Epiphany

⇞ price to pay ⇞

Nazereth was sitting face to face with me, his eyes filled with question and hardness that was making me squirm in fear. The warm, concerned for me and embracing Nazereth was gone, he looked angry now.

I had no idea how much he knew about me, how much the Leader told him. So  I remained silent and avoided even looking at him.

"Ermeline, look at me." He said with a stern yet soft tone.

So I did, I didn't really have a choice.

"Explain the poison." He said and he called me Ermeline so he didn't know that I was not the water princess.

At that moment I had the strongest urge to tell him, who I was and see what he does. Will he protect me and Drian? Will be help him out of that prison and accept me for who I am, an Empath everyone detested.

Will he be angry that I lied to him for so long.

The disappointment and anger from him scared me and I decided to keep quiet. What if I lose this home? Where will I go then?

"The poison, Markheen said needs to taken in or injected. Whose doing is this? " He was patient with the questioning for once and making me realise he knew the name of the Leader.

I had many replies in my head, the lies, the misguiding words, the version where I can garner sympathy. But for some reason, I decided to go with the truth. 

"Mine," I said and saw the stiffness in his composure.

"Explain." He demanded in an angry tone.

So I did, I told him that I was tortured before and after I came here,  my heart couldn't take the pain he was putting me through and I decided to take in slow poison so that he didn't have to face the blame from Udairis of my death.

Anxiousness filled me as I waited for his reaction and response.

He was not looking at me and I noticed his jaw ticking in anger. He inhaled sharply and pressed the temples of his forehead as if agitated at everything around him.

And then he looked at me, his eyes pure black coal. Surprised I felt the fear rise in me.

"And I thought you saw good in me, but you were merely looking for an escape." He sounded enraged.

And it was directed at me.

Fear decreased and anger rose through me too. Why is everything my fault?

"Was I suppose to live through all the torture?" I asked incredulously.

"Am I not living?" He counter- questioned.

My exasperation fuelled, "You wanted to kill me from the time you set your eyes on me."

"I have never wanted to kill you." He snapped.

And my heartbeat picked pace.

Never, he said.

"So it is my fault to give up on a life where I saw nothing but darkness?" My voice was higher now as anger increased.

Surprised at my attitude he glared at me, "You could have died quicker then, no need to protect me"

This guy was stubborn, stupid and annoying.

"I will die soon, don't worry." I retorted back, "Only now I regret it because of my feelings for you."

I said it and then bit my tongue realizing my words.

Seconds passed in silence, absolute silence. I kept my head low. I wondered why I was not dying like I was earlier or why there was less pain in my body or why I had the energy to talk so much.