Balance And Control

Betrayal and Abandonment

I was still very weak after Ajak healed all my wounds, the pounding in my head growing angrier as we awaited Thena’s arousal from unconsciousness. The others talked quietly amongst themselves, whispering about Mahd Wy’ry, sparing concerned glances at the woman who had just attacked us all. 

“Drink some more, darling,” Druig instructed, lifting a tin cup to my lips. 

“I’m going to have to pee if you keep force feeding me liquids,” I scowled, accepting the drink nonetheless. 

“I thought Mahd Wy’ry was a myth,” Sersi finally said, disturbing the tense silence that filled the room. 

“Oh, good, we’re talking about it now. How didn’t we see this coming?” I asked, mustering my strength so I could stand and hobble over to the dais where Thena lay, brushing a strand of hair from her face. 

“There is no cure…” Phastos began as Ajak healed his stab wound, “so no one really talks about it.”

Thena awoke with a gasp, her eyes flying open as her pupils flashed white for a nanosecond. 

“Holy shit!” I exclaimed, quickly backing away and clutching my chest. “Why must you keep trying to kill me, Thena? I thought we were friends and you just about gave me a heart attack.” 

Her breathing was heavy when she spoke. “What happened?” 

“Thena…you attacked everyone. Wounded Sersi, Phastos; you nearly killed Ereida and Makkari,” Ajak summarized coldly, sounding more like a hardened leader than she usually did. It was a bit frightening. 

Thena sat up, her face twisted in anguish. “I don’t remember.” 

“You have Mahd Wy’ry. Your mind is fracturing under the weight of your memories. And all I can do is erase them so that you can start over.”

Thena shook her head in disbelief, tears falling from her eyes. I sat beside her, giving her shoulder a squeeze. I chose to be the comforting one in that moment despite everything that happened in the woods. Plus, I was still feeling woozy and needed to sit. “Ajak…there has to be another way.”

“I will have to inform Arishem and take you back to the ship where we have the technology to help you,” Ajak continued. 

“But she won’t be Thena anymore,” Makkari signed, brow furrowed. 

“She’ll forget who she is…who we are! You can’t do that!” I protested, twisting my hair anxiously. 

“What if it happens again? She could’ve killed you,” Kingo argued. “She could have killed all of us.”

“But she didn’t! And it wasn’t her fault, Kingo.” 

“Please,” Thena pleaded, her desperate gaze focused on Ajak. “Please, I-I want to remember. I want to remember my life.”

“Thena, I love you. But listen to me: It’s not important if you remember or not. Your spirit will remain. You will always be Thena deep inside,” Ajak said in a hushed tone. It was easy to miss the condescending nature of her actions, holding Thena’s hands and smiling maternally. “Trust me.” 

“Why should she trust you?” Druig interjected. “You’re asking her to let you erase who she is.”

“Dru,” I warned, trying to get him to meet my eyes. Now was not the time to pick a fight. 

“Druig, I know you’re upset, but…” Ajak attempted to reason. 

“Upset?!” he shouted, getting in her face. “We’ve trusted you for seven thousand years, and look where you’ve gotten us.”