The Night's Curse #3 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

Chapter 13

"You seem to like lonely places." He started, advancing, still dressed in his armor which, like Phyllis, he never took off. Although, Waverly noticed that his gloves were brown instead of black.

"So do you." She retorted calmly.

"I saw you on the battlefield." He commented with a smirk. "Quite impressive the skills you have."

"I learned from the best." Waverly boasted.

"Did you now?" Levi taunted. "A larger portion of your strength is credited to you being part god. I wonder how well you would fight if you were a normal Human."

"I would still be able to take your tongue out of your mouth." Waverly growled.

She really hated Levi and the fact that he was so relaxed talking about her weaknesses. He did not radiate any sort of dark energy, but something about his eyes translated to great evil. She had forgotten to question Dermot and Diarmaid about their conclusions of him and what they had found from tracking him, but reminded herself to do so afterwards.

Levi laughed mildly, nodding in approval. "I like that you have such courage, but will you actually do it?"

"Do what?"

"Take my tongue out of my mouth?"

"Don't tempt me."

He halted to simply stare, then his gaze traveled to her feet. He tilted his head in silence then broke into a wry smile.

"You have a broken ankle!"

"What's it to you?"

"I can fix it." He offered.

"I don't need your help." She snarled.

"You know you're going the wrong way, right?" He pointed.

"That is none of your business."

"You must hate me very much. I do not blame you for that." He laughed then came forward.

Waverly stood still, daring him to take another step. Regardless, he advanced until they were nose to nose.

"Everything you do is my business." He whispered and gently grabbed her hand where Calaire rested. "Even now, you cannot bring yourself to walk away from me. I told you, light is attracted to darkness."

Waverly felt her broken ankle slowly and painlessly mend. It was a mystery to her why Levi had not made any attempts to harm her despite them being complete opposites. Instead, he seemed to be attracted to her in some strange, uncomfortable way. It also baffled her why she let him come so close when she could fend him off. His theory about light and darkness sounded stupid yet slightly sensible to her.

"I said I did not need your help." She hissed and stepped back, but Levi's grip remained. She hated that she remembered his smell – like figs.

"But you have it now." He said then stared into her eyes, a strong sense of determination on his face. "We don't have to be enemies, you know. You can join me."

"To do what?" She asked, tilting her head and pulled her hand free. "Kill with no valid reason? Abduct and suck the life from innocent children?"

"Indeed! We will create a new world." He said.

"What's happened to this one?"

"It is tainted with the age long mistakes and childishness of the gods. We will put an end to them – all of them – and all those who refuse to pledge loyalty. The world will burn and the gods with it, but a better world will be reborn, a world with just one master – Oculmus."