"He has no choice. And he won't pick ours, Jenn," Jonny continued. "Xander said he spoke to the Oracle, and the Oracle confirmed that one world would die."
He won't pick ours. Jonny's words bounced around in her thoughts as she recalled the look Darian had given the portal they stumbled upon. He'd been yearning and delighted, even claiming the immortal world to be heaven.
"No, Jonny. He won't forsake his duty," she said and rose, agitated.
"What makes you so certain?"
Two weeks ago, she wouldn't have known which way Darian would go. But he'd changed again. He would hold his duty over his fascination with the immortal world. Especially if he saw it as she did. The world was in shambles.
"I know he won't," she said. "Are you certain one world must die?"
"Why do you think the Grey God existed and then was killed? This time, Xander says Darian's fate is not the same as his predecessor. But neither has his choice changed."
"There's nothing that would make him choose the immortal world over ours."
"What motivation does he have to choose our world?" Jonny argued, approaching her. His agitated air was filled with magic. "The Others told me he was enslaved by a Black God. There's no Black God in the immortal world!"
"There are no humans there, either," she pointed out. "As the White God, he was sworn to protect humanity."
"As Grey God, he's destined to destroy a world. Are you comfortable saying it won't be ours?"
"Yes, I am!"
"I'm not. And if I can't protect my world, I'll find a way to destroy him."
"Jonny, he's not your enemy," she said. "The Others are your enemies. They're setting you up to betray you."
"They won't, not if they want …" Jonny ran his fingers through his hair. "I made them a deal."
"What kind of deal?" she breathed.
"One that will see my vamps protected and the worlds both survive."
"Jonny-"
He held up a hand. "It also might save our world, Jenn. They're going to stop attacking Guardians, too, and they're going to focus on Darian. Xander says they can't kill him, but maybe they can keep him from destroying our world."
"What makes you think they won't focus Darian on destroying our world?" she demanded.
"I had to do them a favor."