Aegis

Chapter Twelve--The Deal

Before you guys start, this chapter was a doozy. I rewrote it a few times before I was happy, so if you guys have any feedback, that'd be amazing!

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In his little room, Kyros couldn't see outside. Without the sun, he couldn't tell the time since he had dozed all day. Kyros only figured out that it was around night time when Ares brought him dinner, which was some bread and cheese.

"Hope you have an answer," Ares said.

As he quietly ate his food, Kyros thought about how he would answer Ares' proposal.

Soon after Kyros finished eating, Ares opened the door and gestured for someone to come in. With a stormy look on her face, Pluto walked inside and crossed her arms. The beautiful lady, Reyna, stepped in after the girl.

"You still look irritated," Ares said.

"Of course I am. You should have told us earlier that there was another survivor," Pluto said.

When the girl turned to speak to Kyros, the boy felt like flinching back. Even though Pluto had to have been younger than him, his age at most, something about the way she carried herself or the scythe on her back made her seem several times more unnerving. Instead of flinching, Kyros forced himself to freeze.

Laced with malice, Pluto asked, "Where's the girl?"

"You could ask a bit gentler," Reyna said.

"All right then. Where did the girl go?" Pluto said in a even tone. "I understand Ares made a proposal to you. Work with us, and we won't harm the girl. She must be very dear to you if you decided to fight us on your own."

Kyros stayed silent.

The deal sounded good. After hearing it again, Kyros wanted to agree to it. If he did, Erianthe would be safe. She wouldn't need to fight.

But he couldn't agree to it. Kyros couldn't lead the Rogues to his friend, not while she was still fighting. To aid her imprisonment was unthinkable.

"I won't tell you," Kyros said.

Evidently, the Rogues hadn't been expecting that answer because a shocked look crossed all their faces. While Pluto was the quickest to mask her surprise, Ares didn't hide his at all.

"Kyros, are you mad?" he asked. "That girl's our target now."

"I won't tell you."

Unable to answer or look at him directly, Reyna and Ares glanced away from the boy. It was Pluto who answered him.

"We must finish the Orichalcum. If the girl intends to fight back, we won't hesitate to attack," Pluto said. "Which is why I think your answer is foolish."

Kyros clenched his hand into a fist. "I won't tell you."

"Boy--" Ares started.

Unable to keep his anger back any longer, Kyros let the words burst out of him. As Kyros' voice rose, his breathing quickened.

"I will not betray her like that. You took everything from us. My home. Her father. My mother. They all died because of you," Kyros shouted. "Our parents risked their lives just to track you."

His voice reverberated off the walls of the small room for a short second. The boy stood up as if to make his point stronger. Even without his bow, the heat from his anger emboldened Kyros enough to challenge the man. It ran like fire through his body.

"I am the son of Orion and Leia. Wielder of Aegis."

Kyros straightened his back further and forced himself to speak evenly.