Joined (The Secret World Of Atlantis 4)

Chapter 4 - The Gut Never Lies

“So? How did it go?” Elena asks as we meet later on. I shrug, not feeling exactly thrilled about what just happened, even if it turned out father believed us. “Oh, no. He thinks prophecies aren’t real?” she continues as she sees the troubled look on my face.

I look at her in surprise, shaking my head. “No, it’s not that. He didn’t have any issues with believing us. He read everything through and decided to take immediate measures,” I respond, keeping the part about my mother for myself. I know it might sound odd, but I like to keep her all to myself. The stories about her are the only thing that I have left. If I start telling them around, I’ll just feel like she’s slipping out of my grasp.

Eros squeezes my hand compassionately, but no one seems to notice anything, not even his sister. She is too busy shaking her head in disbelief to pay attention to the sadness that flickers through my gaze. “Then why the long face? Isn’t that amazing news?” she continues, confused as to why my expression looks so sour. I sigh, shrugging in response.

“I don’t know … Perhaps I hoped I was delusional, and the prophecy was truly just a dream. But seeing my father take it seriously … I don’t know, it just seems even worse now that he knows,” I explain, running my thumb across the side of Eros’s hand absent-mindedly.

“Arya, you’re not being reasonable,” he speaks up silently, making everyone turn to look at him. “This is a good thing. Your father will do anything to prepare the Kingdom for the upcoming threat, no matter how little time we might have,” he continues. I bite my lip, unsure of how to respond to that. He is right … But only partially. I still don’t see how the prophecy could ever be a good thing.

“You know, I agree with Eros,” Demitri suddenly says, slowly turning his gaze towards me. I look at him in surprise. He’s not usually the one to voice his opinion about something like this so loudly. “Your father is the strongest King we’ve ever had. If he doesn’t defend this Kingdom, then I don’t know who ever will,” he adds. I stare at him thoughtfully, a small smile appearing on my face.

I glance towards Elena, then Emilia and finally lay my eyes on my bonded. He is staring down at me with so much courage in his eyes, that it almost scares me off. But I stand my ground, locking our gazes for a long moment, before speaking up. “Thank you,” I say. “All of you. You have been supporting me endlessly, despite the grave situation we’ve found ourselves in. I will never forget that,” I declare, turning towards the three of them again.

“Oh, please. That’s what family is for,” Emilia responds, waving her hand dismissively, but she can’t hide the smile on her face.

“Oh, my. You’re right!” Elena suddenly exclaims, making me look at her in surprise. Whatever got into her skin now? “We are practically family now, Arya! We’ll be sisters! Eek!” she squeals, standing up from the sofa to rush to my side. She throws her hands around me, almost suffocating me with her tight grip.

I can hear Eros chuckling beside me, as I’m patting my best friend’s back, trying my best to breathe. “Yes … We will be,” I confirm, barely getting the words out of my mouth. She leans back, softening the grip on me and smiling at me sheepishly.

“Not happening if I don’t stop choking you, right?” she guesses, and I nod in response, a smile on my face now that I can finally breathe again.

As we’re walking to lunch, I still can’t help myself. The knots are back in my stomach, clumped together even more tightly than before. Why am I feeling so nervous? What is it with this feeling, that it doesn’t want to leave me alone?

You’re on edge with everything going on. It’s only normal to feel a little anxious, Eros tries to calm me down, but I’m not so sure he’s right this time.

I know, but I’m not just a little anxious. I am on the verge of freaking out and I have no idea why, I admit, not proud of what I’m feeling. But it’s not like I can control it, right? Are you alright with us going to the stables a bit earlier today? Perhaps I’ll feel calmer with both of my bonded around, I continue, hoping that I’m right.

Of course, love. Anything that might help you feel a bit more at ease, he agrees immediately, making me c***k a smile up at him. He smirks, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

But please, start containing your thoughts a bit better, or else Silver is going to figure it out, I plead, pampering my anxiety with some more worries. Eros sighs beside me, shaking his head at me.

You truly need to unwind. Why are you so afraid of what Silver might think, if he finds out we slept together? It’s not like he didn’t have to go through the same thing with your mother and father, he remarks, making me freeze.

Oh, please. I truly didn’t need that image inside my head now. It’s weird, okay? I know that’s how they made me and everything, but ew! I scold him, shivering a little as I try to get that out of my head. Eros, on the other hand, is barely containing his laughter anymore.

