Savage

Chapter 34

Furious and heartbroken, Jared flew to his grandfather. “What have you done?”

Jaden refused to meet his gaze. “What I had to do.”

“You let them kill my mother.”

“You live, boy. Be grateful.”

Tears welled in Jared’s eyes as he struggled not to lash out. Never in his life had he wanted to kill as much as he did then. Finally, he understood the destructive part of his father’s powers. What it took for his father not to be like his grandmother.

Never had he respected Xev more.

“Where’s my father?”

“Where we can’t help him.”

That emotionless tone only served to anger him more. After everything his father had done for them. Risked for them.

And this was how he was treated?

“How could you?”

“I had no choice. I did what I had to.”

Keep saying that, old man. Maybe one day, someone might believe Jaden’s lie.

Jared growled, and when he did, a surge went through the room, so powerful it splintered every piece of furniture and shattered the glass.

Jaden shot to his feet. “How dare you?”

“How. Dare. You! They were my parents!”

For the first time, he saw a crack in his grandfather’s fa?ade. “Xev was my son. I know you don’t understand that. Be grateful you don’t.” He cleared his throat and returned to the cold, emotionless beast Jared was learning to hate. “Believe me when I say that the one thing both of them would want is for you to be safe. I’ve done that. It was the only gift I could give them.”

Gift? Was he insane?

How was this a gift? He’d robbed Jared of the only thing that mattered.

“I hate you!”

Jaden laughed bitterly. “I assure you, it’s a pittance compared to what I feel for myself.”

His breathing ragged, Jared glared at him. “Release my father.”

Jaden shook his head. “I can’t do it. I’m not the one who holds him.”

“Who does?”

“The Mavromino.” The three dark Primals.

Fine.

Jared left him and immediately went to his icy, blue grandmother. He would do whatever it took to free his father from her clutches. Because of their cruelty, his mother was gone. He wasn’t about to lose his father, too.

Without a second thought, he descended into Azura’s shiny realm, where she was gloating with her brother, Noir.

The sight of them celebrating sickened Jared.

Their success had come at the expense of his family. It wasn’t right. And he wanted justice.

No, he wanted revenge.

At least his presence succeeded in wiping the smiles off their repugnant faces.

“What are you doing here, brat?” Azura asked as soon as she saw him.

“Where’s Daraxerxes?”

She didn’t answer.

Instead, Noir leaned over to loudly whisper in her ear. “I thought all the Sephirii were supposed to be gone? Why’s this one here?”

Azura sighed heavily. “They’re not all gone. Most of them are still around.”

“That’s not good.”

“I know, brother. Apparently, they’re hard to kill.” She tsked at Jared. “And you’re their leader now.”

A bad feeling went through him. What was her point in saying that? “I am.”

“You want to save your father, you say? Then step over here, dear child. Let us chat a bit. There may be something you can do after all.”

* * *

Shadow was still reelingfrom everything that had happened. From the fact that Caleb had voted to betray Xev.

“What were you thinking?”

“He didn’t save Lil!”

In other words, Caleb hadn’t been thinking. He’d been hurting. Lashing out.

Poor Xev that he’d been caught in that crossfire of pain.

That was the worst part about grief and anger. No rational thought. All the best intentions went to hell, along with common sense.

When the dust settled, all that was left was regret.

Now Shadow was left to try to pick up the pieces. His family had been torn asunder by all their combined stupidity, and he didn’t know what to do.

It just couldn’t end like this.

Not after everything they’d all been through. Everything they’d all lost.

“Shadow?”

He flinched at the sound of Jared’s voice. The pain there made his own chest ache. Sighing, he left Caleb and went to find Jared alone in his room, sitting in the fading light.

“Hey.”

Jared offered him a tenuous smile. There was so much pain that Shadow wished he could take it away. As much as he’d lost, Jared had lost more. He’d had parents who loved him. Protected him.

Shadow had no idea what that felt like.

His parents would have thrown him to the demons and not thought twice.

“I need help, Uncle.”

