I am Leo (Book 3)

Chapter 10

Violet POV

I wake up stretching out like a starfish on the bed, making that strange grunting noise people make when they stretch out. It’s still light out, so I guess I had a very good nap. Sitting up I rub my eyes yawning. Wow I feel really rested. I get up, take a shower and make my way downstairs, the smell of coffee and cooked food drifting through the cottage

“Good morning hon!” Jess’s chirpy voice makes me stop in my tracks

“It’s morning?!” I exclaim surprised

“Yup, now come sit your cute behind down” she says pouring a cup of coffee. She places the cup together with a massive plate of breakfast down in front of me

“Thanks Jess. What time is it?” I ask sipping the coffee

“Just past 9, you slept well” she says and I nod

“Yeah thanks. Why didn’t you wake me?” I ask taking a bite of the crunchy bacon

“Oh honey, you were out like a dog on a hot day” she says making me giggle

“Sorry, I guess those sleeping pills worked” I say taking another bite

“Or maybe you were just tuckered out” she says sitting down opposite me

“That too. So did you go to the hospital?” I ask but she shakes her head

“Nah, we thought it best that we all go” she says smiling. I nod and finish my breakfast, doesn’t look as if I made a dent in the plate of food, but I’m stuffed

“Thank you so much Jess, it was just a bit much” I say smiling

“No problem, glad you enjoyed it. So what do you say we take a walk?” she says and I hesitate

“Oh com’ on darlin’, some fresh air will do ya good” she says and I nod

“Okay” I agree and we make our way out the back door. We walk in silence for a while on a narrow hikers path, winding up the mountain.

“You gonna see that therapist?” she asks looking ahead

“Yeah, I think it’ll help, I mean these last few weeks have been stressful” I say concentrating on each step

“Understatement. It’s been hell for you. I can see you’re an independent woman, and it’s commendable, but you were faced with tragedy and the paranormal in a short amount of time. It can break the strongest of us” she says her voice calm and reassuring

“Sounds very dramatic when you put it like that” I chuckle but she stops, turns and places her hands on my shoulders. She’s about 4’’ taller than me

“No honey, you don’t have to be strong for everyone. This experience was terrible, it still is, so take all the help you can get” she says and I nod

“Thanks Jess, I am so grateful you’re here. Sometimes we don’t know what we need until we get it” I say and she smiles a bright smile

“Ya got that right! So let’s go see that man of yours” she says turning around. We walk back, chatting about insignificant things and by the time we reach the hospital my heart feels a little lighter. I have hope that everything will work out. That hope is shattered when I enter my brother’s room

“What do you want?” he groans

“Hi Killy, how are you today?” I ask smiling but it falters when I look at his scowling face

“I don’t want to see you. Get out” he grunts turning his head away

“Killian I’m so sor-“ he cut me off

“GET OUT!” he yells and I quickly turn and leave slamming the door behind me. What the hell happened to him? He’s so angry

“Hello Violet” a soft voice speaks behind me and I spin around

“Oh doctor Moore, good to see you” I say her kind eyes searching mine

“You seem rested today” she states and I nod

“Yeah, I had a real good rest” I say and she tilts her head

“Come, let’s go to my office. We can have more privacy there” she says. I glance back at the door, she takes my hand

“Oh he’ll be better. Everyone grieves differently” she says and I sigh

“You should know. Okay fine, I’ll just let my friends know” I say taking my phone out and sending Jess a text. The doctor closes the door behind me and we take a seat.

“I gather you saw your brother” she says and I nod

“Yeah, he uhm he looks better today” I say and she sits back

“Violet, how did your meeting go?” she asks and I chuckle

“Oh, well he was tired, so I left him to rest” I say not looking at her

“You often deflect when you are placed in the position where your true emotions need to surface?” she asks and I stutter

“No, I uh, it’s not… I just-“ I stammer over my words

“Some people revert to humor, others to anger, some to violence and some like you, keep it inside. Bottling it up. Making excuses for the people who hurt you, am I not correct?” she asks, and I gulp loudly

“I uhm, I never realized I do that” I answer honestly

“Most people don’t, but that’s why we’re here. Now tell me about your relationship with your parents” she says sitting back and I start telling her everything. The once happy memories, I used to be fond of, are now bittersweet moments in times past. Mingled feelings bubble inside me as I speak. Heartache, anger, confusion and happiness, all blending making me feel out of control. I have never felt so out of control as I do in this moment, my brain is trying to make sense of it all, but my heart is jumping from one to the next so fast I can’t keep track.

“She ruined us. She ruined everything”

Leo POV

Do you know how unfit you are? Have you ever done push-ups until you puked? No? Neither did I. I’ve been doing the fitness training with another evil spawn named Tydides, sent here with reference from Athena herself, I like to call him the soul sucker. He just sucks the fun and life out of everything, replacing it with commands, barking at me like I’m deaf.

