The Mariposa

Chapter 33

Elyas

All I felt was hollow.

As cold and hard as the ground below me. But filled with nothing. An echo chamber of grief, a well I couldn't find the end of.

I never really had the chance to grieve the loss of Malachi. No funeral was ever held for him, seeing that his death had to be swept so far under the rug. And life had moved on so swiftly it left me dizzy.

He would've never imagined I'd be here now.

If I was honest with myself, he was probably the sole reason I wasn't a carbon copy of my mother or the rest of the selfish nobility. I met him as a child. At the time, he came from a middle tier family, that was only slightly better off than most of his neighborhood. He was a genius, steadily astounding everyone around him. He was so elite in his studies that he was allowed into the high tier schools, which is where I met him. I made him do my homework and in exchange, I slipped him lunch money.

Through this business transaction, we became fast friends. I learned everything from him. Spending time with him opened my eyes first to the mistreatment the other tiers were facing. And he had the courage to change things, something I was still trying to learn to this day. I may always try and learn that courage.

He'd be so disappointed in me today. He would've given me the silent treatment for weeks for the way I dishonored his memory. I practically spat on his grave striking out the way I did. But in the moment, it didn't feel like a choice at all. Sitting here now, I still couldn't bring myself to regret what I had done.

Until I thought of her face. Maeve's tearful, betrayed expression cracked the cold hard wall that had formed up around my heart.

I barely heard the footsteps coming down the hall towards me now, so caught up in my own thoughts. I didn't look up until she shouted my name.

"Elyas!!"

I slowly rose my head, not entirely surprised to see Kalon. I tilted my head, arching one brow. "Come to yell at me like Maeve did? Have at it. Hell, open the gates, come in here and give me a physical bashing. It's all the same to me."

Kalon rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic. Such a petty little princess. Are you ready to pull yourself together and get back out there?"

I shifted, furrowing my brows. "You're not mad?"

She let out a short laugh, crossing her arms. "Of course I am. I'm beyond pissed. But I don't have the time for it. And, to be honest, I can't promise I wouldn't have done the same thing had I been in your shoes. Doesn't make what you did right, but it makes it understandable... If anything, I'm just glad you finally cracked for once. Finally showed some sign of being human. I trust you more now than I ever did before."

I gaped at her, sitting up a little, my limbs still too heavy to fully stand. "Kalon, you may be the most confusing woman I have ever met, do you understand that?"

She shrugged. "I take pride in it. Stand up, Princess. You've moped long enough. We've got an army to overthrow."

I sighed heavily, but reached up to grab the wall to brace myself as I forced my weary limbs to function. Not trusting my body fully yet, I rested against the wall behind me once I was standing.

"They don't want me back out there, Kalon. I can't lead that army after what I've done."

Her eyes narrowed as she appraised me. She picked me apart, piece by piece with only her gaze. Dissecting, putting it back together, dissecting again. It made me squirm.

Without saying a word to me, she reached into her suit, pulling out a key. She unlocked the gate, strolling inside like she didn't just open a cell. She strode towards me, not stopping until she was within an inch of me. Grabbing my collar, she yanked me down to her level, looking me in the eyes. I swallowed, staring back into her steely gaze.