Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
L othos sneered at Logan. His silence was meant to inflict more pain on a now-gaping wound in his soul. He never thought he would think this, but he wished his brother had died in that attack.
As Logan’s gaze locked with his twin’s, a surge of conflicting emotions coursed through him like a storm in his soul. The shock of seeing Lothos standing before him was enough to send a shiver down his spine. But what chilled him to the core was the darkness that now clouded his brother’s once-bright eyes.
Had Lothos fallen victim to the machinations of the dark dragon’s web of deceit and corruption on his own? Or had he been subjected to unspeakable horrors, tortured until his very essence was twisted and warped beyond recognition? The questions rolled through Logan’s mind, but he knew deep down that no answer would bring solace; no explanation could mend the gaping hole in his heart.
For his twin, the brother he had loved and cherished, had turned to the shadows, embracing a darkness that afflicted their race.
The weight of his resolve settled heavily upon his shoulders, a burden he bore with grim determination. As much as it pained him, he understood that there could be no redemption for his brother, no salvation from the abyss into which he had descended. Logan steeled himself for the battle that lay ahead, knowing that he would have to face his twin in combat to keep his mate safe.
“What happened to you, Lothos? Our home was destroyed, and you were never seen again,” Logan said.
Lothos stroked his beard, obviously enjoying Logan’s torment.
Lothos snorted. “That wasn’t our home. It was our parents’. They chose to leave us. We should have let the place rot, but you wanted to maintain it for hundreds of years after their death.”
“We grew up there. How can you not call it our home?”
“Most families chose to live in the caves, but our mother needed the open spaces. She was needy, and father cowed to her every whim.”
“Her gift was directly responsible for that requirement. She loved visiting the caves and the other druids. We were within walking distance from the main cavern. Why would you be so petty about such a minor inconvenience?”
Lothos shook his finger at Logan. “That’s why I turned. You had an excuse for everything. The dragons dying, the druids abandoning us. It was all a grand plan that only Legion could see.”
“That plan came to fruition when he met Mara. Had you not turned dark, you would have had a future. A mate. What made you turn? Was it torture?”
Lothos grunted. “You are so blind, brother. I turned the day I burned our home to the ground. I didn’t want you looking for me until I was ready. While you slept the centuries away, I trained. Making use of every century to hone my skills. Just in case Legion’s plan worked. ”
“It doesn’t matter now. You can’t return to the light Lothos. You will never have a mate.”
Lothos nodded. “I know that. Unlike the majority of my brethren, I never believed Allorin’s lies. I knew there was no going back, but I have a loophole. I also knew you would never turn. You were such a Goody Two-shoes when it came to the rules. If anyone would have a mate, it was you. I just had to wait for her to emerge so I could take her from you.”
Logan’s eyes blazed with fire. “You will not touch her.”
Lothos’ smile was wicked. “Now you are getting it. We are identical in every way. Our looks, our blood. She had no way to keep me out of her head and I have been searching for her since we first detected a trace of druid blood in these lands.”
“We may look alike and share the same blood, but we do not share a soul as yours is dark.”
Lothos tipped his chin toward Emily. “Do you know what she is here to steal?”
“Some kind of jewel. I really don’t care.”
Lothos chuckled. “That jewel is our mother’s last pearl. You assumed it was destroyed in the attack, but I took it with me.”
Logan growled. “She created that pearl for me. I always wondered why she never made one for you.”
Lothos nodded. “Because she knew I would turn. She came to me the day before she and the others died. The seer had warned her, and I am told I wasn’t the only child who had a visit from their parents. Anyway, she begged me not to do it. To trust in you and wait for the plan to come to fruition. I had no idea what she was talking about and thought she had overexerted herself flying that day. But I understood when they both dropped dead.”
“I was there. We both cried over their corpses. Why didn’t you tell me about her warning? I would have helped you.
Lothos snarled. “That’s the problem. I didn’t want your help. I don’t want to be tied to a woman; I want to use her and feed from her. I may bind Emily to me so she doesn’t age, but only because I can’t replace her. The others will be used as the cattle they are.”
“You are despicable and no longer my brother. You will die for your betrayal.”
Logan felt the subtle shift in the air, a ripple of magic coalescing around his twin like a gathering storm. Though nothing betrayed the tension on his brother’s face, Logan could sense the intensity of his focus, the raw power building within him. As their connection grew, it became impossible for Lothos to shield his presence any longer.
With a primal roar, a laser-like stream of energy erupted from his brother’s outstretched hand, hurtling toward Logan with deadly intent. In a swift motion, Logan summoned a shield, forming a protective barrier around himself and Emily just in time to deflect the lethal blast.
The force of the impact reverberated through him, sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through his veins. With a feral growl, Logan surged forward, closing the distance between them. As they clashed, their bodies became a blur of motion; their claws sprouted from their fingers and began tearing at each other’s flesh with savage ferocity.
