Page 77 of Dead Wrong

“Thank you, Your Eminence.”

The Cardinal gave me a slight nod. “Let us move quickly.”

Outside of the Chateau, the air was clear and inviting, the warm sun still hanging high in the sky. Kaine and the other Unseen were already at the gate, it appeared, and once Azrael had cleared the door, that was everyone. Well, almost everyone.

“What about Crassus?” I asked, turning to Azrael.

“There won’t be anything left of him,” he replied. “We should keep moving. There’s no telling if another explosion will blast the roof off this place.”

“What of us?” asked the Cardinal, motioning to herself and Cirian. “Should we consider ourselves to be hostages of the Rebellion?”

Azrael shook his head. “Not at all. You’re free to go whenever you like, and I thank you for your help. However, I can’t let you take Bastien. I’ve made a promise to someone very important to me to see him returned safely. If that’s going to cause a problem, I’m sure there is something we can work out.”

Cirian looked to the Cardinal as if he were trying to get a read.

After a moment, the Cardinal nodded. “No judgment will be passed today. Come, Cirian. We should report to the Council of Magi what has transpired here.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.” Cirian’s dark eyes lingered on me before he hurried away, catching up to the Cardinal’s long strides.

“You’re safe,” Azrael said to Bastien, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “I need to handle one more thing, but you two should head outside of the gate. Kaine will be there to get you to the rendezvous point.”

Somehow, I knew that he was going back for Balthus. Guilt swelled within me, but I couldn’t express it at the moment. Bastien seemed to pick up on my desire to stay with Azrael. “I’ll be okay to make it outside the gate, Tobias. You should help Azrael.”

I nodded, releasing my death grip on him. He limped a bit but managed to hit a stride as he headed for the gate at the end of the drive.

“Guess it’s just you and me, then.” Azrael smiled sadly, moving past me and heading into the garden. By the time I’d caught up with him amongst the hedges, the fire had spread to almost half the Chateau, the sound of glass breaking and cracking wood echoing through the gardens.

Balthus lay where we left him, his hands folded over the wound in his chest. Here, surrounded by the blooms, he looked almost peaceful, though his death had been far from it.

Azrael knelt next to him, his fingers brushing through the dulled, grey hair at his father’s temples. “Come sit with me a moment,” he said, motioning to the other side of Balthus.

I mirrored his position, rubbing my palms across my thighs.

“I always hated this place,” Azrael said eventually, his eyes trained on Balthus. “Papa and I used to talk into the night about all the places we wanted to see when we left Chateau Greene. He’d worked in that kitchen nearly his entire life, you know. Decades of hard work, with almost nothing to show for it. Except for me, I guess. He told me that I was the happiest accident. That his lover wasn’t ready for younglings, so when I came along, it sped up their split. He wasn’t resentful or anything, just honest. He wanted nothing more than for me to escape this place. Yet, when the day finally came, and they stripped me from his arms, all I could think about was what I would give to have stayed.”

Tears burned in my eyes, spilling over and onto the grass beneath me.

“Papa,” Azrael continued, his own violet eyes shining as he took his father’s hand. “Look, I made it back. I’ve seen so much, so many things I wanted to share with you. I always hoped that you’d find your way out of here, that you would break free from the madame and all of the pain of this place. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I made it back. And now I’m going to take you with me.”

Azrael leaned down, kissing his father’s forehead.

“It’s my fault,” I said before I could think better of it. “When they took you away, it’s my fault it happened.”

Azrael’s eyes were on me as he straightened.

“I didn’t know that it was happening,” I explained, hoping beyond hope that he’d understand. “You were my best friend, and I didn’t want you to leave. You know that. But Mother… she’d found out about Balthus’ plans. He wanted to leave the Chateau, and she took you as leverage to hold over him. She kept him trapped here, telling him that if he remained loyal, you’d be safe. I’m sorry, Azzy. I’m so, so sorry.”

Azrael watched me for a moment longer, then stood.

“Help me lift him.”

Did he hear anything I said?

With a bit of struggle, we managed to get Balthus balanced on Azrael’s shoulder.

Without another word, Azrael headed for the edge of the garden. Once we passed through the gate, we kept moving till we hit the tree line. Turning back one last time, I watched my childhood home burn in the distance and wondered if Mother would burn along with it.

“She’s awful, Lenny. Truly dreadful. I don’t know how you stand her.”

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