A Daughter's Love

Chapter Seventeen.

Malia.

When I awoke, it felt as though eyes were watching me. Ryker was still fast asleep beside me when I pushed myself to sit upright, gritting my teeth as an attempt to fight the excruciating pain that shot through me, caused by the day’s fighting. When I managed to throw my legs over the side of the bed and finished groaning in agony, my gaze fell onto a figure seated in the arm chair across from me. His hair was the colour of metal, a silver steel and his eyes, or rather, his eye was a dark blue, a much darker shade than the crystalline eye of our mother concealed beneath a pair of black framed glasses “Brother” I greeted, running a hand across my face after having taken in his bandaged head, neck and eye. He was clad in a long sleeve black shirt and wore trousers which were similar to the ones Neptune always wore, a pair of leather boots cladding his feet, boots that were fit for combat “You look a bit worse for wear” I commented, motioning toward my own face to emphasize that I was referring to his bandaged head, eye and neck. Malik breathed a laugh, easing himself up with gritted teeth then stood and headed in the direction of the desk where a pile of clothing had been placed “And who do you think is to blame for that?” he questioned, shooting a look in my direction. I leaned back on the mattress, hands propped behind me when I grinned at him from across the room, bare legs exposed up to my thighs and hair air dried into the perfect curls “You turned into a giant sea monster-.” I defended, watching him when he took the pile of clothing into one hand and retrieved the coat I had abandoned on the deck of the ship from where it hung over the back of the desk chair “Then tried to eat me. What else was I supposed to do?” Malik turned and moved toward me, offering me the neatly folded pieces of clothing as he dropped the coat onto the foot of the bed beside me. His gaze then found a sleeping Ryker, eye lingering on the young man’s peaceful features “I won’t let anyone hurt him ever again” I promised, seeing the concern that riddle him with fear and guilt for not having been able to stop me from stabbing Ryker. Malik looked to me then shifted his weight as I took the clothes he offered me “That makes two of us” the way his posture shifted told me that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if I was ever to hurt Ryker and the same went for him. We were united not only by our blood but our care and concern for Ryker’s safety. When Malik turned away from me, he motioned to the clothes “Neptune said to give those to you” the way he used his father’s name instead of referring to him as his biological father made my muscles tense. I couldn’t begin to understand what he was feeling, having learned that the man whom he had thought to be his father for eighteen years wasn’t. What was it like to know that a stranger, someone you barely knew had played a part in your existence? “They left?” I questioned, fiddling with the fabric in my lap and studying the material. It appeared to be a dress and Neptune knew how much I despised dresses. My gaze narrowed onto the shape, the thin straps and slits that ran up the sides of it “He and the witch went to visit mother in connection with your sword” my body reacted on its own, rising from the edge of the bed, the dress discarded on the floor as my eyes searched Malik’s stoic face, a face that hid so much pain and suffering behind a mask of emptiness that left him void of any emotion “They can do that?” I wondered out loud. Malik turned to glance back at me from over his shoulder, his single eye so similar to his father’s that for a moment I forgot which one I was talking to. If Neptune and Aurella could visit my parents from beyond the grave, then why couldn’t we? Why couldn’t they take us with them? Why leave us behind to rot on some forsaken ship? “The only way to get to the afterlife is through the god of death-.” Malik informed me, sounding as though he was repeating what he had been told. His next words were mimicking Aurella’s usual way of speaking, her cold yet precise wording which left no room for argument “Purgatory is no place for the mortal” I sunk back down on the edge of the bed, hands trembling and limbs shaking as I balled my fists, imagining what it would be like to see my mother again, my father. The thought of Neptune keeping me away from them was like a stab in a back “If it was that easy for them to see us, do you honestly think all of this would be necessary?” Malik questioned, snapping me out of my rage and drawing my gaze upward to meet with his. It was true, if Neptune had been able to just take us to them then there would be no point in fighting, in being part of the upcoming war. I nodded, my hand fisting at the sheets beside me “My sword?” I asked, changing the subject to which Malik sighed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. It was as though he wished I would stop speaking so that he could go and rest and be done with it “Apparently there is this sword that only a descendant of Campbell blood can wield” he vaguely explained, turning to glance back at me and Ryker who stirred in