celestial vengeance

|chapter eleven| - diana

truculent (adjective): eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant

Bittersweet wasn't a word most of Diana's life could be described with. However the entirety of her morning had been a mix of that, between the breakthrough with Kai, the introduction to his daughter, and the mutual refusal to acknowledge any of the events from last night.

He had to be the most simultaneously unorganized yet organized person she had ever met. Papers and maps were strewn over the entirety of the room yet any one she requested could easily be found. The rest of his suite was the same, any tools for organization instead used as more space to cram anything of importance. Kai was still in his formal clothes from a meeting held that morning, the haphazardly donned suit reeking of the obnoxious perfumes the Cabinet insisted on wearing.

"Here," Kai said eventually. Turning to where he was seated a few paces behind her, she followed his line of sight to a map.

"This is where they'd attack. It'll be the least guarded since it's right below a hill. Insurgents would supposedly have an advantage, leaving this as a blind spot."

Diana nodded. The next hour passed by effortlessly, the two of them lost in their thoughts as they searched the rest of the books Kai had found in the Estate's library and archives.

"Kai?" she called after a while. He looked up from where he now lay sprawled across the bed. She had intended to ask why he was helping her, yet the question lay caught in her throat, trapped between the endless clash of her feelings and intellect.

As it turned out, she didn't have to speak. Kai had understood and merely shrugged, "I told you I wouldn't let them attack your camp. I don't break my promises."

The knock at the door made both of them jump. Before either could respond the click of the lock could be heard as Elias stepped through. He threw the keyring at Kai, who turned out of the way as it landed on the mattress. Kai looked up surprised, but Elias had all his attention on her.

"Diana, why the fuck are you here?"

Diana shook her head, understanding his insinuation instantly. "It's not like that Elias, we're trying to figure out how to help the camps."

Elias laughed quietly, shaking his head. His head was tilted down when he finally spoke, his eyes almost black as he watched her from under his brows.

"With Kai, it's never been about the camps, Diana."

Diana's eyes widened at Elias's words. "Elias you can't mean that, the entire reason I'm here is because of the camps."

"Maybe at the beginning." Elias agreed. "But now, now it's all for him." He clenched his fists as he turned to Kai was standing, hands up in defense. 

"She's right-" Kai broke in but his next words were cut off as Elias slammed him against the wall, knuckles bloody as his hand clashed against Kai's head, his skull making impact with the wall over and over again. The boom of a gun was heard and Kai roared in pain, the shine of a gun could be seen against his abdomen as the sickening sound was repeated.

"Kai!" Diana screamed, the side of her revolver making contact with the side of Elias's head as he drew his hand back to land another hit. The impact of the revolver made him pause, giving Kai the diversion he needed to break away, crashing his head against Elias's causing the latter to fully break his hold.

Kai was stooped over, blood flowing from his nose and the crescent shaped imprints on his cheek. Elias, sprawled less than a body length away let out a scream before charging again, a knife now in hand.

"No," Diana began, stepping in front of Elias and easily disarming him. The blade flew in the opposite direction and she threw her gun to Kai. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him dazedly pick it up and immediately fling it across the room, as if it burnt him. The momentary distraction gave Elias the opportunity to target the barely healed wound on her chest. She let out a pained yell, keeling over. Before she could collide with the ground, her back made harsh contact with the top of Kai's desk. Elias's next hit landed on her collarbone, and then another. The taste of blood filled her mouth as she hit his chest, to no avail. The next instant his knuckles collided with her temple, snapping her head to the side.

"You fucking betrayed him," Elias managed through gritted teeth. "You're here? Landon's barely dead and you're here sleeping with the man who killed him."

Diana barely felt the next hit, her hands blindly scrambling on either side of her for anything. 

Suddenly a gunshot rang through the air, and blood dripped from Elias's bicep. Kai was leaning heavily against the wall, having moved to retrieve the gun. He looked at Elias, breathing hard. The gun was still raised, but Diana noticed the tremors in his hand, the uncertainty in his hold. She coughed, blood dripping past her lips as she took a ragged breath. Elias's reaction hadn't been entirely unexpected and she wanted to hurt him as little as possible. Her hand was around his wrist, half succeeding at pushing him off. His gaze was still on Kai, the bullet having had no effect on him. "I'll kill you," he warned, his scathing tone coated in venom.

At his words all Diana felt was rage. White hot rage.

"Don't fucking touch him," she seethed.

She raised her leg, her knee making hard contact with his hip as he let out a wounded breath. His hands wrapped around her throat, a choked noise leaving her lips as her hands still blindly grabbed for any weapon. Digging her fingers into the desk out of pure desperation, the wood popped up in slivers underneath her fingertips. Clenching her hand she swung her arm at him, releasing the chips of wood in his face. Elias staggered away, groaning as he clawed at his face.

The notch of the barrel could be heard as Kai, still using the wall for support, spun the barrel and aimed at Elias. The two made eye contact after a moment. Finally Elias moved backwards, glaring at Diana. She still lay on the desk, propped on one elbow as her breaths came out in short gasps.

"You both are dead to me," Elias promised. "Your death will be by my hand- I swear it."

At Elias's departure Diana lay back down, the piercing pain on her torso seemed to magnify. In a moment of clarity she craned her head to look at Kai. His gaze was still on the gun, unwavering as he turned it in his hand, over and over again.

"Kai?"

His eyes flashed to hers immediately, widening at her current state. He was at her side in an instant, hunched over as he pressed a hand to the bullet wounds.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He exhaled, "I should be asking you that."

"You seemed so- so dazed."

He was silent, eyes scanning her body, intaking the injuries. "That was my first time shooting a gun, Diana." His voice had trailed off slightly at the end.

"The first time in fourteen years," he continued. Kai's mind seemed to be elsewhere as his forearms rested on the side of the desk, brows knitted as the pain overcame his senses.

Diana was now extremely aware of just how bad their injuries were. It had been a miracle Elias had made it out of here.

"We're gonna die," Diana gasped.

Kai grunted, "Like hell we are."

She heard Kai's breaths become more labored, and her eyes felt exceedingly heavy. The last thing she heard was footsteps crossing the threshold of Kai's room. Then her eyes shut.