Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) (14 page)

“Yes but I’m going to offer the chance for your daughter to become my successor and in that case even Hintins will see honor in it.”

“You mean, have her be a Kalu Assassin? Oh, Adele, that would be—such an honor.”

“Then do you accept? Leave in the morning and tell Darius whatever you need to but the truth.”

“But where do I go?”

“We’ve made contact with Sharlet.” Jaylyn smiled.

Meg gasped in amazement. “Sharlet! You know where she is?”

“She’s south of here in a little cottage.” I said. “She’s waiting there for you and will be your host until your daughter is born.”

“Oh. Wow. This is amazing. Yes! I accept and I will leave tonight if you need me to.”

“No. You’ll need rest for the journey. It’ll have to be one foot. It’s the only way to get to her but she’ll help you find your way.”

“Yes, I’ve heard she was telepathic. It’s true?”

“It is when you get close enough. She’ll be waiting by for you.”

“Okay.” Meg just had a big hopeful smile as she got to her feet. “In the morning then.”

“We wish you all the luck.” Jaylyn smiled back. “And look forward to the day we can train your daughter.”

“Thank you so much. You’ve really saved our lives.”

“You’re welcome, Meg.”

“I guess I’m going to head up stairs and shower. I’ll have to think of something to tell Darius.”

“Whatever works. Goodnight, Meg.”

“Yes. Goodnight.” She turned from us and headed out the door.

“It worked.” Jaylyn smiled.

“Our part. Now she has one to do and I hope Darius will let her go.”

I was skeptical because I knew how determined Darius could be but I also knew Meg couldn’t take no for an answer. She was desperate for a way to save not only her life but her child’s life. Wyatt would never stop looking even if she remained with Darius and he wouldn’t be able to protect her from everything. This was the only way and I hoped that it would work. I hoped I wouldn’t see her in the morning.

Chapter 26

Meg

I made my way to the third floor bathhouse and took a hot shower while thinking of what I would tell Darius. It wasn’t going to be easy because Adele was right. I was starting to feel something for him but I also knew I didn’t want to hurt everyone else’s lives by being with him and it would. He belonged with Ruby. That’s the way it had to be and somewhere inside him, he knew that too.

I waited up in the room for Darius to get back from spending time with Zayden and Troy outside and went over the conversation in my head a few times. I hoped it’d work. I had to get him to see that it was the right way.

He walked in just shortly after and saw me sitting up on the bed. “Waited up for me, darling?”

“How was playtime with the boys?”

“It was great but I don’t feel tired yet.”

My smile started to fade and I knew what I had to do. “That’s good because I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Okay.” Darius sat on the other side of the bed and started taking his boots off. “Go ahead.”

I took a quiet deep breath and thought it would be best not to drag it out. It seemed to work for most all situations around here so I tried it. “Um, look, Darius—I’m leaving in the morning.”

He turned right around. “Leaving? Why?”

“I don’t belong here. I think I’ve stayed long enough and it’s time for me to move on now.”

“But you said you’d stay. What about the Hintins searching for you? What about me―us?”

It was hard for me to do this without emotion but I tried my best to stay calm and collected so I wouldn’t cave to him. “We both know that it wouldn’t work, right? Ruby’s the one carrying your child, not me and I have to do what I can to protect mine.”

“You can do that here. I said I would be there for you and father your child if I had to. No one would get to you.”

“I know but that’s not how things can be. I have to go. It will be better for everyone.”

“Not for me.”

“You don’t need me like you think you do, Darius. You need Ruby.”

“I can’t if she doesn’t need me.”

I paused for a moment and decided to say what he never would. I didn’t really want to but had no other choice. “But you love her. You always will. No amount of time with any other woman will ever change that and I—I can’t be that woman. I’m sorry, Darius.”

“I’m not using you, Meg. I know I’m not.”

“But you are. You’re trying to forget when you know you won’t. I’m just passing the time for you.”

“But where will you go?”

“I know someone who can keep me hidden for as long as I need. I’ve already made contact with her.”

“So, in the morning then?”

“Yes. With the sun. I know a lot of people aren’t good with good-byes so maybe it’s best if you didn’t see me go and just wake up alone.”

He took my hand as I started to get up. “You won’t stay with me tonight?”

“I never should have in the first place but I’ll never forget, Darius. You taught me how to trust again and I thank you for it.”