his sleep his hand moving to pat the bed beside him, groaning as he blinked his tired eyes open “That’s all I know” Malik added before he started in the direction of the deck as if the thought of Ryker seeing him in such a state frightened him. The redhead reached for my hand, placing his palm over my clenched knuckles as my brother paused on the steps “The Captain wanted to see us” he said then was gone, allowing me to turn and face a half awake Ryker. The sight of him calmed me, made my fears and worries fade away into nothingness. Images from that morning echoed throughout my mind, from his hands as they washed my flesh to the way he dried my body then dressed me. I had been weak, had been defeated, frustrated and driven nearly insane with the idea of Malik being stronger than I was but somehow a single touch from Ryker’s fingertips washed away all of it, made me feel as peace with my own mind. My hand relaxed itself enough for him to lace his fingers with mine, drawing our interlocked hands up so that he could place a tender kiss to the back of my knuckles “Morning” he groggily muttered, not having noticed that Malik had been there to begin with. I gave a sad smile and removed my hand from his to run my fingers across his cheekbone and jaw “It’s midday” I corrected and he laughed, turning onto his back to stretch out his aching muscles. He yawned and groaned then settled back in, gazing up at me as if I was the light of his life, as if I was the thing he loved most in the world. I quickly pushed the thought away then stood, reaching for my dress and coat to head in the direction of the bathroom where my boots had been left “Ben wants to see us” I announced, changing the subject as I was about to close the bathroom door but paused when Ryker rolled onto his stomach and grunted into his pillow with distaste at the thought of the Sunken Soul’s Captain “Not him again” he muttered, sounding almost incomprehensible. I laughed, remembering the hours long chat they had on his mother and father just the day before. As soon as the bathroom door was closed, I began dressing, eyebrows creasing with thoughts of what he wanted to speak to us about? Did it have something to do with my parents? Had Neptune or Aurella instructed him to tell us something? Whatever it was, it had to be serious considering that he wanted to meet with all three of us.

Neptune and Aurella both navigated the caverns that led to the Elysium fields, each carrying a torch that they had found at the mouth of the maze they were now attempting to work their way through “Why?” the witch questioned out of the blue, the silence having grown too much even for her to endure “Why force them to fight?” she was referring to the day’s earlier events, to how Malia and Malik had been pinned against each other, to how Malik had been severely wounded and Malia almost killed if it hadn’t been for her healing capabilities “You have complete control over the guardians who serve beneath you, if you had wanted to, you could have stopped Cetus as soon as he manifested” and it was true. Neptune, god of the seas could’ve uttered a single word and the monster would’ve disappeared, leaving behind an unconscious boy with his eye still intact but instead he chose to stand by and watch, to observe their every move “We are at war-.” was his cold response, the shadows of his torch dancing across his features in the orange light when Aurella glanced toward him. That they were, once they would obtain the sword from Amun he would know of their intent and battles more bloody, more ruthless than any before would sully the earth “And they are our weapons-.” droplets of water echoed his words in the distance, their small splatters sounding so large in that vast open area within which they found themselves. The passageways were big enough for Balor himself to move through them without having to crouch or squeeze his way through. The last time Neptune had been in those caverns was when the god of death had summoned him on Evangeline’s behalf and before that was with the woman, trapped in the darkness as she fought against snake venom to survive. He could still remember feeling so helpless so pathetic for not being able to stop the pain “Is it not wise to know the true potential of your weapons before you use them on the battlefield?” Aurella took in his words, words of a general, of a king preparing for war with his neighbouring countries. They were true words since a soldier had to be trained to use his weapon, his sword or arrows. He had to know them inside out, had to understand how exactly they worked or functioned in order to awaken their true potential but these were not only weapons, they were people, young adults and most importantly they were Evangeline’s children “If I were to place them into a fight without knowing what they are capable of, wouldn’t that be reckless of me?” he asked of his contracted witch and the woman considered his words for a moment. Sending Malik into a fight against one of the other gods’ guardians may seem fair however it all depends on Cetus’ abilities, on his opponent whether he would rise victorious or not “And if their opponent is stronger than they