Chapter 24 Malik
Malik
The pounding of Marcellious and Emily’s reunion echoed through the walls, each rhythmic thump vibrating like the steady beat of a war drum.
Thump, thump, thump—as if two hearts had synchronized, lost in their cadence of passion.
I smiled, captivated by the music of their love, a melody that resonated through the very bones of this house.
Roman and Olivia intertwined their fingers as they moved toward the settee, settling onto the plush cushions in quiet solidarity.
Meanwhile, I clasped my hands at my waist and positioned myself before the crackling flames I had kindled earlier.
The fire cast flickering shadows across the room, illuminating the contours of the room in molten gold.
“I’m sure, Roman, you’ve pieced together fragments of this story. But now, I will tell you who I am, what I am, and the history that binds us all together.”
The turret clock on the mantel ticked, its brass casing glinting in the firelight.
A masterpiece of craftsmanship, its delicate gears and intricate hands measured time with meticulous precision.
I had always admired such artistry—these relics of human ingenuity, reminders of potential rather than the depravity where I had spent most of my existence.
I turned my gaze to Roman and Olivia, their eyes locked onto me, waiting.
With a measured breath, I began.
“I am many things—a father, a guardian, a demon, a lover, and a friend. I am of Romany descent, what some call ‘gypsy.’ That is why I look the way I do.”
Their expressions remained unreadable, but they listened.
“When my Timeborne created me, I was just five years old. I understood nothing but the hunger to kill. The need to consume souls was all I knew. I had no guidance, no purpose—until I met Balthazar.” My voice dipped into something darker, something jagged.
“He took me under his wing and told me he would be a father to me. He would raise, teach, and shape me into something greater.”
I turned fully toward them, locking eyes with Olivia.
“I was a child. How could I have known any different?”
For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, Olivia nodded as if she understood.
“Balthazar shaped me. I worshipped him. Killing felt as natural as breathing—it wasn’t wrong, not to me. It was how I survived.”
I paused, scrunching my nose in thought, the memories drifting back like ghosts.
“He used to bring back trophies from his missions. Barely alive bodies were tossed at my feet, their last shuddering breaths filling the air. He would urge me to finish the job, to drink deep of their life essence. And I did.”
I drifted toward the mantel, running my fingertip along the smooth brass edge of the turret clock. The constant ticking filled the silence. Then, reaching for the iron poker, I prodded the burning logs in the hearth.
Sparks leaped, and flames roared back to life.
Satisfied, I moved to my high-backed chair and collapsed into it. “Balthazar told me our purpose was clear—to hunt and destroy Timebornes. That was the mission. That was the only truth I knew.” My gaze turned to Olivia. “And for years, I believed it.”
She stiffened under my scrutiny.
“What?” she finally asked.
My gaze softened. “I was just thinking about your mother. Alina.” I hesitated before adding, “Balthazar was obsessed with her. Utterly besotted.”
The same way I once loved you. And still do.
I sighed, pressing the unspoken words deep into my chest. There were things in this life I would never have. Olivia would always belong to Roman.
Leaning back, I let the shadows of memory stretch long and deep across my mind.
“I never meddled in his romantic affairs. By the time Balthazar met Alina, I was no longer a boy, not in the way humans perceive time. The darkness… we age differently.” A faint smile ghosted across my lips before vanishing.
“While he pursued Alina, I had my own desires. My own hunger. I traveled obsessively, seeking knowledge, devouring languages, and immersing myself in every culture I could. But no matter where I went or how much I learned, it was never enough. My thirst was endless.”
But no amount of knowledge could teach me how to undo the choices I had made.
I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my legs. “I traveled to Anatolia and met a pasha—a Turkish officer of high rank, in case you’re unfamiliar. He admired my intelligence and took a liking to me. He welcomed me into his home, where I met Layla.” My voice softened. “His daughter.”
The name alone sent a pang through my chest.
“She was my first love. Beautiful. Brilliant. Glorious. Kind.” I trailed off, lost in the whisper of memory.
Silence thickened around us until Olivia’s voice gently pulled me back.
“You must have loved her very much.”
I met her gaze. The searing passion I had buried for Olivia flared to life, scorching through my soul like wildfire. I had to look away.
“Yes,” I murmured, my thoughts tangled in the past. “Very much.”
