It wasn't meant to be. Sundown's words echoed in her ears. No wonder he'd been so sad when he talked about her.
To be with her mother, who looked so much like Matilda, must have killed him.
It's why he killed her and your father. He couldn't take it any more.
A psychotic break would make sense.
Andy and Jess were lying.
She wanted to believe that. It would be the easiest. Not to mention, it was the option that didn't leave her with a conscience that would flog her for the rest of her life.
However long that was.
Rubbing her hand over her eyes, she sat down on the bed and looked at the food. It turned her stomach.
No, not the food. What she'd done. The one thing no one had ever told her about was how to cope with the lives she'd taken. Even before Sundown had kidnapped her, her conscience had been there, telling her that she'd taken someone's life. Her anger kept her going, but it wasn't enough to drown out her actions.
"They deserved it. Think of how many of us they've killed over the centuries. Do you think they ever have a minute's worth of compassion when it comes to us? No, they don't. Kill the Apollite. We're animals to be butchered to them. Wasn't it bad enough Apollo cursed us? Then his damned sister had to go and create a race to hunt and kill us as brutally as they can. They stab us in the hearts, Abby. And stand over our bodies while we die. Where is fair in all of that? We live twenty-seven years and hit full puberty at a time when most humans are still in grade school, learning their ABC's. Our lives are horrifically short, and you were there when my mother withered into dust. At twenty-seven. Remember that? Did you ever even hear her speak a bad word about anyone? No. She was kindness incarnate. We took you in and you've seen it firsthand. We don't hurt anyone. We are the victims." Kurt's indignation had fueled her vengeance quest, along with Perry and Jonah.
Even Hannah.
Kill the Dark-Hunters, Abby. That had been chanted to her since the moment Kurt's mother died. Even her adoptive father, on his deathbed, had begged her for retribution.
"You're our only hope, Abs. Don't let us down. Remember what they did to us. What that animal did to your parents. Never forget it."
But her memories ... Something in all of this didn't feel right. There were too many missing pieces.
If only she knew the truth.
You do know the truth. You were there.
Unable to sort through it, she looked up at the ceiling, wishing the real answer would fall down and smack her hard enough to make her listen.
* * *
"Your coyotes just came slinking back in the door with tucked tails. I would have killed them, but figured you'd want the honor. They claim there's a wolf helping your enemies now. But they don't know who he is, or if he's one of ours or from another pantheon. My guess is he's not one of ours."
Coyote narrowed his gaze on the huge bear of a man who dared to enter his den with such unwelcome news. And there was only one who would be so bold. Snake was a full head taller, which given the fact that Coyote was six feet two was impressive. While his own hair was short and black, Snake's was shaved bald and an intricate snake tattoo started at where his hairline would be on top of his head. It coiled down his neck and both of his beefy arms into a symbolic pattern that only one of their people could read. To most, Snake would appear like a criminal. But Coyote knew him for what he really was.
An ancient warrior who, like him, had lain dormant for far too long. Who would have thought when they agreed to their duties centuries ago that they, who had once made the very earth tremble in fear of their strength and skill, would be relegated to a role that was only one step above nursemaid?
"Did you hear me, Coyote?"
He gave a subtle nod. "They've grown fat and lazy. Unable to hunt. I weep for what has become of our people." Most of all, he wept for what had become of them.
"With Choo Co La Tah weakened, we'll have better luck after this."
He wished he were so optimistic. Choo Co La Tah had turned back his scorpions faster than he'd expected. But it'd drained the old man. With luck, his next plague would weaken him enough that they could kill him, too.
With Choo Co La Tah out of the way, there would be no stopping them.
He could almost smile at the unexpected gift the human had given them. He'd hoped she would kill Renegade and Brady. Taking out his other enemy was a bonus.
It'd been centuries since he stood this close to his goal. So close, he feel the breath of it on his face.
But nothing was certain. Nothing should ever be taken for granted.
And never, ever underestimate Choo Co La Tah. Even though he and Snake outnumbered the old man, they still had the problem that while Coyote was the Guardian for the East, he'd only obtained it by trickery.
It wasn't his right.
The legitimate Guardian still lived, even though it was as a Dark-Hunter and so long as he did, there was always the possibility that he'd step forward to claim his station and kill Coyote where he stood.
I would gladly step down. But the true Guardian had made it clear that he wouldn't allow it. Not at the price Coyote demanded.
Snake looked up at the sky above them. "The cycle is drawing close."
At last. He didn't say it. He didn't have to. They'd both been waiting for the Time Untime for far too long.
If the Butterfly and the Buffalo were to unite during the Time Untime, he and Snake would be destroyed. And all the Guardians replaced by those they chose.
But if he could stop it, he could rise on the eve of the Reset, and then he would have the power to select the new Guardians himself. With them under his control, they could unite their powers and return the world to their people. The Pale One would be defeated for once and for all.
The reign of the Coyote would be absolute. Uncontested.
Their enemies would be driven back into the sea.
And the elders and earth would weep for the wrong it had done to him. Blood would rain from the skies, and the Coyote would eat the sun and cover this earth with his vengeance.
He could already savor the taste. Soon this world would be his, and with his raised army, he would subjugate everyone.
The one thing he wanted most would then be his. No one would ever remove it again from his possession.
All he had to do was destroy one more Guardian.
So simple ...
So damned hard.
But he wouldn't fail this time. This time, he would succeed and the world of man would finally understand what true misery meant.
The Reign of Coyote was about to begin, and the world would never be the same.