I turned my back to him for the very last time and walked out of the room. My tears fell before the door even closed and I just couldn’t stay there anymore. I left the mountain palace, heading south into the dark with only a small torch to light my way on this broken road. I couldn’t even look back. It was too much to bear. The conversation was much harder than I thought and I was truly sorry it had to end that way.

Chapter 27

Darius

I did exactly what Meg said I would; I woke up alone.

The sun was higher up than usual and I knew that she was gone. I sat up with a sigh and rubbed my hands through my hair. My legs hung over the side of the bed and I slowly rose to my feet.

What was next? Meg was gone, Ruby was still not talking to me and making sure we never saw each other. What was I going to do? I didn’t have the answer right off and started to make my way downstairs. I was really tired as if I didn’t sleep at all last night but I never remembered waking up once. I had to hold the railing while I went down and finally reached the first floor.

Everyone was sitting in the lounge because breakfast has already come and gone and that included Ruby. I saw her sitting next to Jaylyn. It was the first time in weeks and it was like I started to remember how much I missed her. I guess Meg was right. I didn’t want to think about her right now but seeing Ruby made me realize everything I wanted.

Ruby even turned her eyes up and looked at me but I felt almost ashamed and was first to look away. I couldn’t even bring myself to say anything to any of them. I just head into the kitchen for breakfast instead.

Chapter 28

Zayden

This was something of a sight. They actually looked at each other and Ruby still had her eyes in that direction even when the door closed behind him. Rift looked up at me and back and forth to make sure I was seeing it. It was kind of strange that he knew what was going on but I was still glad about the things I was seeing.

“So, what’d you think?” Jaylyn asked.

“Of what?”

“His hair.”

“I hate it.” Ruby said abruptly. “Probably why he did it.”

“Oh, he did not.” Adele sighed.

“Something he’d do.”

“How long are you going to make him wait?” I asked.

“What?”

“You’re the one that got mad at him. Not the other way around. He’s been waiting for you to apologize.”

“Oh, I’m the one that’s supposed to apologize for my husband being a controlling bastard? Yeah! That makes total sense! Well, I am sorry that he is one but that doesn’t make him sorry for it, does it? Now if you’ll excuse me.” Ruby got right up and started racing up the stairs to get away from us as fast as she could actually go and these days, it really wasn’t that fast. Rift even whined in kind of a frustrated way like he even hated how stubborn she was.

“Well, that was great.” Jaylyn muttered.

“Actually, it really was.” Adele smiled. “We got her to at least admit what she wants.”

“You mean him apologizing for trying to protect his son?” Troy asked. “I don’t think he will. We already figured he was going to be overprotective.”

“But he doesn’t have to completely apologize for it.” Adele said quietly as she leaned forward. “Just enough to admit that maybe he was a little strict by not letting her do anything and maybe if he explained to her why he was that way, she’d understand at least a little and accept him back.”

“You know, that could work.” I said.

“See? Now someone has to go talk to him and get him to do it. With Meg out of the picture, he should want to.”

There was a pause and everyone turned their heads to me. “Oh, me?”

“It should be you.” Adele said. “He listens to you and I think you should do it alone, meaning Troy stays. We know he’d never listen to him.”

Troy laughed. “Just as I wouldn’t him.”

“Exactly. Go, Zayden. Before he comes out.”

I sighed, unsure of my success but started to get up. “All right. Rift, you stay here. I’ll tell you how round two goes.”

Everyone else smiled while crossing their fingers and I walked into the kitchen. Darius was standing at the counter with his plate of food in front of him. “Hey.”

“Hey. It was better fresh.”

“I know. I would have been here on time but I just completely crashed after last night.”

I figured that wasn’t the truth. I knew it had to do something with Meg and tried easing my way into the conversation about Ruby so I didn’t make it look like I was after something. “I wish I could have. Adele had me up a few times. Remember when I back when I mentioned her sex-drive going through the roof?”

“Yeah. You’d get it like ten times a day.”

“I think I knew what it actually was.”

“Really?” He really seemed interested. “What?”

“She was pregnant then.”

“Oh. You know we don’t have to talk about that.”

“It’s all right. I’ve been over it. Sometimes forgiveness can be hard but not doing it can just make things worse.”

