“Thank you,” Marcellious repeated. He heaved himself to stand and shuffled out of the teepee with a grunt.
After he’d departed, Grey Feather turned to Roman and me. “There’s something about Balthazar you need to understand. Once long ago, Balthazar was ruled by the folly of human emotion—he had a lover whom he adored. She was not just any woman, but she was a Timeborne. Together they had the ultimate love: the Timeborne in love with the darkness. When she was with him, she didn’t know he was the darkness and that he could destroy her. But when she discovered he was a murderer, she was disgusted. She wanted to destroy him. But sadly, she was unable to kill him.”
“Why couldn’t she?” I asked.Would I be able to kill Tristan for murdering my father?I’d once considered Tristan the love of my life. Yet, it seemed clear to me that I would do anything to avenge my father’s death, even commit an act of murder.
This thought surprised me. Living in the 21stcentury, I always considered myself a reasonably civilized person who would prefer to let the legal system right a wrong. My morals and values had changed since living in ancient Rome and landing in the 19th century.
Grey Feather said, “My sources claimed she had found only one of the blades. You need both daggers to create a strong enough force against Balthazar. The sun and the moon knives are a set. They act in tandem to vanquish evil. And she was still madly in love with Balthazar.”
“How can a Timeborne fall in love with the darkness? It seems unreal. The darkness is just pure evil.”
“Oh, Little Moon, you don’t understand the darkness’ love is poisonous.” Grey Feather’s gaze grew ponderous. “Once you feel the love and passion from the darkness, it’s impossible to forget or let go. That was the problem with her. She couldn’t let go of him, no matter how much pain and sorrow it caused her.”
“So, how are we to find both daggers?” I stretched out my legs before me to ease the ache in my muscles, then tucked them by my side.
Grey Feather’s gaze shifted back and forth. “This woman—we called her Fierce Wind—wrote a detailed journal. You must find the journal to find answers. It will contain all her secrets, everything….”
“Any idea where to look for the journal?” Roman said.
“And how do we even know she had it during this time?” I added. “I don’t think I’m up for another time travel so soon—not until I destroy my darkness and Roman destroys his.”
“I can assure you the journal is in this time,” the chief said. “She was here twenty-eight years ago. Dancing Fire was in major grief after Hunting Wolf and Swift Hawk left. When Fierce Wind arrived, she told us she was in great danger. Tremendous danger.”
The chief closed his eyes, perhaps gathering a memory.
Roman lifted my hand to his lips in the silence surrounding us and kissed my knuckles.
I smiled softly at him, grateful for the contact.
Roman’s and my fingers were entwined when the chief opened his eyes again.
“Fierce Wind told us about Balthazar and how he was after her, and she needed help to defeat him. She also told us that she kept details of Balthazar’s weaknesses and couldn’t defeat him without finding both weapons,” Grey Feather said. “I recall a conversation with her where she said, ‘I was told you have someone who can help me from your time. I came here because your tribe supposedly has a time traveler who can help defeat Balthazar.’ Fierce Wind kept repeating how much danger she faced if she didn’t kill Balthazar because Balthazar looked for her in every timeline and place.
“She kept repeating how she’d betrayed him, how she still continued to love him, and how neither could stay away from the other. They were soul-crossed lovers, sharing an undeniable destiny. Ultimately, she knew she’d have to destroy him, but I have no doubt it was one of the hardest things she’d ever do.” The chief’s body sagged as he expelled a long breath.
Roman’s brow furrowed as he spoke. “This seems impossible. We’re still at a dead end here, being hunted by a demon yet apparently helpless to defend ourselves.”
The chief nodded. “I know it seems that way, but Balthazar has a weakness.”
“How do we know Balthazar has a weakness?” I said.
The old chief’s gaze shifted back and forth.
Grey Feather picked up the same stick Marcellious had used to stir the fire and poked it in the embers. As he ignited the flames, he worried his lips. Finally, he said, “Every being has a weakness. You have to find out what it is and destroy Balthazar.”
“But you don’t even know where this journal is,” I said dejectedly. “How can we find this document?”
The chief ignored me, stirring his fire as if we weren’t even in the teepee with him.
A thick and smothering silence filled the space as if a hand was over my mouth.
Before me, the fire sparked and blazed, engulfing the teepee with heat.
Sweat trickled down my neck as we waited for the chief to say something meaningful. It was stifling in here, and my irritation at hitting so many dead ends grew.
Finally, still not looking at me, Grey Feather said, “Tonight we shall have a great bonfire and ask the Great Spirit where Fierce Wind’s writing is. We shall prepare a great ceremony. Until tonight.”
He waved his hand as if shooing us from the room.