Okay, fine. But Silver did say that it would be good if you found a way to relax. I thought our night meets would do it, but it seems like I’m the one that needs to worry now. About my performance, I mean, he chats away inside my head, making me smirk in amusement. He’s in quite a good mood today. Not that I’m complaining. I love it, when he’s like this. At least until he takes it too far.

Eros … You are the God of love. Your performance in bed is the last thing you should be worrying about, I remark in response, seeing a smug expression appear on his face from the corner of my eye.

Just in that moment, we turn the corner, striding into the Dining room with my cousins and Elena walking in front of us. At least Eros seems to be accepting that Demitri is sticking around. We’ll see about that. I’m still deciding, he quickly says, making me shake my head at him slightly. He’s truly set in his ways, isn’t he?

We seem to be the first ones to arrive at the table. But we are shortly followed by uncle Kaspar and aunt Berenike. Uncle finally got somewhat used to having Eros in the Palace and doesn’t openly attack him any longer. Even if I overheard him giving my father a big lesson about ‘letting a Callisto under his roof’ and all that. But he hasn’t said a bad word to either of us, which means father must have put him in his place. Uncle did abdicate the throne after all, so he officially had no business interfering in father’s decisions.

However, father thinks very highly of his brother. He’s been filling in as his consultant ever since that whole mess with Teivel happened and I know they must be talking about the big decision together. But the sound of uncle’s voice that day, I could tell father was keeping that as a surprise from him as well.

Speaking of the devil … Well, the King. He just walks through the door, a serious expression on his face. It’s like he doesn’t even see us all sitting by the table, until he sits down. He then lifts his gaze like he’s just woken up and greets us. “Where is everyone else?” he asks curiously, as he realizes there is still a big part of our family missing. I shrug. I haven’t spoken to Flora since the Winter Solstice. I have no idea what she’s doing all by herself. I only see her for meals.

I wish I could say the same about her brother. Nahuel rarely ever comes home anymore. I don’t know what’s happening with him. I have a feeling he likes to spend his time in the brothel. I know it’s mean to speculate such things, but on the occasions that I do see him, he looks pretty drunk. And I could swear I once saw something red in the corner of his mouth. Smudged lipstick, perhaps?

Just in that moment, he walks through the door, with my grandparents following after him. He seems sober for a change. Now only the brightest flower is missing from the table. I wonder if she’s coming.

She does. But only as the servants already begin bringing the food to the table. She mumbles an apology for being late before sitting down opposite me. For a moment, our gazes clash and I notice her eyes are slightly red. Could she have been … crying?

But before I can get a better look, she already looks away, putting some dolmades on her plate. Hey, don’t add another thing to worry about on your plate, Eros speaks up inside my mind. I let out a long breath. Always the voice of reason inside my head.

Well, no I don’t … But I don’t want to be the reason she’s crying, I say, voicing what we’re both thinking about. She might have said that she’s alright with Eros and I being betrothed, but after doing everything to prevent that from happening, I can’t help but think she was lying to make me feel better about it. Which is actually quite considerate of her, despite all the feuds we’ve had.

Stop. You would never hurt anyone intentionally. Sometimes, things just don’t work out because there is someone else waiting for you. She will have to accept that, he remarks, his voice unusually cold. He looks at me with something dark flashing through his eyes. I’m sorry, I’ve just had enough of her. I won’t let her make you feel bad after everything she’s done to keep us apart, he adds. I turn my gaze back to the food before anyone notices we’re having a heavy conversation just now.

I jump in fear as the door to the Dining room suddenly flies open, startling everyone present. I freeze with my fork hanging just above the piece of meat I just meant to take, staring at the Guardian with wide eyes. I pull back worriedly, the moment I see the look on his face. They are trained to rarely ever show emotions, which means something really bad must have happened.

“Your majesties,” he says, bowing deeply at everyone inside the room. “There has been a breakout in the Courthouse’s prison,” he quickly continues, making my heart sink. No. No, he can’t say what I think he’s going to say.

“What breakout? You mean someone escaped? Who?” father asks, seeming like he can’t really comprehend what is happening. Before the Guardian even opens his mouth, I already feel the blood disappearing from my face.

“Yes … I’m sorry my King … But Zara escaped.”