Captured Love

Chapter 37

"Did you really have to compare our arguments to real combat?" 

"Hah!" I couldn't believe this, currently we were supposed to be discussing any observations made during the most recent conflict.

"What would you call it then when two people are in physical fights spilling blood with intent to kill if not for us being immortal?" I gave him a pointed look doubtful he would have any reasonable answer.

"It was never with the intention of killing!" He exclaimed sounding offended.

"Oh, please if it wasn't for the fact that were literally stuck together for all of time we would both be dead or probably alone. You and I both know this whole marriage was forced and built on a pile of lies." 

"I've never lied about my feelings for you or our nature of relationship."

"You did, and what you feel for me isn't what you would call love." 

I was so tired of this man and his delusional perspective of things. I had even considered murder multiple times during the beginning of my imprisonment when Betty was still around. The whole era was a disaster until he attempted brainwashing to calm my "temperament" and even succeeded to an extent. I didn't attempt to fight him anymore nor harm him unless I was especially aggravated in the moment when my bottled emotions would push through his influence. I was having one of those manic episodes when I had made that attempt to flee on the altar the first time. Luckily most of his manipulation was dispelled the moment I descended and detoxed when my energy overflowed into the surrounding forest. 

"What would you call it then when I cannot live without your presence by my side? When you occupy all thoughts in my mind with no reprieve."

"You make it sound so romantic when in reality it's just a toxic obsession. You don't even want me to have any agency for myself you just want to dominate my very being so that you can have claim over the thing you want most to possess." He shook his head at my words not wanting to listen.

"Evelyn whether you like it or not we're bonded, connected forever until we are no longer needed for our purpose.  We are destined to be together. You will always need me even if you don't want to face that reality it is how things are designed to be."

"Just stop already enough!" I blasted him onto his ass too emotional to laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

"My love I am just trying to explain-" I cut him off.

"I'm not listening to you anymore; your influence is gone now after I came down to this world. So, stop wasting our time and let's get back on topic." He huffed upset he couldn't exactly control me anymore like he used to.

"Did you notice anything about his origin of energy or how his magic worked?" I persisted forward needing to still here his advice considering he knew more than I did when it came to things of other nature. 

He tsked his tongue not wanting to answer.

"Amias!" He's such a childish bastard.

"Fine, but this won't be the end of that argument."

"Ugh." I rolled my eyes at his tenacity.

"He seems to draw in the energy around him similar to us, which isn't the strangest part. I will say I am a bit curious as to why he can seem to sense your presence and not mine." 

I also found it strange that the entity was targeting solely me yet didn't show any signs of noticing Amias as well especially when during the skirmish it was him who blocked him off not me. He should've felt my power recede while I got away and felt that it was another's magic keeping him at bay.

"Ha, this is giving me such a headache between all these issues I need to solve before I can leave in peace."

"I can help you relax that tension like old times." He was behind me trying to massage my shoulders as I flinched away.

"Stop I don't need any of your bipolar love bombing right now." I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

"I'm just so content to hear you accept returning on your own terms rather than me having to use force once more. You know I hated to hurt you, but it's the only way you'd listen."

"I never said I was going back with you I only meant whenever I decide to leave here specifically." I retorted in snark. 

"Evelyn." His tone was a warning as the air began to charge around us but instead, I chose to ignore it.

"Fuck off I think were done here for now." I turned my back tossing a halfhearted goodbye as I left waking up back in the other realm.

"I wasn't finished-"

"Well, I was."

Lune trotted over to my bedside begging for some affection. I scratched by her ears and stroked her muzzle as she neighed in delight. I changed into a more casual gown making sure to create a shawl for covering my shoulders. I never minded showing skin since there was only us women, however after Amias planted a piece of himself in my conscious, he wouldn't shut up about me being more conservative around lower forms. I hated his way of speech, so it was a compromise for my own mental sanity.

I met up with the high priestess in private into a special chamber I created underground of the inner temple. I needed to inform her of everything and be transparent about my situation to warn her of not only our current enemy, but also of Amias descending. 

"Sandra, I think it is time I told you my real situation of things." I began with my own arrival leaving out all emotional aspects and only stating the order of how things came to be till now. 

"So, you are saying you will be forced to return?" I nodded looking away at my own shame of being so helpless.

"Even with how things currently stand whether the issues are sorted out or not Amias will not care so once he arrives, I'm afraid I will be coerced to leave. I have yet to actually win against him myself. The most I can do is make sure that you and everyone else are left in peace."

"Will you ever come back?" For the first time the once stoic priestess was actually being expressive. Her lips trembled as she tried to keep her own tears at bay. Immediately I hugged her wanting to comfort this woman who I saw as now a friend and her daughter like my own. I didn't want to leave with a possibility of never seeing them again.

"You can always visit them in their dreams or watch over just as you had before through the altar."

My eyes widened at the response, his consideration a welcomed solution to my inner turmoil.

"Actually, I may be able to visit you even after I'm gone." I said as I pulled away smiling. 

"Then I suppose we will consider it a temporary goodbye when you have to leave." She replied. 

I always knew that where I belonged wasn't truly here to begin with and though I couldn't stand my bastard of a husband I also couldn't leave him either. That was the truth of my reality as Amias said we both were meant to be together in our own realm, though that didn't mean I would happily go back without a fight. I was going to make sure to put conditions in place, before returning so that things would be on my terms.