Agamemnon's Dowery

Chapter 5

Agamemnon bounded up the narrow staircase leading to the small apartment he shared with his sister, his feet lightly skipping every other step as they always did. The worn wooden railing felt familiar beneath his hand, and the rhythm of his ascent had become second nature over the years. Reaching the top, he pushed open the door and stepped into the cramped but cozy living room. The faint scent of spices and freshly simmering broth drifted through the air.

"Hey, Nala, you home?" he called out, his voice echoing in the stillness. But as he crossed the threshold from the hallway into the living room, something caught his eye. In his periphery, he noticed a silhouette leaning casually against the wall-a familiar figure. Agamemnon's heart skipped a beat, and a surge of instinctive disgust churned in his gut as he took in the sight of dark, pointed ears and long, braided hair that shimmered like spun silk. He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to scowl as he turned to face the intruder. The dark elf stood there, his presence like an unwelcome shadow tainting the light of their home. His thin lips curved into a smile that was more of a sneer, eyes glinting with a predatory gleam.

"Evening, Agamemnon," the dark elf drawled, his voice dripping with a sickening mix of smugness and false warmth.

"Bellenus," Aggy replied, his voice tight. The name tasted like poison on his tongue, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep his expression neutral. He forced a smile, a strained grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Great to see you," he lied through gritted teeth. "But where's Nala?"

Bellenus's smile widened, sharp and predatory, as if he relished the discomfort radiating off Agamemnon. With a lazy flick of his wrist, the elf conjured a shimmering arrow of pale light, which hovered in midair before spinning and pointing toward the small kitchen at the back of the apartment.

"She's in there," he said smoothly, the arrow disappearing in a soft puff of magic.

Almost on cue, a bright voice called out from the kitchen, shattering the tense atmosphere. "In here, Aggy! Just working on dinner!"

Agamemnon's shoulders eased slightly at the sound of his sister's voice, but his gaze never left Bellenus. The dark elf stood there, too comfortable in a place he had no right to be, his smirk never faltering. Something was off-more than the usual dislike that simmered between them. There was an air of possessiveness in the way Bellenus glanced toward the kitchen, a dark edge to his smile that set Agamemnon's nerves on edge.

Suppressing the uneasy feeling that twisted in his chest, Agamemnon forced his feet to move, heading toward the kitchen as casually as he could manage. Aggy didn't wait a second after crossing into the small, cluttered kitchen before launching into his rant. He kept his voice low, though the annoyance was unmistakable in every syllable. "What's he doing here?" he demanded, his brow furrowing as he turned to face his sister.

Nala looked up from the stovetop, where she was stirring a pot of something that smelled like spiced vegetables. Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose bun, a few stray curls framing her delicate face. She didn't look the least bit fazed by his agitation. Instead, a playful smile tugged at her lips, and she let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as if humoring a child's tantrum.

"Can my *boyfriend* not visit me?" she teased, her voice light and airy. There was a familiar warmth in her eyes, the same warmth that seemed to melt away every worry she'd ever had. Aggy's shoulders tightened at the word, the weight of it settling uncomfortably in his chest.

Boyfriend. That's what she called him. As if Bellenus was just some normal guy dropping by after work, not the brooding, calculating dark elf who sent chills down Aggy's spine. If it had been anyone else, maybe Aggy would have been fine-maybe even happy for her. But Bellenus always left a bad taste in his mouth, like something rancid that no number of polite smiles could cover up.