The Descendants Book One: The Broken Scroll (60 page)

She looked uncertain but nodded to him.  He led her out of the archway and around the corner where no one from the party could see them. 

Without thinking about it any longer, he leaned in and kissed her.  She made a noise of surprise.  Her hands went to his face.  She held her lips to his. 

But then she backed away. 

Davin waited, breathing heavily. 

She shook her head.  “I can’t-I can’t do this, Davin.” 

“What is it?  Tell me, I can take it.” 

Her eyes were watery.  “It really isn’t you.  I have to leave…leave this land, very soon.  And I don’t know when or if I will be back.” 

Davin looked away, his mind reeling.  “Why?”

“I don’t want to say anything until I know more.  Can you just trust me that it has nothing to do with you?”  She bit her lip as she awaited his response. 

“When will you leave?”

“Two days, hopefully.  I’ve already arranged it.  I will be heading far across the sea, to Montagone.”  

Davin shrugged his shoulders.  “What can I say to that?  You know how I feel about you now.  Let me come with you.” 

“You know you can’t,” she said softly.  “There are other tasks at hand you need to be a part of.” 

He nodded, accepting that truth.  He couldn’t go anywhere right now.  A Descendant was too valuable a commodity to be traipsing off on some random errand for love. 

“Just let me know one thing,” he pleaded.  “Tell me you feel the same.”

There was a long pause.  “…I can’t.” 

And with that he had heard enough.  He turned and walked back into the entertainment hall.  She called after him, but he barely heard her.  He had laid his feelings out there and she hadn’t returned them.  He didn’t want her out of his life, but he couldn’t face her anymore tonight. 

As he made his way back toward the groups of people talking, he saw Teague head toward a balcony outside the hall, looking morose.  He decided to follow him, glad for a chance to get his mind off of Kayleigh. 

Teague stood leaning over the side and looking out at the city and fields beyond.  Lightning flashed suddenly and illuminated them for a split second in white light.  Davin knew the storm was closer than it had been earlier.  The clouds had become even darker and the thunder more prevalent. 

“What bothers you, p
rince?” said Davin.

Teague didn’t turn around to look at him, but spoke anyway.  “Before now, I renounced my title because I did not want to be judged by my father’s actions.  Now, I renounce it because I do not deserve it.” 

“I don’t agree with that in the least,” retorted Davin, forcefully enough to make Teague turn around and face him.  Davin guessed that this couldn’t possibly be the real thing that was bothering Teague, but took the bait anyway. 

Teague looked tired, as if there was a deep stress in him.  “I did nothing, except show us the way into the tunnels.  I was caught shortly after and I was robbed of the chance to stand up to my father.  The man that called himself Cygnus Deverell overpowered me.” 

Davin sighed deeply, understanding Teague’s feelings.  “You can’t have expected to have been able to take on your father or Deverell.  Their strength was much greater than yours.  You did not lack courage when you risked your life to strike at Deverell.  You could have easily fled at that point, but you didn’t.” 

Teague fell silent and Davin knew he had him.  Teague couldn’t argue that statement.  He turned back to the view beyond the balcony.  A white bolt flashed in the distance.  Another groan came from the sky a few seconds later.  

Teague looked beyond Davin at the doorway.  Egan was standing there. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I would like a word with Davin alone, if I could.” 

For a second the he did nothing but gawk at Egan, but then Teague finally agreed to leave Egan and Davin alone. 

“So, how is the woman you’ve fallen for?” Egan said, smirking. 

Davin glared at him and sighed.  “Does everyone know how I feel about her?” 

“Probably not everyone.  But all of us close to you do.  It’s been very obvious.”

Davin leaned over the balcony.  “Funny, I thought I hide it pretty well.  Well, it doesn’t matter.  She doesn’t feel the same.  It’s for the better too.  I can’t really afford to be distracted.  She’s leaving the kingdom in two days and that will be the end of it.” 

“She’s too
good for you anyway,” said Egan simply.  Davin smiled despite his current state of mind. 

Egan joined Davin at the edge of the balcony and spoke again, this time sounding more serious. 

“I haven’t been able to speak to you alone since the truth of fallen ancestors was revealed.” 

Davin looked up at the sky, finally posing the question that had burned in him for a long time.  “Do you really think that we can find our kin?”

“My heart tells me yes, but I can give you no proof.”  Egan grew distant.  “I still do not remember a large portion of my past before my capture by the army.  If there are no others like us, and the Corrupt Ones find a way to break the seal, our world is doomed.  That is the plain truth.” 

Davin shivered as a cool breeze passed over him as if on cue.  “Which scares me most of all.  But something that keeps me going is the prospect of our people being alive after all this time.” 

“We have to find them first.  We don’t even know where to begin.”  

Davin couldn’t deny that.  They were still no closer to the true location of the last piece.  He chose to remain silent. 

After a moment Egan spoke again.   “Our future is more complicated than anyone knows.” 

Davin didn’t turn away from the sky.  “Does this have to do with what Deverell’s told you?  About how he said you should remember him?” 

“Yes.” 

Davin shrugged.  “So what, when the time comes we will deal with it.” 

“You don’t understand, Davin.  There is more.”  Egan was gravely serious.  Davin actually faced him this time.  “I never told you what I saw in your mind that night in the mountains.  I didn’t want to accept the truth of what I saw because it meant I couldn’t leave my past behind me anymore.” 

Davin’s heart began to race.  He’d tried to forget that night and his desire to know the truth.  But it never truly went away.  “Tell me.” 

“I was there in Lemirre the night your mother was taken, but I have no memory of it.  Through your memory I saw the face of your mother’s captor.  I was the one that took her.” 

Davin reacted with sudden jerk.  “Where did you take her?  You must know what happened to her.” 

Egan remained stoic.  “I have no other knowledge except what your mind provided.  I’m sorry, Davin.” 

Davin was speechless.  He had no words.  He wanted to be angry, but that wouldn’t do any good.  He wanted to know more and understood that wasn’t an option either.

They stood there on the balcony for a few minutes, just staring at the horizon.  Davin tried to quiet his thoughts. 

Both of them knew the fact that they shared the blood of the Ancients made them feel like family in some distant way, but neither of them said it.  It didn’t need to be said.  The sky continued to darken and the wind picked up while they enjoyed the silence.  The noise of the city had even passed to nearly nothing.  It was certainly calming. 

At last, a voice broke the silence behind them.  Davin and Egan turned to find Niahm standing in the doorway, her arms wrapped around her the body of Roland. 

“I apologize for the interruption, but Roland and I wanted to say goodnight.”  Davin looked to Egan and Egan nodded. 

“I will be there in a minute.”  Niahm and Roland acknowledged him and disappeared through the doorway again. 

Davin finally broke the silence after a minute of staring at the sky.  “It’s funny; I assumed the rain would have been pouring down by now.  I was waiting for it.”  He gestured up to the sky. 

Egan put his hand on Davin’s back for a moment, and then started forward.  “Come on in and visit with your godfather, Davin, this storm will break soon enough.”