Emerald

Chapter Eight

TERRIBLE TRUTH

Caixa hadn't woken up for what seemed like weeks to Tobias, but she was only asleep in the hospital wing recovering under the care of Damien for about two hours. Tobias cursed himself as he paced about the castle, wandering and wondering what might've happened if he didn't kill her mother the night before... the night before...

He passed the hospital wing twice before a servant came up to him telling him that Caixa was awake. He thanked the servant, and hesitated before making his way to the hospital wing. He mindlessly arrived at the corridor, and started to make his way in when Phil spotted him. Phil tore away from the bed Caixa was laying on, and met Tobias halfway from the door to Caixa's table.

"She doesn't want to see you," Phil said solemnly,

"Go figure. I should have expected that," Tobias said, hiding his ashamed face from Phil's view.

"Give her time. I don't think it'll take her long to come around. Whatever happened between you two, anyway?" Phil asked, blocking Tobias from seeing Caixa.

Tobias pretended not to notice Phil blocking him. "I am responsible for her mother's death."

Phil sighed. "Walk with me." The two gods exited the hospital wing. They walked in silence to the courtyard, where the sun shone in through the square place, and they covered themselves under the oak tree Tobias had seen Damien laying under or Phil reading a book on so many times before the war, when most of the time, everything was peaceful.

He remembered letting one of the daughters of the soldiers braid his long, pink hair. He remembered how quiet the voices had been during that time. They became louder than ever before the day before the war began, shortly after the Red Army had started gathering its troops from all across the country.

He remembered the days when the city of Maya was just Maya, and there were no Maya Ruins and no New Maya. He remembered the days when the king was present at every national event, long forgotten as the war dragged on.

"Tell me what happened," Phil said, looking through the leaves.

Tobias sighed. "I received a message from one of our spies in the Red Empire. He said he found a Red Army soldier holding hostages in a desolate house in the desert."

"Was this before or after you met Caixa?" Phil asked.

"After." He responded, holding his hands behind his back. "I immediately headed that direction, and found the house. No hostages, no inhabitants."

Phil's eyes darted down from the leaves. He turned his head to Tobias, confused. "No inhabitants?"

"So I thought. I turned to leave when she attacked me with a broken bottle. She didn't last long. I had a hold on her almost immediately. I didn't see that Caixa was her daughter until I saw the diary book on the kitchen table." Tobias didn't dare look at his old friend.

Phil sighed again. "My friend, you have an instinct."

Tobias groans and rubs his temple. "I know. We've had this discussion, multiple times." He begins to pace. "'Remember your place', I've heard it all before."

"How did she find out it was you?" Phil asked next.

Tobias's soul shrunk. He had been hoping Phil wouldn't ask that question. At this point, he had hoped that the moment he and Caixa had shared would remain secret until their relationship became something bigger. If it could become something bigger.

He had kissed her that night like it was an instinct. Like he would have done it any other night. He kissed her goodnight like he was going to do it for the rest of his life. He hadn't even realized he kissed her until after he pulled away. He's started panicking. After he left he cursed himself for doing so, knowing well that if Phil or Will found out it would cause trouble for everyone. Why? The answer is simple.