Dark blood dripped to the floor, staining the pristine surface with the evidence of their brutal confrontation. Logan’s gaze flickered briefly to Emily, who stood poised and determined, a velvet pouch clutched tightly in her hands. Even in the midst of chaos, she remained steadfast in her goal.
With renewed determination, Logan redoubled his efforts, pushing himself beyond the limits of pain, and slashed his brother’s chest.
Despite the chaos unfolding around her, Emily’s attention remained fixed on the task at hand as she deftly opened the velvet pouch. The air was thick with the acrid scent of iron, and the sound of growls reverberated through the air, a stark reminder of the fierce battle raging nearby between Logan and Lothos.
With practiced precision, Emily retrieved the pearl from within the pouch, her fingers trembling slightly as she cradled it in her palm. As she gazed upon its iridescent surface, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the swirl of colors that danced within the depths of its otherworldly origins.
But even as she marveled at its beauty, Emily knew that this pearl was no ordinary treasure plucked from the depths of the ocean. It was a creation of magic, forged by the skilled hands of a druid. The very same hands that had once cradled Logan as a child.
With a sense of reverence, Emily slipped off her glove and pressed the pearl against her skin, her pulse quickening with anticipation as she felt the faint thrum of energy pulsating beneath her fingertips. In that moment, she knew that this pearl held a power unlike anything she had ever encountered before—a power that resonated with the very essence of her being.
And then, as if in response to her touch, the pearl began to pulse with a gentle glow, its vibrant hues swirling and shifting with an ethereal light. And just as quickly as it had appeared, the pearl dissolved into her skin, leaving nothing behind but a lingering sense of astonishment and regret.
“No!” she whispered.
As Emily’s frustration mounted, she couldn’t help but curse her own impulsive actions. The pearl, though it had appeared innocent enough, was no ordinary trinket—it was imbued with powerful magic. And yet, despite the warnings that echoed in the depths of her mind, she had been unable to resist the pull to touch it, to feel its enigmatic energy coursing through her veins .
Now, as she stood in the dim light of the room, her heart heavy with regret, Emily knew that she had made a grave mistake. With a sense of urgency, Emily quickly returned the velvet pouch to the safety of the secure vault.
Emily turned her attention to the box of diamonds and pearl necklace that lay in the safe. She grasped them tightly in her hands as a maelstrom of emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
She turned with the jewels in her hands as Lothos pushed away from Logan. His eyes narrowed on the necklace in her hands.
“You were hired to steal the pearl. I know this because I was the one who hired you.”
Her blood chilled in her veins. “Why? You already possessed it.”
Logan moved closer to her, and the torn flesh on his torso mended before her eyes. “He wanted you to come here. He planned to apprehend you in his own office. When you didn’t return, your uncle would assume you were killed. He didn’t have to risk anyone looking for you.”
She glanced at the pearls. “You hired me for this?”
Lothos’ power flared out, and his eyes turned red. “Where is it? The pearl is not in the safe, and you do not have it.”
“I don’t know where it is then,” she said, making sure to stick to the truth.
Lothos hissed. “Your uncle sacrificed you. This was a decoy. He stole the pearl.” He turned to Logan. “This is not over, my brother, but I must reclaim the pearl before I take your woman.”
Lothos stormed from the room, and Logan looked like he was about to follow, but two more large men with glowing red eyes entered the room. They spread out, so they flanked Logan on either side before one formed a sword in midair and attacked him. Logan formed his own and blocked the initial strike .
As the clash of steel and the roar of dragons echoed through the air, Emily found herself thrust into the heart of the fray. With Logan locked in combat with one of the dark dragons, she stood poised and ready, her senses on high alert.
But then, without warning, the other dark dragon lunged for her. In that moment of peril, something stirred deep within Emily, an untapped reservoir of power that surged to the surface with a force she had never before experienced.
As her attacker bore down upon her, Emily felt the strange energy ripple through her veins, an invisible force that pulsed with a fierce determination to protect her. With a swift and instinctive motion, she unleashed the power within her, sending her assailant hurtling through the air with a forceful blast.
The dark dragon collided with the rear wall with a resounding thud, his body crumpling to the ground in a heap as he struggled to regain his footing. Emily stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked down at her trembling hands, the source of the inexplicable power that had saved her.
Then Logan was there. He had wounded the other dark dragon, but the large man was getting up from the floor with his sword in his hand. Logan wrapped his arms around her before he ran with her toward the window.
As the chaos unfolded around her, Emily’s fear threatened to consume her. With every passing moment, the world seemed to blur into a whirlwind of motion and sound, leaving her disoriented and overwhelmed.
But then, as if in a nightmare come to life, the glass windows shattered with a deafening crash, and the ground rushed up to meet her with alarming speed. In that heart-stopping moment, Emily’s screams pierced the air, a desperate plea for salvation in the face of impending doom.
As she plummeted through the air, the wind whipped at her hair and clothes, threatening to tear her from the grasp of reality itself. Panic surged through her veins, a tidal wave of terror that threatened to engulf her completely.