Kingdom of Life and Death (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 6 "Heart of Fire" [part 1]

I didn't know if I could trust the voice in my head that was screaming for me to convince him no matter what, but there was no turning back now.

His head lowered in resignation, his gaze lost on the floor of the room in his majestic castle.

He was tired.

I could understand, because I was tired too.

Tired of still fighting for a future that seemed increasingly uncertain.

But we both knew that we were willing even to marry to achieve peace in all the Kingdoms. And if he was willing to do this, I knew deep inside me that he would end up giving me his sign.

I just didn't know what my request would truly entail.

'No one must know, did you hear me? No one.'

It was perhaps a simple promise, not to share with anyone what we were about to do, but I had to be honest with him.

'Caelus will know whether I want to or not.'

'He won't if you don't tell him Gaia.'

'He'll know.'

I ran my hand over my forehead and tried to find the right words so as not to hurt anyone. I knew Caelus' life was hanging by a thread every time I spoke of my feelings about him.

'We have a connection. I can't explain to you what it is. We just do.'

'I can tell, I've felt it, it's called being in love.'

I shook my head in case the words betrayed me.

'As much as I want to hide it from him, he'll know. I trust he won't tell anyone if he finds out, but he'll know.'

'So I have to risk also trusting that the pirate can keep a secret? This is getting worse and worse Gaia.'

'You have no idea what secrets a pirate like him can hide.'

He was a prince, the heir to the throne of Bieno. Who had known all his life that he would be bound to me whether he wanted to or not. And I had already realized after so many months that what I had with Caelus was not at all simply a prophecy. It was something more, something more powerful.

An outside force was binding us together, uniting our destinies.

All of it was contained within our hearts, unable to ever come to the surface.

'It's too much Gaia.'

'Think about it if you want, I'll give you tonight. But we must act as soon as possible, before the war worsens, before we are attacked without mercy.'

'You realize that if I give you my sign it will be the only one you will most simply get? Muvina maybe, but Julyana, Brennus, Jonah... you'll never get them.'

'I'll think about it.'

I stood up and took his hands, the hands of my partner in all this madness.

'This feels right, this is what I have to do Phoenix. I don't know how to explain it, but I'm sure this is it.'

His green eyes watched me analyzing the frankness in my gaze.

'I'll think about it, let me think about it. It's a lot to take in.'

'Of course.'

'I'll answer you in the morning, now get some rest.'

Before he left the room, he turned away.

'Sorry about the kiss. I thought maybe we could fake it, make it work. But I think we both know it doesn't work as easily as... anyway, I'm sorry.'

'You don't have to apologize. I understand.'