The Black God didn't move.
"Maybe I hoped you could do what I could not do for myself," she said.
"I will do as I swore," he said at last. "I'll destroy every Guardian on this planet if you don't bring me the answer I want." He walked away, hesitated, and faced her again. "I'm the Black God, Jenn. I can't be salvaged."
Jonny left. Jenn rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms.
I can't be salvaged. The words struck her hard. He was hurting, that much she could sense even without her magic. He'd truly thought he loved her. She was lucky to be in one piece after all he'd learned.
Duty, honor, courage, selflessness. The chant no longer soothed the pain within her as she thought of her own past.
Sorrow, then fury filled her. She didn't know what to think about Jonny's assignment or his insistence Darian would destroy one world. For once, she wanted to see Darian, to ask him outright what the fuck was going on. She wondered how she'd do what he told her when she couldn't Travel. She'd have trouble defending herself in his mansion without the sixth sense that helped her track the vamps prowling around her.
Jenn checked her pocket, not surprised to see the phone Darian lent her was missing. She flung a knife against the wall in anger then strode out of the Black God's chamber to the ground floor. It was too early for the vamps to be in the gym, so she stripped down to her undershirt without changing into her sparring gear and began pounding into the dummy in front of her.
Even if she had no magic, she still had most of a Guardian's superhuman strength. Jenn slammed her hands and kicks into the punching bag.
I can't be salvaged. She hadn't thought she'd wanted the opposite so badly. The words stung, because she hated feeling as though she, too, was beyond redemption. She'd buried those ghosts a long time ago, owning up to her responsibility in the deaths of her family. And yet, the guilt never completely left. There was nothing she could do to change that.
You're going to find out how to keep the Grey God from destroying our world. If that means he dies, so be it. At the thought of Darian, her punch faltered, and pain shot through her wrist. Jonny hadn't mentioned knowing she was Darian's mate, but keeping anything from him just got harder. She hadn't wanted anything to do with Darian. Jonny all but ordered her to interact with the Grey God.