BORDER

Chapter Seventeen

NERISSA

We continue to cross the ocean for what feels like years. Anakin sleeps just a little bit, on and off. The waves feel smooth and calming. Sweet. The smell is horrid, though. It smells like rotting fish over this side. The one back home smells like the finest salt your tongue has ever tasted. It's actually where we gather ours.

I smile softly at the thought of being home. It is a nice thought. Our ocean is turquoise and not navy blue. There are beautiful sunsets made of oranges, pinks, and sometimes right before night, purple. The sun is so bright it hurts to look too hard.

You can smell the rich scent of sweet pollen from our hibiscus. It is this mixture of soil, the perfume of the finest flower you can smell, and sweetness with a very small hint of bitterness. It is our flower. It represents every angel of Lani.

There is no nature in Gehena, only thorns and hard earth. After all, its original name was the Underground. Given to them by Blade, the god of this realm. I think he is one to prefer darkness though, even with a supporting spirit. Sometimes souls are called to darkness, it's not a bad thing, sometimes it is safer than being in the light. I could tell he has a good soul. He just got the wrong end of the stick, unfortunately.

I don't think he should have been the underground's leader with his type of hospitality. I was honestly expecting a more muscular built man, with muscles bigger than his brain, with issues beyond compare, but Blade is actually sane. Unlike his nephew, who isn't his nephew, Blade actually has a massive amount of respect for me. It is slightly confusing how someone so kind can be in a world so cruel.

Unless it was all just an act, but I don't think so.

It reminds me of a book I read long ago, a king at war with being good and being what his family has made him. I wonder if Blade ever feels like that. I wonder if following the rules of the gods, who so often leave us in the dark, is hard.

I glance at Anakin as he rests his chin on his chest. His arms crossed and protecting his body. I can not help but smile. It is such an awful feeling to be alone. Was this how Anakin feels all the time? Was this his way of making his trauma come to life? By hurting other people.

It is a shame he can think of such a cruel thing to do to women. I am not going to try to make him a friend. There is no denying this tension of anger towards one another but it is mostly from him. If he was nicer from the beginning, I highly doubt that we would be in this position. Cruelty is his protection and he just doesn't know any better it seems, but he has absolutely no right to take his problems out on me.

A crash of waves rocks the boat. I grasp on for dear life on the sides as Anakin wakes up from the ruckus. He does the same as me. His puzzled expression is actually amusing, he blinks the sleep and dreams from his eyes.

"Okay, we're here. Be prepared. He knows it. He knows." I look at him with confusion.

Who is he talking about?

Then the boat rocks violently again and I know all too well who. Kano. He knows we've arrived and the way the sea turns tumultuous, he doesn't seem happy.

As if he hears my distrust in his welcoming committee, he then knocks us on our ass. My vision blurs just as Anakin throws me his bag. I barely catch it considering it's half the size that I am. I then even out my weight with him, thinking it would help us.

Anakin lays down and drags me down by my ankles to lie with him. I inspect his labored breathing and tense expressions. He doesn't mean to let me see, but I can very much tell he is terrified. So, I follow his lead. However, he is still a lot heavier than I am.