Demon's Trust (The Chronicles of Arcayos #1) - Raven Dark Page 0,109
the sink.
“Cassidy Morgan,” he says coolly. “We need to talk.”
I sigh but sit on the bed at his side.
“About Hazuldar—”
“You mean your father.” The hardness in my own voice cuts me.
His eyes close for the briefest instant. “Yes.”
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
“Why did you hide it from me? You talked about him using his first name. How am I supposed to trust you if you keep things like that from me?”
He sighs and slips out of the bed, going to the bedroom window.
“Arcayos, you knew I was going to have to deal with his demons. You know he’s after me. Didn’t you think I’d like to know he’s your father?”
His shoulders drop. “I did not hide it to deceive you. I have never told anyone.”
“Then how did Damon know?”
“It’s a long story. One we will save for another time. There are too many other things to cover.”
I reluctantly nod because he’s right. “I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me.”
He returns to the bed and sits down. “I don’t know that I can make you fully understand. The things Hazuldar has done… the things I have done in his name…” He licks his lips. “Imagine all the worst possible men in history, all that they have done to this world. Having Hazuldar for a father is like having all of them combined into one.”
I swallow hard. “So, he’s like Hitler times five.”
“Times a thousand. The Lord of Lies is the voice that whispers in the ears of men like him. As his heir, I am expected to be like him. Or I was until I turned to the Light. If you carried such a legacy of horror, would you want anyone to know, much less your mate?”
I stare at my lap. A lump forms in my throat. I can’t imagine what life must have been like for this powerful warrior with the root of all evil for a father. I shake my head mutely.
“Wait a minute.” I glance up at him. “That makes more sense now.”
“What does?”
“I… I had a dream. The night we had sex for the first time. I saw a demon being whipped. By Hazuldar. But the demon looked like…”
He looks away.
“It was you,” I say softly.
“Defying Hazuldar brings the highest punishments, Cassidy Morgan.” He rubs his shoulder, working the muscle with a sigh. “It came with the territory.”
“Even for his own son?”
“Especially for his own son.”
My heart breaks for him. “I’m sorry.”
He squeezes my wrist, giving me a ghost of a smile. “I know you are.”
“Arcayos…” When he looks at me, I wet my lips. “Who’s her?”
He grasps my wrist gently. “There were a lot of ‘hers,’ Cassidy Morgan. A lot of girls he…” He shakes his head. “You must believe me when I say this. I had nothing to do with Saffron’s kidnapping. And you weren’t the one I was supposed to take either. What you saw in the dream happened long before you were born. Long before I became the Champion of Va’halzoret.”
My chest loosens, heaviness lifting. I nod.
Arcayos tips my chin up. “I am sorry, my love. I didn’t keep this from you to be secretive. I did it because I need you to trust me, and I didn’t think you ever could if you knew.”
“I know. I get it. I do.”
“Good.” He lifts my hand and kisses the inside of my wrist.
I draw a deep breath and let it slowly out. There’s only one thing left to deal with.
“Arcayos, what is the In Between? Is there a chance Saffron is there?”
His lips press together. His eyes turn sad. “That wouldn’t make any sense, her being there, no.”
“Why not? What is it?”
He heaves a breath and rises to his feet again. Paces once, then again before he turns to me. “Think of Elorian as being at one end of a long line of worlds, and Hellinon being at the other.”
“Okay,” I say slowly.
“The In Between is what lies between them. It’s half in, half out of this reality, invisible until you access its portal. Hazuldar created it as a pocket of space in which to place people who are to be held prisoner or tortured when Hellinon is not justice enough for them.”
He visibly shudders, his eyes on the window again.
“Whoa, wait, when Hellinon is not good enough?” The blood drains out of my face. “If he holds people prisoner in there, then how come you think Saffron can’t be there?”
“Because a human can’t exist there. Only a demon can. Or