Chapter 67

~Kamari~ 

"Let me go! Let me out! Aneth!" I scream, my heart pounding. I start pacing back and forth; my stomach feels as if it is on a permanent carriage ride, the bumpy roads that make my stomach plummet to my bladder. I start clawing at the fleshy womb of the dwelling. I can hear Nye and Koa's muffled voices. I can feel the heat of Nye's fire against it. It doesn't go through. I hate feeling this helpless. I didn't want to let my rage consume me, but I just thought of seeing that spike hover over Aneth's chest; it felt like it was hovering over mine. 

Suddenly, I hear nothing. No grunts or fleshy blows, and the silence all but chokes me. I step back, looking at the Veil as if I could see something; then it ripples, and when I see Mael come back with blood, my hand covers my hand, and a shuddered sob comes out of it. "No, no, no," I start shaking and drop to my knees, my hands digging into my scalp. "NO!" I scream a burst of pusling out of me, my hands clenching my chest. "Goddess, no!"

I scream upwards to the skies, my soul-crushing my being. My body starts to shake, and I suddenly stare at the ground and start laughing like a mad woman, but when I look up at Mael, my gaze is nothing but rage. I stand up with a heavy body; every pulse of my heart ends with pain. Mael stares back at me, he clenches his jaw and notice him holding his other arm, no spike. My lip trembles, and I stare at him, but he doesn't have my gaze.

"Look at me!" I shout, "You looked at Aneth when you stabbed him!" Mael's seems to wince in pain. But I didn't care, I shake my head, "You could have left me alone…" My sorrow flows like lead through my veins, but I walk towards him. And I stop inches from him; Mael still doesn't look at me, and my sorrow turns to rage. I grab him by the throat and dig my claws into him, he doesn't stop me, then I notice ripple in the Veil again, and out of the corner of my eye I catch a glint of those golden eyes. My attention draws to him, I gasp as if I can breath again.

"Aneth?" My hand falls away from Mael's neck. I walk towards Aneth, he was a bloody mess as well, and he had Mael's other spike in his hand, he throws it to the ground. Aneth's eyes gaze locks on mine; I run to him, embrace him in a crushing hug, I sob like an idiot, my face pressed to his chest. His hold on me tightens, "I heard your screams, little one," he says, and my hands clench his shirt. 

"I-I thought I'd lost you…"

"Hm," Aneth hums in his throat, "No. Mael might have kept you from me but also underestimated me." I look up at Aneth, my gaze visibly broken but now renewed. "Then why is he alive?" I ask. Aneth leers down at Mael, who looks ultimately defeated. "I kept him alive. I had the winning strike. I chose not to take it but accepted him into pride."

I step back from Aneth; the confusion and surprise contort my face, "What?" I shake my head, "Why on Kadea's would you do that, Aneth? He harmed you." Aneth's gaze doesn't leave Mael, "I want him in under my control," Aneth tilts his head, walks over, grabs Mael by the hair, and yanks his head back, "Like a prisoner of war." He smirks, "Although I have other reasons. Ones I won't discuss right now."

No wonder Mael looked so defeated. He hadn't won, but he hadn't lost in a way either. The Veil ripples, and Koa and Nye stride in, looking less than happy about the decision. Nye grabs Aneth's arm, "You had the kill." Nye snarls, his eyes like daggers, "Have you lost your mind, Aneth!?"

"I'll kill him." Koa's voice is sinister, but before Koa can reach Mael, Aneth grabs and flings him backward. "Back down, or I'll make you," Aneth tenses, "Do you both not think clearly? Of course, I wanted to skin him alive. But did you not think of the benefits of using him?" I look towards Mael who was bent over, this was the most defeated I had every seen him. I look back to Nye and Aneth, the electricity between them palpable, Nye clenches his hands, and gives Aneth a nasty snarl, which makes Aneth's brows twitch as if Nye had said something painful to hear. 

