Chapter 36
“I don’t entirely understand why you’re being so kind to me.”
“Anne, I was close to your mother. Even now I remember you after she died, how broken up you were by it, and I saw the person you are.”
“Even though I’m the reason for all of this.”
“No, you aren’t. The blame rests on one person – Titus.”
As Julian slipped into the room he nodded. Natalie was right. It didn’t mean he liked her, not after what he’d seen of her in both Cornelius’ and Titus’ memories, but at least she had some sense. The more complicated emotions came from watching her show care to Anne she never showed Jonathan.
Your son deserved better.”
Neither Anne or Natalie moved, but the tension in their back told Julian they’d heard.
“He did. People make mistakes. The memories you saw…”
“Were more than enough to show me who you are. A mistake is a one off. You consistently treated Jonathan as though he was less.”
Anne was the first to stand, closely followed by Natalie, who didn’t seem to want to leave her alone.
“Where’s my brother?”
“Still in here, for now. He’s not best pleased with the fact he lost, but that’s something he’s going to have to live with, at least until the ritual.”
“Julian…”
“Later.”
Titus’s face showed signs of how hard he’d fought to keep control of his body, and Anne studied him, trying to come to terms with what it meant for it to be Julian instead.
“I need to understand at least some of this before we leave. Who you are. Why you chose this path. You’re a stranger to me.”
“Julian, you’re a stranger to all of us, and I think it would be best if Anne stayed here for a time. We’ll look after her, as long as Cornelius is going to be alright after everything.”
“Anne isn’t staying. Not when I know exactly what your husband feels when he looks at her.”
“Please don’t.”
“You need to understand how little your husband cares about you, Natalie. Even before Jonathan he didn’t love you. The way you treated your magicless son… that just made it obvious who you really were. He chose the path he did for Anne. She’s the one who matters to him now. Not you.”
“Are you channelling Titus?” The disgust in Anne’s voice wasn’t surprising. “Natalie’s been nothing but kind to me. I didn’t deserve that.”
“Yes, you did, because how Cornelius feels isn’t your fault. What matters is how he’s likely to act if you’re here. It’s a part of him, the same way it is me.”
“Then we need to help him, Julian. Where is he now?”
“On the porch. He’s going to be fine, apart from the fact he’s transformed by the darkness. Freeing him from it isn’t possible now. By making the choices he did he’s embraced it.”
“Like you did?”
“It was different for me. Cornelius is alive.”
“Body affected, rather than soul.”
Even though it wasn’t a question Julian nodded. “He’ll be able to change in his next life, if he chooses to, but I won’t. This is what I am now, thanks to Titus.”
“You chose to stay.”
“In order to remember, otherwise I’d have been like everyone else.”
“Maybe it would have been better that way.”
“No, it wouldn’t, because there’s so much I know that you don’t. Had it not been for me he’d have been able to keep it all hidden.”
“Julian…”
“Titus has been lying to you ever since your first life, Anne. He never needed the ritual. You did.”
“What do you mean?”
“Six deaths made it possible for you to keep your memories. Six deaths were him gathering power, to make it seem like it was the same for both of you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He brought magic to Glimmerbrook, and that changed him, more than everyone else. Thaddeus knew.”
“Julian…”
“None of the choices he was going to make were ones I agreed with, so the night my father brought an end to the pain Titus pushed me into the flames.”
“Making it so no one remembered you.”
“Even my sisters wouldn’t say my name, because they thought it was for the best.”
“Now you’re here what are you going to do?”
“We aren’t having that conversation here.” Julian glanced at Natalie, who didn’t seem like she was planning on leaving. “I’m happy to share it with you, but on our own, so we can have a chance to get to know each other.”
“Being here…”
“Not happening.”
“Julian, you aren’t Titus. You can’t make me do anything.”
“Don’t, Anne. I’d rather not hurt you, but I can make you do whatever I want, because
Titus is no longer the one in control of the bond.”
If Anne pushed Julian was willing to show her. A gentle tug would be all the evidence he’d need.
“Titus never used it against me.”
“He didn’t need to. The bond… it’s strong. Stronger than you realise. Ever since it was first created it’s had an effect on all the choices you’ve made.”
“All of them?”
“Of course, and it made it easier for Titus to See you.”
“Can you See me?”
“Now, yes.”
“Dante?”
“I have the same limitations as Titus.”
“Your soul magic?”
“That’s still something I can use.”
“Breaking the bond?”
“Unfortunately, Anne, that’s beyond even me.”
“Julian…”
“All you can do is trust me. One of the reasons I stayed is you. Thaddeus thought it would be the two of us.”
“What do you mean?”
Julian looked down at the floor, the conversation one he could never forget. “Thaddeus and Father were close. It’s the reason I became friends with Titus. Several times they talked about the future, us marrying, even after Glimmerbrook was transformed. Until things changed.”
“How did they change?”
“Anne…”
“Julian, please. I was too young to remember. The only stories I was told were Titus’s.”
He clenched his fists. “Parts of it I don’t know, but Thaddeus was the strongest Seer. What he Saw he shared, with us and Titus, the knowledge becoming too much. He Saw everything.”
“Everything?”
“Multiple possible futures.”
“Why do what he did?”
“Come back with me, and I’ll show you the journal. Titus will never forgive me, but I don’t care. You need to know the truth.”
Leaving with him meant being alone with a man she didn’t know, in her brother’s body. She closed her eyes.
“Not yet.”
Of course Natalie was going to argue against it. “Anne isn’t staying. I don’t trust Cornelius.”
“Emotions you used to get him to make the choice he did, Julian.”
“He wanted to stop Titus, so he could live, something he’d only be able to do with my help.”
“Show you care. Check on him.”
“It’s a fair request.”
“Yes, it is, and I did check on him before I came up. He was the one who wanted me to make certain nothing bad happened between the two of you.” Julian nodded. “After that we go back to the Lockwood house.”
Natalie breathed in deeply. “Thank you.”
“Why do you even care?”
“He is still my husband.”
Anne looked at Julian. “The two of you should go, and I’ll stay here.”
“Cornelius won’t touch you while I’m there. He gave his word, Anne. I trust it. No matter how it might seen he never wanted to hurt you. Even I didn’t, but with things as they were…”
“You’re sorry.”
“I am, truly. However it may seem I care about you.”
“What about Dante?”
“That’s a more complicated discussion, again for when the two of us are alone. For now let’s focus on Cornelius.”
“You’re certain he was fine?”
“As fine as someone can be after they’ve had a soul pulled out of their chest.”