"Haven't we been expecting that?" Avalon asked.
"Yes, we have," Amory said thoughtfully. "But he wants to take Eden back to London with him at the end of the month, and marry her later this spring."
The weight of Amory's words hit me like a slap in the face. London? This spring? I could barely comprehend marriage in a few short months. And how would I ever be able to leave my family here and move to London? But how could I say no to the man that I loved? My heart felt ripped in two, and my stomach was on the verge of emptying itself. Nothing was easy in this world. Not having a boyfriend. Not having a family. And certainly not having a mind of my own. Whichever way I played out the scenario in my head, the end result felt simply hopeless.
Chapter Forty
"I don't understand, isn't that a good thing?" I asked Amory. I was mulling over the idea of a spring wedding in my head. Even though I felt severely unprepared, I still couldn't help but feel that a wedding to Kiran was a better alternative to civil war. I snuggled closer to Avalon, feeling more unsettled than ever.
"Yes, I think it is," Amory stared at the sparkling snow in the darkness pensively. "I am hoping that it is."
"Then what is it?" Avalon, the strategic part of his mind working hard to catch up to Amory, spoke up.
"I can't put my finger on it exactly," Amory replied carefully, "This is very uncharacteristic of Lucan. He doesn't have a history of working so.... carefully. I have watched him grow into the tyrant he is. Hell, I watched his father, and his father's father become tyrants. Lucan is effective, he is efficient, but he is not careful. And he is definitely not forgiving. Whatever his motives are for allowing this union, are purely selfish."
"But that doesn't mean they are bad for us, does it?" I asked innocently, wanting to hope for the best.
"No, you're right; it doesn't mean they are bad. Or will turn out bad. I just can't seem to shake.... this feeling," Amory lifted his head and looked me directly in the eyes. His black, onyx eyes seemed to be endless, filled with depth and love, and I could hardly look at him without bursting into tears.
"Kiran wouldn't let him do anything bad," I shook my head, wanting to reassure my grandfather. "He will protect me. I trust him," I whispered and then threw my arms around Amory's neck, feeling like a small child that needed comforting.
"I know that, dear," he said quietly. "He will protect you, I know that."
I sat back and wiped my eyes. Everything was going to be Ok. We were just in uncharted territory, and nobody really knew what to do. It was natural to have doubts.
"Besides when I'm Queen I can settle everything diplomatically. There won't be any need for a war or more fighting or whatever," I folded my arms proudly.
"Oh really? You're just going to change all the laws, make everyone equal, and just order every one not to be racist anymore?" Avalon rolled his eyes at me.
"Yes," I said simply. "What else am I going to do? I can't be Queen of a Kingdom where people are oppressed. This isn't just about me; I get that. I mean, yes, I get what I want too, but the whole position of leadership, place of influence, like that's my calling, and I get that. This is the end of it all, Avalon. You don't have to fight because I'm going to change it all." I finished passionately and leaned my head against his shoulder. I had been holding these feelings in for way too long, it was time I said them out loud and put pressure behind my ideals.
"That sounds wonderful, Sis, but I'm just not sure it's possible," Avalon replied quietly.
"It's possible, Avalon," Amory interrupted. "It has to be. And if not Eden, then you will be the one to save your people. You two are the hope for this Kingdom. The only hope for survival we have left. And if you fail, so will your people."
Avalon and I didn't respond. We couldn't respond. There was nothing to say; we felt the truth of Amory's words as deeply as we felt our magic and had long ago accepted our fate.
"I need you two to listen to me," Amory began again, and I physically felt the gravity of his words grip my heart, "The Crown belongs to you, both of you. You are the rightful heirs to the Monarchy and I believe with all of my heart that you are capable of commanding the Titans. If things with Eden and Kiran fail...." He paused for a moment and I took the opportunity to chime in. "They won't," I interjected.
Amory held his hand up, stopping me, "Eden, until you appeared, continuing the Kendrick line has never been a possibility. You are the only thing stopping me from ending the entire existence of that family; that needs to be clear. We need to have a conversation about every possibility. I am not going to be around forever. You two hold the key to salvation for our people; you will be the ones to carry the torch. Listen to me."
I wanted to argue. I wanted to remind him that he already had been around forever and that he wasn't going anywhere. I wanted to cover my ears and run away, unbelieving there could ever be a different possibility that didn't involve Amory; but I kept my mouth shut. I decided for his sake I would listen, I wouldn't take him seriously, but I would listen.
"Since the Titans signed the blood oath to the Monarchy, the people, including me, have always believed the oath was made to the Kendricks," Amory continued, "But events in recent years have suggested that maybe that isn't the truth."
"Like what?" Avalon asked, anxious for more information.
