Chapter 33
There he was, exactly as Julian hoped. One of Titus’ closest allies, the darkness slowly transforming him every visit, until the time came when he was strong enough. From the emotions it seemed as though something had happened within, and it might end up being the reason to accept an offer of help.
“Good evening.” The man looked at Julian, eyebrows raised. “Unless it wasn’t. Good, that is. Your emotions make it seem as though it may not have been.”
“What are you?”
“One of Glimmerbrook’s dead, Julian Ember.”
“I’ve never heard of you.”
“Titus didn’t want anyone to hear of me. So they didn’t.”
“How long have you been dead?”
“Like Titus I was one of the first to be touched with magic.” Julian wrapped his arms around himself. “Once I’d have said we were friends, until I realised he didn’t have friends. All he had were allies. When we disagreed he chose himself, hiding the truth from Anne.”
“You know Anne?”
“Not the way I think you know her. She was a child back then.” Julian sighed. “Titus told me about the bond, because I was the one who could help strengthen it, only instead it led to an argument. I thought he should be honest with her.”
“She didn’t find out until recently.”
“From the way he spoke I’m certain he never wanted her to learn about it. Something must have changed.”
“Dante.”
“Oh, the soulmate Titus didn’t want to believe would ever set foot in Glimmerbrook. What Thaddeus Saw was always going to happen.”
“He was the first Seer?”
“No, Titus was.”
“There’s so much I don’t know about Titus.”
“If you’re willing to help me then I can share everything I know of him with you.”
“What do you want?”
“A life.” Julian smiled. “I was fourteen when he pushed me into the fire, to make certain I couldn’t say anything to Anne. Now I want to stop him.”
“You could have moved on, lived another life centuries ago, rather than staying here.”
“Forgetting everything I knew about him?” Julian shook his head. “That was never going to happen. I’m the person who saw his true colours first.”
“Julian…”
“Let me control your body for a time.”
“A time?”
“If I was able to give you a definite period I would. With things as they are it depends on Anne. You care about her, don’t you?”
“Why does it depend on Anne?”
“To get close to Titus I need to use her. Talking to her isn’t a possibility – the darkness can’t affect her the way it did you.”
Words which brought fear, but Julian knew he had to be honest to get what he needed, even if there were certain parts he’d keep to himself until he had the body.
“How has it affected me?”
“You’re stronger than before, so you can see me, and more willing to make the choices you wouldn’t have.”
“Like kissing Anne.”
“Kissing her?”
“I know I shouldn’t have, but the ritual will be my death, so I took my only chance.”
“Only it doesn’t have to be. Now you have a way to potentially stop it, because I can’t let it happen again. With Dante here next time will be the last. He has the power.”
“Titus would have used Dante in this ritual, if he thought it was possible.”
“Dante doesn’t need to be alive. From the beginning Titus has used the house as a nexus, gathering the power to be able to make them both immortal.”
“What if it didn’t happen here?”
“He’d need Dante involved then.”
“Only Dante’s death would affect Anne.”
“Minorly, due to the bond between Titus and Anne, although I’m certain he still doesn’t truly believe in soulmates. Titus is more focused on power, in order to finally achieve true immortality the way Thaddeus wanted. However there’s also Anne.”
“Anne is the only person Titus has ever cared about.”
“Yes, and this is a transition point.”
“A transition point?”
“From the beginning Thaddeus talked about transition points, because there are lifetimes when the relationship between Anne and Titus was most likely to change.”
“Hence the bond.”
“Thaddeus believed it was for the best.”
“Without asking Anne.”
“She was his child. All he cared about was making sure she was safe, and he saw Titus as her protector, even though they weren’t blood.”
“He’s never mentioned that.”
“It doesn’t matter. At least not as far as he’s concerned.”
“Does Anne know?”
“I couldn’t say. That depends a lot on what choices Titus has made in this lifetime. However Anne has her own decision to make.”
“Leave with Dante, or stay with Titus?”
“Dante isn’t the only option, if you kissed her, because it’s a sign you care.”
“More than I should.”
“Should?”
“Anne once had a relationship with my son.”
“Who isn’t here.”
“No, but…”
“There’s no need for buts, or shoulds. You’re the one who’s here, which is what matters, as you’re the one who can help her.”
“By letting you into my body.”
“Combined we should have the power to stop Titus.”
“Titus is the most powerful of all the mages in Glimmerbrook, and has been for generations.”
“Due to the choices he’s made. Without him Glimmerbrook would be very different. You need to trust me.”
“I don’t know you, Julian.”
“No, but I know Titus, and what we’d be capable of together.”
“What do I get out of this?”
“Your life. Potentially a relationship with Anne, but that depends more on her than it does on me. I couldn’t tell you for certain what choices she might make at the end of this. She’ll learn how dangerous that bond with Titus truly is, which will affect those choices.”
“Tell me about the bond.”
“For her to be truly free of Titus she has to transition the bond from his soul to another.”
“Dante would be the best choice.”
“Not from what I know of him. He wasn’t born in Glimmerbrook. What strength he has won’t be enough, so it needs to be someone else.”
It was the truth. However it wasn’t the whole truth, plans to be kept hidden until they couldn’t, and by then it would be far too late.
“You think she might choose me.”
“Anything is possible.” Julian studied the mage. “Titus, fortunately, can’t See the dead. His brother, on the other hand…”
“Titus has a brother?”
“From what I’ve been able to piece together I think he has two, one his twin while the other was older, which explains how he ended up with the Lockwoods in the first place.”
“Does Anne know about them?”
“Of course not. I couldn’t even be certain Titus knows about them.”
“How could he not?”
“He was taken in by Thaddeus as an infant. Back then he wouldn’t have cared about any other family, because he chose to accept the Lockwoods.”
“You’re saying Titus also cared about his original parents?”
“They chose him. It meant something. Now, though, it’s only Anne.”
“What did he do?”
“A story for another time. Titus can’t See me, but he will be able to feel me soon, and that’s going to cause problems. I need an answer.”
“This is a lot to ask.”
“Yes, it is. Had there been anyone else I’d have asked them. Unfortunately there isn’t. You’re the only person he trusts now.”
“When this is over Titus will be out of our lives for good?”
“Yes, he will.” The details were still to be decided, but Julian knew it was the only possible future, because if he failed there wasn’t going to be another chance. “I promise you I will do whatever I have to in order to stop him.”
“Could you fail?”
Julian breathed in deeply, a remnant of once being a living being. “Of course I could fail. Anyone could. However you have my word Titus won’t know this was a decision you made. You won’t be blamed for what happens next.”
“Then I offer you my body, Julian.”
“You won’t regret this.”
He probably would, but that wasn’t something Julian cared about.
“Is there anything I need to know about how you’d act with your family?”
“Natalie is my wife, and we’ve been having issues since my son left Glimmerbrook. Mostly we’re avoiding each other. Both my daughters are closer to her than me.”