Souls of Fire (44 page)

A
aron silently watched Malcolm taking care of Aidan. His twin brother had not yet regained consciousness.

They were at the castle’s own infirmary where Malcolm seemed to have every possible concoction at his disposal. The Haven seemed to have extensive knowledge of herbs and their use in making remedies for nearly every illness.

Aaron sat in the back watching and waiting. He didn’t want to be in Malcolm’s way while he tried to find out why Aidan was still unconscious.

Other than that, Aaron mused, Malcolm might want to find out more about Aidan’s general condition … if he was still the son he knew and had raised … or changed somehow ― having been dead.

Malcolm and Aaron had only just arrived at the manor and walked into the grand reception hall to find Persephone leaning over Aidan’s body, sobbing, and immersed in waves of power. Aaron had been able to feel ripples of pure energy rolling off her.

Before he or his father had even come to grasp the seriousness of the situation, her fiery red mane had suddenly started to fan out around her through a surge of power so strong, it had nearly knocked Aaron off his feet.

At the same time as a glowing light had enveloped Aidan’s body, Aaron had watched a strand of Persephone’s hair slowly turning black from the root onward.

He’d had a split moment to wonder about what she had just done, why she’d been crying, and why his brother hadn’t been stirring, when the sharp tone of Malcolm’s voice asking her what she’d done, and the fact that Aidan’s lips were slightly blue in his deathly pale face, suddenly made everything click into place. Aidan must have died … and she’d brought him back.

But how had she even known how to do that? And what had happened to them? It was a complete mystery to him … especially the black lock of hair ― what did it mean?

He would have liked to ask Malcolm to explain, but there was no way he would get any answers out of him at the moment. Malcolm was too occupied with his son to engage in conversation. So Aaron sat … and kept silent … and waited.

While he passed the time, his thoughts turned back to his brother and Malcolm. How strange it was to watch two men he hardly knew yet who had the same blood as his running through their veins.

All his life Aaron had wished he’d known his parents, had felt an acute sense of loss at never having been part of a family. Adam had cared for him, had loved him … and Aaron would always be grateful to him, would always see and love him as a father.

But despite that, he’d always wanted to know who his real parents were … where he came from … if he was at all like them.

When Aaron had learned of his parents’ demise, he had acted as though it did not touch him. But in reality he had been devastated, had wanted more than anything to get to know them.

No matter that they had abandoned him.

No matter that they hadn’t felt the same way about him.

He had craved their acquaintance … their acceptance … their … love.

And when he’d thought they were dead and he would never get to meet them, it had torn another gigantic hole in his heart.

Now, he suddenly had a father … his real father … and a brother. And he wanted nothing more than to get to know them.

But it hadn’t been easy for him to admit it or show that he actually cared. It had all happened so fast, the truth had been more or less thrown in his face, and he just hadn’t been ready for it. He hadn’t known how to act.

Then, Aidan had insulted Persephone. Furthermore, he had learned that his brother was connected to her as well. An intense wave of jealousy had rolled over him at the thought of Aidan getting close to Persephone.

And from that moment on, it seemed he would never have a good ― or any kind of ― relationship with his brother.

But abruptly everything had changed. In the space of a heartbeat, realizing that Aidan had nearly died ― actually had died ― he’d understood the value of the second chance he’d been given.

He could not live in peace if he forewent the chance to get to know his only brother … his flesh and blood. And the same went for Malcolm.

His father might have made choices that kept Aaron from his family for a long time, but he could understand why Malcolm had done it. And Aaron hoped, somewhere inside, he would be able to find the strength to forgive him.

As for his mother, nothing could bring her back. He would never meet her. But maybe she would live on a bit in the memories Malcolm could share with him.

Aaron longed to know more about her, to hear stories of their life together … as a family … before their idyll had so cruelly been shattered. The only bit Malcolm had told Aaron about his mother so far, was that she had died in a desperate attempt to save him … she had died for him.

One thing Aaron already knew about his mother: she had loved him! Knowing he’d been loved made a profound difference. He’d always assumed his parents hadn’t cared for him. He’d been wrong.

“Well, I have done everything I can do for now. I think he will be conscious before too long,” Malcolm said, putting away several vials with herbs in them as he spoke.

“So, is he okay?” Aaron asked.

“Yes, he should be fine,” Malcolm replied.

“Malcolm …,” Aaron addressed his father, hesitating slightly because he was unsure if the topic he was about to bring up was something Malcolm would feel comfortable discussing with him, “… what exactly happened at the manor in Scotland?”

It looked like his instincts had been right. Malcolm appeared extremely uncomfortable with the subject at hand. After keeping silent for a long moment, he finally seemed decided on talking about it, after all. He could probably tell that Aaron would not give up easily and would continue to pry.

“It looks like I would have lost one of my sons … if it had not been for Persephone. She brought him back from the dead.”

“I’d gathered as much,” Aaron replied, “What I don’t understand is … how?”

When Malcolm wouldn’t answer, Aaron knew he’d grazed the actual issue responsible for Malcolm’s initial hesitancy. This was what he hadn’t wanted to talk about.

“Please …,” Aaron said quietly, “… help me understand … all of this,” he finished, his tone of voice revealing his confusion and helplessness confronted with things he had no way of understanding as an ‘outsider’ to his own family’s way.

Malcolm seemed to take pity on his son and finally answered.

