Moral Compass

Chapter Forty-Six

It was eery how familiar Triumph looked.

Like someplace I've been before.

Like the place she was still trying to escape.

The portal jumper dumped her at the very outside of the castle with an empty, barren field separating her from it.

Triumph looked like the remnants of a burnt world. She knew this was an impact of dark magic—but damn, the similarities were uncanny.

Bare trees surrounded her. And not the kind that were out of season. These were trees that simply didn't grow. Leaves would never line them. Flowers would never bloom here. This was a land of decay.

Just like the city I destroyed.

Seth thought he knew her. Seth was oh so very wrong.

Her heart ached from the admission he'd never look at her the same. Not now he knew what she'd done. Now he knew why she was the way she was. So woefully driven to put the wrong things to right. Being cruel in order to bring about kindness. But she wasn't the person he'd come to know. She wasn't the person he claimed to love.

Fallon was unlovable.

She'd spent a thousand years trying to escape her past. Trying to be a better person. Maybe this was how it had to end. She'd play a role on Evie Wicker's stupid chessboard sooner or later. Perhaps this was her stage.

Fitting, really, when happiness had been so near.

For the tracker's annoying humour and all his flaws, she—cared about him. Maybe she cared a little more than normal care. Maybe this was her punishment. Maybe Fallon didn't deserve what she'd been building with him. Maybe this was where she'd make amends.

She could save the kid. Rosa had the information they needed. With Rosa's help, maybe Faith would be safe. If anything happened to that child, it would break Seth. Fallon wasn't the person he thought she was, but she could do him this kindness.

With that in mind, she started walking.

She wore a look of indifference as she made her way towards that gothic castle. She'd be damned if she let the warlocks scare her, especially if these were to be her final moments. She kept her head high, her back straight, her face clean of expression.

He said he loves me.

And she could still hear the crackle of fire around her, as if she was still there. As if the world was still burning. As if she still stood at the heart of it.

If she loved Seth as much as she feared to admit, then she'd do him the kindness of keeping this to herself. No one needed to share her burden.

That typical formation of seven warlocks appeared before the tilted gates. She couldn't see their faces, as per usual, but it didn't frighten her. Fallon was ready for this. For whatever this was to be.

She met their hooded stares head on.

"You've detected me." How they did that, she didn't know. Probably more dark magic shit. She smirked to herself. Sooner or later, the consequences of that would catch up to them.

"It took you long enough."

The warlocks didn't move. They gave her no response. No proof they understood her. They just stood there, doing nothing.

"I see you're not talkative. Then you can listen. Take me to your leader. Take me to Ronan."

A minute passed by. Then, just when she thought she'd have to deal with it herself, those eery bastards turned around, headed towards the castle.