Luminous

101 - True Fear

Coris froze. Blinking, he woke from his stupor, his gray eyes round.

"You are?" He breathed. His voice trembled. When Meya nodded, he broke into the widest smile of pure joy that brought his pale, gaunt face to life. He pulled her into his embrace, weak with relief.

"I knew it." Meya linked her arms around his waist, shaking her head in annoyance even as she blinked away tears, "Why did you have to lie?"

"I can't force you. You're the mother. You have the final word." Coris muttered between feverish kisses down the curve of her neck. Meya rolled her eyes.

"Well, you're the father. You get your word, too!" She pushed apart, so they came face-to-face once more, "I can't live the rest of my life second guessing everything you say, Coris. No more lies. No more secrets. You promised."

Coris opened his mouth to object, but changed his mind at the sight of Meya's flaring green eyes. Sighing, he nodded.

"You're right, of course. I'm sorry." He closed the gap and urged her gently back into his arms, whispering at her ear, "Thank you."

"Aw, Lexi." Meya groaned as she felt hot tears seeping onto the shoulder of her tunic. Coris said nothing—he merely tightened his arms around her. Meya's own tears trickled down his hair as she combed her fingers through it.

"You can't fool nobody, honestly. I felt you touching and kissing my belly when you thought I was asleep." She grumbled as together they swayed in the night breeze. Coris froze.

"You weren't?" He croaked, his cheek burning against her neck. Meya snorted.

"I was, but your hands and lips are so cold, I woke up."

"Oh."

They fell silent for a while. Coris drew circles on her belly, his eyes on the Blue Mountains, lost in thought. Meya gazed down at the sea of flat rooftops below, feeling Coris's heart beating against her back.

"Do you think we should cut that deal with Hasif?" He asked quietly. Meya considered it for a moment, then heaved a sigh.

"Well, if it was me, anything to get the victims' memories back as soon as possible. But that sets a bad precedence, doesn't it?" She met his gaze. As he broke away, she glimpsed conflict instead of despair. He was frowning, his eyes fixed on the banister with an intensity that could bore through stone. He wasn't searching for a solution—it was a battle within.

Meya freed herself from his loose embrace and spun around, eyes narrowed.

"You've found a way to make her talk, haven't you?"

Coris's eyebrows gave an involuntary jolt. Catching himself, he forced them back into a frown.

"I haven't."

"Coris, don't lie." Meya shook her head. Coris rolled his eyes.

"Why would I? I normally don't enjoy looking stupid." He flounced off to the far corner of the balcony. Meya pursued.

"Why can't you tell me? If you got a thought, let's hear it!"

"I haven't, so stop pestering me!"

"You wouldn't ask what I think if you didn't have another way!"

"I don't want to return to what I was, alright?!"

Coris whirled around with a blast of fire. Meya froze in her tracks, staring wide-eyed at his flashing eyes as he stood panting. Ashamed, he hung his head and turned away.

"I was a monster." He rasped, his voice strangled, "Perhaps, I still am. I've tried my best to smother that side of me, but it keeps rearing its head. I pressured Zier to die for The Axel. I called the shots that brought Persephia down. I tried to manipulate Arinel to give up her mother's research, or else experiment on herself! Father must keep reminding me to choose the kind alternative. The choice you chose, that saved my life. How could I betray that by turning my back on the very thing you stood for?"