[It was a tough lesson to learn far too late thanks to Vander when it came to family and the limitations that it put on a man. He had lost his family young, replaced it with Vander and company for some time, was betrayed and told himself that Zaun would always be put first from now on. He would work towards Zaun and drag everyone along for the ride whether they wanted it or not.
Jinx was supposed to be part of that, but he had let her in quickly. It wasn't going to be a problem he told himself; she was his daughter and he was far more loyal to her than anyone. No one could mess with her without going through him first, and he wielded a power few could consider standing up against unless they were stupid.
But then the choice had come: Zaun or Jinx. If that boy had known even a fraction of what Jinx meant to him, he wondered if that demand would have been put on the negotiation table. Too late for that now. The tale of Vander the coward and his children had come home to roost for him in that moment.
The moment the dream of Zaun died with little more than a whimper.
His fingers remained lightly on her shoulder as if to ground him to her, to remind himself of the lesson he had refused to acknowledge when he was executing his plan to kill Vander. At her expression, it reminded him of when she had still be struggling between Powder and Jinx, small and crying often while drawing under his desk and curled around his legs like a cat. Blue eyes peering up out of the dark of that space at him.]
no subject
Jinx was supposed to be part of that, but he had let her in quickly. It wasn't going to be a problem he told himself; she was his daughter and he was far more loyal to her than anyone. No one could mess with her without going through him first, and he wielded a power few could consider standing up against unless they were stupid.
But then the choice had come: Zaun or Jinx. If that boy had known even a fraction of what Jinx meant to him, he wondered if that demand would have been put on the negotiation table. Too late for that now. The tale of Vander the coward and his children had come home to roost for him in that moment.
The moment the dream of Zaun died with little more than a whimper.
His fingers remained lightly on her shoulder as if to ground him to her, to remind himself of the lesson he had refused to acknowledge when he was executing his plan to kill Vander. At her expression, it reminded him of when she had still be struggling between Powder and Jinx, small and crying often while drawing under his desk and curled around his legs like a cat. Blue eyes peering up out of the dark of that space at him.]
This time we'll build a kingdom for us.