The Eden Projects (Book I)

Chapter 32. Maleficarum

- Ace -

Ace had seen it all.

That was until today.

His world had always been tied up in tight little ribbons. All his T's were double crossed and I's darkly dotted. He prided himself in the details, if the devil took his time to hide in them, then surely he could be a god among them. But now, it was slipping. Everything was slipping. Nothing could surprise him, nothing should surprise him. So why then, was he still surprised by how things had begun to unfold. Why did he care.

"Pull the car over." Ace grumbled impatiently. His hands shaking. "Damn it Fog, pull the car over."

Fog did so.

Ace popped the latch on the door and slid quickly from the vehicle. Hurriedly he rubbed the blood from his hands, it had been bothering him for at least on hour.

"What's the problem, you don't want to drive in?"

Ace smirked mockingly. "No Fog, I don't want to drive in." He focused on scrubbing at his fingers with a strip of wet cloth from his shirt. "Yesterday was supposed to be the day. I'm late. Because of those idiots."

Fog saddled up next to him. "It's already dawn. No sense it worrying about what's behind you."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm never late." He needed a shower, he needed a nap, he needed something to make him feel at ease. "I don't have time to start over with them. If Kasper can't remember anything then it's over. Understand? OVER."

Fog cleared his throat. "So you'll find another way. Look for another course."

"There aren't any more courses. This was it." He gestured in the direction they had come from. "I would have been better off leaving them near Redside for the time being. Stupid. Stupid."

"Your tie to Ark still stands. Maybe you can bargain."

"Dad didn't bargain. I don't bargain. Let's just... fly. I need to clear my head, this'll give me the time to." He wrung out his hands and stretched his wings. The rain had done a number on them but they were still useable albeit matted.

Fog nodded and followed Ace to the overpass.

At its edge he hopped the guard rail and leapt. Ace's wings took up the slack instantly and he felt his arms being pulled back. Stitching themselves in for added support. A few clots of rugged plumage freed themselves at the joints and he felt the muscles banding across his chest pull taught. This was his transformation. It was nothing compared to what he had seen. He was an insignificant nothing compared to Kasper and that terrified him.

"Think Ace." Fog huffed, coming up parallel to him as they made their ascent. Lungs tugging for air. "We can't go in- without a plan."

"That is the plan." Ace winced when they leveled out higher up and the sunlight pricked his eyes. "Damn Sun."

"Ace."

When the wind carried him, he let out the breath he held. "This is where we are. Kasper wants to become a monster, deep down that's what he wants, he'll get his chance. Zak will have to join us like Abe wanted, and most importantly, Ark thinks they know more than they do like I want."

Fog raised his brow. "Is that what you want?"

"It's gonna take everything I have to bring them down. I just hope Kasper comes around. I hope he remembers and for Christ-sake I hope Zak does something with himself for once. I hate desperation." He turned over their conversation, had he said too much? Too little? Was it enough to suggest the people after Kasper or would it have been better to tell him they were close enough to touch. "Did I say the right things..."