are?” she questioned in return. The sea god paused there in those dark, humid caverns to glance at the witch dressed completely in black and moulding into her surroundings if not for the orange light that reflected from her pale flesh “Then it will be a battle, I myself must fight” with that he pushed onward, leaving the woman behind to wonder what exactly was going on inside his head. The point of the fight between Malia and Malik was to determine who was stronger and how they could hold their own in a fight. If one of them is unable to face a threat in the future on equal ground, then it would fall upon Neptune to fight for them. He was making sure that he could send them into fights, knowing that they would win instead of being reckless and forcing them to fight only for them to get themselves killed. He wanted them to stay alive, no matter the costs “Your son is clearly the strongest of the pair” Aurella decided to announce once she had managed to catch up with him, having to do very little to reach him. He shot her a look which she ignored and continued “You should be proud” he knew exactly what her words had truly meant to say ‘Your son is stronger than Caleb’s daughter, congratulations, he is truly the most powerful of her children’. He sighed heavily before he began his protest “To a mere observer it might have seemed so but do not let yourself be fooled, Malia is the victor” the caverns grew larger, a clear indication that they were nearing the fields, nearing the castle that was imbedded into the wall of the fields where Evangeline and Caleb resided with Pandora, yet another of their accomplices during that time of war. Black snakes hissed as they passed and some even slithered along their feet but both appeared unaffected, as if the serpents didn’t exist “She could have killed him, could have ended it within moments of him transforming into Cetus but her ties to her brother thankfully got in the way of that-.” the image of Malia positioned upon the sea beast’s head with her dagger raised and ready to imbed it into the soft spot between both horns where Cetus’s brain was located played out in both of their minds, how she had snapped herself out of it and remembered that it wasn’t just a monster but in fact her brother she was about to kill “She heals instantly, adapts quickly and takes risks-.” the sea god was interrupted by the witch who looked at him from equal height due to her heeled shoes “Reckless risks” the matter of fact statement caused a breath of laughter to escape the god’s lips when the opening to the fields could be seen before them “It is a good thing she heals instantly then-.” he pointed out, remembering how she had flung herself from Cetus after being unable to kill her own brother and landed on her shoulder. He could still hear the snapping of her collar bone, the scream that tore forth from her lips “My point being that if she is to unleash her full potential as a siren, we may have a weapon more powerful than a Cyclops or perhaps even the Hemera army” Aurella’s entire body grew frigid. There were four known Cyclops, each great beasts, giants with one eye who carried Amun’s throne upon their backs while the Hemera army was also known as the army of light. During the day they were powerful, undefeated and ruthless but at night they would turn to sand as if the sun breathed life into their lungs, an army of everlasting life composed of the greatest worriers who have ever walked the earth, granted a place in Amun’s army for their sheer strength and military skills during their time on earth. It was the army of the gods, an army more powerful than any yet Neptune insisted that Malia, a single woman could defeat it on her own? To Aurella it was absurd to think such a thing “You place that much faith in the girl?” the witch asked once they had broken through into the Elysium fields, discarding their torches to the floor of the cavern, far away enough for the fire not to reach the tall grass. There was light in the fields, not from a sun but from blue crystals that decorated the roof of the gigantic cave “I place that much faith in Evangeline’s children-.” Neptune corrected her. Aurella felt unease as she gazed upon the pen field, knowing that Evangeline was close by, able to sense her aura even from that distance. She had grown to recognise the woman as a friend, a comrade before Dysnomia had possessed her and forced her hand in slaughtering the whale only to drag her off, using her body as the demoness saw fit. They were memories Aurella would rather forget than ponder over “Malik may be useful in defeating the Sphinx with his vast knowledge and newfound strength” the six guardians under Amun’s control, the four Cyclops, the Hemera army and finally the great Sphinx, the beast of riddles with the head of a human woman but the body of a lion who paces back and forth before his throne, guarding him, day and night. Reaching Amun would prove to be a rather difficult task indeed, not to mention defeating him and usurping his throne. Even Aurella began to have her doubts as the pair made their way through the fields and to the castle that was built into the wall of the cavern.

Evangeline.

