Revelation - Chapter 32 (Patreon)

Remus

“Are you sure you’re my brother?” I turn around and see Xion coming out on the patio with me. I’ve been out here taking in the warm breeze and sun for an hour. It’s something that I do a lot lately. Now that I don’t have Iris around, I have more time that I spend doing things by myself. Which includes one of her favorite past times. Enjoying the view.

“I’ve never known you to just sit and do nothing.” She jokes.

“Are you sure you’re my sister?” I quip back. She laughs softly as she takes a seat next to me.

“Last I checked you wanted me dead.” I joke. She laughs looking out over the distance. Her smile slowly drops.

“Hey.” She looks up at me and I offer her the best smile I can. “It’s ok. I understand.” I say. She nods her head slowly and moves to sit next to me.

“I have to admit, the scar looks pretty badass.” She says. I can’t help myself. I laugh.

“Except it came from Iris while she was being controlled,” I say. She nods her head.

“How are you so sure?” She asks.

“With our power comes the possibility of sharing it. When you share it, you can control the host until they learn how to cultivate it themselves. Making it their own.” I say. Her eyes widen.

“We can share our power?” She asks. I nod my head. This is something I only recently found out since my return. It’s very dangerous though which is why I hadn’t told anyone about it.

“You shouldn’t be hasty to try it though. Not until you know how to do it completely. It takes years to master.”

“And you haven’t?” She asks. I shake my head.

“It’s something we learn as we grow older. I was taken away from here and mother never taught me. I’m just now gaining a grasp on it.” I say. She nods her head.

“How are you?” She asks. I shrug. She doesn’t have to elaborate for me to know what she’s really asking. In the past, I would have lied. Told her I was fine and stuffed my emotions down. But I don’t want to do that anymore.

“I miss her.” I say truthfully. I look down at my hands.

“It feels like a piece of me is missing.” I say. I can’t help but laugh.

“I never thought she would mean this much to me. If I had known, I would have handled everything so much differently. She was just supposed to be a slave. Nothing more.” I say. Xion nods her head.

“Humans are strange that’s for sure. Maybe that’s what draws us in. How they act despite being weak.” She says. I nod my head.

Even when Iris saw first hand what I was capable of, she still fought. She never gave up. But now, she has power that is dangerous. And I’m sure Braith is having trouble with keeping her in check. She could kill him if he isn’t careful. Or he will kill her if she doesn’t obey.

“I know Iris. Better than she knows herself. She can be as angry as she wants to be, but kill someone? Never. Innocents? Even more so, never. I fear of what Braith will do to her while she’s in his care.” I recall the way he looked at her. The lust in his eyes.

“He wants her, Xion.” I say.

“Don’t worry. We will find them.”

Even if we do I have no idea what I will do with Iris. She’s dangerous. I can’t bring her back here. Not until she’s mastered the power she now holds.

“How is he?” I ask.

“He’s getting better of course.” She says. She takes a deep breath.

“Sky, however…” She trails off. She doesn’t have to finish. Sky is the one dying now. I tried my best to remove the energy that Braith had poisoned her weak body with, but it’s still finding a way to manifest itself. I don’t know how much longer she has. Could be days, could be weeks.

“The best thing we can do now is to make her comfortable,” I say. Xion nods next to me.

“So what now?” She asks. I take a deep breath. It’s a question I’ve been dreading.

“Now… we take back what is ours.” I say.

“The Kingdom is in fear. We need to reassure them that everything will be ok. I need to locate Iris and bring her home, and rid the world of Braith and his people.” She’s silent for a moment.

“Something’s bothering you?” I ask.

“Have you ever thought of just… disappearing?” She asks. I look at her in confusion.

“Disappearing?” She nods her head.

“Think about it. There are so many worlds out there, so many planes of existence. Why not? What has this kingdom ever done for me or you but cause us trouble? Why do we have to take it over? Because it’s tradition? Because of your parents? When have you ever done something for yourself, Remus?” She asks. I don’t have a response.

When have I ever done anything for myself? Iris asked me the same thing. I find myself wondering as well at this moment, and another thing Iris said to me pops into my head.

“Who will guide these people? Who will protect them?” I ask. I look back over the world beyond me.

“It’s always been my place to protect my people. Those with less power than me. Why have this kind of power to only disappear with it?” I ask. I look at Xion placing my hand on her shoulder.

“If I were normal. Powerless. Human, even. There would be so many other options. But you and I? That isn’t an option for us. We are too powerful to standby and do nothing.” I say. She smiles nodding her head.

“I know.” She murmurs. “I was just hoping you hadn’t forgotten it.” Her face turns serious.

“Remus… I know you’ve been through a lot. What with our mother's betrayal, finding Iris, losing your child. But I just want you to know and never forget who you are. What you have always stood for. You’re a protector. You always have been. You’ve always tried to do it alone.”

“But we’re here. Your family. You can trust us to help you. I promise. And I’ll be by your side when you take back Iris.” She smiles at me. I nod my head feeling a tug at my heart.

“Thank you.”

The door opens and out comes a guard.

“Your highness. We’ve found him.”

~

I walk into the great hall. Guards are lined up on either side of the walls. The main door opens and in comes the man I sent for.

Iris’ brother. Andrew.

He looks different. His muscles are more defined. I also see the man I sent him to live with has marked him. Sharing his power. I narrow my gaze. His scent is different as well. It’s laced with someone else’s. I can’t help but laugh softly. He bonded with someone. Humans intoxicate my people everywhere they turn.

He sees me and instead of attacking me as I expected, he kneels.

“Your highness.” He says. I see the time in the country did him very well. The woman he is with must be very important to him as well. One wrong move with me and her family could be punished. I motion to the guards and they nod their heads, some leaving the room to retrieve Sky.

“I have to admit, it seems time in the countryside did you very well.” I say. He nods his head.

“You’ve seemed to climbed the ranks and managed to land yourself a wife,” I say. He nods his head again.

“Yes, sire.”

“You do know this means your loyalty is to me now, Andrew. No matter what. You are no longer a part of the human race. Or what’s left of it anyway.” I say. He doesn’t react. He only nods his head.

“Yes, sire.” He says. The doors open and in comes the guards with Sky. Her body is unconscious on the stretcher. But she still lives.

“I am sending you a guest. She will be watched and cared for thoroughly until her death or her recovery. I will be sending a healer as well as my mother. They are now a part of your care and household along with my brother. Do you understand?” I ask. He nods his head.

“It would be my honor, sire.” He says. I walk over to Sky. Her heartbeat is weak. Faint. If she didn’t take that blow for him, he would have died. She saved him. If she does recover, she will never want again in this life. I look at the guards.

“Take good care of her.” I say. They both nod their heads leaving the room.

I make my way back to Andrew, looking him in the eyes.

“I have a proposition for you. It’s regarding your sister.”