“10 more!” he yells in my ear. You’d think I won’t take his s**t, right? That I’m a prince and need to be respected as one? I’m not that here, oh no. Here I’m just another guard in training, just another number on the roll call. Why don’t I just leave? I can’t, where will I go? No-one wants me near them, screw them then I say. I will finish this stupid training and go back to my life; I don’t need them. I don’t need anyone.

“Good junior. Now 200 laps” he commands, I get up and dive in the pool. Each stroke making my muscles burn with exhaustion. The water is like ice, cold and lonely, I swim my mind and heart hardening every time I dive turning for the next lap. I hate them. They hated me first, so I’m just returning the favor.

“Pick it up junior!” the soul sucker yells and I push my body beyond its limits. My strokes now aggressive, almost punching the water. How can they do this to me?

“Okay that’s enough junior!” he commands, and I get out. My arms feel like jelly, my body is trembling with fatigue. I think the only thing keeping me going at this stage is the adrenaline, because I slept like 5 days ago or 7 I don’t know anymore.

“Right junior, resistance training” he says walking away. I get up, my boots making sloshing noises as I walk toward the gym. My uniform is soaked, my shoes are full of water, my body and mind are now functioning on auto pilot, I grab the ropes and start the circuit. He walks around me, urging me to go faster, push harder, do more. In a normal setting this would be seen as motivation, but this is to break me. They want to break me, but I won’t be broken.

“20 seconds” he says, the sweat burning my eyes, my grip on the bar slipping

“10 seconds”

“Stop” he commands, and I let go of the bar, my legs give out and I fall on my knees catching my breath

“See you at dinner” he says and leaves. I will my legs to work, making my way to the ‘broom closet’. After I cleaned up and had dinner, I stand in the hallway waiting for soul sucker, but it’s gorilla who shows up instead.

“Here” gorilla says shoving a duffel bag in my hands.

“We going somewhere?” I ask smirking

“Camping” he says and I snicker

“Oh wow, I don’t know how to tell you this but you’re not my type” I joke but he grunts and walks away

“Come on junior!” he bellows from the door. I sigh slinging the bag over my shoulder and follow him outside. We hike for 25 miles into the dense forest, in the pitch darkness. Ryker is asleep or something, since we came here he hasn’t spoken to me or anything. I tried to shift but I couldn’t, so I’m basically human here.

“Here” he grunts throwing down his bag. I place mine down looking up, but the dense treetops block out the night sky.

“Sleep, we’ll continue tomorrow” he instructs. I make myself comfortable on the ground using my duffel bag as a pillow. I don’t even know what’s in here. Sleep comes easily since I’m so exhausted, but it’s only for a few hours. He shakes me awake

“Come on” he says and I yawn sitting up stretching my aching muscles

“Where are we going?” I ask as we start walking again, hiking higher into the mountain

“The peak” glancing up I realize this is going to take all day. And it did, by nightfall we set up camp on an overhang. The view I must say is magnificent, the palace with the surrounding town lies still in the valley, the lights and the stars giving off the same type of twinkle. The dark forest and cool breeze make you feel alone and insignificant, but alive at the same time.

“Start a fire, I’ll be right back with dinner” he says and disappears into the darkness. I start the fire, another thing I learned here, and sit down watching the flames grow as I stack bigger pieces of wood on it. It’s entrancing, the flames, you know how dangerous a fire can be, but at the same time it’s calming. It can destroy or it can help you create, forge or shape something. It produces heat yes, but doesn’t it seem as if it is alive? Like it puts you in a trance, like the sound of waves or rain on a tin roof, soothing.

“Here” I jump as two dead rabbits fall on my lap

“Thanks, they look a little hairy” I chuckle and would you believe it he smiled, not big or for long but that was a smile

“Funny, now skin them” he instructs sitting down. I look down at the two rabbits, not a clue how to do this. Ryker would know, I think, my dad would and Cayden the goddamn golden boy would know. Hell I think even mom would know, she did complete the warrior trials. I suddenly feel like an i***t, I was so focused on my life and my pranks, I never thought I’d have to do this.

