Pet: Revelations - Chapter Fifteen (Patreon)

Remus

I’ve always hated councils. I never liked the fact that beings weaker than me have a say. I see now why my mother instilled in me to ensure that whoever that council was felt as if they were in charge. It was another way for her to keep some control over my natural affinity to weaker beings, and keep those she favored alive.

Here, however, it is much different.

The council is made of Celestivine who have lived more millennia than planets. At least three of the Celestivine who remain here are older than Earth and Xyrannis. Their wisdom comes with true age, having seen the course of this world’s history—Celestivine history.

“I am so honored to present to all of you, my son, Remus. He has returned to us after five hundred years of being missing among the cosmos,” Kuron says, speaking to the council.

There are fifteen council members in total. Each of them looks as a Celestivine should. White hair, purple eyes, and pure energy running through their veins. As I assess each of them, they do the same to me.

“You have grown, Remus. The last time we saw you, you were only a child. Still fresh to this world. I understand your experience within it has not been kind,” One of the elders speaks.

“No, it has not,” I say, keeping my answer brief. He may know me, but I do not know him. Judging from his energy signature, however, he is not among the eldest of the Celestivine present. Nor the most powerful.

“Me’Rite was always a wild spirit. It is what helped her grow as a powerful Celestivine, and why we knew she and Kuron would be the perfect match. We couldn’t have predicted she would abandon us without a hope,” another continues.

I nod, purposefully remaining silent.

“And the other? Where is she?” One of the elders asks, looking to Kuron. I look as well, curious as to how he is going to explain Xion’s current state.

“She is not yet stable enough to enter our society. She has taken these revelations harder than her brother,” Kuron says.

I scoff, pulling everyone’s attention. Silence falls over the chamber, and I can see from Kuron’s expression that I should remain silent.

“She is distraught, and rightfully so, but due to more than just the news,” I say, narrowing my gaze at Kuron. “You make her seem weak. She is anything but. She has lost someone close to her in the midst of this. A life that can never be replaced,” I say.

“To give that much of yourself to a weaker being is weakness. She is a Celestivine, destined to live out her life for millennia. To allow a creature who lives barely a fraction of that to make her incapacitated for this meeting is weak.” I have to control my anger as another elder speaks up.

Not only does it insult Xion, but I know they are hinting at Iris’s presence. Everyone can sense it.

I laugh, looking the elder in the eye.

“And what does that make all of you? You who were ready to abandon hope because my mother took me from this world?” I ask.

Gasps erupt in the room, but before anyone can speak, Kuron is next to me, his hand against my shoulder as he speaks to the elders.

“Forgive my son; he is not familiar with our customs. Please keep in mind, he had not yet learned when Me’Rite took him,” he says.

I narrow my gaze, wanting nothing more than to step away from him. I do not need him apologizing for me. Especially in a room full of Celestivine I could kill in an instant if I wanted. They may be among the oldest, but they are not among the most powerful.

That is reserved for my bloodline.

“Let us all take a beat.” The room grows heavy as the eldest among the council stands. His power reverberates through the room, settling over each of us. Celestivine age much differently than humans. Though he is thousands of years old, he doesn’t look much older than a human in their sixties.

He looks at me, smiling.

“The affection you have for your sibling is admirable, Remus. We have not seen anything like it in centuries. And there is good reason for that. It is dangerous to hold this much power and not have a proper hold on your emotions,” he says.

Silence settles over the room, but I don’t respond.

“Now, let us move on from this. We have more important things to discuss, starting with Me’Rite’s punishment,” he says, taking his seat.

He continues to watch me, however, and I do the same. He is different from the surrounding council members. I don’t know if it’s his age or his power, but something about him is strange. It’s almost as if he is suppressing his power.

“I’ve kept Me’Rite imprisoned in a separate dimension for her actions. Now that we have returned, I will leave it to the council—”

“I want her death,” I say.

Once again, murmurs of shock erupt in the room, some council members looking to Kuron.å

“I know your beliefs. But if not for my return, she would have damned you all anyway. She doesn’t deserve life, after what she’s done. After what she’s taken,” I say. I don’t mind that my anger grows, until it can be felt in this room. I want them to feel my pain.

“The loss of a lesser life form has no bearing in our court—”

The ground cracks, shattering as a surge of energy rips from my body, my rage becoming physical.

“If you wish to keep your tongue, I suggest you stop wagging it. Or have you forgotten that in my eyes, you are the lesser life form?” I hiss, glaring at the council member who would dare insult my unborn child’s life.

“Remus,” Kuron calls to me, but I hold my hand up, stopping him.

