171 Pain of letting go (2/2)

”You don't honestly think she'd ever want to come back here after what she walked in on you doing, do you?” Arei bit out not even bothering to look at his twin.

Ry swallowed, ”I really am sorry, brother...” He whispered roughly.

Arei didn't answer, instead, he trudged angrily through the sand to the lagoon. He set bags inside the door, placing the food on the wobbly old table before turning back out the door. He closed it softly then leaned against it letting the cool splatter of the waterfall sooth his scorched emotions. It had grown quite late by the time he heard the low splash of water in the lagoon and quite soft footsteps coming closer. He pushed himself up from the ground. ”Kitten, you're back. Please, just hear me out.” Glowing white eyes met his.

”Leave.” She growled.

”I'm not leaving like this. Please, just let me explain.” He stepped aside as she moved toward the door. When she left it open, he followed behind her. ”It was never in either of our plans to share you.”

She arched a brow up at him. ”So, it has been you with me this whole time?”

He let out a heavy sigh, ”No... part of the time was him... but...”

Anger flared in her white eyes again. ”Leave!” She spat pointing vehemently toward the door. ”I never want to see either of you again!”

Arei took several steps toward her closing the distance between them. He cupped her face. ”Don't do this, just hear me out.”

Color began to stain the white irises as tears built in them. ”How can I trust anything you have to say? This whole time... everything between us has been a lie!”

He lowered his forehead to hers. ”Kitten please...”

A strangled cry rattled in her throat as she pushed against him again. ”NO! I said get out!” A pained sob burst from her lips as his hands released their hold on her and their warmth slowly faded away, leaving her body to feel as cold and empty as her heart. She watched through blurry vision as he walked in defeat toward the door. ”And never come back!” She called after him as he shut the door without the slightest glance back. She sank to the dusty floor of her cold and drafty home, wrapping her arms around herself as uncontrollable grief and sorrow wafted valiantly through her.

Arei forced his legs to carry his heavy frame as far from her doorstep as possible before finally collapsing onto the sand outside the cottage. He coiled his long arms around the back of his head and curled in on himself until he was folded into an upright ball on the beach. He let out a loud animalistic cry as everything he'd just lost came crashing down on him. What options where left to him now? How could any of this possibly be righted? He didn't move from the spot until a fluttering sound caught his attention. Glancing up, he watched as a magnificent white swan landed on the soft ripple of waves before him. The pale moonlight reflected off the wide expanse of wings as the bird spread them wide and flapped hard causing the waters to splash up all around it. When the splashing had finally faded and the waters calmed, a handsome man stood in the bird's place.

Arei gritted his teeth, ”YOU! I should have known!”

Zeus shook his head and wagged his finger back and forth, ”Tisk, tisk. Is that any way to speak to your elder, nephew?” A devilishly wide smile spread across his lips. ”You played so well into my plan, though I have to admit there was a few times I wasn't sure you would.”

”What do you want! You've had your fun, now leave!” Arei bit out as he forced himself up from the sand and tried to compose his ragged emotions.

”Ah... See there's where you are wrong, nephew. I'm not quite finished yet.” He shrugged. ”That was more of a means to... how you say... set my plan into motion.” He walked up to Arei and clapped him on the shoulder. ”The plan comes once you and your bothersome brother are out of my way.”

With a snap of his fingers and a bright clap of lightening everything went dark. Once Arei was able to open his eyes again, it was pitch dark. He felt around, his hands coming into contact with cold metal bars. He shook them hard, trying to gage their sturdiness.

”There's no point... I've already tried. That bastard has us in one of his cells...” Ry said in irritation from the corner. ”I swear if we live through this I'll never drink again.”

A bust of laughter sounded in the dark and a faint flicker of light neared. ”I'm glad to hear that, truly I am. After all, you are my second favorite nephew.”

”Zeus...” Arei bit out. ”What do you want with us?”

His smile looked evil as his white teeth reflected in the faint flicker of light. ”That is easy boys. I want the kraken.”