Cursed [malexmale]

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

"What did he mean by only the hybrid knows where the Orb is?" I asked as we mounted our usofios just outside the camp. Hannibal frowned as he picked up the reins, shifting the black stallion out toward the desert, his eyes searching the sandy hills. He got a faraway look on his face as if he were remembering something before he averted his eyes.

"Zetnos has a scrying orb in his main chamber. I had always thought it was just that; a scrying orb," he muttered. I frowned and Arikos nodded as if he understood.

"Then it makes sense why he was able to use it. He also climbed out of the Source, obviously not first along with Atlan and some of the others, but he's still fresh homegrown Source material," he explained. I grimaced at that and steered my usofios to trot alongside his as we made our way into the desert.

"But the only entrances to Xandria are on the Isle of Griffin and the main island. Why would St. John direct us to the east island?" I asked. Hannibal looked a bit perturbed when he answered.

"Shortly after Zetnos and Lea moved back to Atlantis, Zetnos showed me two other secret entrances to Xandria that only he and Lea know about. I wasn't supposed to show or tell anyone, but this is kind of an emergency... It's asking if we can take the Orb that's going to be difficult," he muttered. Arikos raised an eyebrow.

"How so? Zetnos adores you. I think he'd be willing to give it up no problem," he responded. Hannibal looked at him grimly, then averted his eyes again. I could tell there was something else he wanted to say, but wasn't sure if he should say it. He sighed, reaching up to adjust the hood further over his face to block it from the sun.

"The Orb is the only way Zetnos can watch Lea from the underworld. It's also got quite a sentimental value," he explained quietly. Menoetius snorted and Arikos looked surprised for a moment before he smiled fondly.

"Always knew there was something going on between those two. Sweet, so you're finally gonna get the dad you deserve, huh, Hanni? Good for you!"

"Stop calling me that and no," Hannibal said dryly, reaching for his water to take a drink before shoving it back into his saddle, "Zetnos hasn't really approached Lea lately and she's been kind of preoccupied. Right now isn't really the time for it. So I'm not sure how willing Zetnos would be to give up something that has that much value to him." Arikos sighed warily and slumped over on the back of his usofios's neck, making the creature whinny and purr in a manner similar to an overgrown cat.

I wondered briefly about why Zetnos hadn't confronted Lea. You'd think being trapped for several centuries would make Zetnos more confident on approaching her, but I also noticed Hannibal seemed to have an odd aversion to his mother as well. At first, it made sense.

Hannibal had spent his entire life believing his mother had abandoned him and cursed him, beginning a lifetime of cruelty and trust issues. However, upon recent discovery, it was revealed Lea had always wanted her child, always cherished him, but had to deal with Atlan's power hungry paranoia that led to his taking Hannibal away from his mother when he was, but a child. In the end, everything had been straightened out and it seemed like Hannibal and his mother were beginning to get closer. However, when Lea had returned to Atlantis, Xenon had mentioned to me that Lea had become more irritable and Hannibal more distant.

Something told me it may have something to do with Hannibal's past. But knowing Lea and her heart, she wouldn't stay angry with Hannibal. He was her only son, and according to Xenon, Lea loved him with every fiber of her being and would kill for him if it came down to it.

The question was, did Zetnos feel the same way for Hannibal? Would he be willing to surrender his only real connection with Lea? I almost felt sorry for him. Zetnos had always been a very shy and withdrawn god. He'd kept to himself and rarely left Xandria, unless there was a pantheon meeting. It was probably why he'd never come forward to Lea with his feelings. He'd been kicked and stomped on by the entire pantheon, especially Atlan. The moment Zetnos had come into being, Atlan had seen him as a threat to his seat on the throne, until Atlan discovered Hannibal.