“Anything.” There was nothing he wouldn’t do for Jared, especially now.

“Azura wants me to gather up the Seraph swords for her.”

Shadow burst out laughing. Until he realized the boy wasn’t joking. The kid actually meant it. “You’re serious?”

Jared nodded. “But I don’t trust her.”

He was wise beyond his years. “Good call, that. Unless it involves pain or cruelty, she’s not exactly reliable.”

Jared nodded in agreement. “What can I do?”

Shadow hesitated. Both sides were going to put down their soldiers. They’d already started. And there was nothing that could be done to stop it.

So much for a truce.

But those swords, they were valuable. If they went into the wrong hands…

Game over.

For all the good the Seraph swords could do, they could do an equal amount of evil. It all depended on the hand that wielded them.

“Do you trust me?”

Jared hesitated. “My father always has. I know you’re a good man.”

Shadow scoffed at praise he knew he didn’t deserve. “No, I’m not. But I am loyal.”

Jared wrinkled his nose. “You’re not the monster you think you are.”

Shadow didn’t feel like arguing. Especially over something he knew wasn’t true. He was as corrupt as the bitch that had birthed him. “I’ll help you hide the swords from Azura. Maybe we can use them to barter for your father.”

“Thank you.”

Shadow followed him. He wasn’t sure how they were going to get something so personal from the Sephirii. His understanding was that those swords were impossible to separate from their owners.

So he took Jared into the shadows that would give them access to the Sephirii and where they kept their weapons.

As carefully as they could, they infiltrated the private rooms of the owners.

One by one, Jared crept to the swords. Every time he touched one, it would light up. Then he’d run his hand over the sword, and it seemed to calm down. The light would dim, then go out.

Shadow stood in amazement of his nephew as Jared brought him the swords, one at a time.

Until they came down to Jared’s personal weapon in his own room. He kept her on a small altar in his bedroom. Pausing in front of the sword, he glanced to Shadow. “This is Takara. She’s the strongest of them.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yes, she is.” He caressed her as if she was the most valuable object in existence. “Can we duplicate them so that the Primals won’t know?”

Nodding, Shadow used his powers. It wasn’t often he did this. Been awhile since he’d needed this skill. Caleb was actually better at it than he was. But he wasn’t about to ask for his help. In the mood he was in lately, Caleb might stab them just for asking. Hopefully, this would be enough to pass Azura’s inspection.

He handed the fake swords to Jared. “What else do you need?”

Sadness darkened the boy’s eyes. He looked as if he’d be sick. “I have to betray my soldiers.”

“What?”

Tears gathered in his eyes. “She said she’d kill my father if I refused. If I don’t put them down, she’ll send my father’s head to me.”

Shadow felt his stomach drop. He couldn’t imagine having to make that choice, especially at the age Jared was. How would he be able to live with it?

Either way, he was damned.

The boy had no idea what would come. The guilt that would haunt him.

It seemed easy.

He loved his father. Save him.

But this…

It would scar him in ways he couldn’t imagine. He would be stigmatized for eternity.

Because he loved his father and wanted to save him.

No one should have to do this.

Damn his mother for it. This cruelty was beyond the pale. The saddest part? It wouldn’t be any better if Jared sacrificed his father. Either way, he was damned. That was Azura’s sick plan.

And in that moment, Shadow’s fury took root deep inside. He wasn’t going to let her get away with this. She’d destroyed too many of them. There was no way he’d stand by and see her loose in the world.

She had to be stopped. A cancer like her shouldn’t be left to spread its disease wherever it wanted to go.

Shadow had promised Xev that he’d protect his family, and he’d failed.

The least he could do was get vengeance for his brother.

Justice for Myone.

“I’ll help you, Jared. But you need to do something for me.”

“What?”

He gave the boy a hard stare. “I need some of your father’s blood.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know.” Shadow smiled at him. “But you will.”

And Azura would spend eternity remembering this moment, her cruelty, and, regretting that she’d ever crossed Xev and his bloodline.