“I can see why,” I agreed honestly. “This village is magical.”
“Yes, the gypsy village is magical,” he answered sarcastically. “Not the castle you are currently living in that is actually magic.” He lifted his eyes to meet mine and I paused for a moment, unsure what to make of his expression. I thought he would be amused, entertained by the continuance of his games, but he wasn't. His smile was there, but his eyes were disappointed, frustrated even.
“Definitely not the castle!” I argued. “I am pretty sure that castle is the seventh circle of hell.”
“You might be right,” he sighed. “How are we going to get you out of here?” He sounded exasperated; he threw his head back to admire the stars and groaned with an amused laughter. “Do you think Jericho is lying on his death bed like I did after you left? Or just pining away, hoping one day you'll walk back into his life and forget all about this crazy war?”
I stayed silent for a minute, not knowing what to make of Kiran's questions or even how to respond to them. I decided to avoid direct answers all together because I got the distinct impression that his questions were actually insults. “Why did you almost die after we broke up?”
He laughed a derisive, angry laugh and then stood to his feet. He offered me his hands with a look of pure contempt altering his good-natured face. Out of growing anxiety, I let him have my hands. He pulled me to my feet a little roughly and when I stumbled forward, he caught me in his arms, holding me firmly close to him.
“Your magic, Eden, is rather addicting,” he whispered with a raspy voice. “You promise immortality and then you rip it from us leaving mankind helpless victims in your aftermath. And then you expect us to recover as if we can breathe without you.”
“I hope you're not including Jericho in this fantasy,” I spat, wrenching my arms out of his tight grasp.
“Absolutely. Your adoring eyes have already moved beyond him. You're not capable of true love, Eden. Only convenient relationships that further your purpose.” His entire body accused me, from his glaring eyes to his clenched fists. “If Jericho isn't bedridden, then maybe he is the lucky one. Maybe he lost you before it was too late.”
“Don't talk to me like that!” I demanded in a low growl. I crossed my arms and swallowed my fear. I felt the defiance flaring in my blood as strong as any magic ever had, but Kiran's cool belief in his own words shook me, terrified me. And so I retaliated, “I loved you once. I loved you with everything that I was. Everything that I was capable of, in the truest sense of love. And you betrayed me. Or have you forgotten?”
“How could I forget when you accuse me with every one of your looks, every word that comes out of your mouth? I am fully aware of exactly how I betrayed you and you will never let me forget it, no matter how I beg for your forgiveness.” Kiran's voice grew quieter, his words ringing painfully true to the core of my being.
“As long as we agree,” I conceded, narrowing my eyes at him.
Sebastian joined us, approaching from the dark void beyond the fire. His eyes were squinted with anxiety and he glanced nervously between us as if we were both about to explode.
“It's about time to go, isn't it?” Sebastian approached Kiran carefully.
Kiran glanced down at his watch and then stalked away from us mumbling something about giving his best to the bride and groom.
“I hope he doesn't try to give them any marital advice,” Sebastian joked, but I couldn't find the humor so I stood silently next to him. “He doesn't mean it,” he defended his cousin. He placed a comforting hand on my arm and I leaned in to him and rested my forehead on his shoulder, thankful for his friendship.
“He's right though,” I admitted. Sebastian must have heard us, and I couldn't deny the facts. I did blame Kiran. And he would never have my forgiveness.
“I mean how angry he gets, he doesn't mean that,” Sebastian insisted, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a half-hug. “He's a prince, and a spoiled one at that, and he's used to having everything handed to him. You know for a minute I thought you two were falling in love again.”
“Ha!” I let out a scathing bark of laughter; but that insistent look on Kiran's face, the decision I watched him make blazed in my memory. Before I had held my breath in fear, before my eyes became wild and afraid. “Oh my goodness, is everyone in your family delusional?” I asked sarcastically, shaking those thoughts from my mind.
“Yes, I'm afraid so,” he conceded laughingly.
I looked up at Sebastian from his shoulder, his golden brown hair lay perfectly styled on his handsome head and his golden brown eyes sparkled at me with the constant amusement he seemed to live with. Objectively he was almost as good-looking as Kiran and had the same pompous air of royalty. Only, I liked Sebastian.
“Did Amory really bring Kiran here?” I ventured. I didn't want to think good of Kiran, and I certainly didn't want to link him with memories of my grandfather, but I couldn't get Ileana's words out of my head. They rang with resounding curiosity that Amory could have been closer with Kiran than he was with me. The thought made my stomach churn from violent recollection that Kiran was responsible for Amory's death. At the same time, I couldn't completely dispel the notion that if Kiran held some childish hero-worship for Amory than he would be as heartbroken as I was.
“Amory brought us all here,” Sebastian confessed, sighing despondently remembering the grief. “He would come to the Citadel just to spend time with Kiran, just to take him away from the castle. Now that I'm older, I realize he was taking Kiran away from his father too. Amory loved Kiran, and Talbott and even me. I suppose Amory felt like he failed at making Lucan a better man, so he was determined to try again with Kiran.”
“Too bad he failed there too,” I sighed, wishing Amory had spent more time with me growing up than the man eventually responsible for his death.
“Did he fail, though?” Sebastian asked carefully. “He obviously approved of your relationship, so he must have believed he did something right.”
“Something right? He got himself killed.” I spat bitterly.