Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

T he following few weeks pass by quickly, and it feels as though a dark blanket has been lifted from the Kingdom, giving way to the beautiful and safe place it once was. Well, as safe as I remember it to be anyway.

Hethenos paid for what she did to my mother, to Harlum, me, and the Kingdom. Hell, for everything she did. The sacred golden fountain was repaired, and Finlay was back in the Kingdom after having his sentence reversed and his wings restored.

I haven’t seen him yet, and I think he feels ashamed to visit me after what he did, despite the fact that Hethenos was to blame. I want to forgive him. In fact, I already have. He just doesn’t know it yet. I plan to visit him soon to voice that to him and relieve him of the guilt he is no doubt carrying.

Harlum tasked Amaros to continue to watch over me instead of himself for now, despite my protests, and he refused to give me my guardian markings back to keep me trapped inside the Kingdom. Of course I can still leave through the Gateway of the Gods, but with Amaros watching me like a hawk, it’s been impossible so far. But I will find my moment.

Amaros has been avoiding any interaction with me as much as possible, which is probably for the best. A little difficult to do when he’s my guard, but he’s managing.

I rarely see Astelle these days, as she usually keeps to herself or stays inside her quarters. Her second has taken over her guardian role on Earth, as Astelle wasn’t up for it after everything that happened with her mother. I don’t blame her for Hethenos’s actions, but I do blame her for her own. I definitely don’t forgive her for stabbing me and trying to kill me, despite Harlum pardoning her for it.

I step out onto my balcony and breathe in the fresh winter air. The scent of damp leaves fills my nose as I release my wings and leap off. I swoop high into the sky where I have the best view of the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and I tell myself I will visit them one day soon.

Meadows of dew covered grass come into view up ahead as I glide down and land on the shingle next to the sacred golden fountain. It’s incredible. It looks as it always has, as if it were never smashed apart. A thought occurs to me, and I reach into my pocket and pull out the stone Alaron gave me. Moving it around in my hand, I sit on the edge of the fountain. Holding the stone against my hand with my thumb, I glide my fingers across the surface of the water.

A memory forms before my eyes. I take in a sharp breath as it slams into my mind. In the memory, I am young, maybe two years old. I’m in my mother’s quarters, and she’s crying and cuddling me, telling me she loves me. She places me down on my cot, and I reach out to her when she turns to face the door.

The door suddenly bursts open, and Hethenos, Harlum, and Amaros enter. Harlum looks much the same then as he does now, his white hair tied back in a bun, and he’s wearing black, red, and gold robes. Hethenos is wearing a long, fitted silver dress with a plunging neckline and black heels, and Amaros is wearing his usual guard leathers. My mother backs up to stand in front of my cot to protect me while her eyes dart between them.

“You,” Hethenos says, pointing at her. “I know what you’ve been up to. Conspiring behind your King’s back. Did you think we wouldn’t find out?”

“Harlum, you can’t believe this,” my mother says. “I have only ever wanted what’s best for the Kingdom and the angels who live here.”

“Lies!” Hethenos yells.

Amaros hovers near the door as if not wanting to engage, and I cry from within my cot.

“I would think long and hard before accusing others of lying, Hethenos, when you yourself do it on a daily basis. Now get out. You are scaring my child.”

My mother stands her ground, and I can just see how fierce a female she was.

Hethenos takes a few steps closer. “How dare you! You have always used your looks to get others to do your bidding, to side with you. But not this time. Harlum sees through your bullshit. We all do.”

Harlum reaches out to Hethenos. “Hold on, Hethenos. I never said I believed it. I’d like to hear it from Serona myself. I need to know if your accusations are founded before I pass judgement on my wife.”

Hethenos glares at him. “Do not forget I am your wife too, Harlum. In fact, you have said yourself multiple times I am your favourite.”

He clears his throat as my mother looks at him.

“Is this true? You have favourites now?”

Hethenos rolls her eyes. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Serona.”

“I do not have favourites, and I never said as much. Hethenos, you need to back off,” Harlum instructs.

She folds her arms as she lets out a huff.

“Serona,” Harlum says as he steps closer to her, “is there any truth to her words?”

