Sunset Legend

• 17 •

I was halfway to the station when the pain hit my chest as I fell into the grass with heavy sobs.
I did belong here. I had an entire life here... until I died. A life I have no memory of. Amazing parents that I don't know, that I will never know. Then I was stolen by the same people the have shattered my bones without a second thought.
Summer and Jaxon had lost their father in that battle. Aurora had watched the love of her life die. She tried to save him and failed.
Fat tears were rolling down my face still as I stood, my chest rising and falling fast as I breathed heavily.
Summer skidded to a stop next to me. She was fast, but not as fast as Jaxon. Speed must of ran in the family.
"Solstice?" She asked, her breathing not even hitched.
"Take me back there," I demanded. She saw something in my face that made her follow my command without any questions. She bent down so I could climb onto her back.
The wind whipped my curled hair around my shoulders as she ran back. My mind wondered to him. Jaxon Gray. What a perfect name.
I climbed off her back the second she set foot in the foyer. I took the stairs two at a time, jogging to my room.
"Where could you possibly be going?" Sol asked, arms crossed and blocking me from my closet.
"To kill someone that should of been dead decades ago," I answered.
"You don't even know how to fight, Solstice." I ran a hand over my head with a loud sigh. I couldn't stand still as I paced in front of him, my heart beating louder with every minute that passes.
"I don't care. I have to do something. They don't deserve to be alive. Everyone in those lands should be fucking dead. They ruined your people. They ruined me. I don't even know who I am anymore," I cried, my feet hitting the floor harder as I paced.
"If we went and killed everyone then we would be just as bad as them," he responded. Another heavy sigh escaped my lips as he stepped into my path. His hands rested on my shoulders as his violet eyes locked onto mine. "You belong here. You were born here and I don't care if you had to live in every lands before coming back here. You are one of us. You are a lady of the sunsets and you need to remember that. Aurora has you back, she has missed you for years. She cares about you for you and your mother. So you will stay for your mother. You will stay for the queen. You will stay for me." His face was inches from mine now as his hands squeezed tighter on my shoulders. I was lost in the light purple eyes that stared deep into mine.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling myself unravel as I once again fell into his chest with tears threatening to spill. His arms wrapped over my back, protectively pulling me in.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." His hand rubbed my back slowly, carefully.
"I don't deserve you or anyone here."
"You need to stop thinking like that. You've been through hell and back. You deserve this more than most of us." He grabbed my chin, his skin rough from the calluses and scars on his hand.
"Thank you," I whispered. I could of rambled on for hours about how thankful I was for him. He was always the one to listen while I fell apart and then held me until I was together again. His breathing slowed as we stood inches apart. I could smell the after shave that he wore, his beard a perfect shadow across his face.
"Okay." I shoved at Sol's chest forgetting he is a monstrous man of muscle before stepping away from him. Jaxon stood in the doorway, his eyes a sunny yellow as he watched us.
"Jaxon-"
"Really, Solstice?" Jaxon cut Sol off, glaring at me. I felt my face heating as my mouth moved but nothing came out.
"Chill your panties. She didn't ditch you to be with me," Sol answered with a bite in his voice.
"No? Then what the fuck is this." Jaxon took a step into the room.
"So what if it was? You act like she's yours to own." I watched in horror as Sol took a step towards him. Jaxon took another step, burning eyes locked onto Sol.
"Guys," I said, my voice trembling.
"I never once acted like I controlled her. She can easily do whatever she wants."
"If that's how it is then explain this," Sol said, waving his hand at the situation.
"Will you stop making me sound like the bad guy? Fuck me for caring about someone. Fuck me for not wanting to see her with someone else. Fuck you for trying to take her away from me." My mouth hung open, amazed at this furious side of Jaxon.
"He's not-" I started.
"Well if you opened up your damn EYES buddy, I'm not. That's not what friends do," Sol said. They were standing three feet away from each other now and I forgot how to breathe.
"That's why she wants nothing to do with me." I could hear the hurt in his voice.
"What?" Sol stopped short in his tracks, looking between us.
"If you would just let me explain..." I started, not really sure how to finish it or who to be talking to.
"You really just came in here expecting the worse from me? What the fuck is that shit?" Sol continued.
Jaxon was still in his own world, eyes blaring as he shoved at Sol's chest. I shrieked, sounding like a mouse was in the room as they started shoving each other. It felt like time slowed as I watched Sol raise his arm to swing. I screamed before jumping in front of Jaxon.
His fist hit my cheek, sending me to the floor with a throbbing face.
"Solstice!" Sol yelled, dropping to his knees.
"What were you thinking?" Jaxon asked, resting my head on his leg as he held my chin lightly, examining my face.
"I wasn't," I said, then winced.
"Clearly," Sol stated.
"I just wanted you two to stop. You've been best friends for how long?" I asked. I wasn't expecting an answer and I didn't get one as they looked at each other.
Sol rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess we did take that a little too far."
"Yeah..." Jaxon trailed off. They exchanged one of their bro hugs that wasn't a full hug with a clap on the back.
"But it sounds like you two need to talk so." Then with that, Sol pushed off the ground and left the room. I became aware of the heat that was radiating off his body as I sat up, holding my hand to my cheek as I sat a few feet away from Jaxon.
"You're stupid," he said after a moment of silence.
"Your sister said the same thing," I chuckled. He raised an eyebrow but my face was too sore to explain it all. "Listen the other night-"
"I know. I just. You tell your friends things. You share secrets with them and sometimes they're bad ones that they won't ever stop joking about. I forget that you didn't have that so it seems rude or mean to do it." I looked up to find him already watching me, his eyes a cool gray. "I don't mean to be so protective of you because I'm not controlling you. I would never. It's just kind of shitty you would rather his company than mine. None of that matters though as he becomes your bodyguard."
"Why doesn't it matter?" I whispered.
"Because the last person that was assigned to you was slowly falling in love. Now there's no rules to stop him from falling for you sooner." I watched as in one swift movement he was back on his feet and already walking out the door.
"Jaxon..." He stopped with one foot in the hallway, his back still facing me. "I don't care about him the way you think I do." I saw his shoulders tense as he walked away, leaving me with a throbbing cheek and tears on the floor.

