Pet: Revelations - Chapter Twenty-Six (Patreon)

Iris

My actions have consequences. It was the first lesson Remus ever taught me when we met. Everything that I did had a terrible consequence, whether it was one of my girls, Jude, or even an innocent servant. This time, however, it is Remus. I haven’t seen or spoken to him in days, and I am unsure if it is because he is upset with me for what he thinks was a manipulation. He hasn’t been around during the day, and I fall asleep before he returns. The only sign he’s been around is the food that miraculously appears with a fresh set of clothing.

I release an irritated breath, falling back against the soft grass Remus brought to life for me. One of the last acts of his old self. My feet dangle in the pond, and I enjoy the cool water licking at my legs as the soft wind adds more ripples. The sun’s rays are bright, but not too hot as they shine down on the garden. As I hold my hand over my face to block them out, my mind shifts to that morning with Remus.

I can no longer get a proper read on his emotions. And each time I think of the moment he controlled me with that beam of light, I shiver. I remember vividly seeing his mother use that same ability when she was taking control of her children. I had never seen Remus use it until now. He is becoming more of a mystery to me. Remus has always been the most patient being I have ever known. He’s always taken my anger, my outbursts, and my betrayals with a smile—watching me with eyes that understand my reactions.

Now, he has changed.

His words, his demeanor, even his use of his power are more aggressive than he’s ever been. There is no room for error, no room to disobey. He is sharp and commanding, expecting obedience. Which is why I am hesitant to push him as I used to. Even his reaction to the Celestivine who grabbed me felt…unnatural. It was terrifying to bein the same vicinity as him as he crushed another being without using his hands. I could feel his anger in ways I never have before. Not since he destroyed the rebellion.

I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to give him more grace when we arrived at Xyrannis—to be more grateful for those small moments between us. I wish I had acknowledged better his changes for me. Now, all of that is gone thanks to his mother. Or was it only ever there because of her?

I think of what Sky shared with me when she asked me to talk to Remus for Ezra. “Their mother manipulated Xion and Remus for Ezra’s sake.”

Remus said that version of him was never who he truly was. But I don’t believe that to be one hundred percent true. No one has given me the specifics of what their mother did. Just vague explanations of her manipulating them. But I can’t bring myself to believe that the same Remus who taught me to swim, who created a room just for me because I was homesick, and taught me their language is not who he truly is.

“Ugh,” I groan, tears burning my eyes.

As much as I hate to admit it, Remus is all I have in this world. His quips about Cypress didn’t even stir me. In my mind, my brother died the moment he used that weapon to kill Jude—the moment he let Iriel cart me away for revenge. He’s lucky that Remus has much more foresight than I do and has kept him alive. I let out a bitter laugh, looking at the surrounding walkways.

Maybe I do understand Remus more than I thought.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when I see Ezra and Xion walking along the hallway above. Ezra looks much like his old self, which I am sure is a big reason why Xion has emerged so often as well. I note that as Ezra speaks, his expression is serious, which is rare for him. Xion looks uneasy as well with whatever it is he is telling her. But it’s nice to see her finally emerge from her room.

I shift my attention back to the garden.

I’ve been here for hours, waiting for Sky. Remus may be all I have, but Sky is my only friend. Our friendship is as unconventional as my relationship with Remus, but it is what keeps me sane these days. It was formed from us having similar traumas, helping us go from enemies to friends. But she hasn’t been feeling too well lately, and seeing as she still hasn’t met me today, I assume she isn’t going to.

I stand, disappointment blooming in my chest as I chalk it up to another day that I am alone.

“Leaving so soon?” I flinch, turning in shock to see Remus standing near the tree near the edge of the pond. Excitement blooms in my chest, and my heart rate gives me away as I take him in.

He has a soft grin on his lips, his amethyst eyes glittering in the sunlight as he smiles at me. His hair has grown since I last paid attention, though I can tell much easier now because it isn’t pulled away from his face—it’s only tucked behind his ear as he watches me.

“You’re here,” I say softly, earning a laugh from him. He pushes himself from the tree, approaching with that inhuman grace I’ve become accustomed to. I note that as he grows closer, the air seems to shift, growing electric with his presence.

He pulls me into his arms, placing a gentle kiss on the top of my head.

“As are you,” he laughs.

“I just meant… I haven’t seen you in days. I thought you were mad at me,” I say, pulling away.

Remus’s amusement falls away, replaced with concern as he studies me with a raised brow.

“Why would you think that?” he asks.

As I look into his shifting gaze, I am reminded of that morning in the bath, as well as the moment in the ship.

“You threatened me,” I say, stepping away from him. My hand drifts to my throat as I recall that feeling.

Remus laughs off my explanation and closes the distance between us again. He gently places his finger under my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his.

“Only because you threatened me,” he says.

His eyes shift over my face, and I fight the shiver that creeps up my spine as I am reminded of the possessive side of this alien I provoked that night. He smiles when he sees that I remember, lowering his lips to mine. All of my worries disappear as he kisses me. My anxiety, my fears, they are swallowed up by the feel of his lips against mine. As he kisses me, a pleasant warmth spreads over me, settling in my veins, so much that when he pulls away, more disappointment weighs on me.

He smiles, studying my reaction, and I am once again at a loss for words at the beauty of this Celestivine before me.

“I haven’t been avoiding you. I’ve just been busy. I’ve missed a lot in the years I’ve been missing. This world is much more complex than running the Leviathan empire,” he says, pulling away from me.