I made my way down the winding hallways, the sound of my heels clicking bounced off the walls, echoing like the deafening silence that festered between us. Over the years since our death, Caleb’s condition had worsened, making so that he was unable to move without experiencing excruciating physical pain. Even breathing proved to be too much for him at times due to the constant feeling of suffocation that continued to haunt him yet despite all of this he still held on, he clung to life, refusing to enter the Krisi river all for Malia’s sake. The wheelchair was heavy, made from a wooden chair, two oak cartwheels and smaller wheels but I had somehow grown accustomed to pushing it around the castle with Caleb positioned in it. We passed a mirror, my eyes locking onto his sunken in and pale face that looked so defeated, so void of life that it terrified me. I couldn’t lose him, I couldn’t continue to watch him wither away day by day, unable to find joy anything. Even the simplest of tasks proved to be a challenge, he couldn’t walk, couldn’t lift a spoon to his mouth or bathe himself. He could speak and observe but that was as far as his capabilities stretched. I wore an elegant navy blue gown, decorated in sapphires with a low neckline and sleeves that flared out at the wrists. It was simple yet beautiful and sophisticated at the same time. The guards bowed when we approached then proceeded to open the double doors that led to the study, the wood groaning loudly beneath the pressure “Now announcing Lord Caleb Campbell and Lady Evangeline of Vannes!” a voice proclaimed when we made our way into the study. The room was large, decorated in black and gold with a circular table stationed in the middle of it where everyone was sat and waiting. Neptune rose from his seat the moment he laid eyes on me but our reunion was cut short by Caleb as he began to cough violently, wheezing in between each cough to try and regain his breath as best he could “Caleb!” I fell to my knees beside him in his chair, trembling hands reaching for his since he was unable to raise them and block his mouth while he coughed. My worried, fearful gaze studied his frail form, afraid that he might fall apart if he was to place too much strain on his body. Pandora reached for the jar of water on the table and quickly poured a glass which she brought to me “Here, try this” I took it with a grateful gaze then pressed the edge of the glass to his lips for him to swallow a few large gulps of the liquid. Some of it trickled down onto his navy button up shirt and black trousers, escaping from the corners of his mouth before he gasped for air and I could breathe a breath of relief. The glass shattered to the white marble flooring when I reached out to take hold of his face, tenderly running my fingers along his cheek bones as I studied him “I sent a guard to assist you in preparing for this meeting-.” Pandora explained, motioning to one of the female servants who stood off to the side, as still and as poised as a statue. The woman hurried across the room and began picking up the shattered shards of glass with her gloved hands “Yet you insist on doing everything yourself” it was true, she had sent many servants over the years to help me take care of Caleb, to feed, bathe, clothe and entertain him however I had refused their help. I was the one who had to take care of him, I was the one who bathed and clothed him, who read books to him at night or sang to him and played the piano for him to listen to “It is my duty as his wife” I declared though we weren’t legally married but having spent so many years together we might as well have been. After almost two decades of us fighting for each other, taking care of one another, it was a given, an earned title. Pandora sighed heavily but nodded her head “Please, join us” she insisted, motioning to the large table as I rose from my knees and made my way around the wheelchair so that I could push Caleb into position beside where I was expected to sit, in between Pandora and Balor’s witch, Charis. Neptune sat across from me with Aurella at his side, the final memory that I have of the woman replaying itself in the back of my mind, how she had struck down the whale with her lightning as if it was nothing more than target. Balor was also present, seated on the other side of Pandora, though his form appeared smaller, having shrunk to fit into the castle, yet he was still largely built, nearly a head taller than Neptune “Now that everyone is here, we can proceed as planned” Pandora began, being the figurehead in every situation. I could picture her as a goddess, her leadership qualities along with her ability to take charge in any situation made her seem like the perfect deity. She stood in front of her chair to address us, having not yet taken her seat and placing the attention onto her still standing form “What progress has been made in regards to the children?” she started off, directing her question at Neptune and Aurella. Caleb sat up straighter from beside me as I too gazed upon them with wondering eyes. We wanted to know how our children were doing, what abilities they held and more importantly whether they knew of our state there in the Elysium fields? “Both have been informed and awakened, they will proceed as we see necessary-.” Neptune said, speaking as though he was conversing with us about swords or rifles. It shattered a portion of my heart to hear him speak in such a way especially since Malik was his son. Was that what our years apart had done to him? Had