Kingdom Come

Chapter 14

Simon could see the panic on Kerri's face as the train left the station. He felt like the world was coming down around him. He felt empty inside. Holding Kerri's walking stick made him panic. Kerri would need a new one. Simon would hold onto this one until he could give it back to him.

            "You sent him away," a quiet voice said from behind him. Simon slowly turned around. A woman with long black hair stood just a few feet away from him. She had a cut on her face that seemed to be almost completely healed. Her black jeans were ripped, and her orange t-shirt seemed like she had cut it to crop it roughly with a knife rather than with scissors.

            "I didn't have a choice." Simon's voice was hollow.

***

            Kerri pounded on the metal doors as hard as he could, but theey wouldn't give in to his bleeding knuckles. His voice was practically nonexistent from all the screaming he'd done over the last couple of hours. Could anyone even hear him?

            "Simon... Simon let me out," he begged as loudly as he could. All he could manage, however, was a whisper. "Please let me out."

But even if Simon hadn't been miles away, he wouldn't have heard Kerri anyway. He hit the doors of the empty train one last time before he slid down the wall. A sob escaped his throat.

It was over.

What had he done?

***

"Why do you insist on being alone, Sims? Didn't we show you that you don't have to be?"

"In Eklat, I didn't have to be. But I'm in Jolier now, Ten. I have to be their king. My father is dead. It's only because of a deal I made with Colonel Kestra that they haven't already crowned the duke as the king. I have to go, and I can't risk bringing Kerri with me. I refuse to put him through that. I can't put anyone else through that."

"Simon, you don't have to be alone. It's not too late to stop the train." Simon started to walk away. "Simon, stop! Why won't you listen? Don't you realize you're breaking him too?"

"Go home, Ten. Just go home and pretend you were never here."

"Simon!" He kept walking. Imane sighed and looked at Tennika. She wouldn't give up, would she? "Sims!"

Simon kept walking away, and Tennika started crying. Imane felt uncomfortable. She'd never had to comfort a crying person before.

"C'mon, Tennika, let's go back to Eklat. The blond is going to need help, and this guy doesn't want any."

Simon was out of sight now, and Tennika wailed. She'd been so strong on the way there. Imane felt miserable seeing her like this now.

***

Kerri arrived in Eklat several hours later, feeling more alone than ever before. Something inside of him felt dead. Missing. A whole piece of him was gone. Who knew that an annoying prince with fluffy hair could have such an impact on a person?

When he got to the train station, Tennika was already waiting for him, with another woman by her side. Kerri recognized her as the lead bounty hunter. But for some reason, he couldn't find it in himself to care. It was Tennika. She probably had her own reasons.

"I'm glad you're alright. As soon as I realized what was going on, Imane brought me to Jolier to try to find you, and then I was too late, and we hijacked teleporters to get here.... Kerri?"

"I couldn't do anything," Kerri choked. Tennika came forward and dragged him out of the train before hugging him. Imane stood by awkwardly, not sure what to do.