“Before dawn junior” he says glancing at me

“I uh, you know what old man, why don’t you do it being the best survivalist here” I say holding the food out to him. He shakes his head, takes out his hunting-knife, places one of the rabbits in front of him

“Well, you’ll need your dagger” he says and I realize he’s going to teach me. I copy his movements step by step. Okay so his looks better than mine, but not bad for my first try

“You’ll get the hang of it” he says placing the rabbit on the fire. This feels like something you’d see in a Robin Hood movie or something. We eat in silence and afterward I lie down looking at the stars

“You have a girl back home?” he asks out of nowhere

“Nope. I like having fun” I say smiling but he scoffs

“So you’re into the no strings attached thing?” he asks

“Yeah, I mean why buy the cow right?” I say with an arrogant smirk

“Because the cow will be faithful and bring stability to your life. Woman aren’t cows junior, they’re delicate, interesting beings. The right woman can set your soul on fire, she will make you feel things you never thought possible. Her smile will brighten up your world, and her tears will break your spirit. She’ll make you fight wars or find the most delicate flower to match her beauty. She’ll drive you insane all while keeping you grounded to your true self” he says and I sit there with my mouth agape

“Oh holy mother of Triton, didn’t take you for the romantic type old man” I say chuckling

“I’m not. It’s the truth, which you know nothing about” he states but I just shrug

“I know what loves looks like, I grew up in a loving home, with loving parents. My dickhead brother and his wife is so in love it’s nauseating” I state

“But have you felt it?” he asks and I shake my head

“No need to, I’m good on my own. That bond or whatever will hold me back” I say and he scoffs again

“You don’t know the secret to living junior” he says

“Oh really? I know that life is an adventure, I know what hard work is, you assholes made that clear these past few months. I know that being happy depends on me and me alone, and I know that no mate bond can last forever” I state and he laughs. Wow he can laugh

“Oh you ignorant little boy, you know what you think is real. Loving someone more than yourself is a gift, a precious gift that so few get. You young people are always chasing the newest craze, the latest technology, the next adventure, without realizing that love, true incomprehensible love is the grandest adventure of them all. Tell me, is there anyone else you love, beside yourself?” he asks and I straighten my back

“Of course” I state

“Who?” he asks

“My parents, I love them a lot. And my sisters, although they don’t like me now, they’ll get over it” I say and he nods

“And what of your brother?” he asks and I frown

“He’s being a jerk” I state

“Really? How’s that?” he asks leaning forward

“He sent me here all because he couldn’t take a damn joke” anger rising in my chest

“From what I’ve heard, you were quite the prankster” he says and I nod

“Yeah, look where that got me” I say poking at the red coals

“You can’t be angry at him” he says and I glance up

“Yeah? Watch me” I groan

“He sent you here out of love, not hate” he says and this time I scoff

“Whatever” I mumble

“He did what was best for you, not for him. Maybe he was angry at the time, but he’s trying to help you junior” he says and I stand abruptly

“He can shove his so called love up his tight behind and call it a daisy for all that I care” I spit out and yes, I exit stomping my feet like a teenager throwing a hissy fit. Not my finest moment

“Hey, don’t get lost princess” he says laughing as I stomp into the woods. Why is everyone trying to ruin my life?! Goddess knows I never hurt anyone, a little damage here and there but I never physically hurt them. Now I’m stuck with gorilla and soul sucker trying their best to kill me apparently, how the f**k is this helping me? If anything they’re just pissing me off more. I wonder around, feeling real sorry for myself, as I should. I’m the victim here, they’re the ones with sticks up their asses. All prim and proper, especially the sun shines form my asshole Cayden. He went missing for like a century, came back and of course all was forgiven, because it’s him. If it was me, oh hell I would’ve probably been left to rot in the dungeons. f**k them! f**k them all!

“You sure are a potty mouth” a croaky voice suddenly speaks from the darkness and I jump

“Dammit lady, did no one tell you not to sneak up on someone in the damn dark?” I bark out. Her hoarse laughter makes my skin crawl

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to wonder into someone’s home unannounced” she says and slowly her hunched over figure comes into view

“What? You live here?” I say looking around seeing nothing but dense trees

“Yes I do. Now go away” she says shooing me away

“Yeah whatever” I say turning around but stop and turn back

“Wait, did you read my mind?” I ask and again she cackles

“You were so loud I had no choice” she says and I step closer. Her grey hair is messy, her face wrinkled and her clothes are more like rags

“Urgh” I groan but this time she steps closer

“Respect your elders young prince” she says but I laugh

“I don’t even know you old hag” I chime, earning me a hit against the head with her walking stick

“Ouch! What the hell?” I say rubbing my head

“You need to learn some manners. Didn’t your mother teach you anything?” she says in an angry tone

“She taught me not to take anyone’s s**t” I bite back

“Do you kiss Theseis with that mouth you foul boy?” she barks and I step back

“Y-you know my grandma?” I gasp out and she cackles again

“That’s irrelevant. You weren’t created to be a spoiled brat, yet here we are” she says eyeing me

“Ah hell no, screw this” I say and turn to leave

“You might want to reconsider your decision prince Leo” she says and I spin around

“Okay you old bat, I don’t know who you think you are but I am not sticking around here listening to whatever crap comes out of your mouth. I’m done” I say but when she speaks my blood runs cold

“I really hoped you’d take the other option, but since you refuse to listen to reason I have no other choice but to teach you a lesson. Now this might sting a bit” she says and before I can react a pain I never experienced in my life floods my whole body and everything goes dark.