he turned cold after the separation, distant and unable to love as he once was capable of? “Aurella” Neptune spoke the name like an order and the witch nodded, rising from her seat to extend her hand upon the table, palm facing down with black smoke pooling from its centre to coat the wooden surface. I could remember how she had done so before in Scotland when she showed us an image of Amun among the smoke and leaned forward to peer into the ebony shadows. There in its depths I could see them, my children, stood side by side on the deck of the Sunken Soul. Malik, the older of the two looked just like his father apart from his silvery hair and glasses which sat upon one eye since the other was bandaged. Those glasses. My eyes began to tear as I took them in. He wore all black, a simple shirt, trousers and boots while his sister, Malia, wore a figure hugging dress that went down to mid-thigh and had slits running up the sides. The dress had a heart shaped neckline and straps that hugged her shoulders beneath her coat, Neptune’s coat that I recognised from years ago just after the drowning. She wore boots that went up to just above her knees and reminded me so much of her father as she stood, glaring up at Malik while snapping at him. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but their emotions were clear. He rolled his eyes and looked to the side, ignoring her as she continued on her rant, growing more dangerous and agitated by the second. They were beautiful. They were mine, my children. One hand clutched at my abdomen while I pressed the other over my mouth, unable to believe that my ten-year-old children had grown so much, had blossomed into such strong and capable adults. The image shifted and I froze at the sight of Malik transforming into a monstrous sea beast that Malia battled against, my anchor necklace dangling from around her throat as she fought against the beast that held her captive in its mouth. She tried escaping but it was no use, jabbing her dagger into the monster’s left eye only for it to rear back, letting go of her just as the image disappeared, the black smoke evaporating. My body trembled at the last scene. How could siblings go up against each other in such a manor? It made my heart ache with grief and my stomach churn with disgust “Your son awakened as the guardian Cetus, did he not?” Balor’s voice boomed, his question directed toward Neptune. I pushed my own motherly instincts aside and reminded myself that we were at war, that I couldn’t let my emotions get the better of me in such a situation. As long as they were alive it was all that mattered “Indeed, however his sister awakened as a siren” my mind took me back to when Caleb and I had located the second treasure, the blue gem to the north. I could remember the pale, bony figures of women crawling forth from the dark, freezing waters, dragging members of the crew down into its depths until the water was stained crimson. Their ebony eyes, swallowed whole without so much as a speck of white made them appear almost possessed while their hair, made of water danced around their faces and forms flickered past my gaze. Was my daughter truly one of them? Did she have their rogue nature, their reckless and unpredictable demeanour? “A siren?” I questioned, interrupting their conversation with concern flickering past my stormy crystal gaze which Neptune met from across the large, circular table, our figures reflecting in the polished, wooden surface. Caleb grew uneasy from beside me, no doubt going back to that scene all those years ago of those pale creatures and my bleeding leg, the deep, fresh cut oozing blood. My hand instinctively moved to take hold of his, though he was unable to return the reassuring squeeze due to the constant pain that his body was in because he had surrendered to death. More than anything I wanted to take that pain away, to free him of the constant struggle but that would mean letting go so that he could move on and his soul be judged by the river. He would never be able to return to the land of the living again if he did. My comforting touch brought him some relief “Yes, though she has yet to forsake her humanity-.” Neptune proceeded to explain, providing us with a glimmer of hope that perhaps our daughter still was the kind, curious and ambitious little girl that we held in our memories and not one of them, one of those flesh eating monsters that roamed the darkest depths of the ocean “Which has temporarily stunted her transformation” he concluded as an image swept through the neurons of my mind, an image of my eighteen-year-old daughter with fangs and claws, slit pupils and scales, her hair almost silvery in the waters of the ocean. She was pale but not as pale as those sirens had been, nor were her eyes as soulless and obsidian as theirs were. A single blink rid the image from my mind and my gaze landed on Aurella who had undoubtedly showed it to me “Your necklace is what’s keeping her human” the witch decided to inform me, the first words she had spoken to me in almost two decades since the last time I had laid eyes on her. She looked exactly the same, her hair as black as night and her flesh a pale ivory but it was her eyes which made me look twice. They weren’t as empty as I remembered them to be, there was an emotion that swirled within them, one I knew to be grief caused by anger and hatred, but who was it directed at? Caleb and I, on the other hand, appeared older than what we were, not having aged since our death but yet still ten years older