Serene Of The Sea

43. Old

I sit still as a rock whilst I wait for the illusion to shatter.
But it doesn't, it doesn't shatter.

Before me is a familiar room. So familiar I can tell you every engraving on every pillar. The gold inlayed dome projected the stars.

This was Sanctuary. My sanctuary.

And underneath my second home, was Tag, smiling at me triumphantly.

"How?" I gasp, unable to rationalise the situation.

He comes forward, stopping when I do flinch away, "Serena. It's me. I told you we would come for you," worry furrows over his lilac eyes, "Welcome home."

"We?" I question desperately, longing to see that face but knowing I cannot bare it.

Tag points with a shift of his jaw to whoever stood behind me.

Turns out this was the only thing that could scare me now.

My eyes find what I seek, his icy blue eyes scouring my face with such emotion I nearly break.

"Serena," is all he says as he reaches for me.

I jump from my seat, shaking my head at him, "No."

"No?" He echoes, confused at my reaction.

"No," I repeat, "You can't help me. You have to put me away and forget about me. I've done bad things."

"We know they blackmailed you, Serena," Tag reveals, like it might calm me.

But I know better, "I killed people. On the rig," I struggle to get the message to reach them, it pains me to admit it, "I wouldn't have stopped. But one of my friends stopped me. Where are they?" I sound so pathetic I almost feel sorry for myself. Almost.

The brothers float side by side. My family. My family is safe. I can stop now.
How twistedly grateful I was that they were here. Now I could face judgement for my crimes without regret.

"We know Serena. Cas infiltrated the army to find and save weavers. He's been feeding us all the information on you and the others," Kai informs me, his eyes pleading, "Please understand, we tried to get to you. But things got worse after you left and we had to flee the city. I'm so sorry we couldn't get to you sooner. Believe me I wanted too."

"Cas?" I wonder aloud.

"Well, you know me as Psy. Which I thought was very unoriginal honestly," His voice interrupts us.

I turn to see Psy leaning on a pillar, his green scales iridescent in the light.

"You worked for them all along?"

Psy.......Cas nodded once, confirming the fact.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me?" I want to pinch myself for sounding so whiny, but I was angry. If I had known they were safe I wouldn't have had to cooperate and lives might have been saved.

"I knew that you would be my ticket to get weavers into the open ocean. I needed you to believe it was real. I needed you to convince Aella. And you did."

I clench and unclench my fists. Used again. Always a means to an end.

"So I was a good little puppet then? Is that it?"

Cas shakes his head, "What we are doing here will save many more lives than have already been lost."

"And what are we doing here?" I ask, my voice rising as I try and fail to hide my boiling temper.