KINDNESS AND LIES_ Chapter Thirteen_ THE GIRL WITH SILVER EYES

 

"The truth has never been of any real value to anyone besides philosophers. 

Ask Socrates after the hemlock what it did for him.

In human relations, kindness and lies are worth a thousand truths." 

- Lucas

Lucas thought that there was always one moment in a relationship when the door opens and lets the future in.

It came with his dealings with General Donovan when the man snapped, "All right, stage magician, how did you do all this?"

"What are you going on about?"

"You did magic tricks all across Europe. How did you do all this: the glimpse into Venice, the disappearance of Blanche, Henderson appearing as some demon girl?"

Lucas sighed. 

Denial of the uncomfortable was a "save now, pay later" scheme that cost more than you believed at the start.

He thought about telling the general that Miss Devereaux was true and certain dead, long buried in the past.

He studied the frantic desperation in the general's eyes.

Donovan believed in a world that made sense. 

One that did not threaten his sanity. The last war had been nightmare enough for the man, leaving wounds both physical and emotional.

There was no room in his mind for any horror that could not be logically explained.

Lucas held back his initial reply. 

If you told someone ten times what they did not want to believe, you were wasting your breath nine times.

Denial was a bit like sleepwalking. 

People weren't aware they were doing it while they were doing it.

Forcing someone to awaken to the truth was dangerous: they were hiding from it for a reason.

Lucas chose his words carefully. He had no regard for the man's rank, but he would endanger no man's sanity lightly.

"You sent Henderson and myself off to retrieve a cursed book. What did you expect?"

Donovan waved about his office. "Not all this!"

"Have you ever read O'Henry's THE MONKEY'S PAW?"

"The only books I read are law books, Mister. Oh, I've heard of Tarot cards, Ouija Boards, Aladdin's Lamp."

The general let out a kind of terrier noise, half snort, half laugh. 

"I thought it was worth a shot to see if I could use this office to bring a little magic back to my life."

Lucas fought the urge to strangle the man.

So a decorated war hero misused his position for the first time, destroying the only woman he called friend.

Lucas turned his back on the man.

"Where the hell do you think you are going, Captain?"

"Funny you should phrase it that way, General. I'm following your orders."

And to save what was left of the man's sanity, Lucas hurled down a fistful of flash power as he "turned the corner."