Changeling: The Daughter of Fire (GxBxNB)

Changeling 42

Father Michaels took me to a little boudoir hidden in a cranny of the building. One of the residents came and brought us coffee without being asked. I had a feeling they either respected Father Michaels or feared him.

"If I may ask, what do you believe in, Nadia?"

"Me? I'm not entirely sure. I was raised half-Christian and half-Muslim."

"I see."

"Tell me, have you heard of the Order of St. George?"

"Should I?"

"Perhaps," He calmly sipped his coffee for a moment, "I suppose we are less prominent now."

"We?"

"I am a paladin of the order."

"What does that mean?"

"Once upon a time, we were the bulwark between mankind and the foul and monstrous influences of the changelings, we fought our own hidden crusade against their abuse."

"We're not monsters..."

"Are you not?"

"I'm a person, we all are, we aren't some mythical creatures, we're just humans who can do things, good or bad."

"Just like the first demons, Satan had a choice once upon a time and he chose to rebel and do great evil. You may not think your powers are inherently good or bad, but all changelings get their power from feeding upon mortal souls."

"It's not like we just rip it off and eat it! Besides, we provide something in exchange."

"Just like a drug dealer, exchanging money for a high."

I had a feeling I wouldn't get anywhere with this guy.

"Tell me, Nadia, have you ever hurt someone, killed even?"

I froze. I wanted to deny it, say it wasn't my fault, it'd been an accident, after all, I hadn't even known about being a changeling back then...

"It's okay, I'm not there to judge, but all orphan changelings kill when they first awaken their powers, it's that act of taking a life that breathes life into their supernatural souls. Sometimes the death in question is justified, sometimes it's an accident. Can you bear that burden?"

"I can."

"What about those who can't? What about the children in my care?"

"I don't understand what they have to do with me."

"Surely by now you must have realized that everyone wants to control you, they desire your power to change the fate of the world, to make one species or another dominant."

"And what do you want?"

"A world where humans are free from the machinations of the supernatural, where nobody has to die so that a changeling may awaken. Think about it, no more pain and suffering, no more monsters..."

I got up. "What is it with everyone asking me to commit genocide?"

"Not Genocide," Father Michaels insisted, "Nobody has to get hurt, all that is needed is for no more changeling to awaken nor hollows to be born. In due time, changelings and hollows will go extinct, peacefully, and humanity will be free again."

"I'm like 95% sure that still counts as genocide."

"Think of your family, what if a vampire sucked them dry, or what if one of your siblings awakens at the cost of a family member's life?"

The thought of losing mom, dad, Ghali or Aisha sent shivers down my spine...

"I— I—" No coherent words would come out, instead every attempt at an answer sent me further into a panic attack.

Deep Breaths. I told myself. I stared down at the floor tiles, counting them to center myself.

"Take your time,"

"Look, even if I was on board, I don't have that kind of power. I can only manipulate coincidence."

"For now, but there is a way to become more powerful easily."

"I am not hurting anyone."

"Not hurting, giving them a mercy. In the other room there are a little under two dozen unwilling changelings, a simple wish from each of them, you could take their power, much greater than a human's soul, for yourself."

The thought made me want to hurl, to take Stephanie's and the other changeling's souls away, whether they wanted it or not.

"I need to go."

I didn't want for his agreement, going straight for the door at the fastest walk I could manage without running.

Stephanie came rushing after me. "Nadia?"

I flipped around to face her.

"Tell me this wasn't your plan."

"My plan?"

"Bringing me here, telling me your sad stories about how much being a changeling suck, having the priest tell me how I could put an end to that... Unchangeling you with a wish..." I clenched my fists into balls. "Nearly everyone I've met since I moved here has been trying to manipulate me one way or another."

"Come on Nadia, do you really think—"

"I don't know what to think Steph, I know nothing about you, This is the third time we even talk..."

She stepped forward and took my hand. "It wasn't my plan, I swear on everything that's holy. Besides, you're the one who approached me first."

"I want to believe you."

"But?"

"But right now I don't feel like I can trust anyone."

I drove back to the mansion, getting caught in traffic and letting me stew in my depression and paranoia. Who could I trust?

Erika, I knew I could trust. Jesse as well. Maybe Cassie? She'd protected me from Clarissa and hadn't yet shown an ulterior motive.

I finally reached the house but stayed in my car, mulling it all over some more. It was then that Kieran came out, I saw him go to the open field with a bag of something. I watched him only for him to let out a whistle, throwing what seemed like bread crumbs out.

A large flock of crows and ravens came down, eating the food.

Kieran... He'd always been there for me... Even after I had taken his heart and stepped on it...

I got out and caught up with Kieran. A few birds cawed unhappily at me, but Kieran spoke to them in a soft comforting voice.

"Feeding the birds?"

"Yeah, I always loved corvids, I guess in a way we're related." He let out a little chuckle. "Are you okay, you look kind of gray there."

"You have no idea... I just don't know who to trust anymore." I sighed. "Everyone seems to have some ulterior motive with me, wanting me for my powers."

"Yikes."

"I wanted to apologize."

"Again?"

"Yeah," I let out a nervous little laugh, "You've always had my back even after what I did... Thank you."

Kieran smiled.

"I want to say, I need some time to reflect on what I've done, on Liam and everything... And what I want to say is that I'm just glad to have you."

"I'm glad to have you too, Nadia."

I came forward and wrapped my arms around him.