How to Catch a Fish (ManxMan)

Original Chapter Nineteen: Left Behind

~Chapter Nineteen: Left Behind~

"What?" I choke out.

"I've known you a long time, Atasah," Sidr says gently, though there is an edge of tension behind his words. "You've changed a lot since I last saw you. I'm not sure what happened, but even if it is nothing, I would have to report you to the higher ups and you would be sent back home for evaluation. Would you really be willing to leave your prince until they deemed you safe for release?"

He's got a point.

I shake my head mutely, letting my hands fall away from his arms to hang limply at my sides. Accepting my answer, he continues, "You won't be discharged from the Hellions, but I will be putting you on detached duty, effective immediately. You are to remain with the Mer until you receive orders to do otherwise. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain," I agree, despite the desire to protest, to be given a chance to prove myself useful once again. While I want to stay with Nero, my loyalty is to Yabrogath, as if has been for my entire life. If I cannot fight to protect it like I spent most of my life learning to do, then I have no use, no purpose.

Sidr inhales sharply before letting go. "Take care of yourself, Ata, and if there is an emergency, I will leave a way for you to contact me with one of the guards," he says softly, and then walks back towards where the delegation waits around the corner. When he disappears from sight, my shoulders slump defeat. All those escape attempts were for nothing, it seems.

There is a shuffle of feet behind me, startling me as I forgot that we were not alone. A hand lands on my shoulder, but I lean away from it, for once not in the mood to feel comforted by Nero's touch.

"Not right now," I mutter, taking a step to the side to escape the hand. It slips away, but only for a second before I am being spun around and pulled into another hug. I want to fight it, but there is no real point, since he will continue to hold me if he really wants to. Plus, it does feel kind of good. Okay, a lot good.

"I'm sorry," Nero says.

Refusing to look at Felix when he tries to catch my eye, I stare at the wall. "Why are you sorry? You wanted this to happen," I accuse, though my words lack any real venom.

"I'm apologizing because I wanted this to happen and because I am sorry that it had to happen at all," he answers, and then releases me. I frown a little at the loss of contact, but ignore the urge to pull him back and instead take a step back. When I start to take another step back, he grabs my wrist, "But don't think I've forgotten what you just did."

Despite not finding the humor in it, I huff out a laugh, "Of course not."

Nero turns me again and I am suddenly being lifted off the ground. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "What are you doing?" I hiss, momentarily startled out of my rather dark mood.

"I've carried you before," he says, as if it explains why he is doing it now.

"Not while I was conscious," I remind him, wrinkling my nose as he starts walking, completely ignoring the guards who are trying to hide their smiles by turning their heads away. Felix does not even try to hide his snickering, though, and I turn my glare on him. "Laugh all you want. I'm still a badass."

His snickering turns into actual laughter and he hugs himself while I continue to glare as Nero carries me past him. When I look up at my fiancé, there is a very obvious twitch to his lip that suggests he is trying to hide a smirk and failing. He clearly noticed my lack of protest at being carried around, though he thankfully refrains from mentioning it in front of his brother.