“The ‘how’ I think I can understand. Morrigan was the greatest witch to ever walk among men. Her magic went beyond anything I have ever beheld. And it seems that Persephone has at last managed to tap into that great power.

And though the speed with which she was able to harness that enormous force after never having used it before in this lifetime surprised me, I must say I am not really that astonished that she managed to bring him back.” Malcolm hesitated for a moment.

“But what
has
  me amazed, I must admit …,” Malcolm said, “… is the ‘why’ of it.”

“What do you mean?” Aaron asked, confused. “If she had the means to bring him back, why would she not have done it? I mean, I get that they don’t get along all too well, but it’s not like Persephone would just let someone die if she can do something about it. She’s not that kind of person. She will try to help if she can.”

“Yes, I do not doubt it. But there is something you do not know,” Malcolm said softly. It seemed he was about to tell Aaron something of a very serious nature … something he needed to tell him gently.

Whatever it was, it was clear to Aaron that Malcolm thought he would not like what he would hear. Aaron waited for him to continue, steeling himself.

“The only way Persephone was able to get Aidan back was by using a considerable amount of the most powerful magic in existence.”

“Yes, but you
did
  say that she has that kind of magic inside of her. You said she’s always been the most powerful witch,” Aaron countered, not understanding what Malcolm was getting at.

“Exactly. But the most powerful magic has always, and will always, be rooted in Darkness. The amount of magic necessary to bring a person back from the dead can only be found by tapping into the darkest place within one’s soul. By bringing Aidan back, Persephone sacrificed her soul’s light and surrendered to Darkness.”

“Oh my God, that’s why her hair turned black,” Aaron mumbled, suddenly understanding.

“But what
exactly 
does this mean?” Aaron asked Malcolm, the tone of his voice indicating the feeling of foreboding that had suddenly crept over him.

“It means that Persephone is now touched by Darkness … and it has changed her.”

“Changed her how?” Aaron wondered.

“She will no longer be the Persephone you have known. I am not sure how much of her old self could have survived, but it could well be that she is no more than an empty shell … and that her heart has gone stone cold.

I am so sorry … son,” Malcolm said, obviously feeling for Aaron, whose acute sense of loss at Malcolm’s words appeared to be written all over his face.

“No, that can’t be. You’ve got it wrong,” Aaron said, grasping at straws, “I know she’s in there … she has to be … has to…”

Malcolm just hung his head in regret, saying nothing.

“Why did you show her how to find her power without warning her about what could happen?” Aaron accused his father, lashing out at the only miscreant he could find in all this.

“You knew about the risk and didn’t utter a word. You showed her the way and let her run into her doom knowing that her eyes were closed. How could you?” Aaron cried out furiously.

“You’ve got it all wrong, my boy,” Malcolm said softly, “Persephone knew about the risk involved. She had gotten lost in the darkness inside of her before, and Aidan had pulled her back out. She had known full well what it would mean to let Darkness enter her heart.”

“But then, how could she have done it … how could she have chanced losing herself?” Aaron asked, trying to understand why she would have risked herself for Aidan, whom she couldn’t even stand.

“She mustn’t have known exactly what would happen. Maybe she’d thought she could come back from using dark magic, that it wouldn’t change her.”

“Aaron,” Malcolm said softly, “Persephone knew
precisely
what she was doing and what it would mean.”

“That’s bullshit …,” Aaron said heatedly, “… how could you possibly know that?”

“Because that’s what it means to sell your soul to Darkness. You know you will not come back from it … it’s a bargain … an act of sacrifice … that you need to agree to completely willingly.

Darkness cannot take you over without your consent. It might have planted a seed inside of you, but it cannot become a part of you unless you let it.”

“Does that mean … she … sacrificed herself … for him?” Aaron asked, shaken. He could not believe it!

“Why would she do … why?” Aaron whispered, looking at Malcolm for answers.

“You must brace yourself for the possibility that … she was … in love with him,” Malcolm said cautiously, as though holding a potentially dangerous bomb that could go off at any second.

“How could she have been in love with him?” Aaron asked, his tone agitated, “She only just met him … she and I … we are … we were … it can’t be,” he uttered in a strangled voice as realization hit him, the truth behind Malcolm’s words starting to sink in.

Oh God, his father was right. She’d been in love with his brother. Why else would she have made such a sacrifice … There could be no other reason! Aaron felt shaken.

As for the second chance he’d been given to finally get to know his brother …

… he no longer desired it.

He could not get past the fact that Aidan had taken her away from him. Not only had he gotten her to fall in love with him …
his
  life had cost Persephone her soul.

Persephone
, Aaron’s thoughts wandered to the girl he had known … the one that was no more.
How could you?

They’d … meant something to each other … he’d opened up to her … for the very first time in his life he’d become vulnerable … for her. And now she’d thrown away any future they might have had.

Even if they found a way to destroy the curse, and destiny no longer stood between them, they would not be together. Not because they would destroy the world … but because there was nothing left to love inside the hollow shell that wore Persephone’s face.

The woman he had fallen in love with was no longer there. She had thrown away everything … for the life of his brother.

She had betrayed him in more ways than one!

As Aaron’s eyes started to water, he swiftly turned away from his father. He wasn’t the type prone to tears. He usually was tough as nails and had only cried a few times throughout his life, mostly when he was a kid … and when he had found Adam lying lifeless on the floor of his study.

This was the very first time he felt like crying because of a woman. And he never would have thought it possible that he could ever feel this way about anyone, but he’d been wrong.