Claimed by Twelve

21. Hesitation

3rd person POV

"It paid off." Khione stared into His eyes with defiance.
"But it was a risk. One I don't want to be taking anymore." He stared at her with a fire in His eyes that made Khione shrink back. "Either get him on our side or get him out of the way."
      Khione nodded. She mumbled as she slipped out of the room. He dare He say that to her! She had done everything He had asked and He still wasn't happy.
      Khione boiled with anger as she marched down the hallway. She tried to focus that anger on finding Julian. After all, the boy was a fool. He didn't know the power he held. He didn't know that Khione couldn't help him.
He didn't need to know.
Khione found herself at the cell where she had kept Julian and Jason. No, not me, she mentally corrected herself, Him. Where He had kept them. There were bloodstains still on the smooth ice. Jason's blood. Her dagger was still buried in the wall, long cracks webbing out into the ice from where it had stuck. The cracks were tinted red from the blood that had been still on the dagger.
Khione hadn't wanted this. Sure, she was evil. But she wasn't this evil. She didn't want the Gods to fall. Well, at least not all of them.
She walked into the cell and sat on the ground. She closed her eyes and focused. This was where she could find Julian the best, the place where she had spilled his blood.
An image flickered in her mind. Julian was leaning against a metal door, panting. She knew he was doubting her and she almost didn't want to convince him otherwise. But she had to. Otherwise He would be mad. Khione didn't like it when He got mad.
Julian, Khione thought. She saw him stiffen a little at her voice.
      His mumble almost made her laugh. "It's Jules."
      Jules, Khione tried again, follow the tunnel. It will lead you out of the city.
      Jules stayed against the metal door. Khione almost thought he wouldn't listen, which would have been a pity because then she would have to kill him. And she didn't want to do that.
      Julian pushed off the metal door and made his way back into the hallway. He started down the dark tunnel. He didn't look back.
      Khione opened her eyes and sighed. She hated doing this to him. He was the child of Neptune, Chosen of the Twelve, blessed by all Gods.
      No, she chided herself, not all Gods. Most. But not all. Khione was lucky Pan had been among them. Julian was indeed a force to behold, but he was also a interesting anomaly. Khione knew that only a satyr or faun could establish an empathy link. But she guessed that when Pan had blessed Julian, he had received the power to establish one with anyone. He didn't know that either. And that was another thing that Khione decided he didn't need to know.
      How to break an empathy link, that was the question. The one between Jules and Khione had served her well. The one between him and Jason, now that was the problem.
      Khione stood from the frozen ground. She wasn't cold, but she didn't like sitting in that cell. She walked out of the cell and back down the long hallway. She kept repeating to herself that they needed Julian. If they didn't have Julian, the Gods would win. If they didn't have Julian, she would get nothing.
      If they didn't have Julian, Erebos wouldn't be able to rise to power.