24. Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Iris

Remus is giving me space. It's been five days since I was released from my inhibitor in this new location and Remus has barely spoken to me. But he's left Jude to keep me miserable company. It's unnerving living with someone like Remus and being at his mercy. If he decides he wants an inhibitor placed on me again, I can do nothing to stop it. If I anger him too much, he will make someone else suffer in my place.

The sun set an hour ago so the dim lights on the walls offer me a comforting ambiance as I walk through the silent house. I pause when I pass by the open archway that leads outside. Remus is outside. He's gazing up at the stars as he leans against the columns. It's one of the rare times he isn't working. If not for the unnatural hue of his hair, he'd seem human. A light breeze sweeps over the area, gently washing over him. His hair is down, so the wind flows through it easily, blowing it softly. He's done this a lot recently: stare into space.

Remus tilts his head slightly, speaking.

"Iris."

I tense as his voice sounds, pulling me out of my staring. I silently make my way to where he is seated, placing my hand in his that he has held out for me. He pulls me between his legs, his hands possessively wrapping around my waist. I gasp slightly as I look into his eyes. They are vividly bright and beautiful, contrasting the night. He smiles, revealing those abnormally sharp canines. His smile is painfully beautiful yet terrifying on his face. I take back what I said. There's no way he could pass for a human. He pulls me down onto his lap, and I silently try to keep my heartbeat calm. I know the second my heart starts to quicken, he'll do whatever he can to scare me. I tense just as his fingers trace a pattern on my exposed thigh.

"How are you adjusting?" he asks. I keep my eyes focused on my hands as I speak.

"Fine," I say softly. If I'm being honest, it's been difficult having Jude near me all the time and never being able to ask him if he's okay. It's also been challenging to get my body to become my own again. But I won't tell Remus that.

"I know the effects of an inhibitor, Iris." Remus chuckles behind me, his hands closing over mine.

I inhale a trembling breath as my throat compresses in discomfort.

"It's been hard," I say softly, "but you already knew that. "

My eyes shift to the bracelet on my wrist. I'm still his prisoner. I miss having my free will completely. Having Remus's trust was something that I took for granted. I felt too powerful and thought I could manipulate his feelings, but I was so wrong. Remus is right about our race. I'm just like the rest of them—blinded by a little power.

"What's going through that head of yours?" he asks softly. I release a bitter chuckle, my tears falling against my wishes, and I hastily wipe them away.

"I miss my freedom," I say softly. Remus is silent for a moment before leaning closer to me. The heat from his body is comforting.

"Did you think kissing that boy would give you the freedom you crave?" he asks, anger lacing his tone.

"No... I... He just made me feel normal, like I was more than a slave... not frightened," I say honestly.

Remus scoffs behind me.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about that. Your body's natural reaction to my presence is fear."

I'm about to ask what he means, but he silently outstretches his hand in front of us, and I watch in awe as the grass ripples slightly before the individual blades tear out of the ground. I blink my eyes rapidly, trying to fathom what I'm seeing. The grass floats in a curved line and comes to rest atop Remus's palm until there's a small bubble shape of grass floating above his hand. I look at it in shock, reaching for the grass before drawing my hand back. Remus laughs, encouraging me.

"Go ahead," he says softly .

I reach out, touching the grass, and it shifts slightly before moving back to its rotating form above his hand.

"How...?" I trail off, unable to formulate the proper question to even begin understanding what I'm seeing. Remus laughs louder now, and the sound is pleasant.

"It's simple. Manipulation of matter," he says. The grass speeds up its rotation until a rhythmic zigzag is floating above his palm.

"I feel the atoms and molecules that make up the world around me. I tell them what to do, rearrange them, and put them back together how I want them," he says as if it's simple math. I watch in fascination as the grass dissipates into nothing, and in the same instance, a purple flower appears, earning a gasp from me.

Remus closes his fingers around the stem, watching me with a gentle expression as he holds it out to me. I take the flower from him, looking at it in confusion. It's beautiful. It's the same color as Remus's eyes with its vibrant, waxy petals. My mind is reeling from the magic trick I just witnessed. My fingers touch the vibrant petals, testing their texture. They're as soft as they look and real.

"It's an iris."

I look at Remus in confusion, and he tilts his head slightly, looking at the flower.

"You're named after a flower," he explains with a grin. I look back at the flower in awe. I had no idea I was named after a flower. And such a unique-looking one.

"Amazing," I whisper.

Remus's explanation of matter and manipulation flies out the window as I stare at the flower. It represents something about me as an individual. It's something from my past that has become a part of my present, and I am enthralled by it.

My breathing hitches in my throat. I'm crying, but not from fear. It's something else—something pleasant. I vaguely note that Remus is watching me silently, but I don't dare look to see his expression.

"Can I keep it?" I whisper.

Remus doesn't speak as he reaches for the flower, placing his finger lightly against the petal. I watch in fascination as the flower's color grows more vibrant. I look at Remus in confusion, trying to figure this alien out. He is nothing like his race. He is much more regal and capable of so much more than they are. Is it even possible to stop him?