I licked my parched lips. “Of course, no matter where I traveled, I had to maintain my… lifestyle. Which meant killing to survive.” My expression darkened, my jaw tightening. I sat back, fingers curling against the chair’s armrests. “One night, Layla saw me kill. She was terrified. She ran.”
I exhaled sharply, the memory slamming into me with full force. “I chased after her, desperate to explain. I told her I would never hurt her, that I was too in love with her to do such a thing. But she didn’t believe me.”
Olivia sucked in a breath. “She must have been horrified.”
Roman leaned forward. “How did she take the truth?”
I forced a shrug, feigning indifference I did not feel. “She was horrified, as you’d expect.” I hesitated, then let out a humorless chuckle. “Thank God I didn’t tell her my life’s mission was to eradicate Timebornes.”
I drew in a breath before delivering the final blow. “Because I nearly swallowed my tongue when she told me she was one.”
A beat of silence.
“She what?” Roman said, eyes wide.
“Oh, my God! You’re kidding!” Olivia gasped.
“I’m not.” The memories churned, raw and relentless. “I loved Layla so much that I vowed never to kill again. I tried—I truly did. But it was difficult. The hunger clawed at me, weakening me in ways I hadn’t expected.”
I let out a breath, watching Olivia and Roman. “Layla and I kept everything a secret from her parents. Or so we thought. Somehow, they found out. And when they did, they wanted me dead.”
A wary glance passed between them, their bodies stiff with anticipation.
“You see, her father was a Timehunter. And Layla… she was born on a solar eclipse.”
Roman’s brows furrowed. Olivia leaned forward. “If he was a Timehunter, and Layla was born on a solar eclipse, how did he spare his child from his murderous rampages?”
I shrugged. “Perhaps he loved her too much.” A wry smile ghosted across my lips. “I don’t know the answer.”
Another gasp escaped Olivia. “Malik… this story.”
“Yes, this story.” My voice was laced with quiet sorrow. “So, once her father discovered what I was, our lives were in danger. He had managed to suppress his rage toward Layla, but I knew I wouldn’t be so fortunate. There was no reason for him to spare me.”
I inhaled, feeling the echoes of old fear pressing against my ribs. “We ran. God, how we ran. We traveled by boat to the Papal States—what you now call Italy. Then, by horseback, we went to Britannia—England.”
I allowed the fire’s glow to warm my face, but it did little to thaw those icy cold memories. “There, we built a home. But we were always looking over our shoulders, constantly fearing discovery.”
Without hesitation, Olivia patted my knee—a small, grounding gesture.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and pressed on. “While we lived in Britannia, Layla became obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of what we were. She devoured every scrap of knowledge she could find about Timebornes, Timebounds, Timehunters… and the darkness.”
The words felt heavy on my tongue. “That’s when she discovered something else—scholars who claimed they could teach me another way. A way to control my hunger. A way to stop the killing.”
I lifted my gaze to Roman and Olivia, my voice softer now. “For the first time in my life, I felt hope.”
The air in the room grew thick with unspoken things.
“I had managed to survive by killing only when Layla was asleep, just enough to maintain my strength. But I wanted it to end. More than anything, I wanted to be free from the bloodshed.”
I met their eyes and whispered the only truth that had ever mattered.
“The killing… I mean.”
They both nodded.
“The scholars spoke of the original blades—the first forged under the light of a solar eclipse. They claimed the daggers could cure the thirst for killing.” My voice was quiet, but the words filled the space between us.
“Layla and I clung to that hope. We resumed our travels, searching for these mysterious blades, desperate for salvation.”
A bitter chuckle escaped me. “I was so inspired, so foolishly hopeful, that I sought out Balthazar.” My jaw tightened at the memory. “I found him here in England.”
I could still hear my voice from that day, trembling but resolute. “We can change,” I’d told him. “Our lives don’t have to be endless murder.”
But Balthazar… Balthazar was beyond saving.
“He was obsessed with power, consumed by it. The idea of restraint, of redemption—it was meaningless to him. So, when I told him about the blades, he fixated on them.” My fists clenched at my sides.
“He already collected the daggers of his victims, hoarding them like trophies. But if he could possess the Sun and Moon Daggers? He believed he could rule the world with his darkness.”
I shook my head, a wave of regret crashing through me. “I rue the day I told him about the knives.”
Silence settled over us, thick and suffocating. I stared into the flames, momentarily lost in the nightmares.