Fates and Thrones

Betrayal

The three hours back to the village felt as if they had taken an eternity. Everyone around was silent, Ajita was distracted by the Bident. She kept flipping it around examining it, as if she would find some clue to help ease the darkness in her gaze. Veyrun and Solisdr each walked on one side of me leaving Jax to walk in front of me.

Numerous times I caught myself reaching out to say something, but then Solisdr would look at me and I would freeze.

After the incident with the one the Gods are calling Lyra, and Hermes had smoothed over her feelings, we got to leave. Ajita never got her dagger back but was instead replaced with the Bident she was sent here to retrieve.

The two gentlemen escorted us to the exit of the cavern, and that was where Jax was waiting for us. Part of me wanted to run up and kiss him, but I held back. He was not there for me. I was alone. I knew what my sister was doing, but where was he? I thought he was here to look out for us; instead, he was off doing whatever while I was being attacked.

"How dare you show your face here?" My voice trembled with a mix of anger and hurt.

"I am so sorry, Aleesia. I didn't mean to leave you. But I was pulled away." His eyes dropped, avoiding mine. I took two steps forward, my fingers trembling as I pushed his face back up to force him to look at me.

"You do not get to apologize now. You were not there, and that is all there is to that. I refuse to accept that you would come all this way with us just to dip." I dropped his face but kept my gaze locked on his. "You better have a good excuse for leaving me. We could have died." I glanced back at Ajita, who hugged herself tightly, her eyes shadowed with lingering fear. "She almost killed me..."

"Aleesia." His voice sounded like a broken prayer, pulling at my heart. Before I could respond, the two Gods approached, sizing him up.

"We normally do not like to share our treats, but she seems to like you. But you need to break this Auntie's boy thing you have going on." Veyrun's voice was smooth as silk as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Without thinking, I leaned into him, sighing against the warmth of his presence.

Solisdr hugged my other side before nodding along. It was strange to see these two contrasting Gods agree on something. All the stories we heard as kids said that contrasting Gods and Goddesses always fought and never complimented each other. Yet, here they were, acting like the best of friends.

I caught myself staring at the two before pulling away, feeling a sharp pang in my chest. What was I doing? Kgosi sold me after using me up. Jax left me to fend for myself while my sister nearly killed me. Men always betrayed us. I should just not be interested in them anymore. Yet, the minute the thought crossed my mind, my heart started to ache. Why? I want to love; that is all I have ever wanted. But time and time again, I was proven I would never have it. So why did I still hope to find it in these three?

"I will tell you everything, I promise. Right now, it is not the time for it, though. You two are still on a time limit, and you have a day left. That is not enough time for you to hike back. We must go to the village and see if there is anyone that can help you." Jax's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts, quickly drawing my attention back to the challenge at hand.

Ajita laughed at him, raising the Bident and leveling one of the fiercest glares I'd ever seen. "Stay away from my sister, or I will show you exactly what I can do. You are the one that left, not her."

"Enough, ladies. Even though he abandoned you, he is here now. Unfortunately, though, he is correct. So let us travel back to the village," Solisdr spoke up before Ajita could do anything she would regret.

"Alright then, let's go."

The few hours back to the village felt like an eternity. The air hung heavy with unspoken words. Ajita was distracted by the Bident, flipping it around as if searching for a clue hidden in its design to ease the darkness in her gaze. Veyrun and Solisdr walked on either side of me, their silent strength comforting yet overwhelming.

Numerous times, I caught myself reaching out to say something, only for Solisdr's watchful eyes to freeze me in place. I felt trapped in my own emotions, every glance at Jax igniting a war between my heart and my head. He walked in front of me, shoulders tense, and I wanted to shout at him, to demand answers. Instead, I held my tongue, feeling the weight of the moment.

With each step, anger surged through me. How could he have left? The ache in my chest twisted tighter, mixing with the hope I hated to admit was still there. I was tired of feeling this way, of yearning for a love that always seemed just out of reach.

But as the trees blurred past, I couldn't shake the thought—maybe these three were different. But why? Why did I still cling to that fragile hope when men had only ever betrayed me?

"If you keep looking like that, Princess, you're going to get worry lines." Veyrun laughed, breaking the tension. I narrowed my eyes at him, sticking out my tongue. "And be careful with that tongue; I'll teach you better before you meet the council."

"Though between the two of them, they have most of them wrapped around their fingers," Solisdr added, smirking.

I shook my head at the two of them and turned back to Ajita, who had started to slow. "Is she going to be okay?"

"It will take a while. That dagger Lyra gave her played on some heartstrings, just as that labyrinth did. We saved you from the worst of what they would have done. We couldn't do the same for your sister.

"Lyra swore she wouldn't kill her, so we had to take the risk. But looking at her now, we may have made the wrong decision. So, the answer to that isn't so easy, Princess."

"I can hear you; you know. Stop talking about me like I'm not here." Ajita's voice lacked its previous bite. She finally looked up from the Bident, her eyes haunted by darkness no one could begin to understand. After a slow blink, she forced a smile, which was more of a grimace. "Of course, I'll be okay, Al. I'm the older one, after all."

Jax cleared his throat and motioned in front of him. We had finally reached the town, more than that we reached the Inn. "I.." His voice trailed off before he cleared his throat. "I figured we could rest before we take the trek home. I can try and contact Athenrún and see if she can give you an extension."

"Now, now little Jax. That will not be necessary. Their aunt is here to save the day!"