[2023 Wattys Shortlist, 2023 Amby Awards winner, Featured 3 times in Wattpad Picks lists]
Kaleth has worked as an agent of Luxarx for years. What the average person might see as an exciting, dangerous job has become the routine, and the only thing...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
When Kaleth woke up, the first thing he noticed was someone's fingers touching his temple. He blinked a few times to get used to the lighting, and then immediately flinched away when he found out who it was.
Right in front of him was Relioth, looking regretful, and maybe even ashamed, which was shocking in itself because Kaleth hadn't known Relioth was capable of feeling either of those emotions.
Kaleth quickly scanned his surroundings. He seemed to be in a small, grey room with nothing in it except for the metal chair he was currently handcuffed to. He automatically pulled on the cuffs a little to find out if there was at least a chance he could get out of them, but he gave up on that idea a second later. What would be the point, anyway? Relioth wouldn't let him get away.
Relioth coughed awkwardly. "Um, sorry about the whole..." he said, gesturing to Kaleth's face. Kaleth glared at the man, but then he realized that he didn't feel any pain, which was impossible since his nose had been broken. "I healed you."
Right, that would explain that. "Do you want me to thank you after you almost killed me?"
"Hey, you shot me!" Relioth said, scowling and folding his arms. He might have had a point, but it was also Relioth's actions that made Kaleth feel like he had to stop him in the first place, so it was still his own fault.
Relioth sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Look, I thought you ruined all of my hard work at the time. You'd be mad too if someone came and put a stop to everything you've been trying to accomplish for a hundred years."
That may have been true, but Kaleth would never tell Relioth this. Besides, that wasn't even the part he was focusing on right now. "Are you saying I haven't ruined your hard work?"
"Nope!" Relioth replied with a grin. "Well, maybe a bit, but you mostly just helped me." Kaleth just stared at him, unable to process what was being said to him. How could exposing Relioth for what he was not put a stop to his political career? "After explaining what I was, and why I was here, most of Enoria just kind of accepted it."
"What?" Kaleth asked after he tried to make sense of this for several seconds and failed. "How many years has it been?"
Relioth chuckled. "You were out for just three days. I would have woken you up sooner, but I've been so busy with press conferences, journalists, and stuff."
Kaleth just shook his head in denial. This couldn't be real. How could Relioth have managed to get Enorians to accept the existence of the Eternals so easily, and how could he make them think having him in charge was a good idea? Just how much had Relioth lied to make himself look good?
"I know. I was surprised too," Relioth continued. "I thought I would have to motivate your people with some threats, which never lasts for long enough. But once I explained why I and the other Eternals were suddenly making a comeback, no one seemed all that opposed to me running the show. I didn't even have to do much to convince them. I just gave myself wings for a bit. I would have transformed fully, but there wasn't enough room for that."