He moves to the edge of the pond, keeping his back to me as he inspects it.

“I thought you would have done some exploring on your own by now,” he says, looking back to me.

I shake my head and look away.

I haven’t been interested in exploring for fear of what I might find beyond those doors. The more mystery that is revealed to me, the deeper the wedge between Remus and me will grow. But I can’t tell him that.

“I wouldn’t know what I was looking at anyway,” I say.

Remus scoffs.

“That’s never stopped you before,” he says.

He knows I’m lying. I can see it in the way he watches me. But he allows me the safety of my life, moving past me, and I gasp as he pulls my hand in his.

“Come, let me show you something you’ll enjoy.”

I am once again in awe as I enter Remus's study. Seeing it at night and during the day are two different things. It is just as beautiful, if not more ethereal, from the natural light that filters in, making everything seem heavenly.

“I never asked what you think,” Remus says, pulling me from my ogling. I don’t bother mentioning he was too busy reprimanding me for something he forgot to tell me.

“It’s beautiful, of course,” I say, laughing to myself.

Remus doesn’t speak as I walk closer to the bookshelves, my attention drawn to the different types of books that have been placed next to one another. Some are physical, looking just like the books from Earth, while others are paper, rolled in place and held by more shelves. Some are digital, glowing as my eyes fall on them, filled with alien text.

“It once belonged to my mentor, Celise,” Remus says, pulling my attention. I look away from the bookshelf to him, and he walks past me to the nearest shelf, reaching for a book. His movements are so graceful, I have to remind myself that he is not human.

“Celise?” I ask, confused. I’ve never heard the name before. And I’ve never known Remus to have a mentor.

He nods, taking a deep breath as he pulls a book from its place.

“She was responsible for my initial training to become a Celestivine. She would have taught Xion as well when she was ready if my mother hadn’t…” he trails off, but I sense his anger.

“Your parents didn’t teach you themselves?” I ask.

My voice pulls Remus from his trance, and he shrugs and moves to the desk. He places the book down as he speaks.

“Our culture is different. My parents wouldn’t waste their time teaching us anything unless we showed potential,” he says as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“That’s…awful,” I murmur.

It gives more insight into who Remus’s parents are. They are not nurturing souls. Their love and attention are dependent on the power you exhibit. Or at least his father’s is.

“I’m sure it seems that way from your perspective. But being a pure energy being can be dangerous. If your child cannot control the energy coursing through them, it could result in catastrophic results,” he says.

“So…you’re saying if your child couldn’t harness your power, you wouldn’t bother teaching them?” I ask.

I am shocked to see his expression. He looks visibly upset, his eyes glowering as he glares down at the book. He looks…angry. Then, I realize what I said—what I implied.

My cheeks burn as I hold my hands up. “I-I didn’t mean—”

“No. I wouldn’t teach them,” he says, finally looking at me.

I flinch from his tone, my mind reeling. I’ve never given a thought to children. Most of my life has been dedicated to surviving, and I don’t even know if Rmeus and I are compatible. We’ve gone all this time, and no children have come of it, so I assume we are not. But his reaction has me second-guessing that theory.

“Have you reunited with Celise?” I ask, desperate to change the subject.

Remus’s mood shifts slightly. I can see him building that emotional wall as if it were a physical entity.

“Unfortunately, she has already died within the time that I have been gone,” Remus says.

My eyes widen.

“Oh…I’m sorry…I thought Celestivine lived for a long time,” I say.

Remus shrugs. “We do. But Celise died of natural causes,” he says.

“I’m sorry,” I say again. “Do you miss her?” I ask.

Remus’s brows raise as his expression shifts to shock. He thinks for a moment, then smiles and picks up the book.

“I guess I do,” he says, gesturing for me to join him.

I don’t speak as I close the distance between us. This is the first time he has opened up to me since arriving, and it has to do with a devastating piece of his past. I can’t see how he can tell me this and expect me to believe he isn’t himself.

“This book contains the basics of the Celestivine language,” he says as I come to stand next to him. He opens it up, revealing some of the text, and my eyes widen as I realize I recognize some of the words. They don’t entirely make sense, but they look familiar.

“My mother, in all her wisdom, must have missed some parts of home. I’m sure you noticed on Xyrannis how the history changed abruptly. She integrated the Celestivine language into the written language of the Leviathan,” he says.

My eyes grow even wider as tears form and I look at him. I can’t even form words. I throw my arms around his neck, and I hear his soft laugh. I feel at ease in this moment. This is my Remus. I all but melt in his arms as his hands wrap around my waist, holding me close, and the heat of his body melts into mine.

As I pull away, I am overtaken with joy, and I kiss him. It takes my brain a moment to recognize what I’ve done, and I quickly pull away.

“I-I’m so—mph!” Remus’s lips are over mine as he flips us, and I feel my back come into contact with his desk. His kiss is deep, pushing past my lips to ignite the ache between my legs.

I moan into his mouth as his hands drift to my thighs, brushing between my legs.

“Remus—” We both tense as a new voice enters the room. Remus pulls away, and I briefly see a Celestivine standing near the doorway.

My eyes widen. I recognize this Celestivine, and I am filled with more fear than I am embarrassment at being caught as the Celestivine who almost killed Ezra stands, his gaze narrowed when he sees me.

"Du kanar, Remus?"