章 316: Reassurances (3/4)

Either Nicasi's heart beats, or it doesn't. He lives, or he dies.

There was no in between once Ozul allowed the flow of time to sweep him back into the current that only moved in one direction across the surface of reality.

Ozul's gaze slid from Nicasi to Lysander, lingering on the man who'd fallen completely silent at the reminder that he had no control over what happened next. Ozul's form flickered again, and the tiniest bit of the coldness he'd been slinging at Lysander melted away.

"I know how wrong it all is, priest." Ozul's voice wasn't exactly compassionate, but at least he no longer sounded like he was looking for a fight. "I don't want to see Milady or Rowan saddened if your lover dies…but I actually would take no pleasure in your suffering, either. You and Nicasi are some of the humans who are trying to make things right, for my Sire and for his son. And I suppose for that at least, neither of you are inconsequential."