Without The Grace

"Do you love him?"

Kenneth stared at us and we stared back unsure of what to do.

Nobody spoke. I was still trying to figure out if he was really there and according to Ezekiel's shocked face, I wasn't imagining things.

Suddenly, Ezekiel stepped closer to me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

I tried to move away but it was too late. Kenneth gave me one withering look before turning and walking away.

I gave Ezekiel a hard look. "What was that for?" I hissed.

He didn't respond. He stepped closer to me and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.

At first I was frozen. I had no idea how to react to Ezekiel suddenly kissing me. But then I stopped thinking so hard and gave in.

I wrapped my arms around his neck running my fingers through his short spikes.

I forgot about everything at that moment. Ezekiel seemed to make all my problems go away. One of his hands caressed my face while the other was around my waist molding my body to his.

Ezekiel's grip tightened as he deepened the kiss. I relished in the fact that he was such a good kisser. My lips parted slightly and he took this as an opportunity to enter my mouth.

An embarrassing moan escaped my lips and I jumped. We broke apart and just stood there looking at each other, breathing heavily.

I didn't know what to say.

"That was amazing." Ezekiel breathed. "I'd apologize but I'm not sorry. I do really like you. And..." he looked to the door. "I have no idea what just happened and-"

"Ezekiel. I have to check on him." I interrupted.

"Do you still love him?" Ezekiel asked me.

"I don't know. He...I don't know. How did this even happen?"

Ezekiel scrunched his face up in deep thought. I couldn't help thinking about how cute he looked.

"I think..it was the magic. Solveig reversed everything. Remember?"

I slowly nodded my head. It made sense.

"I've got to see him." I said turning to leave.

Ezekiel grabbed my wrist. "Wait. What about us? Will we have a chance?" he asked.

I looked at his grip on my wrist and he let go letting his arm fall to his side.

"I can't make any promises."

His face fell. "I don't want to be hurt. I just want to know if we have a chance, so I can know if I should continue...this or if I'm just...wasting my time."

I looked at him for a long time. And he just stood there letting me. In my heart I knew we had a chance, but in my mind we didn't.

So many people would disapprove. My grandmother, Alex, my father, mother...Kenneth.

I didn't know which I should follow.

The look on his face made up my mind.

"You're not wasting your time."

$

It didn't take long to find Kenneth. He was unfamiliar with the island so I quickly found him in one of the many empty rooms of the palace.

He was sitting on a bed staring at the wall. I quietly slipped in and sat next to him.

Neither of us spoke. I didn't want to be first. I had no idea what to say. First off, he should have been dead.

"I see you didn't take long to heed my words." Kenneth finally said.

I didn't respond.

"What worries me is that...well, I'm a little hazy on the details but that guy had an uncanny resemblance to the guy who pointed a gun at me."

I looked at the side of his face. He was still boring a hole through the wall.

"He's not all bad." I whispered.

"How could you?" he demanded. "He killed me! I was dead and it was his fault! And you don't even care!" Tears were streaming down his face. I had never seen him cry. Ever.

"I loved you! And you betrayed me! I asked you to do one thing and you choose the one person that took you away from me! When I was dying! I felt selfish! But I wanted you to be happy so I told you to move on but I didn't mean it!" He buried his face in his hands.

I wrapped my arms around him holding him tightly.

"I'm really sorry." I sobbed. "Just let me explain."

He pushed me off of him and looked at me passively. "Be my guest." He said.

I told him all about my journey with Ezekiel and his change.
I told him about getting here and Ezekiel coming for me.

His expression went from anger to confusion to anger to sadness.

"Do you love him?" He asked.

I already knew the answer to that. "No." I responded. "Do you still love me?" I questioned.

He looked at me for a long time. The same way I had to Ezekiel.

"No." He said.