A Portal To Truths...

Journey of Bitterness and Surprises

Once we said goodbye to Olivia and Axel, the four of us began walking back to the Temple. I knew it would be a long walk as it had taken us a good few hours to get there before. We'd probably make it there by midday. In the mean time I just had to put up with the two people who I'm not 100% with, following me and my former enemy in front. Fabulous.
- *time passing* -
2 hours later, we'd reached the Jungle entrance when I could hear Ivor in front of me grunting. Apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed. I glanced to the right to see Petra walking along side me. Oh god.
"Is he panting?" She asked me comically. I looked at him to hear even louder "heh. heh. heh's"
"Yeah I think he is" I couldn't help but chuckle slightly. She copied my action.
Then dead silence. I knew it couldn't be long before it got awkward. Especially when I could feel her looking at me.
"Soo.. I know this is gonna sound bad but theres a twinge of regret in me"
My heart pounded rapidly. Was she really going to talk about this? But more importantly, had she changed her mind? I couldn't believe it.
"For what?" I asked as casual as possible.
"Well for talking about all this.. in Ivor's palace. I mean the one place where our enemy is. I mean if I'dve approached you somewhere else he wouldn't be joining us"
Oh.
Not that then. Not what I was expecting.
That's what happens when you get your hopes up Jesse, everything crashes and burns.
I cleared my throat, disguising my disappointment but not so well my anger "Well I think he's useful on this trip."
"Really? Cause we could've just asked someone else about the flint and steel" She shrugged.
Me and Petra always got into debates like this but this time it was different.
"Like who? Because Ivor's knowledge of ancient history and potions is pretty high." I argued back.
"Well.. yeah, but still. We could've just stopped by the library. We didn't have to bring the enemy"
"He's not the enemy anymore Petra."
"Maybe. I just don't trust him all that well. We need to be careful"
"Well if you don't trust him, you shouldn't have come" I snapped. Crap.
We stopped in our tracks and she stared at me. In surprise, in annoyance, in guilt? I couldn't distinguish. Lukas, who'd been trailing quite a bit behind caught up to us cautiously "Is everything okay here?"
"Fine." Petra replied roughly.
I looked at Lukas and nodded "Perfect" before I continued on leaving Petra with Lukas.
- *time passing* -
1 hour after my incident with Petra, I already felt bad. I didn't want to feel bad for her after what she did, but I couldn't just shut her out completely. Not when she means the way she does to me. And another thing-
"We're here!" Ivor squealed happily, snapping me completely out of my thoughts. I pushed a few vines out of my way to see the Temple I had once visited. From behind me, I heard Lukas and Petra's amazed voices appreciating the temple. The temple was solely made from stone bricks covered in moss, vines and various plants. Ancient ruins like this looked quite beautiful.
"Woah. This is impressive" Lukas remarked.
"Yeah" I added. "It looks really different during the day". 
I stepped foot inside the temple to once again be greeted by the 3 levers and lava traps that had confused me the night I first arrived. But apart from that, it all looked the same-
"Where does this lead to?" Petra asked from across the room. I turned toward her to see a wooden ladder placed against the stone. I furrowed my brows "That wasn't there before" I walked closer towards it as did the others.
"So who's going up first?" Lukas asked.
"Why doesn't Jesse do the honors? Since she's been here before and knows it all" Petra spoke out, but with a twinge of saltiness in her voice.
It made me even angrier with her.
I never used to feel this angry about small sly comments but things certainly had changed. In just 3 months, I didn't even feel like the same Jesse. The Jesse before would've ignored this.
"With pleasure" I replied, matching her tone to a T.
I climbed up the ladder and pulled myself up to the top. Slowly, my eyes rolled up and I gasped. "Oh my god!"
"What is it?" Petra asked, her tone completely changing. Instead of being bitter, she sounded concerned instead.
"Well? Jesse?!" Ivor impatiently questioned
"It's.. it's a golden and iron portal hole!"