Love and Other Crisis | Season 1

Episode | 27

I wish this damn House never existed.

Those were the words Ballister uttered on his first visit to Katerina's store. Little did he guess, Katerina would grant his wish. His own House. One of the last few Great Houses in existence. He wanted it destroyed and wiped from the record.

Wow.

If Gale heard this, he'd die from the shock.

Franziska touched her throat. "What? Ballister, why?"

Madam Falgor's stunned question broke the sullen spell over her son. Ballister straightened, and the lines of his mournful pale face sharpened. Color flared in his cheeks as anger and a darker emotion burned in his eyes. Heat radiated from him, and Ronin reached out an arm to block Kaliope from an impending disaster as he perched on the edge of his seat.

Ballister's talent, like his father's and uncle's, was pyrokinesis. Kaliope swallowed, remembering the hidden cause of the Great Fire that burned the city of Timber Hyde to ashes in three days.

"Your father—"

"My father is on his deathbed, and his family's squabbling like starving pigs at a trough?"

Franziska gasped, wide-eyed. "Ballister—"

"He's dying, mother." Ballister jabbed a finger. "Your husband. Yet all you care about is succession. You went without my consent and commissioned a fertility ring for my wife to hasten her breeding to carry on the family name."

Juniper grabbed Ballister's arm. "Ball, stop. Don't speak to your mother—"

Ballister shook off his wife and spat sideways. Lost in his rage and pain, he missed the quick flash of amber in his wife's eyes. Juniper closed them, drew a deep breath, and settled her wolf. Ballister continued with his tirade.

"To hell with the Falgor name. It's caused nothing but strife for generations." Tendrils of steam escaped his lips.

Okay.

Things were escalating. A pyro mage in a rage, two lycans, and a hex mage. Not the most suitable situation for a human. Ronin remained poised as her shield. Power wrapped around him, an unyielding force contained yet primed to be unleashed.

Franziska loomed over her son. The tiny hairs rose on Kaliope's arms, responding to the static energy of magic currents in the room. Ronin rested his hand on hers, and the effect dissipated, replaced by him. His warmth. His scent. Kaliope swallowed, wanting desperately to move away from him but immobilized by the consequences of leaving the sphere of his protective influence.

"How. Dare. You." Franziska trembled with each word. Her hand twitched as if to reach out and strike her son's cheek. "How dare you say that to me?"

Ballister sprang off the floor. Juniper scrambled up after him.

"Without this fucking name, the fighting will end, Mother. Without it, Uncle will stop frothing at the mouth at every opportunity to bring us down. I want to live a normal life without the responsibility of furthering the agenda you keep shoving down our throats. How can I bring a child into this? Who'd want to? I love our family. I want us to be together, but if we can't be happy as one, maybe we'll be happier apart."

Kaliope tensed, struck by Ballister's declaration. She fought against the deluge of memories it threatened to unearth.

"I'm tired, Mother." Ballister's shoulder slumped, and the heat rushed out of the room, withdrawn with his dissipating temper. "I want it all to end."

"Excuse me." Kaliope escaped from the scene. Outside in the hallway, she fought for air. For control. But for all her efforts, one jagged shard of glass slipped by defenses.