Killian
Although he’d envisioned his return to Diarom occurring tonight, he expected it to be under more victorious circumstances.
But through his own hesitancy, he was forced to scurry back in the shadows.
He was in disarray, and his apartment was the only place where he felt in control.
It was only a matter of time before Drachen tracked him down to berate his failure, but he wanted to reconcile himself before that happened.
His failure reverberated through him with every breath.
He had Ivy right where he wanted her. He’d captured her completely unseen and could have crafted her Ending with the sweep of his blade.
But upon feeling her body pressed against his, and despite seeing the glint of challenge in her eye, the predator within him withdrew.
He’d never backed down like that before.
That was the problem with Ivy—despite being conscious of what was at stake, his rationality flew out the window when he was caught by her emerald-green eyes.
He wasn’t sure what it was about her that he found so disarming—sure, she was beautiful, but something else about her stilled his blade.
It was another thing he’d lost control of, and it created an oily feeling in the pit of his stomach.
He’d been Drachen’s puppet for over a century—he fulfilled his Sire’s demands on the promise that it would earn Eryn’s freedom, but that was always held torturously out of his reach.
Tonight, Drachen had finally conceded—he’d free Eryn, so long as Killian Ended Ivy.
It was everything he’d worked towards—so, why did her Ending feel like an unreasonable price to pay?
He knew that her Ascension was rapidly approaching, after which Ending her would come with fatal consequences from the Council.
He needed to fortify his will for Eryn’s sake.
Killian stepped out of the shower and dried himself before pulling on a pair of loose black jeans.
He continued through to his bedroom and stood at the floor-to-ceiling window.
He stared out at the glittering landscape of Diarom as a strategy formed in his mind.
The view was the thing he loved most about the apartment—he did his best thinking while staring out at it.
Drachen hated Diarom enough to limit his visits, which was a bonus.
But Killian knew a visit was inevitable tonight.
It wasn’t long before the banging on his apartment door began.
With a sigh, Killian returned downstairs to let him in. He expected a tidal wave of fury as Drachen swept into the apartment, but he was eerily calm and controlled. He stalked to the centre of the room. His eyes were fixed firmly upon Killian with a look that could melt steel.
“What the fuck happened back there?” Drachen’s words were laced with menace, and Killian could tell that his temper was just one sarcastic response from bursting free. Killian knew that the situation called for diplomacy.
“We were doomed the moment her Broodmates stepped into that box.” Killian crossed the room and sat himself on the end of the couch, and Drachen moved in the same direction, keeping his back to the view beyond the apartment windows.
“With the offer I gave you tonight, I thought you would have risked anything to seal that deal.”
“I will seal the deal, Drachen. We just need to be smart about it. A strike like that, in plain view, puts both of us at risk. You might have raised your standing within the Council, but how would your integrity stand up if Noctis’s High Society saw us gunning for the respectable Leseldh Idthraki?
” Killian’s words were laced with bitterness at the mention of Leseldh.
Killian had reservations about the plan from the start, and they were finally proven to be valid. The only indication that Drachen agreed with Killian’s statement was that his temper didn’t worsen.
“What would you propose, then?”
“That you let me do what I do best. Hunt from the shadows.”
“Time is of the essence, Killian. We can’t afford any more hesitation.”
“She has around two months until her Ascension. That’s more than enough time.” Killian ran his hand through his still-wet hair, the strands tumbling around his face. Drachen didn’t question how Killian knew this, and he was grateful he didn’t have to provide an explanation.
“They will be on high alert until the moment she goes in the ground,” Drachen warned, his eyes narrowed at Killian.
“There are certain advantages I can leverage.”
“Such as?” Drachen quirked a brow.
“Voresta’s overconfidence. He believes I’m no match for him. If he underestimates me, I can get close.”
Drachen watched Killian for a long moment, as though considering his words. He eventually nodded and returned to the apartment door.
“You’re not going to drag me back to Clerlet?” Killian asked to Drachen’s back, as his Sire opened the apartment door.
“Not tonight. Perhaps situating yourself closer to the city might inspire you to take action sooner.” The apartment door closed, and Killian breathed a loud sigh.
While Killian’s defeat in Oaris left a bitter taste in his mouth, it allowed Voresta to become lax in his duty.
Although he allowed Ivy to slip through his fingers tonight, he knew that the seismic shift between them meant it wouldn’t be long before he could lure her back into his grasp once more.
If Voresta believed that Killian wasn’t a threat, he wasn’t about to correct him.
Two months seemed like plenty of time. Time to muster the courage to do something that for some reason, every part of him believed was the wrong thing to do. He pictured Eryn’s face and the coffin that was her prison, and guilt gnawed at his insides. He couldn’t fail her now.