than we had been after the separation. My hand released Caleb’s to touch at the place where my necklace would have been but it was bare, void of the cool metal that I had grown so accustomed to “They are powerful, as you said they would be” Pandora concluded, gazing down at me from her standing position at my side. I nodded my head once, not sure whether I should be proud and joyous or frightened of the battles they would have to fight, the dangers they would have to face. I never anticipated just what lay in store eight years ago when I’d forged my plan “But not powerful enough” Balor argued, his voice drawing my eyes upward and onto him. Caleb stared aimlessly ahead of him, at his own crippling reflection in the surface of the table. He was thinner, sickly and pale than he once was, having watched him fade away right before my eyes. He was why I was allowing it, why I was determined to fight that war and win “Not yet” the former pirate Captain said, his fingers twitching on the arms of his chair, eyes barely blinking. Caleb never really spoke, lost in his memories, in a world far away from ours where he preferred to stay when he lay unable to touch me like he wanted to, unable to dominate me and defend me if I was in danger. More than anything, he felt like a nuisance, having wanted to enter the river Krisi before but it was Malia and Malik who kept him where he was, the thought of seeing them again, of being able to kiss me how he wanted to that kept him going, enduring his pain even if it were in silence “We need the sword” he concluded, gaze flickering up to lock with Neptune’s. The air between the two was thick and heavy ever since Caleb had discovered that Malik wasn’t his biological son but they tried to keep the peace, only addressing one another when it was absolutely necessary. The sea god nodded in agreement “That is why we are here” Aurella explained, leaning back in her seat with her legs neatly crossed, a glass of red wine appearing in her extended hand from which she took a slow sip. Beneath her powerful, entertained façade she was suffering “Amun is currently in possession of the Leandros sword-.” I thought back to the day of the separation when Caleb had used the sword to separate Neptune and I. The memory brought back a pain that I didn’t want to experience again, eyes closing as I tried to erase it from my mind. Caleb had abandoned the sword and left it there, in the throne room of the gods while attempting to calm me down, to drag me away from Malik’s father “Though it is utterly useless since he is unable to use it” Aurella informed, taking another sip of her wine which was the same shade as her crimson lips. Charis, the witch dressed in grey with skin as ebony as that of Balor grimaced as she gazed upon her fellow witch “Then we must give him a reason to want to use it” the witch of death stated, white eyes a stark contrast against her dark flesh. She appeared just as she had in the vision I had seen of the seven witches gathered in that cavern to argue about the jewels and relinquishing a portion of their powers “Naturally since your daughter is the last living member of the Campbell bloodline, he will seek her out in order to do his bidding” it was a decent plan. One that made sense but how would we be able to convince Amun that a god was in need of entrapping without appearing suspicious? Neptune clasped his hands together in front of his mouth, elbows perched on the table as he met Balor’s gaze “And for that to happen he must first be given a reason to want to use the sword” Aurella elaborated, leaning further back in her seat with one arm slung lazily over the arm rest while the other swirled her scarlet wine in its crystalline glass. She shot a look in Charis’s direction then returned her gaze to mine “In other words, a god must turn rogue” her eyes stayed locked on mine as she took yet another sip of her wine, swallowing loudly, loud enough for the sound to reach my sensitive ears fro, across the large table. If a god was to act rogue, it couldn’t be either Balor or Neptune since it would be too suspicious and Amun would most likely resist retaliating if that were the case. We needed a god, one who hadn’t been entrapped yet “Vulcan” Pandora announced, providing an answer to our silently asked question. My head turned to stare up at her, the memory of the god as vivid in my mind as my memory of meeting Caleb in Port Alice as Evangeline after having awoken as a Heart. Balor shot her a cutting look, furious, jealous black orbs boring into her “He will assist us” she repeated as if to reassure herself, but what need would she have to do so? The fire god loved her as much as Balor loved her so surely he would lay down his pride and do whatever it took to help the woman he loved or perhaps I was mistaken? Pandora’s lips trembled when she bowed her head, eyes staring at the reflective surface below “He has yet to visit you since Evangeline defeated him in combat” Balor argued, his words drawing all eyes onto me, including Caleb’s confused frown. It had been a secret Pandora had kept for nearly two decades, hiding it from me for all that time and the guilt was starting to weigh on my heart. Pandora glanced at me but quickly looked away and forced the conversation back onto the matter at hand “He may not listen to me, however if the request comes from Evangeline, he might just help” Neptune let out a long breath through his nostrils and shifted in his seat, eyes locked onto my form as thoughts ran through his mind. He most likely wanted to