Chapter 49 #2
“At least someone here respects me! Even if it's the chimera!”
A small snort of agreement came from the animal on the stairs. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and continuing:
“You say I don't tell you things, but you won't let me finish a sentence!
She's my friend and my second-in-command.
I've known her my whole life—we grew up together and fought together!
Kaori and Akira were the family I never had, and when he died, I swore to protect her.
On top of all that, Kaori is the only person in the army who knows what Serguei and I do, and even knowing everything, she chose to help us cover up where the rescued descendants are instead of reporting to the king or pretending it's none of her business.
Obviously she's important to me, but there's nothing between us romantically.”
Kyller paced behind the counter, seeming to wage a mental battle with herself. He gave her time to think, and finally she turned to him.
“Even if that's true, it doesn't change the fact that you let the entire hospital laugh at me!
The hallway outside the operating room was packed, but not with people anxious about the surgery...
You understand? They were making jokes and placing bets on whether I'd kill her.
You weren't there to see the looks and the laughter when I left her room today and...” She paused, her eyes welling up, before continuing in a faltering voice.
“They took me off Kaori's case and gave the credit to Ambrose.”
“I’m sorry.” He took a step forward, wanting to fix things.
He hated seeing her like this. “I didn’t know about any of that.
I thought everyone had forgotten about my old relationship with Kaori.
I swear I didn’t know they were making jokes, and I’m sorry they took you off her case.
It’s unfair what they did, and you shouldn’t be penalized for something that’s not your fault.
We can try talking to the hospital director or see if Serguei can do something about it. ”
She stared at him and wiped away tears that ran black with mascara. Just when Zion thought the burst of fury had passed, Kyller huffed again.
“Oh, sure, it’ll look really mature—you and Serguei intervening so I can get back on her case.
One more thing for them to laugh at me about every day at the hospital.
And spare me that talk about how you didn’t imagine they still remembered you with her.
Not even you believe that lie you’re trying to shove down my throat!
” With each word, Kyller’s tone grew harder and louder.
Zion watched her hand close around a new knife, though she hadn’t pulled it from the board.
“‘Just my second-in-command.’ Just your second-in-command my ass, Zion.”
He sighed wearily.
“Understand once and for all: my history with Kaori is a book I closed a long time ago! It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“I WANT YOU TO SHOVE THAT BOOK UP YOUR ASS!” she shouted and threw the knife she was holding.
He disappeared into the shadows and reappeared near her.
He’d barely materialized when he saw a new blade gleaming in the light of the archemical globe.
He dematerialized again, appearing farther away.
By the time he registered what was happening, Kyller had already thrown a third knife and he only had time to jerk his head aside.
The blade passed close enough for Zion to smell the steel before it embedded itself in the wall right behind him. Heavens, he had created a monster.
“What the fuck is this? Are you trying to kill me?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Kiara said.
“No one sends flowers to someone without romantic intentions!” she ranted, ignoring him.
Kyller was crazed. Her golden gaze, normally sharp, now seemed to want to swallow him whole. For the first time in his life, he felt like the prey and not the hunter.
“First of all,” the general began, raising his hands in surrender, “flowers are a strict Vinturian tradition. When you visit a sick person in the hospital, it’s an affront not to bring flowers, and I already caused enough trouble with her family when I left her!”
“Well, well, we have more untold information. You caused trouble with her family and you still tell me your relationship was recent and short?”
“They’re rigid about relationship endings—it doesn’t matter if it’s one day or a lifetime.
” Zion ran his hands through his hair, bothered by having to talk about the past. “Kaori is a gorgon and a bastard. No one in the great Yamamoto family likes her, and no gorgon clan respects her for being a child born from breaking gorgon laws. When she was sent to the Interion academy, she knew she could never return to Vinturis—it was Yamamoto’s wife’s way of getting rid of her, the girl born from her husband’s betrayal.
Akira was the only brother who cared, and when he died, Kaori was left alone.
Without Akira’s protection, the gorgon clans started harassing her.
After that happened, Mr. Yamamoto began hoping we would stay together to ensure a stable place for Kaori.
He was so worried about her future that he even offered a trade agreement for military equipment as a dowry.
Serguei and Elitium agreed to the union, even though she was a bastard. ”
“For years, we treated it as a joke. She was safe being my fiancée, and we weren’t interested in a romantic union.
We lived our lives as if the agreement didn’t exist. She got involved with whoever she wanted, and I did the same.
During those years, we reached high ranks.
Kaori managed to defeat the five gorgons in combat to claim her respect within gorgon society.
However, even after gaining respect and becoming independent, Yamamoto’s old agreement still held, and Interion was enjoying many technological benefits.
A little before you appeared, Kaori started getting closer and making some attempts.
At first I thought she was joking, then...
Anyway, it doesn’t matter. We ended up hooking up a few times and—you can judge me if you want—but she was my best friend, the person I trusted and respected most, so I started thinking that friendship and respect were enough for a relationship.
While I was still thinking about it, she went ahead and told her father about our involvement, taking the decision out of my hands.
Days later... I found you.” He cut himself off mid-speech and lowered his hands in exasperation.
“Everything ended. What had made a little sense before stopped making any. I broke up with her as soon as your condition stabilized at the hospital. During these five years, we never exchanged even a word about the past.”
Kyller fell silent, and he sighed, believing she was finally understanding.
He was relieved to have put everything out there.
Neither of them had control over how things had unfolded in their lives.
He hadn’t even known she existed, hadn’t known he had a partner—he had no way to judge life before that.
It didn’t make sense. But instead of what he expected, her expression, as the fury faded, began to give way to deep hurt.
It was so palpable that the general could almost taste the bitterness.
She remained silent, just looking in his direction.
“Kyller,” Zion called. The woman just fixed her gaze on the countertop without responding. “Talk to me,” he pleaded softly.
“You never gave me flowers before I saved her life,” she whispered, and he swallowed hard. “You never tried to do anything to please me in any way. Maybe because I don’t have a family, so it’s not necessary?” She laughed without a hint of humor, just hurt and frustration.
His heart clenched in his chest. Zion wanted to deny it, to argue, to set her straight, but he also felt he needed to let her speak.
“What's my favorite flower, Zion? What's my favorite food? What places have I visited?” Each time she spoke, the hurt began mixing with fury and her voice grew louder.
“Do you know what I like? Have you ever even thought about it while you left me behind like I was nothing for FIVE DAMN YEARS? Have you ever thought about giving me something of yourself?”
He shook his head indignantly.
“If I've ever thought? If I've ever thought about giving you something? Kyller, look around,” he said, circling his finger to point at everything in the house.
“I gave you EVERYTHING that was mine! I gave you all my possessions!
What are flowers compared to everything I've built in my life?
And if that's not enough, I gave my life in exchange for your safety! I put myself on the line in a blood pact to keep you protected within these walls.”
“And then you left without a goodbye and never looked back. Big deal. I'm a lonely damn bird in a golden cage.”
“Woman, can you understand that if I'd stayed, I was practically guaranteed to die?”
“Well, you've been doing a great job so far!”
He laughed scornfully this time. He clenched his jaw and let his desire give way to the wall he always built to keep it from seeping out. He let her feel all of it before slowly moving closer.
“You have no idea what a terrible job I've been doing!” He stopped and took a deep breath when he noticed her eyes widen.
“Kyller, have you ever stopped to think that I wasn't just protecting my own life?
If the pact completed when I sealed the bond, you'd be tied to my life, and I don't know how that pact would react—whether it would take your life along with mine.”