Phoenix

Chapter Sixteen - Dark Intention

Catseye walked into the dark hall and she had intently requested her appointment today to talk to the Empress. She skipped forward towards the door which opened revealing the chamber that had housed the decades of service of her superior. It smelled lemongrass overpowering the rust of metal all over the room and she saw herself leaving behind her rows of chair never corroded by years. She entered a division from the room and saw the white-skinned woman she was looking for.

"I'm not surprised. You may sit, Catseye." A dark sarcastic tone spoke sounding much like a request. "Let's talk about first the alleged alliance you were telling. DK was not there to witness."

"Yes, Alexia, or at least, a treacherous deal. The Scorpion has betrayed us by being a median. It has provided us the list and we paid them money but we believed they had traded for more money by notifying the Hunters of our previous transaction. . ."

"Or they are allegedly in alliance beforehand with the Hunters, is that right?"

"Yes. They supposed to have us all killed. They knew we were attacking on red alert."

"I am grateful that you are safe." Alexia said warmly.

"Thank you." Catseye replied.

"Have you certified that the list is authentic?"

"We believed it is of little significance now. They be Hunters or not, those on the list would be alarmed by now."

"So is it authentic?"

"We believed it is solely a trap."

Alexia didn't speak. The Empress looked upset but her fists tell that she's enraged and she was keeping herself calm. "The list would still be of use in the future. Tell Kilo." she ordered.

"Everyone was injured. Nexus is dead. We need to strike back and this time it's vengeance. . ."

"I know, Trixie. I know." Alexia said infuriated by the happening. "Nexus is a son to me. You see."

"And he is a brother to us." Catseye replied patiently. She remembered Nexus' wit and his undying humor but the tragic event had transformed her memories into a cold- hearted truth that he was gone and that there was still a lot to know about the events. Apparently, she loved him in a personal way that she didn't realize until now. She was attracted to him after having this frozen relationship with DK. He filled in a hole in her heart but she treated him like a replacement. She regretted it. She thought he ought to deserve a higher form of love from her which she could give yet she didn't. It felt wrong to love DK for once and during that very moment only. She was sure it was neither mere mourning nor the effects of alcohol. Her heart was crying.

Nexus was attracted to her and a suitor to her somehow. She had never treated that thing seriously but he was somehow wooing her to love him. That is the truth, she thought.

"You have another thing to tell me about. What is it?" Alexia asked.

Catseye gave the resistance inside her another chance to speak and she thought it was controlling her emotions. Now, she wanted her emotions to control her. This is what love can do, she began to think. "It's about DK." She started carefully.

"What about him?" Alexia has always been mindful of her son.

"She's with him. Phoebe. I saw the two of them in the cafeteria. He told her the truth that he was not her real brother and that we are lying to her."

Alexia's confusion was obvious. She was unbelieving that DK could do such a thing. "And why do you think would he do that?"

"They are in love." It is different from saying He is in love so she preferred to contribute her own opinion on the matter by saying otherwise.