Kingdom of Life and Death (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 11 "Purity of Heart" [part 1]

How do we know that what we are doing or deciding is really the right thing to do?

How could I be sure that continuing to collect the signs was the best decision?

How could I know that it wouldn't cost more than I had already lost?

I didn't know anything for sure.

Muvina also didn't know for sure if she could trust me.

She looked at me suspiciously, because in her eyes I had what she wanted to have.

Phoenix.

I would never have chosen to be between them.

I didn't even know there had been anything between them in the first place.

Phoenix had decided to bet on me, he chose me. She couldn't blame me for that decision.

If what she wanted was to be able to decide, that was exactly what I was offering her.

A choice.

She let go of Phoenix's hands, as if trying to erase the importance he held for her, as if she didn't recognise that her old love still remained intact in her heart.

'Okay.'

'Okay?' I repeated, not knowing what she meant.

'I'll give you one chance. Just one chance. But you'll have to earn the right to even be near my sign. It's not something I thought I'd do until I had my own heirs, but maybe I can test it out on you.'

My eyes travelled from her to Phoenix.

She had agreed.

All was well.

'So, Phoenix, I need you to leave now.'

Or maybe not.

'I'd rather stay,' he replied.

'Too bad you're not the one deciding this time.'

'Muvina, I won't leave her alone with you.'

With the same intensity I'd noticed from the moment they'd seen each other, now they were challenging each other.

Phoenix knew I needed him, maybe he didn't know how much, but he knew.

And there was something quite terrifying about his concern about leaving me alone with her.

'Then the two of you can leave. My castle, my rules.'

We had no choice but to play along. 

She was really showing her power. Maybe to challenge me, maybe to test me, but either way she was doing it.

'Phoenix, I'll be fine,' I said trying to stop the staring match.

'Gaia, you don't know...'

'Please Phoenix, go.'

Phoenix nodded and without another word, ignoring Muvina's stare, he walked out of the ballroom, leaving behind his fiancée and his old love, who didn't seem to be that old.

'You know, he doesn't fool me.'

'What are you talking about?'

'He says he doesn't have feelings for you... yeah right. He cares about you a lot. He trusts you. I bet he gets angry at you when you don't do what he says. You know why? Because he is so worried about looking after you that he thinks the only way to keep you safe is to tell you exactly what to do. That happened to you, right? I'm telling you, he definitely has feelings for you.'