Chapter 245
I shook my head. “You’re lying. You have to be lying. How would you know if the door was closed?”
He laughed. “It was closed to her and all the other traitors. No child of Lunae who still walks in the Goddess’ grace would be turned away from returning home.”
I swallowed and shook my head.
“She never got Candido’s grandfather or father… I imagine she’s burning with jealousy that you’re so close to what she wanted,” he smiled. “Or maybe she’s proud that you share the same tastes.”
“None of that matters,” I said. “I’m not a vampire. I never was. I’m a werewolf. I’m Candido’s mate. Tell me what you plan is. What are trying to do? If you’re trying to hurt Candido, I’ll never forgive you.”
He laughed, throwing his head back. “Why would I give a fuck about your forgiveness, traitor?”
“I— “
“You’re even worse than Hedwig in some ways,” He laughed. “At least Hedwig mourned Candido’s father and grandfather. At least she was faithful in her pursuit. You jumped at the chance to get as close to fucking anyone who seemed old enough to fulfill your fantasies.”
My face burned. “I was only using you to make Candido—”
“We’ve established that,” he said, waving his hand and looking down the mountain. “Hm, seems like he’s about done.”
He looked at Candido again and shook his head. “I hope you suffer for a good long while alongside her.”
“Tell me what your plan is!”
“The end of vampiric blood in Solare.”
I looked down at Candido, confused and horrified. If that really happened, then what would happen to Candido? To everyone?
“You’re lying.”
He shrugged. “I really don’t care what you believe. You’ll see the truth of it soon enough.”
I glared at him. “You can’t make me do anything I don’t want. I’m not sleeping with you. I’m not going to marry you.”
He snorted. “I could make you do whatever I want, Hedy. That’s the deal, but my sadism runs deeper than you think.”
I shuddered, bracing myself for what he was going to say.
“You will never come to Lunae again.”
I felt the command settled over me, and I blinked up at him. Then, I thought about what the vampire king said about one of us needing to be on either side: one by choice and one by force. I clenched my hands into Candido’s fur.
“You’re not taking him from me! Candido would never choose to be apart from me.”
He snorted. “Again, you think yourself far too important.”
He sighed and shook his head. “It’s… sad that a good man had to be brought to this. Sad that your selfishness ruined everything, but there is nothing more to be done about it.”
He looked at me. “I hope how many ever years you have left on this Goddess-forsaken plane is everything you hoped for because your afterlife is going to be hell. Say hi to Hedwig when you get there.”
His eyes flashed red. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to have some company.”
He turned and started walking away.
“Wait, that’s it? Just don’t go to Lunae?” I glared at his retreating back. “Why not? Why would I ever want to go back there?”
He kept walking.
“My place is with Candido! And if you think you could make me leave his side, if you think that I ever planned to be with you, you’re wrong, you hear me!” I yelled after him. “You can’t trick me!”
He didn’t turn around and started to disappear into the shadows.
“After saying all of that, you could at least answer me!”
He vanished. My eyes burned, and I looked down the mountain as the light started to fade away. Ian turned and looked up at me. A moment he was down there. The next he was standing in front of me. His hair still glowed like the son. The silver that had been pulled out of the ground had all vanished. The air felt different, but I couldn’t tell why.
I sniffled. “Ci-Cillian…”
“Ah, it’s done, is it?” Ian nodded. “I’m glad. I’ll have to treat him to a flagon of the best liquor. Maybe he’ll finally put his feet up and get married.”
I scowled at him. “He won’t ever get married. He’s too busy pining after her and me, no matter what he said.”
He chuckled. “You sound just like her when I confronted her about her obsession with Candido’s grandfather and father.”
“I don’t believe anything you say, I—” I broke off as I looked at the stone in his hand. It shined like the moon. “G-Give it to me. You don’t need it. I need it.”
“How could you possibly know what I need?”
“You don’t deserve it!” I yelled and lunged to take it. An invisible wall slammed me back, dragging me toward the edge of the cliff. I stopped breathing as I felt my feet leave solid ground.
I thought I would fall, but I just hovered in the air.
“Once,” he said. “I thought that Uncle Marius was simply too harsh. That father was being benevolent as he should be, but I see now how wrong he was. You all are corrupted.”
He looked down at Candido and crouched over him.
“Don’t touch him!” I flailed in the air, trying to reach for him.
Ian looked at him for a moment longer and shook his head.
“I am closing the walls between Solare and Lunae.” His lips twitched. “For good. Should you pass down your self-hatred to whatever terrible spawn you have, you should know that they won’t be welcome. Whatever becomes of you now is entirely the goddess’ will.”
He chuckled. “I look forward to peeking into your life from here on… especially your death.”
I drifted back towards solid ground and landed just on the edge.
“W-Why didn’t you… Why didn’t you kill me?”
He smiled. “Because that would be a mercy.”
He turned. “Only those with vampire blood will be able to pass through. The few that have been left behind after all of this will be able to find their way to us. Any of the ones you catch are fallen from grace, and they have no sanctuary with us. Do with them as you wish.”
He flashed his teeth. “I look forward to seeing the nail in the coffin as well… The dagger, so to speak.”
“Just give me the Heart of the Moon,” I said. “W-Without it, I can’t--”
“The Heart of the Moon is not a vehicle for your games,” he said, glaring at me. “It’s a sacred artifact that you have no knowledge of how to use.”
I glared at him. “I need it. The Moon Goddess is giving Candido to me.”
He smiled. “Are you saying that because Cillian told you the truth?”
I flinched. “That’s not the truth. He was—”
“Telling the truth. Just because you don’t like it. Doesn’t mean that it’s a lie. Grow up.”
I sniffled. “You can’t talk to me like that.”
“Truthfully?” He said. “It must be comforting to know that you’re about to descend into a lifetime of lies.”
My heart went cold. “W-What do you mean?”
“The Goddess has forsaken this world,” he said softly. “Cillian was given the same mission we were, and now that the last pieces of the mission are completed, we’re done in this world.” His lips twitched. “Though I suspect that his mission was more tailored to you as an issue.”
He sighed. “You won’t ever know the pain you caused my father… to Raven, but you should know that it won’t last long… You’ll die. You’ll be gone, and you’ll fade like a memory.”
My jaw trembled. “I don’t want to be remembered by you. Y-You’re not my family.”
He smiled. “And you have no idea how happy that makes me. When you renounced every tie in front of my father… you freed us all.”
He turned and stopped to look at Candido for a moment. He shook his head, walked away, and disappeared into the wind.
Then, I was alone as the sun started to rise and fill the sky. Candido remained unconscious. My heart sunk. My stomach felt heavy as I looked down to where everyone was gathering. The remaining people of the werewolf world didn’t know anything.
I looked back at Candido as tears continued to spill down my cheeks. Cillian’s words washed through me mind. How could he use me like that? How could he use my feelings for Candido against me? It was so unfair.
“All this is so unfair, Candido. When are you going to wake up?” I whispered curling up to Candido. “I miss you reading to me… Wasn’t it enough? I just wanted you to want me as much as I want you…”
I took a deep breath. “But it’s okay. You’ve always been meant for me. We’re mates. We’re supposed to be together. The Moon Goddess is giving you to me… We’ll be together forever…”
I closed my eyes and letting myself drift back into sleep.
