Page 66 of The Immortal's One
“No,” he scoffs. “Des would never.”
Relief floods through me, though I quickly push it down.I don’t care about Des,I remind myself, as the weight of Thane’s words settles over me.
Yet my forehead still furrows. "So… you don’t think Evetta’s involved with the rebellion?” I clarify.
“I don’t.” His tone darkens. “But I won’t know for certain until she crawls out of the Underworld, and we interrogate her.”
Dozens of questions flood my mind at the bone-chilling words, but I stay on topic. “You really think she attacked me because she was jealous?”
Thane turns left, passing a statue that resembles the Medici lions of Florence. The thought that it might be more than a replica piques my curiosity, but I don’t stop to investigate. Thane’s already made another turn, disappearing from view.
I break into a half-jog to catch up.
“Evetta’s always been obsessed with Des,” he says after glancing back to ensure I’m still behind him. “I imagine she was overwhelmed by the source of her power when she encountered you.”
Her power?
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Evetta’s power is fueled by human envy,” he says. “When she draws on it, it bleeds into her psyche, twisting her emotions.”
I’d assumed an Immortal’s power was inherent, something they were born with. I never considered it could be tied to human emotions, let alone something as volatile as jealousy.
Thane continues, oblivious to how shocked I am by the new information, “I suspect she was jealous of the possibility that you might be with the man she’s coveted for as long as she’s existed.”
I cross my arms with a huff. “Well, she can have him. She didn’t have to try and kill me.”
“Indeed.” Amusement colors his voice before he clears his throat. “I tell you all this, Darcie, to explain why I call my home a fortress. The powers of the other Original Nine are influenced by humanity, but my brothers and I are different.”
I blink at the sudden change in subject but eagerly latch onto the opportunity to learn more information.
I’m definitely my father’s daughter.
“How are you three different?” I ask as the maze opens, the hedges forming a circle ahead. Elegant statues stand on pedestals along the perimeter, and a circular fountain rests at the center.
Thane continues walking until he stands beside the fountain. He stares into the rippling water. “My brothers and I possess powers that are not variable. Fleeting human emotions or desires don’t influence them. Our power is constant.”
No wonder other Immortals might resent them.
I stare at a beetle crawling across a lily pad floating in the fountain, unease tightening the knot in my stomach as the sound of bubbling water echoed through the hedge maze. “So… what do you guys do with your power?”
“We keep humanity from destroying itself.”
My eyes snap up to him, but he continues to look at the fountain.
I release a heavy sigh, struggling to find the words. “That’s… intense.”
“Yes.” He frowns. “And it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
I study his solemn expression, my mind racing. “Then why is there a rebellion against you?”
If Thane, Des, and Lome use their power to protect humanity, why would anyone want to stand against them?
Could it really be just out of envy for their power?
Thane rubs a tired hand over his face. “In the beginning, all Immortals lived in harmony. But as time went on, things began to change…”
He launches into a history lesson, detailing the complex origins of the Original Immortals and their struggle with unity. My brain fights to keep up as I try to absorb the key points.
