The Journey to My Heart [Updates Every Thursday!!]

Chapter Seven ~Crista

"Do you think it was Damian?" I dare to whisper. My breath fogs into a cloud in front of me and quickly fades away into the icy air. I look to John and his eyes are occupied with anything and everything besides Axil and I. He looks around as though he's reminiscing.

Axil turns to John, his eyebrows furrowed. "What did you do?" he asks, his voice dangerously low.

John glares at him. "I didn't do anything."

"You know something!" Axil says louder, his voice bouncing all around the icy walls.

"Axil!" I yell before another fight breaks out, but a part of me hesitates. Yes, John does know something and he's hiding it from the rest of us. I swallow the lump in my throat and say, "None of us know for sure where Zaria is." I sigh. "The thing we should be focusing on is that she's alive."

"We don't know that," Axil retaliates. "For all we know, anyone could have taken and hid her." His eyes zero in on John, "And I wouldn't put it past you to do that."

"Why would I take her? She saved my life," John says calmly.

"Exactly!" Axil takes a step closer to him and John squares off his shoulder clearly unimpressed. "Don't think I don't remember that night. The way you spoke about her. You don't want her anywhere near me."

John scoffs and it sends a shiver down my spine. He even has the nerve to smirk. "I didn't take her, but you're absolutely right. I don't want her anywhere near you."

Axil takes a step back, a little stunned. John's face contorts in anger and I can feel through our bond that he's about to unleash all of his pent-up rage on him. "Then why did you come running to me-"

"You killed her," John cuts him off mid-sentence. "I don't know how someone could ever do that to someone they love."

"I'm the only reason she's alive right now," Axil bites back.

John raises his eyebrows and crosses his arms. "Oh, so she is alive, now? Make up your mind, Axil. Gosh, you're a terrible prince. I don't even want to think about you being king one day."

"Oh, and you know what it's like to be in my shoes?"

"I'm Prince of Malaka. Your rival and your enemy. Don't think I have forgotten that," John says and a small part of me can feel strong power radiating off of him.

Axil presses his lips together. His face goes dead and my heart sinks before Axil can even say anything. "How foolish of me to keep my enemy so comfortable." He turns to me and I'm already shaking my head. "Crista."

"No," I say already knowing where this is going. I won't. I will not do this again.

"Yes," he says with a growl. "Take him down to the dungeons," he looks John right in the eye, "where he belongs."

John locks eyes with him but is unshaken. "Go ahead," he tells him. "I'm sure that whenever Zaria finds out that the one wish she had before you betrayed her was broken, she'll feel right at home."

"Crista," Axil says again and I flinch. "Now."

I grasp onto John's wrist and he doesn't back away or fight my touch. "I'll get you out of here. I promise," I try to tell him through our connection. A small bit of his walls fall down but immediately go back up. "I promise."

We follow after Axil as he waits by the pool. I suppose he won't allow himself to turn his back on us. He doesn't trust any of us anymore.

When we went after Zaria and Lucy, he didn't trust Zaria. When Lucy and Tyrian warned and prepared him for what must happen, he didn't trust them and now, meeting his eyes I don't recognize them anymore.