Destiny (The Chosen One Trilogy:Book Three) by Mireille Chester Page A

about to see the light. I heard them take Mom,
Dad, and Tess out of their cell just after supper.”
    His voice dropped and hardened. “They came
for me shortly after. They were even nice enough to give me front
row seats to the event.”
    I put a hand on his shoulder and he glanced
at me. “You’ve seen it?”
    I nodded.
    “My dad was black and blue. His face was all
broken. Mom and Tess, well, I guess shifters aren’t good enough to
live, but they are good enough to fuck.” His jaw clenched. “Tess
looked at me and started crying. Her clothes were so ripped they
barely covered her. I tried to get to her. I tried. Someone tackled
me and I ended up tied to a tree that was close enough so I could
still see what was going to happen. Braw walked up to them with
that staff and they started to scream. Then there was two of each
of them. I didn’t see where the arrows came from, but the next
thing I knew their cats were laying there, dead and then they
collapsed. Just like that, it was done.”
    He took a deep breath. “It took six months of
being beaten every day before I finally told him he was right. I
never believed it, mind you. I knew I had a better chance of
escaping if I was allowed to roam around. I was there two weeks
living among them when I ran into Beth. She had just crossed over
and had been brought straight to Paradin.” He smiled at the
memory.
    “We lived outside of the keep, not too far
from the Wedelven River, actually. She convinced me to stay close
to her crossing; she was hoping to go back one day. We lived there
for six years. Then Braw decided he needed more men for his army.
He sent patrols out to collect all of the men in the area.
Mandatory enlistment. I refused. Two of them jumped me and Beth
tried to stop them. A third guy hit her over the head then helped
the other two beat me to a pulp. I think they left me there
thinking I was going to die. I managed to live. Beth didn’t. I
don’t know if he meant to kill her, but the blow to the head did
it. I spent the next year plotting my revenge. I was on my way to
the keep to try to kill Braw when I ran into William and his crew
who were on their way out. I had met him a few times in Paradin
when Beth and I went there for supplies.”
    “I told him he was about to commit suicide,”
said William. “I told him if he truly wanted revenge that he should
come with me to find you; that you would do better than just kill
Braw. You would destroy the staff. Of course, I have to admit that
at the time, I wasn’t entirely sure what you had planned. But that
is what you have in mind, isn’t it Hayden? I mean, why else would
you be recruiting down here?”
    I nodded. “That’s the plan. We’re on our way
to Howel to see if I can heal Damian. He’s the leader of the Majs.
Once that’s done, we’re heading to Paradin. Melana, the Namael
Queen, will meet us there with her army. This has to end.”
    “Do you think you can do it?” asked
Steven.
    “I’m not sure. Not by myself. But I do think
that if I can pool my powers with Rainen’s, Damian’s, and
Marilynn’s we should be able to do it. What I want to do is exactly
what Braw wants me for. I’ll channel all of our powers and project
them then keep my fingers crossed. Of course that means I have to
get close enough to the staff without getting close enough for it
to touch me because then I would be channeling its powers as well.”
I looked back and reached for Jasper’s hand. “If that happens…” I
took a deep breath. “It won’t happen. If Braw gets close enough to
use me, there’s only one way to make sure he can’t.”
    Jasper growled low in his throat. “Don’t talk
stupid, Shlova.”
    “Well, what am I supposed to do, Hun. If Braw
gets his hands on me, am I supposed to just let him use me to wipe
you out? I’m supposed to kill everyone I love?”
    “He won’t get that close.”
    “It’s an option we have to think about.”
    “No.”
    “Jasper…”
    “No.” He let go