Beyond Human: Queen's Shadow Series

29.) A Sliver of Hope

~~~Apollos

I was feeling lightheaded for the longest but I got ready to go and meet with the last child, Claire. She sent me a special request and I'm here to honor it. I carry my sword which felt heavier than anything else had in days. 'Apollos, you don't have to do this,' "Stay out of this, Priscilla." I say to her, calmly. 'You don't have to bear this burden on your own. Just talk to me. You know you can trust me.' "I'm through with relying on you right now." 'I'm sorry about putting you on the spot like that. I'm sorry about what I've done. It's what's best for...' "Is it what's best for you or best for our family?" I say, cutting her off. She was speechless as she stopped following me. I didn't bother to look at her or make eye contact with her. It would have been a waste of my time.

'All I wanted to do was help you. Can't you look me in the eyes and realize that?' I turn to meet her gaze, her eyes were sad but I could tell that she didn't want it to end like this. If she didn't want it to end like this, she shouldn't have put me on the spot, she shouldn't have questioned my loyalty. I've been trying my best to help everyone, I've also been trying my best to understand every one, to see their perspective yet for the life of me, a lot of people couldn't see mine, or maybe I was just self-centered as a person. I'm not sure.

It took me a few moments to end up at the cathedral. Once I entered the door, I could see the nuns staring at me and as I got closer and closer, more nuns followed behind me. I knew they weren't going to attack me, they knew what I was capable of but I also knew this was incredibly hard for them. This was something that only I could do so now I had to make a choice. Do I confront them now or do I talk to Claire first? 'Talk to them first, Apollos. They're worried and afraid. Please understand what they're going through," I hear Claire's tiny telepathic voice and I knew why.

She wanted to make this easy for them, I understood what they were going through but I really couldn't find a reason to empathize with them. They clearly think that the world is supposed to fix itself with rosy lies and sentimental bullshit. As the nuns and the preacher stood behind me, I found myself, looking into their eyes, sadness, anger, and hate, all emotions I would feel if I was in the same situation as them but all the same, emotions that I know could get me hurt, all the same emotions I know that would make me pause. I know those emotions but at the end of the day, I know that the needs of the ton will always outweigh the ends of the few.

"I'm sorry this has to be this way. I'm sorry that I have to hurt them." I say to all of them. 'You're a murderer. That's all you are is a murderer." I heard a nun say to me, 'You couldn't even find a way to save these children. You are one of the nine children of Lilith, the woman who made miracles to save millions and the woman who keeps making miracles.' 'Darla, he is still the ninth prince. You cannot disrespect him this way.' I hear Henrietta say, 'We took an oath to God, Henrietta. Are you saying you can't be bothered to see that we serve a higher being, higher than the queen?' 'No,' I hear Henrietta say, 'I am saying that he is the only one who has been able to free them and all I'm saying is we need only to understand that his role is much different than ours. It is in every saint's heart to forgive even if we are not ready to.'

'Then we must meditate on it.' I could see Darla's eyes showed nothing but sadness as she began to cry. 'They're just children.' She says in a soft voice. 'I know, Darla,' Henrietta says while hugging her, 'I know.' "This isn't easy for anyone," I say to them, "I don't expect you all to understand but I expect you to understand that what I'm doing is for the good of the world and I apologize." As everyone began to disperse, Priscilla was standing there. Before I opened the door, Priscilla was already next to me as she then says to me, 'I'm sorry this happens. I don't expect you to talk to me now but I will be home and I feel as though we need to have an important conversation but I will go home and we will have to have an important conversation.' "Understood." Before she left, I saw something in her eyes, it wasn't the same look that I saw before, no, this look was pure anger and malice, something I didn't think Priscilla would show towards me but she was showing it now. It's not important right now.