know why Pandora was so certain the fire god would help us if the request came from me specifically? Why would he suddenly distance himself from the woman he loved following our encounter? These were all questions that I couldn’t answer “Why?” I questioned, gazing to Pandora for answers but she refused to look at me, instead standing tall with her hands neatly clasped together over her stomach. It was easy to see that she would rather stray clear of the topic, however I couldn’t let it go, not with Caleb and Neptune present. She took a deep breath and allowed for her lips to part “I was the first woman to have ever defeated him in battle-.” she proudly announced, taking in Charis, Aurella, Neptune and then Balor yet she still refrained from even glancing in my direction. The light from the chandeliers that hung overhead danced in her eyes as she swallowed hard “I believe that is where his love lies” the room fell silent, bodies going stiff and rigged with realization. I thought back to the day of the separation, to how Vulcan had reacted in the throne room, his odd behaviour suddenly explained. Aurella was the first to break the silence, breathing a breath of laughter that caught everyone off guard “As always, Mary is the centre of everyone’s affections” the smirk that crept onto her lips was a taunting, playful and teasing one as she held her glass up in a mock toast “To the capturer of hearts” she said then took another sip of her wine. The action caused Pandora’s fingers to twitch but her face showed no sign of jealousy, anger or malice, instead she cleared her throat and spoke as though nothing had happened “He will assist us if the request is a direct request from Evangeline” she repeated to which Neptune nodded, his sapphire eyes, so familiar, so un aging moved from the table, the offered food and wine that decorated the table to meet my gaze. There was something in their depths that resembled an apology but why it was there, was beyond me “Then we will meet with Vulcan and proceed as planned” he nodded while he spoke, moving to get up from his seat, the chair scraping against the marble flooring. Vulcan was our only hope of retrieving the sword and I prayed that my request was enough to convince him to unleash his fury upon the world in order to attract Amun’s attention “Aurella” the god of the seas ordered to which the woman gave a long sigh, the glass in her hand disappearing in a puff of black smoke as she uncrossed her legs to stand. Neptune gave one last glance in my direction before he headed for the double doors with Aurella trailing behind but she paused, moments from exiting to meet my gaze “I’m sorry” was all she said and then they were gone, like walking through a portal into a new world, the doorway rippling like water, a swirling storm of lightning in its depths. I knew that he apology was because of her sudden disappearance all those years ago without any explanation or notice. I found myself wondering where she had been for all those years and what she had done since the last time we had seen each other? “Pandora-.” I began to say but the woman carelessly waved a hand as if it was nothing and dismissed the topic. She quickly excused herself and fled the room. I watched her go, a desire within me to ask for her forgiveness despite not having known what fighting and defeating Vulcan could have possibly meant. Slowly, I rose from my seat, reaching for the back of Caleb’s wheelchair so that I could wheel him back to our room where he could get some much needed rest after having exhorted his energy as he had “You are not at fault-.” Balor’s voice rang throughout the room once I was halfway to the double doors, forcing me to stop, my eyes gazing downward at the marble, at Caleb’s frail and sickly hands “It is that simpleton god who associated love with combat that is to blame for her grief” I straightened out my shoulders, eyes glancing back at the large form of the god as my hands tightened their hold on Caleb’s chair until my knuckled began to turn white. I felt guilty, felt like I had betrayed the woman who had offered up her home for us to live in, who made sure that we were fed and well taken care of. How could I not grit my teeth in self-hatred? “We all associate love with something dear to us” was my final response followed by the clicking of my heels against the marble and the heavy grunt of the doors grinding shut behind me. The endless hallways were deserted apart from the paintings, vases, sculptures and suits of armours that lined their walls, leaving me to the echoing silence of my mind, until- “Sing to me” Caleb’s voice drew me out of my thought, out of the images of our children, of Vulcan’s memory, of my guilt. I stumbled to a stop, blinking myself back to reality and gazing down at the man whom I loved more than I loved myself. He looked up at me with a hard gaze, expectation in his faded golden eyes “The harshness of grief is weighing, the sound of the ocean is echoing. Ten million violins, screeching-.” I sang, my voice bouncing off the cavern walls within which the mansion had been built. Caleb closed his eyes, listening to the sound of my voice begin to unfold as I continued in the direction of our room “Forces of the tides, taking me, taking me. Gravity has forsaken me, oh, this pull is undeniable-.” the words came to me, growing louder, more confident the further away we ventured from the room in which the meeting had been held. My voice blossomed into a crimson rose that had stemmed forth from a small, suppressed bud.