Salvation : Book 3

CHAPTER 37 : Tear It Down

Getting Kane back through the secret passageway out of the temple wasn't easy. He was unconscious and he weighed a ton. Adrian and I supported him as he hung his arms over our shoulders. Once we were inside the dark dingy passageway Adrian held out his free arm to create light and we started our decent down the stairs.

  "I never meant to betray you," Adrian spoke suddenly but I didn't raise my head to meet his eyes which I could feel on me. "I swear I just wanted to protect you."

  I scoffed. "That's what the last person said," I said bitterly. "That's exactly what Jack said to me when he handed me over to Ashon and Geun, he was trying to "protect me." Haven't you ever thought I could protect myself. I'm not same as I was when this all started."

  "I know you're not. And I think that's the point," he said and I raised my eyes to glare at him. "Ashon had me believe that you'd changed. That you were no longer the Marcus I knew."

  "He showed me visions of you, destroying the world. Told me that you were one of them and that you'd turn against me and kill me yourself. I saw you, but it wasn't you. You had eyes as dark as his, fangs as sharp as his and claws just like his. You were like him. He told you to kill me and you did it. He made you a monster in my head and he made me fear you. I hated that, because I love you Marcus and I never want to be afraid of you.

   "But back in the underworld, when you were fighting those demons and your eyes turned red I saw the same monster from my nightmares. For a split second I saw what I'd been afraid of. A part of me knew it couldn't be real, that none of what Ashon had showed me was real, but you looked so much like what I feared and for a moment I was afraid. But then you said, "It's just me." You told me that and I saw that you were right. It was you, not him. It was your voice not his, your hand stretching out to me, not his. It was you, my Marcus, not his monster. I took your hand because I know you. I know who you are. You're not that darkness.

   "But that darkness is still in you and as much as I tried and trust me, I tried so hard, I couldn't shake the fear. I didn't want you to be like them."  My stomach churned uncomfortably as I fought the urge to scream. I never wanted him to be afraid of me, the very idea sickened me. It was the worst thing that could happen; I couldn't live knowing that the person I loved feared me, it'd break me.

  "I'm not like them," I said defensively.

  "I know, I know," he said dropping his gaze again. "I know that now but before... Ashon said he knew a way to fix you, to reverse the spell that tainted your blood. He told me that if I helped him he would help you."

   "Help him how?"

  He didn't answer right away, instead we dragged Kane further down the stairs in silence for a minute. When we reached the bottom he turned to me, then finally he said, "He wanted me to spy on you for him." My heart stopped beating for a second. I stared at him with wide eyes. He wouldn't betray me, he just couldn't...

  "Adrian..." My voice trailed as I tried and failed to force back the tears.

  "I didn't do it, I couldn't do it," he said hastily. "He might have hurt me, he tried to break me but he could never make me lose my faith in you." He turned to face me. His eyes seemed darker in the dim passageway but nevertheless I could see the determined glimmer in them.

   "I was wrong for doubting you, I was wrong for saying that we'd already lost. Marcus, you're stronger, stronger than anyone I've ever met and I believe in you. I believe you can beat them, so please... Please forgive me. I want to help you fight against them," he smiled at me, it was a small but heartfelt smile. "The darkness has never tainted you because the light inside has always been brighter. I'm sorry I forgot that for a moment. Please tell me you still trust me."