Greys III - Revelations

Chapter 30 - Forgive, Forget, & Sweet Revenge

Chi glared at him, clearly not wanting this random Human's advice, but he held her gaze. He only broke the stare to look at Malachi.

"If your hate isn't helping your cause, it's hindering it. Seems your kind isn't very savvy to that pearl of wisdom."

He looked at each of us in the eye before walking out into the mid-morning slush. At that moment, he reminded me more of Abby than my trouble-loving caretaker.

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The Vault was bustling when we arrived, and at James' suggestion, Ailech brought the newest asylum seekers to Abby. I had a strange feeling as I saw them walking down the hall away from me, but I couldn't place it. When I looked back to James and Malachi, I caught James giving him a subtle nod.

"You should go check on Kael and Nevaeh, I'm sure they want to hear about your last few months more, and I know Kael misses you."

James' voice didn't sound like himself, and something about the whole situation, the atmosphere, didn't sit right with me. I looked to Malachi, wondering if he was using his ability, but he was picking dried blood out from under his nails and didn't seem to be paying any attention to me or my Pair.

"I'm going to go clean up," he rumbled for an explanation as he walked off, still ignoring us.

I gave a quizzical look to James but he shook his head in dismissal.

"It's fine, don't worry about him. I'm going to go shower too. Just...go catch up with them, I'll join soon."

I still didn't believe him, but I didn't know what else to do, or if I was reading too much into the situation. I mean, how exactly should James be acting? Was there even a 'right way' to react to suddenly being around a victim of your past? Someone you grew up with when you had the childhood he had. Someone you were both abused with and that you abused yourself, and then betrayed and abandoned? Sometimes they seemed like enemies, or rivals, and Malachi clearly hated James, but then other times they acted like teammates or even old friends, if mischievous ones, or downright bad influences. Maybe I was just being paranoid, maybe I just didn't understand what James was going through.

I gave a weak smile and left, laying my hand on his shoulder as I walked by, wishing I could do more and feeling wholly inadequate.

» ✦ «

Lying still came far too easy to me, or rather, misleading. But this wasn't something I wanted Jordan to be a part of. I knew she would back me, cover for me or even help if I asked it of her, that wasn't the reason I was keeping it a secret. Instead, it was because I didn't want her to carry any of the blame or punishment. I didn't want to dirty her with what I was about to do. I honestly couldn't even tell if it was right or wrong, not really. Maybe that meant my nature was winning, not being able to tell good from evil anymore. Or maybe this was just another one of the many gray areas in my life where I had to choose a path and see it to completion.

Well, I had chosen. In reality, I had probably chosen a long time ago but was biding my time, waiting for the moment that would benefit me the most...just like Malachi always did. I was just more patient, I always had been. I could wait endlessly for revenge. It made it all the sweeter.

I walked down the hall leisurely, not rushed nor halted. I sent my Sight out ahead of me and felt Malachi behind the closed door already. I knocked as a formality, so anyone in the hall would see me do it, before slipping inside.