Dark Nine [18+]

Chapter Sixty-Three

Diana's POV

I found Venus, I sought him out with my Enhanced Instincts, and on the way down, I was heartbroken to see Diasphora sitting at the bars, talking to his father while reaching in for his face, as E lay on his back and looked up at his fast growing Kor son.

I had come with a mission in mind, but seeing E laid out and weak, his light dim and his eyes a soft spiral of madness, I just kneel next to Diasphora and grab the bars to look down at Venus in his punishment cell.

The only light is the green veins along the rocks, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Empress," Venus welcomes me, a quiet word only.

"E," Diasphora pulls on his hair, "E E."

"That's me, Diasphora," Venus grins, all his teeth are just as sharp as ever, if not longer than usual. I instinctually let go of the bars, scared by the sharp fangs.

"What do you want from me?" Venus asks me now, noting my scared reaction.

"Um, what did you tell Alpha Centauri?" I speak quietly back as I watch Diasphora start grabbing at the bars, trying to pry them apart with his chubby little hands.

E watches him sadly and I pick up Diasphora, tyring to give him a warm hug. He quickly swats me away and jumps back to the floor, waddling over and grabbing the bars again, gritting his teeth as he tries to open the cell, "E," he growls.

Venus laughs, and it's a beautiful melody full of love for his child.

"Stop, kiddo, I'm home," Venus gets up and sits opposite Diasphora, "I'm where I should be, little Diasphora. I broke the code –"

Diasphora is having none of this talk, he huffs and disappears as he runs off.

"Pretty sure little E doesn't understand the code," I growl at Venus and he moves closer to the bars, reaching a lithe hand out through the metal rods. I flinch back a little from his searching fingers.

They touch my knee and his claws tickle my skin, but I won't let him get any closer, "I do miss fucking you," E growls.

"Well, you're home, in there apparently, so don't complain if you're so content to be a prisoner," I mock him a little, the crazy bastard. Venus leans his face against the bars and just watches me quietly, the dull bronze is pulsing low.

"Junaia root, I gave Estori the wrong advice," Venus explains.

"What... exactly... is that root for?" I wonder.

"The Junaia root is a poison," Venus chuckles darkly, "Estori's spear took Cinta out. If he's lucky, his new toy will be a corpse before he can even drink from his new whore–"

"Venus, he seduced my only friend," I yell it out as I get to my feet.

I start to run again.

My hearing feels distorted with a panic I've never felt before.

I really liked Jitters. I didn't want her to die.

"Empress," Venus snarls out, halting me. The anxiety in his tone... I know I should listen to this, so I turn back to him even when I have no time, "Don't you want to see Alpha Centauri rotting in hell?" is that a fucking test or something?

"But poison, E? Why would you want to do that? Have you lost your mind," I hiss at E, "Oh, never mind."

Now when I run, I run at twice the speed.

I don't want Jitters to die.

And... I...

I didn't want him dead either.