His gaze shifts from the flower to me, and I feel a chill crawl up my spine as he studies me. His fingers thread through my hair as he pulls me into him, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Goodnight, Pet."

He takes one last look at the sky and stands before walking inside. I wait until he disappears into the house before looking down at the flower in my hand.

"Iris," I say the name aloud.

Not only my name but the name of this flower. It's something I never got to ask my parents about. I hadn't reached the age to be interested or even learn about the different types of flowers other than roses I'd seen in films. But Remus has revealed a piece of my past to me that never would have been realized otherwise. I push down the desire to throw this feeling away. For all the turmoil I've faced, I will allow myself this one little moment of happiness even if it was given to me by him.

In my time within Remus's care, I've only ever seen the Leviathan cities. They're beautiful and magnificent, somehow mixing themselves with nature so as not to harm it but to help it thrive. This Leviathan settlement is no different. Though it's not as big as the cities, it's just as magnificent.

I watch in awe as the Leviathan surrounding us go about their daily lives, appearing to enjoy the warmth that the sun brings as well as the vibrant scenery. They have somehow created buildings with greenery growing on the exterior walls. It makes me think of a town more so than a city. And it's been nestled within the abundance of the mountain. It reminds me of the Italian villages I saw on TV as a child, except it's much more... foreign.

My eyes shift to Jude, who is walking silently in front of me. He seems to know where it is we are going, but I haven't the slightest clue. I haven't seen Remus in a week. He's been gone since he gave me the flower, leaving me alone in the villa with only Jude to keep me company. But now we have finally been summoned. We are both making our way through the nearby town, I'm assuming to where Remus has been all this time.

The Leviathan around us don't seem to mind our presence. But as I look around, we are not the only humans wandering without the presence of a Leviathan. There are many silently moving with objects and produce in their hands, more than likely doing tasks for their masters. I feel disgust brewing in my stomach at the sight of them. I know what it's like to be under the spell of an inhibitor. It's torture without being fully aware of it. You're locked in a dark abyss, forced to watch the world around you but having no say in what happens or what you're doing. Your brain is constantly fighting, trying to figure out what is real and what is fake, trying its best to adjust to the reality surrounding you with no rest.

I suck in shuddering breath as my eyes fall on Jude. I was only under for a month, and I'm barely able to function normally. I can't imagine Jude's mental state. Remus is cruel in his intent to keep me obedient. Jude was so strong and confident. He always found unorthodox humor in our situation. It was one of the things that drew me to him—his unwavering optimism. And now, he looks back at me with the same expression Margot held, with no hope of ever being released.

We continue our trek up a small hill until we finally reach a foreign residence that appears to be made of stone upon closer inspection. Jude makes his way to the large wooden door, pushing it open for us to enter.

The interior is just as breathtaking as the exterior. The colors are different shades of nude, with pops of color strategically placed throughout. It's not as magnificent as Remus's usual choice in residency, but it's still just as beautiful. Jude keeps walking knowingly through the open dwelling, pausing when he reaches the archway. I silently make my way past him, expecting to see Remus, but he isn't here. There's a Leviathan I've never seen before standing in the center of the room with his back to me. His hair is black, falling down his back in a secured ponytail. He's also dressed in what I've come to realize is traditional Leviathan clothing. So, he cannot be a general or someone of the upper class.

The Leviathan that are in normal standing wear simpler colors than white or vibrant hues, just as this one does. But even if he isn't someone of high standing, I am still human. I immediately recall my training, pausing in the archway as I drop my head. The Leviathan shifts in front of me, already sensing my presence, but I don't dare make a sound. I hear a soft chuckle followed by the sound of the Leviathan approaching me. My heart speeds up as fear overcomes me. Remus is nowhere to be found, and this Leviathan is coming toward me with intent. I recall how Remus was with Iriel and Alistar and find myself stepping back as he enters my personal space.

"Is that any way to greet me after being away from me so long?" My eyes widen at the sound of the voice. I look up in shock to see Remus looking at me with a twinkle of amusement in his gaze. His eyes have dulled from their usual purple to a peculiar blue, his hair the same color as mine.

"Wha—How...?" I trail off, unable to find the proper words to express my shock. He smiles, and to my utter astonishment, his sharpened canines are nowhere to be found, just a normal row of straight teeth. He somehow looks different and the same all at once. His abnormal gaze roams over my body with delight, and he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him .

"I've missed you," he murmurs into the crook of my neck. My body reacts to his proximity, warmth washing over me, but Remus doesn't acknowledge it. He gently releases me, keeping his hand wrapped around mine as he leads me to a courtyard overflowing with plant life.

I watch in shock as his hair changes in front of me, the color returning to its white hue just as his eyes seem to twinkle in delight as they shift to their natural color. My eyes are wide as I take him in. Seeing him in something other than white is strange, yet he seems to be just as intimidating.

