17. The Helplessness of The Fates
Kheos he could feel it. He was far too enraged to see. He searched through the hallways and rooms, searching for his brother until finally, he found him standing on the balcony that overlooked the Earth. Kheos. He would kill him.
“I have never, in all the millennia nor all the eons we have lived through, even contrived to think that you would have betrayed me the way you continue to do.”
At the end of the long hallway, Kheos stiffened, but didn’t turn. The sudden burst of malicious, raging life energy that had manifested in the atmosphere at Theos’ appearance was harsh, clogging up his airways even though his brother was fifty paces away from him. He didn’t bother to respond, guessing that Theos hadn’t finished his tirade. He was right. The Fates was always right.
“I cannot believe you allowed this to happen to her, on purpose, no doubt, to hurt me.” Theos growled.
That was what made Kheos turn. “Excuse me?” he seethed back at his brother.
“Did I stutter ?” bellowed Theos.
The castle shook. Hurt was spreading through Kheos’ chest again, much like every other time he interacted with his older brother. Equally as common was the hurt to anger pipeline in his chest.
“You betrayed me! How could you be so cruel? To orchestrate all the terrors of the world against her?” Theos yelled again, still keeping his distance .
Kheos was about to combust into flames. “And mayhap you hold the belief that she is the only woman in the world who has faced harm at the hands of men? That she is the only werewolf that has had to flee nigh and dahy from the opposition that is after them? Or that she is the only one fated to a mate that holds power that could not save? Perhaps you think that my role in this triune is to pick at individual mortals to grovel for your attention?”
“Why did you do this to me, Kheos?” Theos whispered. “Why?”
Kheos’ heart dropped when Theos suddenly stalked towards him.
“Forget about me! Why did you have to do this to her?” Theos bellowed.
“Am I the one who raped her, brother? Was it my hands wrapped around her pretty neck?” Kheos shot back.
And while Kheos watched, Theos’ eyes morphed into angry red discs, expanding and warping until the familiar whites were completely overtaken. Until blood oozed from his nostrils and dripped down his lip. Until his white hair flamed red from roots to tips. Until blood dripped from his hairline into his eyes. Until it was no longer Theos standing before him at all .
The aura of light around him was flickering wildly the way it had in the forest when he had first manifested to save Haera. Kheos had watched it all happen a thousand times before it had played out, poring over the circumstances, wondering whether to break his own laws, go against his own character to pull some invisible string and save her the experience. Of course, he couldn’t. Impartiality. It was his core. No matter how his brother hated him, he couldn’t have shown her favour that was any greater than what he gave to all the other mortals who suffered even more. It gutted him.
“I’ll kill you.” Came Theos’ quiet reply. It was a stark contrast to the blazing anger all around them – the celestial bodies vibrating on their fixed positions as their maker’s control broke down more and more.
“I won’t run.”
Kheos stood his ground when Theos raced up to him. Didn’t flinch when his brother’s hands fisted in his clothes and dragged him closer.
“ Why , Kheos? Tell me why you did this.” Theos whispered.
Kheos ignored the way his heart was breaking. He hated the way it broke every time his plans went awry. Every time his good hopes for the mortals were sent spiralling into destruction from one person’s decisions; from one mortal’s overgrown pride .
“I know there’s some overgrown, egotistical, manic response boiling around inside your head. Some disgusting power-hungry reason you did this.”
The response Kheos had been meaning to say refused to leave his throat as sharp pains stabbed through him at each insult of his character; at who he was as part of the godhead. I wanted to save her, but I couldn’t. I’m so fucking sorry. Tears burned the backs of his eyes.
“You don’t get it, do you?” was the broken whisper that he heard himself say.
“No, I don’t fucking get it! Tell me why you did this before my anger rips the skies.”
Kheos felt himself retreat into the cold shell he had grown over the syrises to deal with the aggression from his brothers. “Do it.”
Theos eyes narrowed.
“You want to kill me. I can feel it in your restraint.”
Theos’ hands tightened even more in Kheos’ clothes, and he shook his brother roughly.
“Don’t tempt me, brother .”
Kheos scoffed, managing to smile. “Or what?” He stared into his brother’s angry eyes. “Your actions are no surprise. You must remember who you are talking to, brother . The Fates see past disguise.”
Theos shoved him backwards harshly, and Kheos leaned into the fall.
“Do it.” He said when he straightened.
Theos was seething, all his muscles in a gridlock as he tried to reign in the last of his self-control that was breaking at Kheos calm invitation.
“You have already broken your law once, for her. I am surprised you have any self-control left. If you want to replace the godhead with yourself, do it.”
Something like pained irritation won out over the anger in Theos’ expression, and Kheos watched him turn to walk away.
“You know how to create life; you know how to take life. Now you must figure out how to heal what destiny has done to her. You are the one who tempted all the forms of danger that could have befallen her when you said that destiny has no true power. You must heal her or lose her."
Though he knew that Theos heard him, Kheos watched him disappear without any acknowledgement for what he had said .
“What’s the point of trying to explain anyway?” Kheos asked, turning away from the place Theos had been standing in. “No matter what I say, you can’t hear me. Long live the King,”
He hurried back to the Juliette balcony that looked out over the cosmos, where he had initially been surveying the actions of the mortals. He watched another adult male harm a fragile little girl in a devastatingly perverse way, and his knuckles turned white on the banister as he watched. He couldn’t help her. He had already done all in his power to keep her away from the predator. Moved her parents five states away so their family wouldn’t need to see him often. He was a family member, coming into town to visit. But still, the man’s twisted desires had found a way. He was helpless to save her, the way he was helpless to interfere with all the other instances and situations like these. He closed his eyes to the sound of her heartbroken crying when she was finally once more alone in her room.
“I am so heartbreakingly sorry, little one. I did all that was in my power to do. And still, like all the rest, I could not save you.” Kheos crumpled to his knees. “I’m so fucking sorry.”