Beloved

Chapter 24: My Beloved

Chapter 24

My Beloved

“The elders have decided,” said my father. “The demon will be put to death at dusk.”

I didn’t look up from my bowl as I sat by the fire. 

“It’s been decided, Raja. You need to get past this. You’re home now. Where you belong with us.” He reached my knee. 

I moved away from him and remained silent.

The door swung open, and Azuka entered. “Raja.”

Keeping my head lower, I didn’t respond.

“Let’s go. It’s time you fulfilled your pledge to Zev.” He looped his hand under my arm and brought me to my feet. “You belong to him now.” My brother took me out of the hut and marched me to Zev’s home. 

Neema was sitting outside grinding flour with the baby laying on a blanket. She gave us a smile. 

“Where’s Zev?” asked Azuka, pushing me forward.

“Inside, would you like me to get him?”

“No.” He motioned to me. “Go on Raja. This is where you belong. You’re apart of his family now.”

Staring at him, I just stood there, which caused my brother to tension.

Neema quickly stood and brushed off her hand. “I haven’t welcome you back yet.” She hugged me. “We are all thankful that you are safe.” With her arm around me, she led me to the door. She opened it and ushered me inside. 

I stood just inside the door as it as closed behind me. 

Zev sat in the middle of the hut, appearing to be in deep thought. “Azuka said he was going to bring you over. I guess, it’s time thing returned to how they used to be.”

Bowing my head, I bit my lip. Thing would never be how they used to be. I had seen and learned to much in Helix. The general had changed me. I couldn’t go back to my old self even if I wanted to. 

“We’ll find a way to make it work.” He tossed a leather sheath for a knife to the side. 

Something was wrong with him. I walked over and picked it up. I untied the flap and pulled out a nicely carved handle. “I never seen this before.”

Zev didn’t look at me. “It was a present.” He held out his hand.

Putting the blade back in its casing, I pressed the blade to my chest. “The day I returned. I saw you with Nyko.”

“I was ending it properly,” he stated firmly. “I have you now, that’s all I need.” He snatched the leather pouch away from me. 

I watched him trace the design. Looking around the hut, I found a similar pattern painted or burned into hides. “You love him.”

Zev cocked an eyebrow. “It’s all in the past now. The little time we spent together, he was just trying to be you anyways.”

“I’m could make anything like this,” I touched the leather sheath. “I didn’t even know Nyko could.”

“He learned. He was lonely after you were taken,” breathed Zev. “It was a way to keep his mind off things.” He stood and walked over to a stack of supplies. “I’ll give it back to him. When he find his true beloved, Nyko can give it to him.”

Rising to my feet, I went over to him and touched his arm. “Zev, you love him.”

“Enough!” He hurled the knife across the room. “It’s over. It’s been decided. I chose you, and I will stand by my decision. Nyko understood this. He always understood this, that why he tried so hard-”