He continues leading me to cream-colored cushions in the courtyard's center. I note that glasses filled with water and food are waiting for me. I slowly sink into the cushions, my gaze focused on Remus as my brain tries to decipher what I just witnessed.

Remus smiles at my confusion, his sharp canines revealing themselves as he speaks.

"I cannot always be around as myself. Not if I want to see how my people are truly adjusting to their new lives," he says softly.

I blink in confusion. Jude once told me that Remus leaves a place once his business is concluded. This place was no different. He said Remus was one step closer to finding the resistance, and I can't help but wonder if there is something more to his story. Or of the resistance is even aware of this ability Remus possesses.

Remus silently reaches for the glass sitting atop the table, handing it to me. I look down warily, breathing a sigh of relief when I see it's just water and not the pink liquid that Remus makes me drink before his feedings. Remus chuckles, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Don't worry, it's just water. We are high in the mountains, and I don't want you getting sick from the altitude," he says with a genuine smile. I eye him warily, bringing the glass to my lips. I don't understand his mood lately. Maybe it's because time passed differently for me while being under the control of an inhibitor, or maybe he's much more comfortable with me now that he has me in more ways than one. But he seems to be back to his original self when it comes to me—Jude and my betrayal all but forgotten.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Remus's words pull me out of my thoughts, and I follow his gaze to the scenery beyond. The courtyard has a perfect view of the mountainside that the town is nestled in and the ample foliage beyond. But I don't respond. I don't want to. Of course, it's beautiful. Of course, the Leviathan have utilized our planet much better than we could have dreamed. But I can't admit that. Not when it's our home.

Remus senses my frustrations, laughing at my stubbornness.

"Admitting your planet's beauty will put you no more on the Leviathan's side than me admitting I've grown fond of you would put me on the human's side," he says in amusement. I keep my eyes focused on the glass in my hands.

"How can you say you've grown fond of me... when you put me under an inhibitor for a month," I say softly. Remus leans back in his seat before responding.

"You kissed that boy," he says matter-of-factly .

"Because I made a decision of my own free will, you took away my freedom?" I ask, looking at him. I see no regret on his face as he studies me. He moves closer to me, gently taking the glass out of my hand before caressing my jaw.

"Freedom is an unattainable feat for your kind... And you will never have it as long as you belong to me," he says softly. I shudder at his tone just as he places a soft kiss on my cheek.

"But free will is something I'm all too willing to give when I feel it's been earned," he adds, pulling away from me. He studies me closely, his gaze roaming over my face, and I know I'm not going to like whatever it is he has to say next.

"I have a task for you."

"A task?" I repeat in confusion.

He nods, his smile widening. "Yes. A task."

Jude rounds the corner with a package in his hands. It's shaped like a small square with plain wrapping around it. He doesn't speak as he sets it on the table in front of us, leaving me alone with Remus once again.

"As you know, I am here in disguise. However, my disguise is not a high enough rank to be seen visiting a general without raising concerns. As a result, I need you to deliver this to Iriel and come back. That is your task."

I eye him in confusion.

"Alone?" I ask.

"Yes."

My mind is screaming at me that something isn't right. Remus never uses me for these types of tasks. Something bigger is at play here, and I can't help but think it has something to do with his disguise.

"Don't worry, you'll be much safer here than you would have been traveling in that wasteland you called home," he says. I ignore his retort, eyeing the package.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Nothing to concern yourself with. Can I trust you to deliver this?" he asks.

I fear the consequences of saying no, so I nod my head.

"Wonderful. Let's get you prepared."

Remus is quiet as he fastens the ties on my alien clothing. We're standing near the doorway of his hideaway as he readies me for my departure. The sun has begun to set over the land, but the air is still comfortingly warm. I note that the clothing he's dressing me in is nothing like what I usually wear. As I recall our entrance to this place, I'm wearing the same type of clothing that the humans here wear.

So, even humans are enslaved in a hierarchy of sorts.

"If I'm dressed like a slave from here, why would they not be suspicious of me visiting a general?" I ask. Remus smiles over me, his eyes still focused on his task.

"Such a clever pet," he murmurs .

"Slaves can move freely within our society. Iriel was stationed here to be of service to the people in this vicinity. A slave may enter and address his servants, who will, in turn, let him know the issue. However, a Leviathan would not put themselves in a position of having to address his servants, hence sending one of you," he says.

"Your society sounds just as bad as ours," I say bitterly. Remus chuckles.

"My society is based on strength and value. Leviathans know where they belong and have every opportunity to try and advance themselves if they believe they are capable of more. There are no restrictions that you are adamant about finding."

Remus takes a step back from me, grasping my hand in his. He pulls my knuckles to his lips, gently placing a kiss there. I gasp softly when I look into his eyes, and they slowly change to that dull blue. It's fascinating to watch the transformation happen right in front of me.

"Do not be frightened. I will be following you as long as I can," he says softly. He reaches around me, pulling open the door as he gestures for me to exit.

"Good luck."