My mother swallows. “All I have done is speak with angels in Zarquon and Galespo. I have discussed the treaty and asked if they want to re-look at the terms of the agreement. I only suggested there may be a better way, a more harmonious way for us to coexist. We all know of the tension between the Kingdoms. We all feel it. We are on the brink of war, and I believe we can fix it.”

Anger seeps into Harlum’s features. “That is not for you to decide!”

Hethenos smirks. “I told you.”

“You do not know of what you speak, Hethenos. It was never done with personal motives in mind. I had the best of intentions. If you would just speak to those angels, you will find?—”

“Enough of this!” Hethenos screams. “Enough of the lies, Serona! You must pay for what you have done!”

She grabs my mother by the throat, lifting her into the air. She reaches for her sword, and before Amaros can stop her, she plunges it into my mother’s stomach.

I immediately recognise the sword, with the intricate angel detailing and the unique metal. The Sword of Silanthia, one of the five weapons of the gods.

“No!” Amaros screams as she drops my mother to the ground.

He shoves Hethenos across the room. She smashes into a table, knocking a vase of flowers to the floor that shatters into a thousand pieces. Amaros carefully removes the sword and tosses it across the room, and then he cradles my mother in his lap as he searches her face for signs of life.

Harlum rushes to Hethenos and helps her up while I sit inside my cot screaming and crying for my mama.

“Do something!” Amaros yells at them both, but they don’t move.

Harlum glares at Hethenos. “What have you done?”

She glares right back at him without an ounce of remorse or regret. “What I’ve always wanted to do. What no one else would. I took care of it, because I knew you never could.”

“No, no, no…” Amaros says as he gently rocks my mother and leans down to listen for her breathing.

“We need to make some quick decisions,” Hethenos says.

“Decisions?” Harlum asks as he runs his hands over his face.

She nods and paces the room. “About what happened here. About who is responsible.”

Amaros gently lays my mother on the ground and rises to his feet, unsheathing his sword. He moves toward Hethenos with a determined glare in his eyes.

Harlum raises his hands. “Stand down, Amaros.”

Amaros halts, his chest rising and falling with his heavy breaths, and he eventually slides his sword back into his holster.

“I do not want any part in this,” Amaros states.

Hethenos laughs. “Well, it’s too late for that. You’re here. You’re as much a part of this as we are.”

She stands in front of him and cups his cheek, and he shoves her hand away.

“We know your affections for her. But do not forget who your King is. Who I am. We can just as easily put the blame onto you if we so choose. Or perhaps I should pay a visit to the other gods and tell them you are hiding here in Silanthia.”

Amaros smirks at her. “Perhaps you are forgetting who I am. I can easily do much, much worse. Do not forget that.”

“Enough. We need to go,” Harlum says. “Someone may have heard the commotion in here. We can’t risk being seen. It was an enemy angel from Zarquon. Agreed?”

Hethenos nods, and Amaros looks down and shakes his head.

“I trust you can take care of this,” Harlum says, gesturing at me with a wave of his hand.

Amaros’s jaw tenses as he turns to look at me.

“You won’t comfort her?” he asks, his tone surprised.

Harlum and Hethenos ignore him and walk to the door.

Amaros shakes his head and slowly crosses the room to stand in front of me, and I stop crying. He crouches down to my level and strokes my face.

“I’m sorry, Zarla. But this is not a memory you will want to live with,” he whispers before leaning in closer and lowering his voice. “One day you will be a powerful Queen at my side, and we will rule the Kingdoms together.”

He reaches out and puts his hand on my head. Heat seeps into me. He removes the memory from my mind, using some kind of unseen power before stepping back.

“Let’s go. Now,” Harlum instructs.

Hethenos hesitates. “Won’t she remember everything from now though?”

Amaros grits his teeth. “No. I have removed her memories for a further ten minutes.”

Satisfied with that, she heads to the door and yanks it open, and the three of them leave me alone with my dead mother lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood.

“Mama?” I say as tears streak down my cheeks, but she doesn’t move.

The door slowly opens, and Mikel pokes his head inside, spots my mother, and runs over to her. Once he realises it’s too late, he removes her locket, tucks it into his pocket, and then looks to me.

