The Zodiacs

65. Inescapable Fate

"Bring them back to camp, and make sure that one won't be able to free herself like he did," an older man spoke, sneering in Layla's direction with unrequited hatred.

The fire sign didn't even notice his glare; her attention was focused on the air sign being dragged ahead of her. His legs trailed behind while the two soldiers pulled Akil forward by his arms in front of her, moving both Zodiacs back to the camp. But was it really both of them if Akil wasn't really with them?

Her eyes caught on the gentle blow of wind that lightly ruffled his hair, moving it just far enough from his complexion to allow her a glimpse at the boy's features. Silent tears traced down her cheeks at the sight of Akil's closed eyes and the same spider-like veins that had crept further into his skin with a fatal blackness... the same veins that used to keep him alive, now turned against him.

"Akil...," she whispered, her feet heavy with every step she took after the dead body. Her entire body seemed to drain of its energy. Perhaps she could have fought against the single Dauha who held her chains now, but Layla had no will.

Why couldn't they just have killed her, too? Why was she the one that was always left to suffer through the suffocating pain of grief?

She remembered the boy who'd only been gone for a few moments... it was just a few moments, but every passing second continued to tear at her heart with his absence. If she could barely live without him so soon after his death, how was she supposed to continue on for the rest of her life --no matter how short it may be?

The first time she'd seen him, she'd used the unwelcoming boy to support her own weight as she'd struggled to hold an unconscious Aaron up. My how he'd immediately began to dislike her straightforwardness and lack of courtesy. But he'd still pulled her away from the angry Aharon before he even knew her. Was that when she first fell for him? So... easily?

Her confession regarding her attraction toward the air sign in front of all the other Zodiacs didn't seem to flatter him very much either. Layla pressed her lips together as more tears slid down her face at the memory of the argument they'd had in front of Asarte, just before their first clash with the Pharaoh. The clash that'd thrown them into his prisons.

She choked at the memories of their hotel night, her breath growing uncontrollable with hiccups when Layla remembered the way they'd argued over one fig.

Even if he'd known this would happen, Akil still wouldn't have given her the fruit. In fact, he would've used it to his advantage and taken one of her own. How selfish he was... but also he wasn't at all. Why was he selfless at all the wrong times?

Hypocrite....

When Layla looked toward the air sign again, he was far in the distance. "Akil-," she began, trying to move after him... to stay with him for just a little longer.

But she couldn't. A firm hand clasped over her mouth before Layla could get anything more out.

She stiffened, immediately fighting against the Dauha that pulled her back firmly against his chest and pulled her away from all the others with an unmatchable strength that quickly set off all of the girl's inner alarms. He pressed his palm firmly against her lips to keep a single sound of struggle from escaping from the girl with every step he took away, isolating the two of them in the large desert without the knowledge of any of the men who simply continued on.

It was unusual though... Layla recognized her ability to escape would be much better with only one man standing in her way, but she didn't want to escape. Akil wasn't there anymore, but Layla still desperately wanted to stay with him.

She cried out against the Knight's hand, fighting him with all her power in a desperate attempt to free herself so she could go after them. Still, he refused to release her.