“It may be my mother locking me in a mindless prison for centuries, or my centuries of mindlessly doing her bidding across galaxies. But I do not care for your words—any of you. I have no interest in being controlled. You bear no weight in my mind. So, in the future, be very careful with how you speak to me. Especially if it involves those close to me,” I say.

I look at each and every individual council member. Their shock and fear are just what I needed. They have no misconception of who is in charge. They are aware that I am.

“I will do what my father has asked, because my memories of him are fond. But none of you protected me, or my sister, when my mother walked out of this fucking palace with us, and dragged us into a perpetual hell. None of you risked a damn thing to ensure that either of us came back home,” I snap.

Silence covers us once again. I can see the council members are uneasy. I am sure they weren’t expecting this kind of introduction to the Celestivine that will soon lead them. But my anger outweighs my logic, as I think of everything Iris has done regardless of what I could do for her. These Celestivine were content to have me replaced, and only welcome me back so readily because I have proven irreplaceable.

“Maybe it was too soon for Remus as well,” Kuron says, stepping forward. I watch him carefully as he apologizes to the room full of council members.

I laugh, pulling his attention.

“And now you insult me,” I say, keeping my tone level. I move past him, addressing the council directly. “Respect me, and I will respect you. Try to dictate to me, and I will respond in kind. It is that simple.”

No council member speaks, but Kuron tries to intercede.

“Remus, we look to the council for their wisdom. Having seen things that most of us have never experienced makes them—”

“Narrow-sighted,” I say. “For centuries, you have offered your advice, and what has become of this place? What has become of this home you all cling so desperately to? Has your word helped in any way? You have proven by matching Kuron and Me’Rite that your vision is short-sighted. You never accounted for her free spirit to outweigh your laws. Did it never occur to you to have options outside of our bloodline in the centuries that you have lived?” I ask.

I get no response, but the same elder who de-escalated things earlier grins.

“I understand where it is you are coming from, Remus. But we simply cannot take the life of a Celestivine. I am sure you have realized why since arriving here. Me’Rite will pay for her crimes, but not in the way you desire,” he says.

I pull in a deep breath, calming myself. This is why I don’t like councils. Having to bargain with them for something that needs to be done is irritating. But he is the same Celestivine that offered me the respect I expected when walking into this room. So, as I said, I return it.

“Okay,” I say. “But I do expect something in return.”

“That was not what we discussed!” I ignore Kuron as he shouts behind me. I know I pushed the council to the cusp. In the past, I never would have done something outside of what my mother or Kuron directed. But I am tired of being everyone’s puppet, and getting nothing in return.

“Remus. Remus!” Kuron shouts as I enter the room that has been given to me as a new study. I briefly glance at the map on the wall before turning to face Kuron.

“You had chances to prove that you were someone I could trust. You never took them. So why would I ever do what we discussed?” I ask, keeping my tone level.

Kuron furrows his brow, stepping back.

“I gave you an opportunity, Remus. I removed the blocks your mother implanted and helped you step into a new power—”

“You did that so that I would destroy one of the only things she cared about. Don’t dress your revenge up as my best interest,” I say, stepping closer.

I let the flow of energy release, vibrating the air as I look into his eyes.

Kuron narrows his gaze, stepping back.

“Are you doing this because of the boy? I saved him, I gave him doctors—”

“You were going to let him die on that ship,” I say. “You have never once offered Xion comfort. You only think she is too weak to be bothered with. You have proven time and time again what you are here for, and it is not to bring your children back. It’s to ensure your legacy doesn't die.”

Kuron doesn’t respond, but watches me intensely.

“You made a mistake, Kuron. You revealed how much you need me, much too soon. And you rashly gave me access to power my mother purposefully kept hidden,” I laugh.

“She knows me much better than you do. She knew not to leave my decisions to chance. Do not think you control me for one second,” I say, turning away from him.

I shift my attention to the maps, ignoring his presence. I vaguely recall these maps from when I was a child, but I can see that the dark spots have grown since my departure. Meaning Kuron’s reach has lessened significantly. It is clear this is why the council has indulged me with very little pushback. And why they have allowed Iris, Ezra, and Sky to remain in exchange for sparing my mother.

It adds another issue to my plate, especially since Ezra is still reluctant to acknowledge his new life. I pull in a deep breath, trying my best to calm my mind. Dealing with all of this alone will be a task that I am not interested in doing around Celestivine I don’t trust.

And though I am still angry with my siblings for keeping things from me, I trust them more than Kuron and the Celestivine who surround me. I need my siblings by my side.

I smile to myself as the thought appears.

At least for now, that emotion remains clear.