Chapter 44

Chapter 44
Chapter 44
When Oliver and James saw Lestat kissing Aurora passionately against a rock, their eyes widened at the same time, both struck dumb for a few seconds by the scene unfolding before them.
Lestat had Aurora pinned gently against the jagged surface, one hand cupping her face, the other resting on her waist. Aurora, her fingers tangled in Lestat’s long hair, didn’t seem the least bit hesitant. They were completely engrossed in each other, as if the dangers of the canyon and the concerns of the group no longer existed.
Oliver’s mouth opened slightly in surprise, but it was James whose reaction came violently.
All the buried frustration and resentment from that unforgettable night surged to the surface. James hadn’t been able to erase the guilt and confusion from that incident, and ever since, Nova hadn’t spoken to him properly. She wouldn’t even look at him the same way. His name had become stained in her heart, all because of Aurora. Just the sight of her laughing or walking too close made his chest tighten.
So seeing Aurora again, this time with Lestat, brought something boiling up inside him.
"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" James barked.
Lestat barely had time to register the voice before James stormed forward, grabbed him by the collar, and shoved him backward, tearing him away from Aurora. The sudden force broke the moment in an instant.
James didn’t stop. He slapped Lestat hard across the cheek, the sound echoing off the canyon walls. Lestat stumbled slightly but caught his footing, touching the side of his face in stunned silence.
"Are you insane?" James shouted, his voice raw. "You don’t even know who she really is."
Aurora’s eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back, saying nothing.
Lestat narrowed his eyes. "What’s your problem?"
James turned to him, fists clenched. "My problem is that she’s manipulating you, just like she tried to manipulate me."
Lestat scoffed. "No one manipulated you, James. You drank and made a mistake."
"No," James snapped. "I didn’t just make a mistake. I don’t even remember what happened that night. I never wanted anything to do with her. And now you’re falling into the same trap."
Aurora finally spoke, her voice quiet but defensive. "Why are you accusing me again? You’re the one who—"
"Shut up!" James shouted, cutting her off. "You came into this group out of nowhere. Since then, everything’s been off. You’ve done nothing but cause tension. Maybe you’re not here to help us. Maybe you’re here to ruin us."
Oliver stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "That’s enough, James."
James ignored him, still glaring at Lestat. "I’m warning you. Don’t trust her. She’s not who she seems."
Lestat was jolted back to full awareness by James’s slap and angry shouting. As he took a step back and glanced down at his rumpled shirt and Aurora’s equally messy appearance, the reality of what had just happened registered immediately. But instead of showing regret or shame, he simply let out a low, amused chuckle.
"Well," Lestat said, brushing the dust off his sleeve, "looks like someone’s jealous."
James’s nostrils flared. "What did you just say?"
Lestat met his glare without flinching, a smug grin playing on his lips. "Don’t get so worked up, James. It’s not my fault you couldn’t handle a woman like Aurora. Maybe if you had a little more charm, she wouldn’t have gotten bored of you."
James clenched his fists. "You bastard."
"Oh, please," Lestat cut in lazily. "Go back to your arrogant little princess. Isn’t she the one you’re always whining about? Nova this, Nova that. She’s probably sitting by the fire right now, waiting for her sweet, confused knight to come cry about how unfair life is."
That was the last straw.
James lunged at Lestat with a roar, and the two of them collided with a loud crash, fists flying. The scuffle was messy and fueled by weeks of buried frustration, guilt, and wounded pride. James tackled Lestat to the ground, punching wildly, while Lestat struck back with just as much force, neither willing to back down.
Oliver shouted for them to stop, rushing in to try and pull them apart. But the canyon walls echoed with the sounds of fists hitting flesh and angry voices, as if all the tensions within the group had suddenly erupted in this violent clash.
Oliver stepped forward and shouted, "Enough!" His voice echoed off the canyon walls, sharp and commanding. He moved quickly, placing himself between James and Lestat, his arms outstretched to keep them apart.
"This has to stop right now!" he snapped. "We’re not here to fight each other. Have you both forgotten why we’re traveling together in the first place? Don’t let yourselves be fooled by someone who could be playing all of us."
James clenched his fists but didn’t move. His breathing was heavy, his jaw tight. Lestat looked away, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, saying nothing. The tension between them still hung heavy in the air, but they finally lowered their hands. They turned their backs on each other and walked in silence, their faces tight with anger, but no longer throwing punches.
Oliver followed behind them with a deep sigh. Once they returned to the group, Oliver pulled Lestat aside. His voice dropped to a serious whisper. "What happened back there? Why were you with Aurora like that? That’s not like you. Something’s not right."
Lestat glanced around, making sure no one else was close enough to overhear. His face was pale, a deep frown cutting across it. He looked genuinely disturbed. "I don’t know what’s going on," he muttered, shaking his head slowly. "This is too fucking weird."
His voice had lost all of its earlier confidence. It wasn’t the same arrogant smirk Oliver was used to. This Lestat looked like someone who had seen something he didn’t understand, and that terrified him more than he cared to admit.
Oliver studied him for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stay sharp. We can't afford more distractions."
Lestat nodded, but his eyes wandered toward Aurora, who had already returned to the others. She stood beside the fire, her face unreadable, arms folded across her chest.
Whatever had just happened in the can
yon wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.