Carpathian 20 - Dark Slayer

feeling?―
    â€œExhausted, but very happy,― Savannah said. “It won’t be long, although Gregori talks to them nightly to convince them to stay in their safe environment as long as possible. We want them fully developed, with as much weight as possible. Even outside the womb, the microbes could attack.―
    â€œI hope we can allow Ivory and Razvan to rise before the babies are born,― Gregori added. “I think they may be able to aid us greatly and give all of our children a fighting chance.―
    Syndil sat back. “There is no question that all of us need to aid them. Isn’t it strange how in the end, it is never the individual but rather the sum of all of us working together that makes things right?―
    â€œIt appears, Syndil,― Gregori agreed, “that you are right.―
    11
    Razvan woke to the sound of a woman weeping. He didn’t open his eyes. He had heard that sound so many times—that same voice. Natalya. Beloved sister . He whispered her name as his gut tightened into hard knots. He must have betrayed her once again. He didn’t remember anymore, thank God. That was the worst of all torments Xavier could inflict on him—using him to attack his sister or his daughter or the aunts.

    He felt Ivory’s awareness as if she, too, came awake to the sound of that hopeless weeping. Nothing seemed quite as hard to bear with Ivory close—not the pain and not the terrible knowledge of the betrayal of mind and body. Natalya was the one person who had loved him all of his life. She had believed in him in spite of all the times Xavier had tricked and used her through him. Xavier had even used his body to try to kill Natalya. She had nearly killed his body—and he would have welcomed death.
    You did not betray her, Dragonseeker. Not ever. Not in thought.
    Not in deed. Xavier used your body because you protected her .
    Ivory was calm. Ivory was peace. Ivory had become his world.
    Why does she weep? He could no longer trust what was happening to him, his memories seemed to mix past and present together until his world was hazy and vague. His sanity was Ivory.
    For you. For the torment you went through on her behalf. She understands now that you never betrayed her, that you saved her from Xavier . Ivory’s voice was a soft caress, pride and respect for him surrounding him.
    She had a way of making the world right when nothing really made sense. He didn’t fight the pain swamping him. He simply accepted it, but he didn’t want Natalya weeping for any reason.

    Do not cry for me, sisar—sister . Even trying to communicate telepathically hurt, although he was either getting used to it, or he was healing enough to ease the worst of his suffering.
    Razvan? Is it really you? They tell me you live, but when I reach for you, you are different .
    I am your brother .
    There was a silence. A sob. Natalya forced herself under control. He tricked me, didn’t he? Xavier tricked me. You tried to warn me, but I didn’t hear you. All those years, and I believed him. It wasn’t you at all. It was the personality he fed me so I would continue to create spells for him .
    Xavier is a cunning enemy .
    I should have known. I should have fought for you as you fought for me. How could I not have known? You are my twin. My brother. How could he have fooled me?
    I didn’t want you to know. You would have tried to rescue me and you would have failed, Natalya. He is a monster. As long as you were alive in the world and safe from him, whatever I had to give up was worth it .
    My love? My respect? My faith in you? The world branded you a criminal and I believed them. Was it worth it?
    Your safety was worth any price to me. I do not regret for one moment placing myself in his hands to keep you from him. It was my choice. One I have clung to for many years. Do not take that away from me with regret .
    He had never wavered in that decision, even in the most insane hours of his life. He knew what their grandfather would have done to her, and keeping her from Xavier’s hands was the one thing, the only thing, that he had managed to do. And whether she—or anyone else—was proud of him, he was proud of himself.
    Ivory’s spirit moved against his, surrounded his, almost protectively, but she remained silent, not interfering in the exchange between sister and brother.
    All