Chapter 200: Truths shatter Illusions
***Author’s Note: The book is not incomplete, and I’m not quitting. I am stockpiling Chapters while I move to a new apartment. I will not have wifi for a few weeks, it’s expensive to move and internet doesn’t fit the bill. But health update: I am out of the hospital, I am feeling better, I still have both kidneys, though my diet is stricter now and I am on more meds. Sorry readers. But just keep it saved to your libraries and in your heart ***
The room was sitting in silence as everyone took in the words the Leviathan had read to them. He was shocked, learning the full truth, even what the goddess had hid from him.
Everything they knew was a lie. One fabricated by the gods. A carefully orchestrated lie. They were children of the night but always assume it was the moon goddess that made them and just favored the shifters.
But no. The shifters and vampires worked together and took down the son of the god of death and darkness.
This was too much for everyone.
They were dumbfounded.
Lilith and Vlad the most.
Vlad’s father was a god.
Lilith’s lover was a god.
And just any god.
He was the son of the god of death and darkness. They weren’t the moon goddess’ creation, but Ezelreth’s.
Lilith, this whole time had forgotten him. Forgotten what he meant, what he did. His betrayal.
The pain of it all came crashing into her crushing her under the weight. Her head was piercing with the memories flooding in all at once. The fogged figure that haunted her memories she always chalked up to be Adam, were clearing up. She could see him. Them. Clear as day. Their happy family.
Each scene to replay crushed her heart.
The room was spinning, she felt like she was dying all over again.
She looked at Vlad who had his own inner turmoil burning.
He looked exactly like his father. Same eyes, same nose, same mouth, same chin. They were spitting images of each other.
It was like looking at a carbon copy of his father. See her son shattered her heart over and over again.
"I need to be excused." Lilith stood up, in the process, she stumbled. The Leviathan lunged forward to steady her, but she shoved him away, "You... You knew. And you... You still picked his face..."
She shook her head and turned away, she couldn’t bear to look at him, his face looked so much like his, like Ezelreth’s, yet it still looked different, more eastern. It was too similar, the room was closing in around her and Lilith needed space, she needed to get away.
So, she did what she does best, she ran. Ran out of the room, out of the palace, and shifted into a dragon letting the wind carry her, letting the cold winter air numb her pain.
The Leviathan was just left standing. He knew this would likely happen, but he hoped it wasn’t the case.
He wasn’t heartbroken, but he was at a loss for words.
"What the fuck just happened?" Oliver asked breaking everyone from their stunned state.
"Lilith needs some time, that was a lot to take in and learn." Rosa inserted.
"Now that the truth is out, I will take my leave, I have some business to discuss with a little fox. King Asher, I will bring you news of your daughter when I return." The Leviathan told Ash.
"What do you mean by that? Clarify." Ash ordered with the voice of a king.
"I told you. I know where she is, but I also don’t, it’s hard to explain. I know where she is in the spirit realm, the god’s realm, but not here in the mortal realm. I’m going to bug an old friend and pray she doesn’t kill me before I can speak to her."
"An old friend that would kill you on the spot, are you sure they’re a friend?" Jeremy asked with a snarky tone.
"We have a complicated relationship. To say the least, anyways." The Leviathan shrugged "If I don’t come back, sorry and good luck." He walked out of the room like he knew his way around.
"Does he know where the exit is?" Oliver asked.
"I don’t think he’s going to use a door in that sense." Jeremy answered his brother.
"I just hope my daughter is okay." Ash felt the angst weighing down his chest again.
"The book and the goddess says she’s fine and where she needs to be Ash, so I’m sure she is." Rosa walked over to Ash and patted him on the back of his shoulder.
"Then why hasn’t she found a way to reach out to us, tell us she’s okay?" Ash sounded sad and even a little pathetic for his tastes.
"Everything will reveal itself, the Leviathan said he’d come back with answers." Vlad added finally.
"How do you feel about what you heard?" Rosa asked.
"Mixed. To put it simply." Vlad spoke flatly wanting to sound indifferent, but it didn’t get past Rosa.
She could see the confusion, the strain, the internal struggle.
Her father, Lord Alistar, was as an asshole, but his father was hell bent on destroying the mortal world. Hers didn’t even compare and still she knew what it meant to learn that one’s father was not who they thought they were.
"Dad, grandpa might be hellbent on demise, but your granddaughter is pretty great." Oliver added trying to lighten the mood that had settle in the room.
Reminding everyone that yes, they might be related to an ancient evil, but they were also related to a goddess of great strength and power, and to not dwell on the evil lurking within their blood.
"So, the Leviathan dipped to meet with some old friend who has information on Odette. Violet and Ezelreth are missing, and Lilith is off having a mental breakdown. We’re doing great." Jeremy sounded like a pessimist.
"Well, we train the army, we get ready for a war with my wife. Where we take back her body, my daughter, and save the world." Ash stood up and spoke with unwavering confidence. He would not lose both his wife and daughter, that was not an option.
Oliver smiled "That’s new. Vampires saving the world. What a joke."