Chapter 42
Chapter
Forty-Two
The phoenix chick sat within Percival’s palm, leaning against his chest.
“Cyprian doesn’t look like a murderous prick like this.” Leo leaned against Percival.
Cyprian opened his little red beak and trilled. Then he snuggled against Percival’s chest.
Percival sighed. Because despite the fact that Cyprian had tried to kill him, Percival couldn’t help but feel protective towards the fluffy little orange ball in his hand.
They stood in his uncle’s office, away from the dead bodies in Percival’s own.
“How long until he grows?” Leo asked. “You grew into an adult phoenix and then shifted into a human as soon as I found you.”
“It’s usually at least a couple of hours. But it could be up to a day.” Thankfully, Percival now remembered the basics of a phoenix’s rebirth. “Which gives us a bit of time to deal with everything and hopefully be home.”
He wanted to go home to Leo’s home and Leo’s room.
The guards, who Briar and Grady had led on a chase, had returned to the factory. They’d been horrified and confused by all the dead bodies. Thankfully, Uncle Ignatius had allowed Grady to take charge.
Or at least, he’d not contradicted Grady when he started giving orders. Grady told the guards to watch the bodies whilst he and Uzoth went in search of the nightwatchmen.
Uzoth wanted to dump the bodies in the forest. But Grady thought it better to attempt to go through official channels. At least the factory had been emptied of workers before the fighting started.
Since Wulfric was injured, he and Briar had already left. Percival wanted to leave too. His whole body ached with exhaustion. But he had to deal with one more thing at the factory tonight.
“We will need to work hard tomorrow to recover from this situation, Percival,” his uncle said from behind his desk.
Percival closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to talk with his uncle. Tonight or ever again. But Percival didn’t have a choice.
His uncle had been sitting at his desk silently for several minutes. He sagged in his chair. Apparently, a stray blast from Sorceress Elayna had hit his leg. But his uncle said it was fine. Now it seemed he had collected himself enough to speak.
“You should see a healer, Uncle,” Percival said.
“I am fine!” His uncle banged his hand on his desk. “And don’t tell me what to do.” He jabbed a finger at Percival. “I am in charge here.” The flame in the lantern flickered.
Leo straightened beside Percival.
After everything, his uncle was still fighting to be in control.
“And what is he doing here?” Uncle Ignatius sneered at Leo.
Cyprian trilled and huddled against Percival as if trying to hide from his father’s outrage.
“Uncle, if Leo and his family hadn’t arrived to save us, you would be permanently dead.” Percival met his uncle’s rage-filled gaze. “Killed by your son who plotted to kill both you and me.”
A muscle twitched by his uncle Ignatius’s eye.
“Yes, well, no one ever need know of any of that. No one must ever find out.” He cleared his throat.
“Tomorrow we will move forward. Put tonight behind us. I will take Cyprian in hand.” His eyes gleamed.
“I will ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”
Percival took a deep breath. “No, Uncle,” Percival said, voice strong and clear.
Uncle Ignatius blinked at him, as if unable to comprehend that Percival would ever say no to him.
“What?” His uncle’s voice echoed around the room. The smell of ash rose quickly in the air.
“I said no.” Percival took a step forward.
Leo moved closer to Percival.
“We will not move forward tomorrow as if nothing happened tonight. Everything will change.” Because now that Percival had all his memories back, he remembered who he was, and who he’d been in all his lives.
Every single one.
In his last life, he’d been harsh and tough and generally an arsehole, moulded into that shape under his uncle’s cruel tutelage. In this life, Percival had been gentle and kind, influenced so much by Leo and his family. But before that, he’d lived so many lives.
And today, he was a phoenix comprised of all who he’d been. He was the tough phoenix from his last life. But he had compassion. And he wanted to act with kindness and love. The type of kindness and love Leo had shown him, that his own parents and siblings had shown him.
Percival’s throat tightened.
Because he remembered his parents and siblings.