“Something’s telling me that you’re pointing that wisdom a different way then you were speaking of.”

I sighed for a quick moment and just decided to get right to it like I probably should have in the first place. “You have to talk to Ruby.”

Darius laughed. “I knew it!”

“Think about it. You’re not the one that’s been waiting for her, she’s been waiting for you to apologize.”

“For what?”

“For being overbearing by what she can and can’t do.”

“You know why I did that.”

“Yes, but maybe she doesn’t. I think if you tell her why you were that way, she could come to understand.”

“If it’s even mentioned she’ll get mad and I don’t want that.”

“Then try to be calm and caring about it. Let her say whatever it is she has to and don’t turn it around on her. I know you can work this out. You love her. Just try.”

Darius sighed. “This really isn’t a good time for me to be trying anything, okay?”

“I didn’t bring Meg here so she could be your fallback.”

He lifted his head right up and met my eyes. “I should have known she’d tell you.”

“My wife doesn’t keep secrets from me. Not anymore.”

“Well, so what? She left.”

“You shouldn’t have been with her at all. You should have been trying to get Ruby back. It’s like you don’t want her because you’ve just stopped caring.”

I started to turn away and Darius spun me around by my shoulder. “How dare you even say that to me?!”

I was smiling the whole time he thought he was being intimidating. “See? You do. So go. Our birthday celebration is coming up and I don’t exactly want to try to explain to our people why you and your wife aren’t even looking at each other. Go talk to her.” I tapped his shoulder and turned towards the door. “You have my luck.”

I walked out, giving him a second to realize that I was right.

“So?” Adele asked in a whisper.

“I think it’s going to work.”

“Nope.” Ryon suddenly appeared in a chair near us. I wasn’t that surprised but Adele seemed to be.

“Ryon, what are you doing here?”

“It’s not going to work.”

“How do you know?” Troy asked.

“Because he’s always been stubborn about this whole thing. How could any of you not see that?”

“How do we get him out of it then?” Adele asked.

“I’m sorry if this is opening old wounds but you need to show him again and remind him of their future together.”

I looked at Adele and she was very still, staring in front of her. It had to have been when she showed him his son and then they―I don’t even want to think about it either but Ryon may be right. Seeing his son again could change his will to talk to Ruby.

“But I can’t.” Adele said. “That was the last of it.”

“You mean of this?” A small vial of herb appeared in Ryon’s hand with another of blood and he tossed them to Adele.

“Yes. This. Trever?”

“Yeah. He’s concerned. He just wanted to help but knew Darius wouldn’t accept that from him but maybe he will from me. It’s kind of what I do now. I show up when I want to fix all your problems.”

He looked at me and I hoped he wasn’t going to go into too much detail about what my problem was he helped fix.

“And thank you for that.”

“You don’t have to. I know. Just show him.”

Ryon disappeared and Darius walked out only a second later and was going for the stairs.

We all seemed hesitant about this but I guess I needed to know if my talk worked at all before we mention showing him again.

“Are you doing it?” I asked.

He sighed and turned before taking the first step. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do and I appreciate it but it’s not your problem to fix.”

He turned away and Adele anxiously stood up. “Darius, wait!” I didn’t think he would have but he did listen to her and turned back. “If you would just remember what it was like when you saw him and what you wanted to know, you can fix this.”

I didn’t know what she was talking about but Darius did. “There’s no way to know that.”

“There is a way.” Adele held out her hand with the vials in them.

Darius stepped closer to see them but he didn’t seem happy about it. “Trever? Thinking he has to come rescue me from my mistakes?”

“No. Ryon brought it because we’re all worried about you. Maybe if you see what the future holds, you’ll want to change this now.”

Darius reached for them but Adele clenched her hand and pulled them away.

“Sit down.”

“No. If I see it, I do it alone.”

“Why? We’re here for you.”

“I don’t want you to be here for me.”

“Well, we are because we’re a family and that’s what families do. Your problems are our problems and we’ll work through them together.”

Adele was quite amazing when it came to talking. It didn’t take much but she got him to agree even though it seemed he still didn’t want to.

“Just not out in the open like this.” He said. “Can we―”

“We’ll take it to the study.”

Adele happily passed him and started for the stairs. We got up to follow but Darius still hasn’t moved.

“Come on.” I said. “It’ll be good for you.”

“I hope so.”