Better as Bones

sick - XXXIII

Bastet

Milo drags me away from the crowd. They all flood into the ballroom. No coronation is complete without dancing, right?

Milo's eyebrows are drawn in as he turns to me. We lost Cassius after we filed out of the crowning hall.

'We need to find Avery,' Milo says. I frown, my vision slipping sideways. I drag my head back to look at him. People start to brush against me. My shoulders meet my ears.

'Should we? We don't even know where she is.' Milo frowns at me, his face scrunching up. He grits his teeth as he inhales.

'We need her help to find Quarry.' Milo says sternly. I can feel my eyes slipping off to the side again. I focus back on Milo, my head drooping. 'She deserves to know.'

Milo's right. I have to stop making stupid excuses. She already knows we're here. She already knows what I did to her mom. Nothing I do will change her emotions of me based in the past. All I can do is try to be a better person now.

Milo nods as I hold onto his wrist. He starts to weave through the crowd, his eyes wide and searching. I wish I could help. My eyes trace my path.

The ballroom is just as grand as anywhere else in the palace. High ceilings matched with intricate chandeliers. Gold trimming on the walls and rich, night-deep colors painted on. The floor sparks a marble.

My feet stumble as Milo stops. I bump into his back. I take a step next to him, holding my hands close to my face. Milo keeps his eyes forward. Locked on Avery.

She stands across a clearing of dancing couples, speaking with an elf. She nods as she brushes her dress's skirt to tame. The elf laughs as they exchange words. He has smoothed brown hair and a face flushed with drunkenness. He seems familiar.

Oh, he helped me after Quarry was kidnapped. He gave me food.

Avery nods as she looks to the side. Her smile falls as her eyes meet mine. She keeps her gaze upon Milo and I as she waves her hand towards her feet. Milo and I exchange a glance before we move around the dancers.

My body presses closer to Milo as we near. Why are my hands shaking? I shouldn't be scared...that's stupid. If anything Avery should be nervous around me.

Avery's eyes stick on me as she turns back to the elf. She lets go of me momentarily. A smile meets her lips.

"Thank you, Odessa," She says, stepping away from the elf and nearing us. Her softened expression hardens as she stops. She stares at me, her eyebrows drawn is with wide eyes. Her lips are pressed hard into a struggling frown.

I open my mouth, hesitating. Tears slip down Avery's cheeks. My hands fly out, stopping as Avery glares at me. Milo shifts beside me, worry washed over his face. Avery bites her cheeks as she struggles to keep from frowning. Tears spill faster. She doesn't even blink.

"I–" Avery steps closer, her eyes daggers in my chest.

"I do not want to hear it from you," She hisses quietly. "I cannot believe you. You hurt my mother and now you come back for my crowning? What kind of cruel joke are you playing, huh? Without warning all sweaty and bloody you trample in and I am the one to take care of you. Do you know what you put me through when you and Quarry booked it? I was the one who had to clean up your mess, Bastet! All you do is cause problems and then expect others to take care of it!" Avery pauses, heaving in breaths. I press my lips together as my vision blurs. My cheeks feel wet.

She's right. All I do is cause problems and then leave.

Avery huffs, blinking as her hands drag across her face. She looks back at me and Milo. Her eyes linger on Milo in greeting. Maybe in apology.

"Where's Quarry. I want to talk to him as well," She demands, her arms crossed. I look down.

"Quarry—" Milo starts. I look back up as he hesitates with words. He chokes on his breath. 'He was captured.' Avery blinks at Milo, the space between her eyebrows crumpled. She frowns, her mouth opened slightly.

"What?" Her voice breaks. Avery's head whips toward me, her disbelief sudden fury. "No way you got him captured." Her words drip with venom. I shrink beneath her gaze. My throat burns. My chest feels all tight. I can't do this. I want to run away. I have to run away. I have to get out of here now.

"How did you get him captured, huh? How did you manage that? How the fuck did–?" Avery stops. I glance up. Milo's hand blocks my vision as he steps between Avery and I. I blink away blurriness.

'We came for your help,' Milo says. Avery's eyebrows stay flat on her eyes as she gazes up at Milo. 'Help is not blaming.'

"Hell yeah I will help," Avery says. I raise my head. My eyes say down as I inhale deeply.

"What about Maylea?" I whisper. Avery scoffs. I bite my cheeks.

"Fuck the kingdom. I did not even want to rule in the first place." I feel like I'm going to be sick. "We can leave as soon as tomorrow. But I have to take care of some things beforehand so it might take a little longer. I'll find you when we are leaving. Until then you can stay in the room you were in earlier."

Avery's dark skirt flicks out of my vision as she disappears into the crowd. I bite my lip as Milo ducks into my vision.

"Are you okay?" He mouths. I swallow. I nod before I raise my head, tears slipping down my cheeks.

"Yeah," I rasp, my throat sore from emotion. "Yeah." The worry from earlier comes back to Milo's face. I force a smile for him.

'You want to go find Cassius?' He asks. I shake my head.

'I'm going to look for something,' I tell him. Milo nods, his eyes lingering on me as he moves through the crowd. I watch him until he slips away, into the sea of laughter and grins.