Artrenos

6: The Escape Route

Arcus and I roamed the streets of Brow for the past three days, talking to citizens and eating good food. We had become closer since the kiss, acting more like friends and he seemed okay with it for now. As we passed by people, many offered their home cookings and we accepted, taking the food with us. I looked up at Arcus and smiled.

"How is your family?" Arcus asked.

"I've only received a letter from my mom."

"Is she okay?"

"She misses me," I replied. Arcus placed his slung his arm over my shoulder and sighed.

"You can go home whenever you want, you know right?"

"Yeah, I'm just having fun here," I answered. I wrapped my arm around him and gave him a side hug.

We walked around in the city until the moon started to peek out. I led myself to the guest room with a nervous feeling in my stomach. Was I in love with Arcus and Beau? It was hard to tell because I didn't know what love was. I leaned against the archway of the room and looked at the same spot where we kissed.

"Athena?" Arcus snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned around to face him. "I thought you'd be here."

"Oh yeah, I was going to go look for you actually." I replied.

"Do you need me for something?"

"I-I don't need you," I stuttered. I looked up at Arcus.

"I don't need you either Athena," Arcus now stood a few inches away from me. "I want you."

Arcus grabbed my hips and pulled me into him. Our lips crashed into each other and honestly, I let him. He had me. I was so vulnerable and I didn't want to stop. We pulled away from each other and he sat down on the bed. I followed him a few feet behind.

"Come here," Arcus muttered reassuringly as he wrapped his hand around the back of my head and gently pulled me in until our foreheads were touching. He kissed the top of my head and went into his room. I blew out the candles and crawled into the bed.

I woke up due to nightmares and couldn't fall back asleep. I got up and put on a silky kimono and left to see if the sun was up. The stone ground of the residence was cold on my bare feet. I exited the temple and saw light at the entrance of the mountain. I walked over to the bridge and reached my hand out to the light. A warm breeze touched my fragile fingers as I moved my hand around.

"Mornings are always so beautiful, aren't they?" An unrecognizable, deep voice muttered to my left before the man sighed. I turned my head towards the unfamiliar sound, keeping my hand in the air, perpendicular to my body. The man was tall and a little muscular. More muscular than Beau and less than Arcus, but taller than both. He walked over to me and gently touched my arm, tracing lines towards my hand. 

"Who-"

"I'm October. 1st born of the Does family," October interrupted, smiled, then continued. "And I assume you're Athena. Scandalous girl you are." His smile developed into a smirk and he took down his hand, as did I.

"Scandalous?" I turned to face him.

"Would you like me to define it dearest?"

"I know what it means. How am I scandalous?" I asked, looking into his cold, teal eyes.

"Your little kiss with Arcus. It was quite cute," he teased. I gaped at October speechless and stiff. He lifted up my jaw, closing my mouth, then walked away. "You know Beau would love to know about how much you love Arcus."

"How do you know about Beau?" I asked loudly, running after him. He turned around and stopped, causing me to run into him. We both fell onto the floor, me on top of him, face to face.