Page 12 of Pet: Torment
His purple gaze meets mine, and he smiles, making my heart flutter as I once again fight against the desire of the bond. Remus’s face lights up whenever he sees me, and it’s beginning to unnerve me. The smile he reveals is only ever reserved for me.
“Are you ready?” he asks, pulling me from my ogling.
I release a bitter chuckle, gesturing to myself as I speak.
“No chains? No inhibitor or bracelet that controls my every move?” I ask.
Remus gently grips my hand, bringing it to his lips. “Of course not, Iris.”
He kisses my hand gently, the blue in his eyes glittering in excitement at the prospect of a challenge, but it only makes my stomach twist as he speaks.
“I can trust you, right?” he asks.
Silence drifts between us as I contemplate the meaning of his words. I know he’s still sore about the “betrayal” that occurred with Jude. And he thinks now that my planet is no longer a threat I should have moved on from it by now. There is no reason to defy him—no reason to fight. I’m confident this is where most of the freedom he allows comes from. There’s no other reason not to trust me. I have no allies and no home. I am completely dependent on him.
His eyes continue to search mine, making me uneasy as I am once again forced to acknowledge the differences between us, especially when Remus is still studying my every move as he tries to understand the kind of person I am. But I don’t respond, and he realizes that I won’t, releasing me with a scoff.
“Yes. Hold fast to that loyalty to a dead world, Iris. I’m sure it will continue to make this transition as easy as it has been, weighing on your mind,” he says, all amusement evaporating from his features.
He doesn’t give me a chance to respond as he moves away to leave the room. It’s the first time he’s shown signs of irritation. And I know, without him voicing it, that he expects me to follow.
The trip to our location is much different than our arrival toXyrannis. When we arrived, Remus’s ship lowered itself into the atmosphere, already pinpointing its location as it traveled to its landing area. So, what I could see during that time was the edges of a city. And when we left to go to Remus’s home, he kept us high above the clouds, unable to see anything until the mountains came into view.
But now, even though he is visibly irritated with me, he is traveling below the clouds, letting me see the wonders ofXyrannis. And right now, it takes all of my strength to keep my mouth shut as I take in the bristling gold trees below that stretch for miles. The trees look similar to the dried pampas grass my mother used to decorate the walls in our home. Except these are much larger, the branches thick and sturdy with the wispy trees. The longer I look, the more I begin to notice there are homesnestled in these forests, some of which are built around the trees, reminding me of fairy houses in books I read as a kid.
I know Remus senses my excitement, and I know he wants more than anything to explain his world to me. But both of us are giving one another the silent treatment, which is out of character for Remus.
“Where are we going, exactly?” I ask, breaking the silence.
When we were on Earth, each time Remus would take me somewhere, it was to enact a bloodbath or a lesson. But now that we are onXyrannis, I know those aren’t a possibility. And with the Divine Three returning from their rest days, that leaves only a handful of options.
“The capital,” Remus says.
I shift my attention away from the window, looking at him when he doesn’t elaborate, but his gaze is focused ahead. I almost laugh despite the tension.
He’s pouting.
“What’s in the capital?” I ask.
Remus is silent for a moment, contemplating on answering me. But then, he does the most human thing I’ve ever seen him do. He takes in a deep breath, rolling his eyes before answering.
“The council.” Once again, he doesn’t bother elaborating. But I am full of questions. I had no idea there even was a council. I thought Remus was their Divine leader. Why would they need a council? It opens more questions about this world I want answered, but Remus is no longer in a giving mood to answer questions he knows I’m holding on to. He’s making me work for the answers I seek.
“I thought you were their leader,” I say.
Remus doesn’t respond, so I push a little. “Why would you need a council?” I ask.
Remus finally turns his attention to me, his gaze searching mine.
“Only those who acknowledge this as their home are entitled to that information,” he says, effectively shutting down the conversation.
My frustration bubbles to the surface as I glare at him, and I huff in irritation, turning to look out the window.
“I didn’t ask for this, you know. You can’t punish me because I won’t forget my real home,” I say.
Remus chuckles.
“But you did choose this, Iris. Remember? I gave you a choice. And you chose life. But you are so hellbent on being a martyr for a planet that offered you nothing you would continue to ignore your true feelings about this one,” he says.