Page 125 of The Immortal's One
Why would Bella and Thane not tell me the entire story?
Far past the point of pretending not to be interested in this story, I ask, “What happened at the meeting?”
Adir’s gaze lingers on the ceiling, his tone far too casual for the gravity of the words coming from his lips. “At first, nothing. Each of us promised to limit our interference in human history. We agreed to live among the emerging civilizations but with the condition that we would no longer manipulate their destinies to feed our powers.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I’m guessing that didn’t last long?”
“No.” He chuckles. “It did not.”
“What happened?”
His lips curve into a small, self-satisfied smile, and his eyes drop to meet mine. “The Fall of Rome.”
What?!
The words slam into my head. The air around me thickens with disbelief. My brain refuses to grasp the enormity of what he’s saying.
Adir doesn’t let my silence stop him.
He continues explaining how each of the Original Nineplayed a pivotal part in destroying the greatest empire the Western world had ever known.
Faine encouraged the arts. She became a patron to many musicians, actors, and artisans in the Roman Empire. Her influence dulled their warriors’ focus on conquest.
Eros thrived in the civilization obsessed with pleasure and excess. He subtly influenced military tactics, encouraging soldiers to seek companionship with women during their campaigns, weakening the Roman army’s discipline and strength.
“Evetta sowed jealousy among the emperor’s children, making it easier for usurpers to rise.” Adir shifts and plants both feet on the ground, leaning forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his knees. “While Julisanna encouraged parents to show favoritism toward one child, fostering deep, rivalrous bonds between siblings. Evetta then exploited those ties, turning them into weapons that led to civil wars.”
This is crazy… and yet completely believable.
For the one hundredth time since being thrown into the Immortals’ world, I can’t help but link stories of their antics with those told in classic myths and legends.
Little did my fellow humans know just how true those stories were.
“What about Charmian?” I ask after the only Original he hasn’t mentioned, aside from the brothers.
He snorts. “Charmian took a more direct approach. Her love for the Germanic, nature-loving tribes and their mistreatment by Roman soldiers led her to empower them, stirring revolts and making the empire’s hold on its borders more tenuous.”
A wave of nausea hits me as the sheer scope of theImmortals’ manipulation becomes clearer.They tore apart Rome from the inside out.
“And Thane, Lome, and Des?” I struggle to say their names without my voice shaking. “How did they contribute to the fall of Rome?” Just the idea that they played a part makes my gut churn with dread.
“They did nothing.” Adir’s expression shutters, then fills with vehement hatred. “But neither did they act to stop the inevitable downfall once they saw it coming.”
I release a shaky breath. At least the brothers didn’t actively contribute to the empire’s collapse. But they also didn’t try to stop it.
I’m not sure which is worse.
“What about you?” I dare to ask.
His lips curl. “I encouraged as many battles, street brawls, and wars as I could manage. Every conflict, no matter how small, fueled my power. And let me tell you, Darcie, I’ve never felt soalive.”
I recoil. His madness is palpable now—his hunger for chaos suffocating.
Where are you, Des?
“I’m sure you can see why things had to change after that.” Adir watches me with a contemplative look, one I’m not certain I want to understand. “The Fall of Rome led to the Dark Ages for the Western world.” He continues, rising from his chair and stalking toward me. “It became clear that my fellow Originals and I could not continue to interact with humans the way we had been. We couldn’t risk their extinction without also risking our own.”
My heart thuds painfully as he stops just a foot away from me. I tense, but I refuse to cower. I hold his gaze, and a flash of what could be approval flares in his blue eyes.
