Chapter Twenty-Five #7
Love was blind. Ava had seen the worst in me time and again, but had chosen to believe in the best. She continued to love me despite everything I’d ever done wrong, all the bad choices I’d made and the things I’d done to hurt people.
She overlooked my faults and loved me unconditionally, no matter what happened or what I did.
It was time for me to do the same for her, with no expectations of what I would receive in return.
I had to hope that everything would be all right in the end.
I trusted her more than I trusted anyone else, and I believed in her more than I’d ever believed in anything before.
This wasn’t about our relationship anymore.
It wasn’t even about our family. This was about her, and everything she was destined to be.
So I’d follow her blindly toward her destiny, because wherever Ava ended up, it would be the right place for us both.
My faith in her had no boundaries. She could call me into the depths of the darkest storm, and still, I would follow.
Whatever she asked me to do, I’d perform eagerly, and whatever she asked me to let go of, I would.
I was sanctified and washed clean by her love, and because she had blessed me with such a gift, I’d been saved, redeemed into a new person.
She forgave me. For everything, all that I’d done, and she didn’t hold anything against me.
To show her that I appreciated her forgiveness, I needed to become a better man.
Having her forgiveness helped me to forgive myself.
During the coup, I put my wants above hers, and disregarded her love in selfish pursuit of what I thought was best, and during this divorce process, all I’d thought of was how miserable I felt without considering how deeply she had to be suffering.
I wouldn’t be that villain anymore. I had to put her needs before mine, and right now, she needed to be apart from me. That was fine. I would be here for anything she asked.
She wasn’t mine anymore, but I was hers. No matter what she asked of me, I’d be here to serve, until the end of time.
Right now, she’d asked me to step into the role of Casey’s parent… his only parent. My most important mission was to be the best father I could be, bestowed upon me by the woman I worshiped above all others.
This was my divine purpose. Forget all the gods in all the realms. Ava was my goddess now, and I would not fail her.
I started toward the hospital. I had to be there for Casey. That’s what divorced parents needed to do. Turn toward their kids. I guessed when Casey came home, it would just be the two of us.
I’d worried about being alone after Ava left me, but I didn’t need to. I’d never be alone, because I had my son.
Someone stopped me on the way to the NICU, and I was familiar enough with his hand on my arm to know it was Marcus.
“There you are. I just wanted to let you know that we had some people sneak through the portal when we got back from the battle. Mission members, probably. We’ve been looking, but we can’t find them— Charlie, are you okay? ”
He had to notice how messed up I looked. Emptiness was all I was now. “We signed the papers.”
“Oh, no.” Marcus sounded truly heartbroken. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, and suddenly, I was crying all over again. “It’s terrible.”
“It is.” Marcus reached out to hug me, rubbing my back. I felt really guilty. I hadn’t comforted him like this after his bond with Kallie had been broken, even though he hadn’t let me. Now he was trying to help me without asking for anything in return. “I wish you guys could’ve worked it out.”
“Me, too.” I wasn’t able to tell him about what Casey had foreseen. I would, eventually, but I couldn’t bear going over it again. Another day, maybe, when it didn’t hurt this much.
It never would. I stepped away and rubbed my eyes. “Anyway. It’s done, and she asked me to take custody of Casey.”
“I understand. Do you guys need anything from us?”
I couldn’t come up with a single thing right now, though I probably knew I needed more help than I could possibly imagine. “I just want to see my son.”
“Definitely. I’ll come with you.”
I appreciated Marcus sticking around. I really didn’t want to be by myself right now.
The hospital was quiet. Almost everyone was at the refugee camp. I was glad for the silence. I opened the door to Casey’s room, wanting nothing more than to hold my son in my arms.
Though the door wouldn’t open all the way. It was stuck on something. I had to push it open, and whatever was blocking our path rolled out of the way. It gave a moan underneath our feet.
“Opal!” Marcus blurted in alarm, and my blood turned to ice. I stooped down to the floor. Opal lay there, and as I reached out, I felt a cut stemming blood from her head. She was out cold.
“Marina’s still here, but she’s passed out on the chair,” Marcus said.
His tone wavered as he whimpered, “Charlie.”
No. I refused to believe it. My shoes kicked random items across the room as I hurried to the center of it, sending medical supplies flying.
I reached where my son had been last, and nearly tripped over the object in my way. The incubator had been tipped over. I fell to the ground and looked around, my hands skimming the floor to find out where he’d fallen.
Marcus knelt down beside me. “Charlie, he’s not here!”
I already knew it. Casey’s magical signature was gone from the room, which meant he wasn’t around. He was missing.
Ava had told me to take care of him. My one job, and I’d fucked it up already. She’d asked me to care for our son… and now, he was gone.
“Help! We need help!” Marcus sprinted into the hallway, crying out for someone to heal Opal and find Casey.
How had this happened? Marcus had said something about Mission members slipping through during the battle. Casey going missing wasn’t a coincidence. This was the work of the fucking Warden. He’d sent people in here to find Casey and take him away from us.
We didn’t know what the Warden wanted with him, or what he would do to our baby. Casey could be anywhere by now. Who knew how long he’d been gone by now? The kidnappers might be far away at this point, and we had limited resources in tracking them down.
We might not even get to Casey before the Warden—
Anguished wails began rising from the floors above. I knew the sound of those screams better than the beating of my heart. Ava.
She knew. She’d heard the news that Casey was gone, and that I’d failed. Her desperate cries could rip apart the entire universe.
I felt like vomiting. I heaved, though nothing came up.
Sophia rushed into the room and immediately hurried to Opal’s side.
I sensed her healing magic blooming, but its warmth was nearly indiscernible against my frozen heart.
I thought terror had become my friend, but that was a lie, because I didn’t know what true fear felt like.
I’d never been so petrified in my godsdamn life.
The door flew open again. Wheels screeched against the tile, and I— wrecked— turned toward the woman I’d let down time and again.
Ava grabbed my collar, shaking me. Her bow, which she held in her other hand, smacked me in the side. Over the horror within her voice was the order of a vengeful being, thirsting for retribution. “Charlie, get my son back.”
Her hands left me, and I fell once again. At her command, my dread erupted into rage.
The Warden believed he could take our son.
He’d just made the biggest mistake of his existence.
I wouldn’t give up and give in like Cameron had done with me.
I’d waited twenty years to reunite with my father.
Casey would not wait that long for me to find him.
I would turn over every rock I had to until he was in my arms again.
I didn’t care about my crown, my empire, or my own life.
Nothing would stop me from burning this city to the ground, tearing down the skies and bringing Casey home.
I would rip the realms apart if it meant making sure my son was safely home with me, and I wouldn’t give up until he was found.
Ava would get her child back. I didn’t care what it took, who I had to kill, torture, destroy. I’d massacre my way through this world if that’s what was required of me to save our son.
Playing the hero never worked, and turning into the villain wouldn't be enough anymore. I had to ascend to something greater. I’d transform into whatever I had to, so I could bring an end to the madness and create a world of peace for my family. This war wasn’t over until Ava and I said it was.
We were going to fight until this world found redemption. And what would that monumental battle create?
Legends.
END OF BOOK SIX
Turn the page to read a special excerpt from The Phoenix Dawning: Prison for Supernatural Offenders, Book Seven.