Wings Of Fire (WOF) : A dark family affair

Chapter 26

Nightjar stared in horror into Coyot's shifty green eyes. She was witnessing what she had always wanted but also dreaded since her arrival at Possibility. She was face to face with the master of the game. The man behind everything, from Revenant's crimes to the death of her family. The one who terrorised the world and against who, alone, she couldn't fight alone. Even though she was so close to her goal, she wanted to bury herself alive in the sand right now.

She had hung out with him as if nothing had happened and she blamed herself to death. She should have recognised him as soon as she entered the tavern. At no time did she suspect that it was he, this slightly mocking sand wing, who was her sworn enemy. Even the sound of his voice wasn't enough to identify the impostor. She had been fooled like an insect trying to taste the nectar of a carnivorous plant.

She was too stunned and confused to understand why it was Coyot who was facing her and he broke the silence by starting a grandiloquent little monologue: "I know you're probably upset by the fact that, ta-daam, I'm the one in control of everything that's going on here, he began cheerfully, But I want you to know that I'm just as choqued as you are, Nightjar. Do you know how hard it was not to smile when I saw you with your little band of hybrids at the inn ? It was completely improbable, unpredictable, unimaginable if I dare say ! You came to me, straight into the scorpion's needle. What else could it be but fate ?! And as if nothing had happened, I played my new role of friendly head of house.

"After you and that naughty boy, he insulted, looking reproachfully at Maple who was too tired to react, escaped from my prison at Diamond Spray Delta, I didn't plan to see you again any time soon. I had already got rid of Dove to get this inn back, for various reasons that don't matter, and then one fine morning you turned up.

- Did you kill Dove ? guessed Nightjar spontaneously.

- Yes, but not with my own claws. I had other things to do, like finding you.

- And all this is just a game to you ? People's lives mean so little to you ?

- Perhaps. I do not even know it myself. However, what i do know is that the world I live in isn't a rosy one, Nightjar. I have ambitions, like everyone else, and I do whatever it takes to achieve them. Killing, murdering, plotting, scheming, all these are means that I have and that I use when I deem it necessary. Unfortunately, your parents didn't follow me down this path.

- And I'm glad they didn't", she said with a mocking smile to irritate her interlocutor.

If she wanted to, she would have thrown a jet of flame at Coyot, but her reason held her back. He had answers she wanted. Although her journey had been paved with bad decisions at times, she hadn't come this far for nothing. Coyot also tried to remain calm in the face of the arrogance of the daughter of Fatality and Mist, before he continued: "Just so you know, if you start being impudent, I won't hesitate to take that green snail away from you to keep Dandelion company. By the way, let's talk about Dandelion, who thought he was more clever than me. The three moons know that I have a lot of respect for him, he corrected, He was intelligent enough for gathering information about us until he decided to take me into his confidence. He gave me his sources, as if I were innocent. INNOCENT ! he repeated before succumbing to a short laugh, Anyway, all that to say that you made me laugh for a while and now here you are.

- Were my parents toys too ?

- Nightjar, he stopped with a sad tone of voice, they were my closest friends and yet they decided to betray me, like someone else.

- And you killed them. As if that were the only solution". A silence followed this remark.

"I think it's not time to talk about that yet Nightjar. You're not ready. I don't even want to talk to you any more. I'd hoped you'd be more cooperative, but in the end you're just as stubborn as your father. It's as if I can see him through your eyes, he turned before finishing, If you're kind and doesn't cause trouble, I'll answer all the questions you want and you'll even get a generous gift from me. In the meantime, I have some scores to settle", he finished with a wave of his hand.