When Stars Collide

Chapter 17- Son of the devil - Magelion

Maia is in the spirit realm with Skylar. How did she end up there and why? I was spending too many days locked up in here trying to bring her back, but nothing is working. When my dad knocks on the door and opens it, looming over the board, I cover Maia’s piece and he glares at me.

“I knew you two were lying to me that day.”

“I swear, father I was trying to-”

“Enough! Magelion, is she still alive?” I nod and he smoothens his beard that seems to be growing more. We’re both worried, but for different reasons. He looks at me and when Gianna storms into my room, she enters with rage rolling in waves. 

“Tristan is the traitor. Could you believe it?” she says angrily and I stare at my dad, gawking at the news. He can’t be the traitor. He had been too in love with Alaia to even dare to do something like that.

“Where is he now?”

“In the heavenly dungeons sir.” My dad looks at me and nods.

“Gianna, if I may, I’d like to interrogate him and prepare a report for Maia, if she’s not aware yet. Is she?”

“No, not yet. You may go,” she nods and I quickly slip away from my dad and the onslaught of critiques I’d get for landing Maia in the mortal world. I had no way to contact her and out of all the things I have tried, nothing has worked. After walking past the empty throne room, I spot Lida talking to the copy of her.

Goddess, I wasn’t used to the fact there was a copy of her. Her lips that had kissed mine were still imprinted to my mind. The way her body pressed close to me in the royal garden, the way her eyes reflected the yearning I felt for her. 

Twin stars that were never meant to cross finally did and it felt so good, my mind had been reeling since then. I had been angry at her because she said ‘friend or soldier’ and I felt she had been slumming me to Der. But she apologized and I know I was being rude and indifferent, but sometimes Maia needs someone to do that to her. 

To make her realize everything can’t be forgiven with an apology. Sometimes, words do cut deeper than thorns and sometimes… it did hurt to hear the harsh reality being thrown at you. I didn’t want to accept that we couldn’t be more when all I had envisioned before had been her and our future. I never expected Alaia to die. I envisioned marrying her, courting her officially and making her happy. In an instant, this traitor had taken everything I loved and put her in danger. This is how Lida ended up being a copy for Maia and for covering up my mistakes. We’re in deep trouble and I know that one day, we’d end up drowning in our own lies. 

I turn around the corner and descend the stairs from the throne room to the dungeons. Why were they so close to the throne room? Whoever made this place should’ve been smarter than to do such a grave mistake that could be deadly. The bright hall darkened immediately and my cape billowed behind me, reminding me that I had to blend in more. I look inside the empty cells and when I find Tristan sitting in the last cell, I face him and he gets up, holding onto the cell for support.

“Don’t tell me you did it, Tristan.” I tell him and he shakes his head.

“Magelion! Thank the goddess you’re here! You have to believe me. I would never hurt Alaia. Ever. I loved her too much to do such a thing. Someone is framing me for it. They hid the poison and a map of the plan to kill Maia. Where is she? You need to make sure she’s safe. The Harbinger isn’t the one doing this. He doesn’t have access to the barracks. It was someone in my guard. It has to be,” he explains urgently to me and I stare at the guard who’s half asleep. 

I sympathized with him because I didn’t sleep much either. I sigh and tell him everything. From my argument with Maia, to her ending up at my lab, to my accident of sending her to the mortal world and Lida acting as Maia now with the glamour.