Destiny's Wrath (Destiny Series - Book 3) by Straight, Nancy (read full novel .txt) 📗

in this outcome. I understand each of you standing before me has a purpose on this earth. There is just as much a need for a Cabinet as there is for a Council. Neither Max nor I will interfere with your regular duties. If there is ever an emergency where I believe it is necessary for the two groups to come together, I will summon you. Until that time comes, I do not wish to see or to maintain contact with any of you.”

Renny was skeptical. She asked me telepathically, “You remember when we talked about Yin and Yang? Without an opposite of your strength, who will keep the balance?”

Chapter 24

My answer to her telepathic question was forceful and confident, “Trust, Renny. Trust that I will make the right decisions. Trust that I will not abuse my powers. Trust that my only desires are tied to enjoying this last lifetime with Max. Trust in me will keep the balance.”

Dakota didn’t wait for Renny’s response. She said, “Lauren, I trust you. Not because you ask for it, but because you have earned it. The Cabinet will stand ready to assist you if you ever need it. We wish you a happy life and a tranquil eternity.”

Mike stepped up, stood shoulder to shoulder with Renny, and added, “Lauren, your courage, your unwavering devotion to do what is right, for no other reason than it is the right thing to do, has earned you the Council’s trust as well. We, too, stand ready to serve you in any capacity you require. Enjoy the peace that you have earned. Thank you for destroying Samael and bringing peace to the world.”

A warmth emanated from within me. I looked at Max and could see he felt it, too. Earning the pillar Trust had little to do with destroying Samael and believing that he would never again walk this earth. Trust was earned through our actions. Trust was given to us freely by two opposing forces of the universe. Max and I were one pillar away from completing our souls and going to the eternal.

We said our goodbyes. I knew in my heart we would probably never see or hear from any of them again. It was bitter sweet. I would miss seeing Mike, Renny, and Dakota, but had no desire to ever again see Ebony. I’m sure they were all wise, and there was much I could have learned from them, but I had come to trust my heart, and my heart told me my time with them was over.

As both groups dispersed and Max and I made our way back to our room, I began to wonder. Empathy seemed a strange pillar to have left to achieve. I thought of how best to empathize, to feel deeply for another’s situation. The only way to feel another’s pain was to experience it for myself, right? I felt like I had already been through so much in such a short period of time that fighting another of life’s challenges might be too much, even for me.

I was twenty-six years old. I’d fought and defeated a demon, a beast, a shape-shifter, whatever he was. I’d won, not with a magic sword or might, but by understanding his weakness and exploiting it. He was drawn to me: he was vile, evil, and nearly everything he touched was tainted. But even Samael was capable of humanity. He felt lust for me; for all I know, he might have been capable of falling in love with me. I began to question whether his destruction was for the betterment of humanity or for me, the removal of someone I feared.

As I contemplated my decision to kill Samael at the moment he was most vulnerable, Max came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Now that Samael’s really gone, are we ready to get on with our life?”

I leaned my head back on Max’s shoulder, “I’m ready to go home.”

“You want to go to Ridgeville tonight?”

“Yeah, I think I do. I’m done with this place, and I just want to get back to our lives.”

Max kissed the top of my head, “Me, too, love. Me, too.”

We were home just after dark. Rather than get into our normal routine, Max suggested, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Puzzled, “It’s dark out. Where do you want to go?”

“I’m just tired of sharing you with everybody. I don’t think there’s anything we have to worry about that’s going to go ‘bump’ in the night.” Max gripped my hand, beaming at me, “If there is, you can turn yourself back into a panther and rip it apart. Let’s just see what we can see.”

Max’s house sat on over two hundred acres of land, mostly wooded. We followed a path into the thick of the trees until there was scarcely more than a deer trail. We weaved in and out of trees, stumbled more than a few times on camouflaged rocks and stumps, while the silvery light from the moon made it look other worldly and inviting. The forest was thick and the trees high, but enough light shown through the tree branches to give the place a romantic aura.

Max and I walked casually through the trees, chatting a little about everything that had happened in Greenville. It felt like we had both closed that chapter of our lives and neither one of us felt the need to talk about it in any great detail. Just days ago I had hoped to use my power to bend destinies to try to fix a situation that I couldn’t. As I walked through the night-washed terrain, all felt right with the world. I felt Max’s strong hand holding mine, gently guiding me along. Not in a rush to get anywhere particular, he seemed to be leading me to an obscure area of the property. The woods were so thick that I knew I’d never been in this far, not by horse