The Real Ram

Chapter 64

My father prepares to fight, but my mother calls his name once. I feel him relax and the men restrain him. My mother tightens her hug on me as they try and pry her from me. She protests, trying her best to stay with me, but they eventually pull her away. The troops are about to grab me but Kian halts them and motions them away. I grab Beast's hand and lace his fingers with mine. Kian wanders around me, "How does it feel? To have your lover ripped away from you?"

"Don't you dare touch her!" My mother shouts. I can tell she's trying to use that strange emotional power but she's either too weak or not moved emotionally enough to do so.

Kian kneels on the other side of Beast and says, "I really do hate that it had to be him." I make no hint of a retaliation to him. I don't want him to recognize the numbing pain I feel right now. "You know, I really hoped your response would have been getting all hurt and angry and I'd have to fight the crazy Zoey everyone knows exists but hasn't seen yet. Instead, you're a quiet griever. It's boring, don't you think? Just sitting there in the pain, staring at a lifeless corpse such as the one in front of you?" He laughs a bit, "Here I thought we were at the climax of this ultimate battle between us and you just go into reserved mode? That's not very considerate of you."

I keep my eyes like with Beast's closed ones. I tighten my grip on Beast's hand.

"You know, I had a lover once."

"Is that why you did this? Because you loved me?" my mother shouts from her place.

He smiles, "I fell for her when Aspen first introduced me. I suppose the only thing that kept her away was the fact that I was a few years younger."

"Or maybe because I was already in love, with my husband!"

"You have her eyes," Kian says, reaching out a hand to my cheek.

"Don't touch her!" my mother shouts again.

His ability doesn't chill me anymore. My heart went cold the moment Beast's did. His hand stops inches away from my face. I look up from Beast and stare into Kian's eyes. I don't care how much pain is inflicted on me, Kian's will be worse.

"Trying to look intimidating? I'll be honest, not a good look for you. Why can't you be like your mother when she was all cool in coming to save you? Does it only take one kill to break you Zoey? Are you that fragile?" He leaves my eyesight so my eyes fall back to Beast. I trace my free hand across his cheek, feeling a little bit of stubble, but nothing that can actually be seen. He still seems warm, or is that just me? "Let me tell you a story, Zoey. There once was this huge forest, where the trees were taller than the eye could see, and wider than a mile long. In this forest there was a great big bear that ruled the animals. He had many subjects, including a snake, bunny, fox, and a beetle. Are you familiar with this story?"

I say nothing.

He shrugs, "You should be, your little friend Clark is the one that told it to me. Now his version was a bit too..." he pauses to search for the word, "tame for me. Would you like to hear my revisions?"

"It doesn't need changing," Trish mumbles.

"Well let's have Zoey be the judge then. So one day this bear decides he wants to have a birthday party for himself. He makes the bunny go and fetch the best food the forest offers, even though the beetle tells him the bunny will make a bad judgment of taste. When the bear asks why, the beetle responds that the bunny does not see the world the way he does, therefore will not see sources of energy like the bear would. The bear then sent out the beetle to make up for the bunny's waste. How are you liking it so far?"

I stare at Beast, hoping he'll do something. Anything to indicate he's not dead.

"After the bunny and the beetle were sent out to do their biding, the bear goes into his den to rest before the party. This leaves the fox and snake outside. Now, the snake has been envious of the bear's power, and he knows he can rule as a stronger and better king, so he turns to the fox and purposes a plan to him."