Chapter 12

“You're heartless, you know that?" Martha quoted beside me.

“I know." I smiled. My gaze still fixated at the lake before us. Watching swans paddle across the water while the moon's beams caused the water ripples to appear silver.

“How do you think Zeus would react when he finds out you're only using him for your means,” she asked, her gaze boring holes into me.

“I don't care," I mumbled. "I promised him a living hell, and this is just the beginning."

“So," she paused. "How were you able to pull it off?"

I glanced at her with a cunning smile. “It's simple. Zeus loves me and he's willing to have me by his side no matter how long it takes. So, I decided to play along, to act like I care about him and then with a little help from Celine, I entrapped my mate."

“Celine? The head guard for the prison?" Her brows arched slightly in a frown.

“Yes. I asked her to, you know, spill some things about the war while she treated Zeus. Of course, in a way that would make Vera and the rest look like the bad guys." I gestured. "And voila, it worked."

“So, you're using him just to get the witches’ gem?" she asked in a worried tone, and I hummed in affirmation.

“You know I've been wondering," she pursed her lips as her gaze focused on the lake.

“Why didn't you tell me about this plan of yours? You made me look like a fool throughout the meeting."

My smile faded as I returned my gaze to the swans.

“Because I don't trust you anymore."

I felt her gaze dawn on me instantly.

“That's new,” she commented. "Since when did you start losing faith in me?"

“Ever since I told you Zeus is my mate." I stated.

“I don't understand." Her voice almost trailed a whispery path while our gaze bonded again.

“The Martha I know kills Mates who defies my law without remorse but all of a sudden you changed. You've began to question my ways towards Zeus, is almost like you're worried I might hurt him." I pursed my lips as her countenance relatively depressed.

“Zeus is my mate not yours. I will do whatever pleases me to him. I own him. If you want to fuck him because he's hot, then tell me, and I'll allow it."

“What? No!" Her eyes exclaimed immediately as those words toured out. "Well yeah, he's certainly irresistible but I would never dream of taking what's yours."

“Then why are you on his side? Why do you care about him? Because every time I ask myself this question, I never seem to get a reasonable answer."

She gulped down her saliva while her gaze darted to the soil, but I could still read her expression. Her eyes beheld so many emotions I couldn't comprehend. Sadness, worries, fear and love intertwined.

“I'm sorry. I can't tell you."

My palms almost curled into a fist as a pang of pain struck in my chest. Martha basically tells me everything but this time, she was keeping this secret. Why? And how many more could she be keeping from me?

“That's why I can't trust you anymore,” I said trying as much to hide my pain. And without further thoughts, I arose.

“Until Zeus gets the Witches gem, I don't want you to say anything to him or be even near him. We'll leave for The Oasis Haven Coven by three in the morning. Be ready."

I added before taking brisk steps away from her. I couldn't help but wonder why she was changing this drastic. Whether it was for my good or not, I didn't like it.

***

“Lypida olymbus sereya, Lypida olymbus sereya, Lypida olymbus sereya, Ly—”

A sigh escaped my breaths as my eyes opened to the darkness of my room. Few beads of sweats formed around my head. I couldn't concentrate on a single spell ever since I left the meeting room.

On one hand, there was my friend Peter who must be worried sick, it's been close to three days and I haven't returned yet. I considered calling him but then again, I decided against it. He was definitely going to freak out I was going for a War alongside my mate he didn't approve of.

There was also my bull-headed mate who had been acting warmly to me since she came to my prison. I wondered why she suddenly changed. The same woman who had promised me a living hell, who had tortured me twice just because I accepted her, who had locked me up in chains, giving all kind of ruthless punishments my grandfather used to. Perhaps the mate bond was already taking its toll on her just like me. Perhaps her icy heart was gradually yearning for me. Either way, I had to win this war for her. She might be monstrous, but I wasn't ready to lose my mate. I rubbed my palms together before uttering the spell all over again.

“Lypida Oly—” I pursed my lips as my doors silently opened. Even though it was dark, I could see her face clearly and I couldn't help but smile like one seeing fireworks for the first time.

Green didn't have a scent, Vampires generally don't but due to our mate bond, I could always notice her presence around me somehow. Through the sparks coursing my veins whenever she was around me or by intuition.

“Hey,” she said in her accustomed soft voice as she reached me. I almost tried to reach for her face, to run my fingers across her cheeks till I reached those lips, but I decided against it. She might be warm for now but that didn't mean I had the right to touch her.

“W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered.

She frowned a bit.

“Don't I have the right to check up on you again?"

“No…I mean yes! Yes, you can check up on me," I stuttered again with a nervous chuckle following suit.

“But you should be resting, tomorrow is going to be a long day for you."

“Same goes for you too. You should be resting,” she responded.

“I have the most important mission of all, I have to prepare as hard as I can."

She heaved a sigh walking away from me to my king size bed.

“I shouldn't be letting you do this. I should be hating you,” she said almost in a whisper as she sat at the edge.

“But this mate bond, it just keeps rooting deep in my heart..." Her voice trailed off.

“Stop saying things you don't mean." I smiled. "Besides, it's hard for any lady to resist my charms." I joked and she chuckled. My body shuddered with a new wave of excitement. For the first time I was seeing my mate laugh. It was neither evil nor mischievous but one a bit joyful.

“Your charms don't work on me young man,” she remarked even though her eyes said otherwise.

“But you always get lost in my eyes." I teased.

“That's a lie."

“Then look me in the eye, prove it." My smile deepened while she stared into them. I was lost too, in those grey irises. Whether green or grey, both of them shared the same enchantment and beauty.

“Looks like you're lost in mine too." She cleared her throat with a tiny smile complementing her face.

I chuckled.

“They're beautiful." I whispered as I inched closer. "You gave me a chance to be in your life Green, so please while this offer stands, forget your fears, every negativity and just focus on us and the task ahead."

She nodded like a child which gave me more confidence to close the gap between us a little further.

“Do you trust me?"

I asked as I offered my right palm.

“No,” she answered and then collected it with her left palm. I sat beside her, so our hips touched. I closed my eyes as I mumbled,

“Esteris Clyptia."

My eyes opened and immediately the room gradually brightened with butterflies glowing a dim shade of gold light around us. The air gently greeted our body and the sparks between our palms intensified.

A smile of admiration inadvertently crept to my face as she stared in awe.

“It's beautiful Zeus,” she quoted in a whisper as her eyes continued to follow the trail of a butterfly till it landed on our palms, intertwined.

There was that smile again. That beautiful smile that never ceased to make my heart flutter. As my eyes continued to admire this butterfly, I made a vow. Whatever it took, I had to save my mate. I had to be the light in her darkness.

I wasn't going to let go regardless of whatever storm that came.