Keeper of the Lost Cities: War

Chapter Twenty Five

Tam sat curled up in the corner of the prison he had been dumped back into, his thumb tracing the ability restraining circlet that rested on his forehead, that was no doubt, Dex's handiwork.

Vaguely, memories flashed by, and pieces of what happened between him and Keefe right before Biana showed up in the shadow realm fit together.

He had forgotten what Keefe had said before, but now it rang through his head like a clanging bell.
-I need you-

Maybe then when they were stranded in the shadow realm Keefe needed Tam, but now Keefe was free, so Keefe didn't need him anymore.
And probably left him to rot with the Neverseen on purpose.

But then again, that wouldn't make sense if Keefe had actually been trying to get Daenerys to take Tam out of the situation they had been in instead of himself.

Tam pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead on them as he wrapped his arms around his legs, forming a little ball.
Maybe if he got small enough, then he maybe he wouldn't have to exist.

What was the point anymore really?

One of two of his main reasons for living had been taken away from him, and even just thinking that thought, not even her name, had Tam's chest hurting as his breathing turned ragged as he fought back another wave of tears.

She didn't deserve that. Out of everyone there, she didn't deserve what happened.

Part of Tam blamed his stupid ability for not being strong enough.
Blamed his stupid body for not being fast enough.
Blamed his stupid mind for not thinking fast enough.

It was his fault that Linh hadn't been protected when she needed him the most.

No, instead, Tam had to leave her side and keep safe someone insanely more annoying.
And he didn't even protect Keefe very well either considering the number of injuries that had occurred either by someone else or by Tam himself.

Though Tam knew why he did it.
Why he chose to not argue with being assigned to Keefe.
And he hated himself for it.
Hated himself for letting Keefe become that large of a weakness.
A weakness that cost him his sister.

His head throbbed as though part of his mind had splintered, the cracks threatening to shatter his mind into oblivion with guilt.
He deserved it after all.

If Tam hadn't existed, Linh would be alive, and Keefe wouldn't have gotten captured in the first place, nor would he have that stupid ability that Tam's actions had brought about.
The two people he cared most about suffered more by being around him than they should have too in their entire lifetime.

"So here we have the sulking shade- or should I say talentless?" Zlo's voice broke through the haze, making Tam's head rise a little to meet the piercing gaze of the murmur boy.

Zlo was kneeling down in front of Tam so that their gaze was level.
To Tam's surprise, Zlo didn't seem to have the same mood as all the times he had been around him before.

"What do you want?" Tam asked hoarsely, his voice sounding ragged enough to have just been tossed into a washer and wrung out with two hands.

At first, Zlo didn't answer, merely repositioning his legs so that he sat down with them crossed, criss cross applesauce.
"Its not my decision what happens." He finally muttered, and for once, did not hold Tam's gaze, and shifted his eyes to look at his hands.

"But Fitz said that you could do what you want with me-" Tam started to quote, but Zlo shook his head, looking somewhat frustrated.

"If it was that simple then you wouldn't be here at all." Zlo said, picking at his shoes. "If your life was actually up to me, I would've wiped your mind and kept you as a servant or set you free into the Forbidden Cities until the war was over- just to keep you out of the way. But- as I said- it's not really up to me at all what happens to you."