Abaddon's Gift

Chapter Forty-Nine

Graydon heard the small knock seconds before his door opened, and his father walked in. His eyes shifted to the hallway, and his heart fell when he realized Theon was not behind Lord Pan.

"He is indisposed," Luk murmured, closing the door behind him. "There's a young man sleeping in his bedroom, why?"

"Feon," Graydon said. "Nendan forged a letter in the hand of Feon's father. Seems it hit harder than expected."

"Why?"

Graydon just stared back at his father. The man's eyebrows rose, and he held up his hands in surrender.

"Not about that tonight, that's fine," Luk said. "This is the second time a young man has graced Theon's bed. Is this habit?"

"No, the first was Naena's action. This one seems to be Nillon's," Graydon muttered. "He's not suddenly taken by young flesh."

"If his desires have changed, it would not be unheard of," Luk murmured. "But such a change, he would not share with me due to fear and hatred which has plagued the school for generations. If calm, normal, and heterosexual made powerful mages, the world would be a much calmer place."

"Naena called me a tic," Graydon said. "And Nendan told me I was not to talk of pussies and the like around Maeno."

"You take after your grandfather in that," Luk said. "I'd dare say it was a lack of my own efforts in teaching, but the man insisted on raising you himself, as his grandfather did him. The mark of a good man, Graydon, is the ability to change one's own beliefs when presented with contradicting information. You can save all the people you like, but if you're a tic, you're still not a good man."

Graydon frowned at his father.

"What we put into this world, even with our thoughts, changes it, Graydon," Luk said softly. "You are wound up in the lives of a young man who lost his male lover. Who may never recover. With the heir of the Lugh family whose desires are known but whose heart is pure and true. And with the sole female mage in the history of our world. You do not have the option of being a tic if you wish to keep them in your life. Do you wish that?"

"Oddly... yes."

"To use them to your own gain?"

Graydon frowned, grunting as the answer appeared to him, but he struggled against it.

"Strangely, no," he said finally, speaking the truth to his father.

"You have been presented with information which contradicts your beliefs. Now you need to figure out if you're a good man."

"It is strange how they keep popping up, though."

"No, it's not," Luk responded. "Like calls to like. They may not immediately know why, but they know they are drawn to one another. Without a doubt, Naena will be a herald for those who need protection from tics. If there are any born to the wrong body they will, I do not doubt, find their way to her. You will have to deal with them. If that will be a problem, then Nendan can take her on as shield."

"Like Hell he will," Graydon snapped.

"Who would be better in this situation as sword to such a shield?" Luk asked, hesitating. "The man who has endeared us to him despite the families knowing his desires? The same one who pulled a unanimous vote when his father asked for the audit to be changed for his son—something not done in two hundred years—or the boy with a silver spoon who insists on digging in his heels and having things his way?"

"She prefers me."

"For now."

The two stared at one another as those words sunk in. Graydon felt a terrifying chill as he watched Lord Pan study him.