"Well, starting with your grandfather. Barrick, your grandfather on your father's side was a Titan. What no one knew until your grandmother's famous betrayal was that Celia was not a Titan; she was a Shape-Shifter. They married in secret. This was a direct violation to the Monarchy and Barrick knew that; yet he didn't die until after your parents disappeared. What I'm saying, is that if the oath was made to the Monarchy, then it should have been binding; he should have died immediately. Then, your father Justice also betrayed the Crown and ran away with your mother. He also should have died; yet here you two are. Furthermore, you both possess the Titan bloodline, but especially Avalon, who holds no reverence for the Crown. Finally, and this is the last piece of the puzzle, but also just a theory, the other Titans you two have gone up against, have all fallen at your hands. I believe this has something to do with your twin connection and your solid Immortality; but another hunch I have formed recently is that their allegiance was made to our bloodline, not the Kendricks."
"But what about the three guards that got away, at the mall?" I asked, trying to put all of the pieces together.
"They're dead," Avalon answered coldly. "Their bodies were found while you were in Texas. Titus and Xander discovered them in London."
"But they were already sick with the King's Curse," I reminded them.
"Like I said, it's just a hunch," Amory admitted, "But it's worth looking into, especially since the Titans will be the first of our people to die out if interracial marriage isn't reinstituted soon."
"Why?" I asked, one step behind like usual.
"Because women are scarce in their kind. There aren't enough women as it is; their numbers are dwindling severely with each generation. If Lucan keeps this up, or Kiran, they will die out soon enough," Amory answered. I shuddered remembering the attraction between Lilly and Talbott. It seemed so long ago; now it seemed so impossible, but also soberingly necessary. Amory continued, "The most difficult obstacle you will face, however, is convincing the Titans you deserve their allegiance."
"Most difficult?" Avalon cut in, "Try impossible."
"Yes, I suppose so. You will need to find your father; if they could see Justice then they would know. They would understand then," Amory said with finality.
"Our parents? But how? You don't even know where they are...." I reminded him.
"That's true. If things go south, if things should get bad and I were not here, I believe they will come out of hiding. They would have to," Amory said quietly, as if to himself.
"Where would we start?" Avalon asked, always the strategic thinker.
"South America. Silas was in contact with them not too long ago and I have no reason to believe they would have moved on."
"Like the whole of South America? That's what we have to go on?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes, it's better than the whole world," Amory replied snidely and I couldn't help but laugh at his sarcastic humor.
"You're right," I had to admit. "Wait. You don't mean Silas as in Black Panther Silas do you?"
"Yes, I suppose, I do. Although, Eden, he is the oldest living Shape-Shifter and I don't think anyone refers to him as Black Panther Silas," Amory scolded with an amused twinkle in his eye.
"Well, I do. He totally creeps me out," I grumbled.
"Whatever for?" Amory asked incredulously.
"He told Eden her life was going to be full of pain and suffering. That made her mad," Avalon tattled on me, so I elbowed him in the rib.
"Is that true?" Amory asked.
"Yes, he was all, your future is full of pain, but don't let it swallow you, and then he called me the next Oracle, and then he told me to find him when it was all over. Oh, and he kept calling me Great One," I explained a little over-dramatically.
"He is the second person to call you the next Oracle, Eden," Avalon pushed my shoulder, making fun of me. He was right though. Silas and the old gypsy lady had both called me the next Oracle.
"What does that mean Amory?" I asked in a quiet voice.
"Hmmm...." Amory's black eyes turned to stone and although his expression was almost unreadable, the fear I felt earlier resurfaced. "I hope that my suspicions are merely being confirmed, that you two are truly Immortal. The woman in Romania, was there any defining feature to her? Something that made her unique from other humans?"
"Well, I don't know. She seemed to know me, like she knew exactly who I was, but she didn't have any magic. Oh, and she had violet eyes. Like Angelica's. Yes, just like Angelica’s," I remembered.
"She must have been magic then. Some of the old Shape-Shifters, the very old ones had the power of prophecy, nothing that was completely clear or vivid, but they had visions. There is a Shape-Shifter colony in Romania. Not a big one, in fact, it's very small. I wonder...." Amory trailed off and I didn't know how to prompt him to continue, because I could barely comprehend what he had already told me.
"So what does that mean?" Avalon asked for me. "If she was going to be Queen, they would have said Queen, wouldn't they?" A flicker of panic flashed though Avalon's blood and I felt it as if it were my own.
"That may be true," Amory replied calmly. "But they also wouldn't have called her the next Oracle if she were going to be martyred."
Avalon relaxed and so did I. Amory was right. There wouldn't be prophecies about me if I was going to die before my wedding night…. or the night after, for that matter.
"Whatever happens," Amory started. "Eden, Avalon, look at me." We obeyed immediately, "Whatever happens my dears, know that watching you two become who you are today has been the greatest gift of my life," he paused for a moment as if collecting himself and a hot tear escaped the corner of my eye without permission, wetting my lashes and leaving a trail of emotion down my cheek. "This life, this over-exaggerated life I have lived, was wasted until I found you. You have given me purpose, you have given me hope, and I believe in the core of my being that you are our salvation."