Summer appeared quickly with a glass of water in hand. She took one look at me and shook her head.
"I'm stupid. I know," I mumbled, accepting the glass she had reached out for me. After chugging the glass, she squatted down in front of me. Her fingers grazed the spot where I knew a bruise would be forming any second if it hadn't already. I watched her lips move as she closed her eyes and whispered the words from the first day I was here. When she was done, she sat cross legged in front of me with a sigh.
"Why on Earth would you take a hit from Sol? Jaxon could of taken it," she said, resting her chin into her hand that was propped against her knee.
"Because I was just trying to get them to stop," I groaned.
"Now you have Jaxon all confused." Her voice dropped three octaves as she continued talking, imitating her brother. "She doesn't like me, she likes Sol, blah blah blah. Why would she take a hit for me though? Blah." I let my heavy head take me to the floor as I laid face down into the carpet. I sucked in as much air as I could from the position I was in, then screamed. I screamed until I couldn't breathe anymore. "Feel better?"
I rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. "No," I admitted.
"This plan with Jaxon isn't going to work."
"I know."
"Then fix it."
"I will, eventually," I said, pulling myself back into a sitting position. "Can you take me to Aurora?" Summer raised an eyebrow. "I just have a question."
We walked down the eerily quiet hall together before she lead the way down the steps. The queen was sitting casually on one of the black couches in the man room, chatting with Ray.
"Mom?" Aurora's attention turned to us as we sat on the couch near them. Her smile was gentle, but I could see the questions in her eyes.
"I have a question," I said. Aurora turned to me, crossing one leg over the other with her hands folded into her lap. "If you brought me back to life, could I have the power to stop hearts too?" This question was solid in my mind when I first took off running during brunch.
"Potentially, yes," she answered.
"Well shit. Now I know not to mess with you too. Let's just pretend I never knocked you out during the kidnapping," Ray whispered, slowly scooting out of the room. I couldn't help but chuckle at him. The queen sat with an eyebrow up, but I just let it go.
"Could we try?" I asked, itching to do something. To start anywhere. The queen looked down at the watch covered in rubies on her thin wrist.
"I have some time. Let's go outside." I breathed a sigh of relief as she stood. I was finally going to do something. This was the beginning of the journey of destroying those who ruined me.