“I’m so sorry, Zarla. I will keep this safe for you. It’s what she would’ve wanted. I will send help.” And then he, too, leaves the room.

A few minutes pass as I sit alone within my cot. Then my entire room illuminates, and an enormous male figure appears. Large gold wings fill the entire room as the glow slowly subsides. He’s dressed in black leathers that cling to his muscular and toned frame, wearing gold armour over the top. His expression is a mix of anger and deep sadness as he effortlessly picks my mother up and cradles her in his arms.

“Mama!” I cry out once more, and he turns to look at me.

His pale blond hair is cut short and styled neatly. His features are strong and captivating. And so familiar. He locks his gaze on mine, and I immediately notice his eyes are a bright green, exactly like my own. His forehead creases ever so slightly as he stares at me, and then the entire room illuminates once more. He disappears, taking my mother with him and leaving me alone.

“Mama!” I scream, but she’s gone.

My lips tremble, and a sob escapes as the memory slowly fades. I stare at the water in absolute shock while I try to comprehend what I just saw. It’s my memory from when I was little, when my mother was murdered. A memory Amaros stole from me.

A memory of my real father.

But it’s not just any memory. It’s the only memory I have of him. I know without an ounce of doubt that it is my father. I am as sure of it as anything, and for the briefest of moments, it was almost as though he recognised me.

Tears roll down my cheeks as my mind reels from connecting the broken pieces of my past together. The water vibrates out in circles around my hands while memories continue to appear like a movie before my eyes, flashing by as they come back to me one by one. Memories from when I was young. Memories of Kyle.

I stare in amazement as I watch the two of us playing in the Dark Forest together, laughing and building huts. Kyle was always so kind to me, helping me whenever I needed it, and he was brave too, stepping in front of me when a Zelon approached us. Even then, the Zelons were never a threat to us.

A memory plays out of the two of us playing hide-and-seek in the clearing before Kyle would say his goodbyes and step through the Gateway of the Gods. I can feel the sadness like it was yesterday every time he left, like a hole in my heart only he could fulfil.

Kyle had been everything to me. A friend and a protector. His presence caused a sense of ease within me that left me feeling calm and safe, no matter the situation. I always knew he was there for me until one day he wasn’t. He stopped visiting me, and the heartbreak I felt in his absence was too much.

Amaros found out, and he and Hethenos dealt with him. And then Amaros dealt with me, removing my memories of Kyle. In my mind, it was as if Kyle never existed. Despite the memories being taken, I was left with a gaping hole in my heart that grew over time. Nobody could replace him.

My focus darts across the surface of the water as I take it all in. I remember him. I remember Kyle. The final pieces of the puzzle have come together, and everything makes sense now. Amaros was the male Kyle witnessed speaking with Hethenos about my mother’s murder. He was there when she removed his wings and threw him down to Earth.

I let out a whimper as the realisation hits me with the force of a tidal wave, cutting into my heart. Amaros had been taking memories from me my entire life whenever it suited him. How could he do such a thing?

I pull my hand from the water and sink down onto the shingle as tears spill down my cheeks. I feel as though I’m suffocating, and no one is here to save me.

“Everything all right?”

My focus snaps to Amaros, and I jump to my feet as I quickly wipe my cheeks. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. My mind scrambles at merely being in his presence after what I just learnt.

His brows furrow as he rushes toward me. “Zarla, are you all right?”

I swallow hard and force a smile. “Ah, yeah, sorry. You gave me a fright, that’s all. I was just daydreaming, I think.”

He stares at me a moment, and I worry he doesn’t buy it. I tense as he cups my face and then pulls me into his chest.

“I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you. I’m sorry about everything.”

I have to force myself to relax in his arms. This whole time, Amaros knew Hethenos killed my mother. This whole time, he knew Harlum wasn’t my real father, and he stole my memories of it all. My memories of Kyle.

He’s not who I thought he was. Who is he?

“I’m here for you, always. You know that, right?”

I nod as rage like never before consumes me. I know his plans for me, for my Kingdom, and I will never be his Queen.

The End...