Urian stared at the floor. To most people, his thoughts would be unknown. But Ash knew them. He heard them as clearly as he heard his own.
"I'm no longer a Daimon, am I?" Urian asked after a brief pause.
"No. Nor are you an Apollite, exactly."
"Then what am I?"
Ash took a deep breath as he spoke the truth. "You are unique in this world."
Urian didn't like that any more than Ash liked being unique. But some things could never be changed.
"How much longer will I live?" Urian asked.
"You're immortal, barring death."
"That doesn't make sense."
"Most of life doesn't."
He felt Urian's frustration with him, but at least it was lessening some of the man's grief. "Can I walk in daylight?"
"If you want, I can make it so. If you choose amnesia, I will make you fully human."
"You can do that?"
Ash nodded.
Urian laughed bitterly as he raked a cold look over Ash's body. "You know, Acheron, I'm not stupid, nor am I as blind as Stryker. Does he know of the demon you carry on your body?"
"No, and Simi isn't a demon, she's part of me."
Urian's gaze bored into his. "Poor Stryker, he's so screwed and he doesn't even know it." The intensity of Urian's gaze burned. "I know who and what you are, Acheron Parthenopaeus."
"Then you know if you ever pass your knowledge along I'll make sure you regret it. Eternally."
He nodded. "But I don't understand why you hide."
"I'm not hiding," Ash said simply. "The knowledge you carry can't help anyone. It can only destroy and harm."
Urian thought about that for a minute. "I'm through being a destroyer."
"Then what are you?"
Urian let his thoughts wander through the events of this night. He thought about the aching pain inside him that screamed over the loss of his wife. It was so tempting to let Acheron erase it all, but with that he would lose all the good memories he carried too.
Though he and Phoebe had only had a few years together, she had loved him in ways no one ever had. Touched a heart he had thought was long dead.
No, it hurt to live without her, but he didn't want to lose all connection with her.
He fastened her locket around his neck and rose slowly to his feet. "I'm your man. But I warn you now. If I'm ever given a chance to kill Stryker, I will take it. Consequences be damned."
Stryker snarled in outrage as he found himself in the Destroyer's throne room. "I was so close to killing them. Why did you stop me!"
Still the demon Sabina held him.
For once Xedrix wasn't in the room with his mother, but Stryker didn't have time to ponder the demon's whereabouts. His thoughts were too consumed by hatred and vexation.
His mother sat on her chaise completely poised, as if she were holding court and hadn't just destroyed all their years of careful planning.