Nye strides out of the Veil, and so does Koa. Aneth looks down, "This is why I don't take the lead, Kamari." I double-blink, confused, "They'll make peace with your decision, Aneth." Aneth turns to me, "No, this is different. Mael is part of pride, something we have to live with. I understand their anger, but my way of leading makes them doubt me as one of their brethren." Aneth was bright with the things he did, and they usually made sense and got us through a hectic time. "Aneth your way of thinking is what makes a goddess sent." I caress his arm, "Please don't change it–" he backs away from me mid-sentence, his gaze wavering. "I would not." Suddenly I feel a slight shift in his demeanor, he side-steps me, and grabs Mael. "Get up." He commands, and Mael hesitates for a second, then gets up. They both leave the Veil, and I suddenly feel like the one to blame. But I refuse to feel bad for the things that came naturally to me. I walked back to the Kingdom alone but was okay with it. There had been many moments in my life where I was left to fend for myself because my father couldn't give a shit about his only daughter. 

As I walk through the Kingdom, I relish its growth. For once, I was following through with my promise of a better home, and I could see the happiness in the people around me. I wanted them to know me and be more involved in their lives than anyone else. I felt like I had accomplished so much, yet it felt like my relationships with my pride were faltering. I didn't want that; everyone was on edge right now. I wanted us to be like we were, but now that Mael was here, I couldn't see how this would go over well. Part of me wondered if it would have been better for Aneth to seal Mael's fate. But i know either way, it would broken something inside of me. Ignis is the first to latch onto me when I enter the room. "Mama!" My swell as I pick her up in my arms; I nuzzle her. "Oh, my love…" I had been away for weeks. I missed Ignis and Ryuu even though I couldn't find him. I see Nye, Koa, and Aneth, although they look like they are holding something back. 

I smile meekly, "Care to share?" I lay my head on Ignis. Koa looks to the ground, and Nye locks eyes with me, but I look at Aneth who meets my guess, I chuckle nervously, "What's happened?" A moment passes before Aneth speaks up.

"We are leaving Kamari."

I search his eyes to see if he's joking, but there isn't the flinch of a smile or glint in his eyes, "What?" I can't help but chuckle out of disbelief. The way he said it made me feel sick to my stomach. I stay silent, waiting for a further explanation. Aneth's jaw clenches, "We've stayed in concrete walls long enough. It's not natural. I sealed Mael in the underdwelling with the magic I had left; he won't bother you."

I swallow hard, "How long will you be gone?"

Silence.

I furrow my brows, and the ball in my chest tightens, "Wait," I sit Ignis down, "Are you leaving just for the sake of going on a little visit to the forest, or, " I pause because I didn't want to say the other option, but I figured it would hang in the air. Aneth walks towards me and then places his forehead on mine, but he doesn't say anything. I feel my heart breaking, and I am at a loss for words.

I bite my lip as they turn from me and jump from the window. I couldn't believe this was happening. One minute, they're saving me, defending me, and then leaving? It didn't make sense. I look at Ignis and make the reality of it dig deeper. Nye left Ignis. Koa left Ryuu. It's suddenly hard to breathe, and I start hyperventilating and steady myself against the bed. My heart hurt as if I'd lost my mother again. My body starts shaking, and my hand clenches the bed. 

The emotions scramble my brain, I can't think straight, and then burn in my eyes wins. I start to slam my fists on the bed. "Ugh!" I scream out in a sudden burst of anger. I rip the room apart, dig my nails into furniture as if I could tear them apart for fucking with my emotions. My breath comes heavy, and I glimpse myself in the mirror. A woman with matted hair, blazing violet eyes, she looked as if she was manic, insane, she looked fucking broken. I shudder a breath, and drop to my knees, I cover my hands with my face. My head pounded like someone took a hammer to it, nailing in my new reality. I was alone, and this felt entirely different. Like the life I had built, the comfort of it just got ripped away from me.

I start to sob, "Please don't leave me…"