Undying Hate | Book Three

Twenty-nine | Innocent

"You do not understand. I left Argyncia already when Hayes took power. I was looking for his brother and found Coralie." His voice wobbled a fraction on her name.

"We only had months together before they captured me, and Hayes killed everyone to punish me. I won't leave them again." Magnus' voice followed Sylvie as she wandered dejectedly from the room.

Where the hell was Kian?

She wanted to go.

The conversation was pointless.

Magnus, just like any other male parental figure, was a disappointment, and she shouldn't have expected any more. Men were generally underwhelming and disappointing, except for her mates, who were exactly what she needed.

She missed each of them so much right then.

Where was Kian?!

"You still don't even know if I am your father. The Fates lie."

Yes, yes, deny paternity - classic.

"Not this time."

"I don't even know your name."

She laughed humourlessly. Did she really never get to that the last time they met? Kian would be proud that she stopped giving her name out though maybe it wouldn't have mattered all along.

"I don't think I do either. I thought it was Sylvie Hart, but maybe it isn't. Maybe that was what the family thought it was after the note got smeared-"

"Smeared?"

"By Coralie's tears. She left a note for the family she abandoned me with. Kalina Sylvie was the name before she cried all over it."

Magnus hummed, clasping his hands and nodding like it was an obvious situation.

"Kalina," he said softly, and it felt right. It was the first time hearing it from another person, and it fit. Something in her clicked as he continued. "Kalina is a type of tree in some languages. A Rowan tree, I believe."

A Rowan tree? "No fucking way." A hell of a coincidence or tinkering of the Fates...

"Sylvie is a French twist on the name Silva. Spirit of the woods."

Huh.

She turned back and eyed the man the fates called her father. "How do you know all that?"

"Because that was what Coralie and I wanted to name our first child."

It stung more than it shouldve. It burrowed a pain so deep into her chest that her marks ached until her heart started beating erratically. The concept of family was so foreign, but she longed for it. She wrung her hands together and pushed the pain deep inside.

Yes, he said all the right things that dropped her guard without even trying, but he still wouldn't help her. He cared more for the vampires than her.

She could just bide time now. Kian would be there soon, surely. He could wisk them to earth, and whatever the fates had in mind could come true. She made Magnus no promises, and his anger towards her for ignoring his wishes could not affect her.

He was just a Vampire she barely knew. He wanted to save his people, and so did she. He just couldn't see their mutual interests, and right then, she didn't care.

"Kalina-"

"Don't."

She walked to the door, this time to lock them both inside to wait for Kian when a faceless figure cast darkness over her. She blinked to clear the shadows, the gleam of white teeth shocking in the void.