The Demon Lord and his Hero (BL)

Chapter 380 Light and Shadow

"Is it really okay for a wanted man to just waltz in like this?"

Magnus regarded Rowan with an inscrutable look on his face. The blond couldn't tell if the shapeshifter was a friend or foe by his expression.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble, Magnus."

The anti mage had arrived at the manor through the path and hadn't been expecting his old friends to welcome him with open arms. Not after what he'd done at the palace.

"Seems like that's what you attract everywhere you go, Rowan."

The anti mage smiled. "Seems like it."

Farther away from them, Alka raised his head and saw Rowan. Putting aside his work tools, the plant mage began walking towards where Rowan and Magnus seemed to be at an impasse. It was natural that the fire mage would be reluctant to let Rowan in knowing that he was responsible for Alka's abduction. Something about the kidnapping felt off to him but Magnus didn't have the backstory. He just knew that for Alka's sake, some resistance had to be shown where Rowan was concerned.

"Nice afternoon, isn't it?" Alka called out to the blond. "Magnus, don't stand there blocking his way."

The fire mage glanced at Alka and he seemed fine with Rowan's presence. "Guess this isn't my problem then," he mumbled and turned back to leave the two of them alone for what he presumed would be a conversation about the kidnapping.

"Why are you here, Rowan? I'm assuming it isn't to apologise for having forced me endure Qairu's company."

Alka had been curious about Rowan's goal. It had become obvious to him that the kidnapping had been to keep his older brother's attention away from some plot that the blond was cooking up. Putting that together with the murders at the palace, the declaration of Rowan's betrayal of humanity, and all the smaller rumours he'd heard about the man; Alka was fairly certain that the anti mage was going to bring about an upheaval in Sigil.

"Alka, I would ask your forgiveness for causing you distress. I'm sorry. Had there been another way, I would have spared you and Artemus the heartache that I caused."

If there was one thing that Alka could see as truth in Rowan's eyes, it was that he truly was sorry for what had happened.

"But you'd do it again if circumstances forced you to, wouldn't you?" He asked.

"I would."

Alka let out a scoff. "Then you're sorry but not remorseful. Your apology is lacking, Rowan. But I forgive you because I know that you would still come to my aid if I needed you. Am I wrong?"

"You aren't," the blond responded. "It was never my desire to hurt you, Alka. I protect Syryn and I will protect you."

"You're really messed up," the plant mage said with a smile. "But I suppose that's why you and Syryn make a perfect pair." Syryn was unashamedly chaotic and unpredictable, a menace when he wasn't applying his genius to solving a problem. In that aspect, Rowan had seemed the opposite of Syryn. But now? Alka couldn't tell if Rowan had changed or if he had been pretending all along. Perhaps, the plant thought, the anti mage was just better than Syryn at hiding his true nature.

"I just need a few minutes with Lucien," Rowan told Alka as they walked to the manor. "This is the last time I'll ever impose on any of you. Please bear with me."

________

Lucien was sharpening a knife on a whetstone when Rowan and Alka came to stand before him. The redhead glanced up at the blond and back down at his blade with a sigh.

"How are you, Rowan?"

Seeing how healthy, well-groomed, and full of strength the anti mage appeared, Red decided he was doing better than he had expected him to.

"For a wanted man, I'm doing okay."

Lucien smiled and examined the cutting edge of the knife in his hand. It was ready to slice through magic plants again. Salem had three large chests full of dull knives because the half-elf just wasn't bothered to sharpen them. He had enough money to keep buying new ones when the old one lost its edge.

"I came to speak with you about the reason you went to Nua," Rowan continued, noting how low the redhead's mood was.

"Ah, yes. Alka, can I be left alone with Rowan for a while?" Lucien asked the plant mage.

"More secrets?" The plant mage asked with a lift of his brows.

"We're saving the world, Alka," he dryly responded. "It's important."

"Riiight."

____

"That's what the sword told me," Lucien said with a light shrug. "Shadow and light. And somehow I can be used by either."

"And what decides which side you end up on?" Rowan asked.

"I do. Or at least that's what I think it meant. Now the real question, Rowan," Lucien said with a hard look in his eyes. "Is which side are you on?"

Lucien could not accept that Rowan had joined the demons, sworn enemies of humanity. He was half-demon himself but he knew where his loyalties lay. The redhead was sure that Syryn felt the same. Neither would dance with the dark side because the choice was that simple. Demons were evil.

Rowan lifted his gaze to Lucein's anxious red eyes. "What if I told you that I am with the shadow?"

A knot began to form in the red head's stomach.

"Stop the bullshit, Rowan. Are you or are you not working with Traxdart?!"

"I am."

Lucien wanted to scream and break something just like how Rowan had so casually with a sentence destroyed any hopes that the blond was the person Lucien believed him to be.

"Why?"

"Because I've stood in the light. I've seen how ugly the sun is, Lucien." The redhead had never seen this side of Rowan before. He had always been so unruffled even during forceful moments. Now his gaze was frigid, stoked by dark longing and vengeful passions. "And I want to destroy it."