Warlock Ch 10. Lies
"She doesn't care about you," Malthus continued, his voice dripping with confidence. "She wants your power. She wants to use you for her own ends. She'll tell you whatever she needs to keep you by her side. But me? I'm offering you something better. I'm offering you the truth."
Damian's stomach twisted. He didn't want to believe Malthus, but the doubt was there now, gnawing at him. What if he was right? What if Evelyn was just using him?
He turned to her, his voice quiet but full of uncertainty. "Is that true? Are you just trying to use me?"
Evelyn's eyes softened for a moment, her expression betraying a hint of pain. "Damian, I'm not using you. I'm trying to protect you. Malthus is dangerous—He'll say whatever he has to in order to get inside your head."
"But why should I trust you?" Damian shot back, his voice rising slightly. "I barely know you. For all I know, you could be after the same thing he is."
Malthus's laughter echoed through the room, dark and satisfied. "Exactly, Damian. You're starting to see it now. She's just as bad as the rest of us. She wants your power, just like I do. But unlike her, I'm willing to be honest with you about it."
Damian's mind was spinning. He didn't know who to believe. Evelyn had saved him, yes, but she had also pulled him into a fight with no warning. And now Malthus was telling him that she was after his power, just like every other warlock.
Could he trust her? Or was she just using him?
But then, something about Malthus's words didn't sit right. There was something too smooth, too calculated about the way he spoke, like he was trying too hard to be the voice of reason. And Evelyn—despite everything—had put herself between him and those shadows. She had fought for him, protected him. That had to count for something, right?
Damian clenched his fists, trying to push through the confusion. "Why should I trust you, Malthus?" he asked, his voice steady despite the doubt gnawing at him. "You say Evelyn's after my power, but you're no different. What makes you think I'd want anything to do with you?"
There was a pause, and when Malthus spoke again, his voice was cold, sharp. "Because, Damian, I am different. I don't lie. I don't hide behind false promises. I'm giving you a choice—join me, and I'll teach you how to use your power the right way. Or stay with Evelyn, and you'll end up like the rest of the fools she's dragged into this mess."
Damian's heart pounded in his chest. He was at a crossroads, and he knew it.
Malthus's voice echoed in his ears, smooth and manipulative, like a serpent whispering in the dark. "You have a choice, Damian," he said again, his words slithering into Damian's mind. "Join me, and you'll become more powerful than you ever imagined. Or stay with Evelyn, and you'll only know betrayal."
Damian's gaze flicked to Evelyn. Her face was set in stone, her jaw clenched, eyes flickering with something he couldn't quite read. Tension crackled between them, thick enough to cut through, and he could feel the weight of Malthus's words pulling him in two directions at once.
"I need to know," Damian said, his voice hoarse, breaking the thick silence. He turned fully to Evelyn, his eyes searching hers. "Why did you come to me? Why the bar? Why now? Was it really just a coincidence? Are you looking for me or are you here for something else?"
For a moment, Evelyn didn't respond. Her lips parted slightly as if she was about to say something, but instead, she looked away, muttering something under her breath. Damian couldn't hear the words, but there was a familiar hum to them, like a low vibration in the air.
A spell.
Malthus's voice burst into laughter, echoing through the space. "Ah, see? She won't even answer you! She can't because she knows I'm right. She's using you, Damian. She always was." His tone turned mocking, sharp like a blade slicing through the tension. "You think she cares about you? About what happens to you? You're just a pawn to her. She's just waiting to use your power to her advantage."
Damian felt his stomach twist. Evelyn still hadn't said anything. She kept her gaze lowered, her expression unreadable as she whispered whatever incantation was on her lips. He could hear the hum of magic now, faint but growing.
He should've doubted her. Malthus was right about one thing—he didn't really know Evelyn. She'd shown up, dragged him into this mess, and now she was muttering spells under her breath while he was being asked to make a life-changing decision. The doubt crept in, cold and sharp, tightening its grip on his mind.
But then something else stirred inside him, something deeper than the doubt. It wasn't logic or reason. It was instinct.
He couldn't explain it, but something about Evelyn, even in her silence, felt right. She had fought for him, protected him from the shadows, and risked her own life. Even now, she wasn't defending herself from Malthus's accusations, but that didn't feel like guilt. It felt like she was focused on something more important—on keeping him safe.
And in that moment, he made his choice.
"I'm not going with you, Malthus," Damian said, his voice firm, cutting through the air. "I don't trust you."
The room fell into a tense silence. Damian could feel the air shift.
Malthus's voice, once smooth and charming, darkened, dripping with venom. "You fool," he hissed. "Do you even realize what you've done? You've chosen to side with her—a liar, a thief! You had a chance to become something more, to escape this pointless struggle, and you threw it away!"
Damian stood his ground, though his heart pounded harder now. "Maybe I don't know everything, but I know I can't trust someone who hides in the shadows and plays mind games. I've made my choice."