middle of nowhere.
Jericho volunteered to drive, when the rest of the men remained silent. Titus couldn't even look at the van without grimacing in disgust. Gabriel sat in the front seat with Jericho and I had to use magic to get the sliding, back door opened.
The van smelled like rotten fish and none of the windows would open. The ripped seats, with exposed springs, made dangerous barriers between spaces. And to make it even worse, when Jericho finally started the engine, it roared and grumbled at an ear-splitting volume.
Sebastian gave me a sarcastic thumbs up, and then lulled his head against the back of his seat, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. I decided to do the same. The flight was long, and I didn't sleep the entire way.
The burning sun was setting over India, as we drove the familiar rode deeper into the jungle. The sky glowed brightly behind us in orange and soft pinks, but ahead of us laid the dark anonymity of dense trees and dangerous animals.
I remembered the road being rough the first time I traveled this way and physically tensed at the thought of traversing those roads in the death-trap I now bounced around in. I sunk lower in my seat, nestling my head against the rotten smelling upholstery and closed my eyes. I was happy to be in India, but even more happy to grow my team. In a day, we would be on our way to Romania. We would be on our way to Avalon.
----
The setting sun streamed brilliantly through the open window, high above the boy's head. He lifted his chin as if to touch it, as if he only needed to feel the warmth of that one beam and all would be right.