Chapter 24 Going Back To Where It All Began
Telling her made-up story in front of the police officers was the easy part. Sobbing to make it real was the challenge.
Klishei was not an actress and she was not prepared for this. Every word that came out of her mouth was on the spot. She did not even know if they connected.
Hey, a little help out here? She called to the goddess inside her.
You’re getting a little comfortable using me in the most unconventional things, the Phoenix replied.
Then, she felt a searing pain at the back of her eyes like her eyesockets were on fire. It made the tears come out on their own and she bawled inside the office, making the other officers from the other rooms look at her.
When one of them finally took pity and gave her money, she again cried, forcing every drop of tear to come out.
The officers escorted her to the bus station which was perfect because she lost so much time and the extra ride made up for it. The sooner she gets on a bus, the farther she is able to get away from here.
“Be careful on your way home, young lady. Next time, listen to your parents and don’t just run away without thinking. You learned your lesson. Your parents are still the home that you will always return to.”
She smiled and gave the officer a hug. They waved her off and the bus was good to go.
She did it. She was able to get out of the sanctuary undetected. She shrugged Angus off. And she played the part of a runaway child well.
The digital LED panel flashed their destination.
ATCHA
The one where she considered her house and home is in the city. But this time, she was going back to where everything began.
Klishei pulled the sketch of the Phoenix’s Nest. The five mountains stacked against each other with a lake on its north and two rivers on its south—the location was familiar.
Whenever they went to the countryside, her parents often took her hiking. They only hiked that one particular spot that Klishei knew the way even if it was foggy.
But on the clear days that they walked on that trail, the destination was somewhat familiar to the sketch that she was holding. It had been years and she was only a kinder then. But then, she remembered tearing upon looking at the sketch. This had to be it.
Klishei was not going to rely on anyone else on what path she was going to take. The Phoenix confirmed it. She had a calling and it was personal. She could do it herself.
Yeseus felt like he was at his wit’s end.
“What do you mean Klishei has not come back?” He snarled.
Earlier, he went to check on Klishei. It was already two hours past lunchtime and there were no signs that she touched the food he reserved for her. But when he found the room empty, he began to overthink. And just in time, Suneia, Naelyr, and Angus came to him with the news.
Angus hid behind Suneia and Naelyr. The elf sighed, circing her eyes around the hiding fairy. “Angus, you have to tell him everything. Go on. And you, Yeseus, calm down. It’s not his fault.”
Angus gulped. Then he began talking about how Klishei requested him to take her outside and to keep it a secret. When he got to the part when he entered the mall, Yeseus already knew the rest.
“So she tired you out. She’s not missing, then.” Yeseus clenched his fists. This was worse than when Daevar kidnapped her.
“Maybe she got lost in that mall. We could still find her,” Naelyr suggested.
“No need,” Yeseus said as he sank to a chair and massaged his temples. He feared for this ever since she refused his sexual advances days ago.
“You’re not concerned?” Angus sheepishly asked.
“She left of her own accord.”
And I am the reason.
Yeseus knew it was his fault. He had spent his energy and he needed refilling. At the same time, Klishei’s pheromones were active and kept him awake. He knew she was tired and that she had just come back from a traumatizing kidnapping incident and so he tried to brush it away.
But sleeping beside her at that time was not a wise decision. He could have gone out to calm himself or slept in the other rooms. Yeseus thought he could endure it. But Klishei’s pheromones filling every corner of the room crumbled his abstinence.
Still, it was wrong for him to touch her without her consent. Ever since that time, she would not meet his gaze. She was deliberately avoiding him. That was the start of his fear that she would one day reject him completely.
He did not expect that she had already planned ahead.
He stared at his hands. He missed the feel of her skin. By now, his pheromones should be active again.
‘Klishei, where have you gone to? You’re not safe when you are alone and your scent is active,’ he thought.
“Hm, what’s this?” Naelyr picked a piece of paper from the floor near the window.
Naelyr looked at Yeseus. “It’s a letter. For you.”
Yeseus stood and took the paper in his hands. It was her handwriting.
Dear Yeseus,
By the time that you read this, I would have already exited the sanctuary.
You were wrong when you said that I was a special case. I am still human and with my existence in your sanctuary, your home is not safe. Neither are you.
I read about it in your books. The decay that I bring does not only affect the environment. It also encompasses you and the other Entities. When I am near you, Angus, Naelyr, or Suneia, I am draining you. For the others, I am speeding up their age and life force.
But for you since you are an immortal, you have the blight. You are feeling a prick in your heart. The only part where you don’t feel such pain is when we are consummating each other, when your blue eyes are activated.
So all those times that you are merely touching me, you are actually being tortured.
I don’t want to be your stumbling block. I am already in constant communication with the Phoenix Bride inside me. She is not sleeping any longer. She said that this is my calling and I am willing to go along with it and this time, I’m doing it myself.
You will not be able to follow me. So if you’re attempting to track me down, give up on it. You heard Daevar. He has declared war on you so just focus on protecting the sanctuary.
This was not an easy decision to make. But I have made up my mind. I want you out of my life.
Thank you for everything and goodbye.
There were splatters especially on the end part of the paper, like tiny droplets of water.
Yeseus’ tears added to them.