He remembered their deaths. His chest ached with the loss.
But he was so grateful he remembered them.
They’d been generous and wonderful. They’d loved him.
He’d loved them. And they would be a part of him, even though they were no longer here. He swallowed.
Despite it not being a rebirth for Percival today, it was still a new beginning. He knew who he was and who he wanted to be. And he knew he wanted Leo to be part of his life.
Percival continued, “Your son tried to kill me and you. He plotted with ice sorcerers, those who had been hunting down and wiping out phoenixes. Ice sorcerers killed my parents and my siblings. Cyprian was a traitor to his family and to all phoenixes!”
“Don’t say that!” his uncle roared as if he could make the words false by demanding them to be. He shot to his feet.
“But it is true, Uncle. You made your son tough,” Percival stated, voice like flint.
He walked to the desk. For once, he did not back down from his uncle’s anger.
“For so many lives, you made Cyprian tough. And strong. And ruthless. And heartless. So heartless he’d plot to murder his own cousin and father. ”
His uncle stared at him, face red as he breathed heavily. “I will control my son, and we’ll move forward.”
“No. We will not, Uncle.” Percival looked at the chick in his hand. “I will look after Cyprian. And hopefully, he will be a better phoenix under my care.” It was absurd. Percival was protecting Cyprian from his father, even though Cyprian had tried to kill Percival. Twice.
But Cyprian trilled, gazing up at Percival. And he couldn’t regret his choice.
His uncle glowered. He opened his mouth, about to speak.
But Percival wasn’t done. “You will leave your son alone. I will take over this factory. You will give me complete control. And you will leave immediately. We will sign the contract that you previously planned, except you will not profit from this business. I will own it outright. You and I will be done.”
“How dare you?” His uncle’s eyes flashed. “Why would I do that?”
Percival let the tension mount in the air between them. “What do you think the powerful in Anorra will say when they know your own son plotted with ice sorcerers to kill you, his own father?”
Uncle Ignatius gaped, face flushing redder. The smell of soot thickened in the air.
“It would make you look so weak, Uncle. Your reputation would be ashes and dust. Reputation is important. Reputation is power. You taught me that.” Percival lifted his chin.
“Once everyone knew that your son, who you raised, betrayed you and his kind, no one would respect you. And the fact that you did not see that coming, what would others think of that?”
“You will not tell anyone. No one can ever know!” his uncle said between gritted teeth. “You will do as I say!”
“You do not control me. Not anymore.” Percival squared his shoulders. “So you will do as I say. I will take care of Cyprian, and you will give me control of the factory. Then I will keep my silence.”
His uncle’s hands clenched into fists.
“You can start again, Uncle. Do whatever you want. I am not taking your wealth. You can go on and start other enterprises.” Percival paused. “Otherwise, I will tell the world everything and it will ruin you.”
“It will ruin you too!” Uncle Ignatius shouted. “You’ll be scorned by the powerful people in the city. You’ll be tainted by association!”
“I don’t mind. I find I don’t care about the powerful in Anorra.” Percival looked at Leo, who stood watching him. “I’ve discovered recently that I’d be happy with a quiet life working in a bakery. With a certain baker by my side, that is.”
Leo smiled.
With some reluctance, Percival turned his attention back to his vile uncle.
“But would you, Uncle? Would you be pleased to work for others and live a life without influence and power? With people whispering about you behind your back? If you agree to my terms, you will merely have to start something new. Like you planned. You will still have your name and your wealth. I just want this factory.”
His uncle stared at Percival. A muscle beneath his eye twitched. “I agree to your terms.”
“Excellent.” Percival smiled. “I’m glad we could come to this agreement.”
His uncle glowered.
“You should be proud, Uncle. You made me strong. Without you, I wouldn’t have been tough enough to finally stand up to you.” Then he turned and walked towards the door.
Leo placed a hand on his lower back. Cyprian trilled, and they left the room.