The Lonely God

30.

"One more reason to hate him," I say but Archander shakes his head at me.

"One more reason why he makes a great king,"

"huh? It doesn't make sense!"

"It will when you'll know the whole story..." He trails off, still looking at a distance. He seems to be in deep thoughts. It has started to snow again and the wind is blowing from the north.

"His ministers hate him for this?" I ask. Arles must have done something really bad which earned him hatred form his own council. To be honest, I hate him too but I have my personal reasons. He treated me like shit and made my life hell. I can't help but imagine what he did to his ministers.

"Everybody hates him," Archander says.

"Do you hate him too?"

"I used to but the more I figured him out, the more my respect grew for him." Archander speaks looking up in the sky, leaving me confused. I don't understand half the things he is saying.

"You'll figure out everything soon, Nefret. Please give this place a try. Please give us a try. I promise we won't treat you like your family did," He pleads while I keep silent. Half of the things he says don't make any sense to me.

"I don't know..."

~

I am back in my room, looking out of the window. The birds have gone and the sun is disappearing behind the horizon. I hear the door of my room silently opening and closing. Heavy footsteps echo as they enter the bedroom.

The way the air around me changes is enough to tell me that it's him. Standing behind me. I feel his heated gaze on me, scorching my skin and burning holes in my body.

"Nefret," He calls out silently behind me. I chose to keep silent and see the tip of the sun disappear behind the horizon leaving the sky deserted. There's no movement outside. Everything is drenching in darkness.

I hear him step nearer, standing just behind me. His breath is tickling my exposed neck but I stay still. The air around me is crackling with electricity and Vesta is pacing inside me but I chose to ignore it.

"Nefret, please..." He trails off. There's this certain softness to his voice that has me turning back to look at him. He is looking down at me fervently while I give him a blank look. There are so many emotions simmering in his silver eyes. It makes my heart stutter.

"I'd like you to have dinner with me and my whole council. There are many people I want to introduce you to," He speaks smoothly and formally. His eyes are set on me the whole time, observing my reaction to him. I keep my face mostly blank.

The way he is looking at me makes Vesta excited but at the same time, I feel disgusted by it. I want to cringe but I don't show anything on the surface.

I don't want to go anywhere. I don't want to meet anyone but from my previous experience, I know that either way, he'll make me do what he wants me to do. There's no good in fighting him because somehow he'll end up having the upper hand. I hate him for this. I hate everything. I have everyone, ughhhhhh.

I silently nod at him before turning back to look outside the window. He keeps standing behind me before I hear him sigh.

"You have half an hour to get dressed," He says and leaves silently. I keep standing there and looking outside the window. It's dark outside.

Finally, I decide to get dressed. I don't want Arles dragging me there. That'll be such a scene. He already made a show out of me when he showed me to his council. I feel so mad at him.