God of Monsters

Ten

The pressure within his mind made him want to slam his head against the closest hard object, made him want to reach into his brain and remove whatever part it was that allowed this. All night, all day, he heard them. Their shouts, their cries, their confusion. They were lost and Marlo could not save them. Even in sleep he could not escape. There was less noise in sleep but there was that boy, and he was cold, and begging to be found. 

Swiping his arm across his cluttered dresser, Marlo screamed until his throat was raw but his mind empty, finally empty. 

He slid down against the wall, cradling his head between his hands and breathed harshly in relief. He knew it would not last, not forever. But for now, he breathed and let his muscles relax. Across from him, sitting on his bed, was a small green lesser faerie. He watched him from his spot, his hands tucked between his legs as if he was forcing himself not to reach out to Marlo. There was no space in his mind for embarrassment. 

"Sorry," he ground out, looking at the mess he had made. 

"It's okay," large, too large, black eyes blinked back at him. The green skin across his nose and cheeks turned a light brown as he blushed bashfully. Marlo would have laughed and teased him if he wasnt soaking in the quiet. 

They sat there for a while, Marlo listening to the others fidgeting before he finally peeled himself off the floor. It was not the first time something like this had happened, and Shiloh was familiar with his outbursts, being his only friend and all. More like the only person Marlo could stand being around. He was quiet and soft spoken and smelled like flowers. 

"Your room is smaller than I expected." Shiloh admitted, looking around the messy room. It was his first time in the palace, and he was not supposed to be here. Marlo had snuck him in the same way he had always snuck out. Shiloh was supposed to be in the marketplace at his family's stall selling flowers, but Marlo had gone out searching for him, for some kind of peace from his mind. 

"I'm not really a prince or anything," Marlo shrugged, kicking random things out of his way.

"Isn't your dad a god?" Shiloh tilted his head, his black hair falling off his shoulder. 

Marlo's face warmed, embarrassment finally finding a place in his mind. "He's not really my dad." he admitted. Razalius would probably laugh if he had heard what he had told the garden faerie. "My dad died." 

Shiloh's pink lips fell into a frown, but he did not apologies like most people did.  That's why Marlo liked him. He knew when not to talk. 

Marlo sat down beside him on the bed, kicking his shoes off to get comfortable. 

"Will your family look for you?" He asked, breathing in Shiloh's flowery scent. 

"Probably, I can't stay long," 

Marlo nodded, knowing he would have to sneak him out again and make sure he got back to his stall safely. "I had that dream again," he confessed, needing someone to talk to. Shiloh was the best listener. 

"About the boy?" His big eyes widened even further as he faced Marlo to give him his full attention. "Did you talk to your grandpa about it?"

Nodding, Marlo thought over when Mia had dragged him to the Council room while they were all there to hear it. The older female had insisted that they all needed to witness it. Besides, the twins were having similar problems with crowded minds and deaf ears. He figured they had grown use to it by now. Mia did not mind the strange faces that appeared in her room. Aurora was lucky enough to not have the voices in her head constantly, only when she was in large crowds. Apparently, there were not that many good people amongst the High Fae. 

"Did he say anything new?" Shiloh asked softly, his long slender fingers wrapping around Marlo's fist between them. He looked at the faeries smaller green hand and shrugged. 

"Most of the same, that he's cold and it's dark. I can feel his pain, but he never mentions it." He sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I wish we could go back there, to earth. I wish we could help them."

Shiloh was quiet for a moment. When they had first met, he would ask Marlo all about earth, curious to hear what it was like, what the plants and flowers were like. Marlo thought he was funny. He had shared all that he could remember, but there wasnt much. What he remembered most was being in a cluttered home, his big brother's tired eyes and soft smiles. 

"You'll find a way, you're smart!" Shiloh smiled, his bright mood lifting Marlo's. 

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Marlo ducked down behind the wooden stall, flower petals falling around him with the abrupt change. Shiloh looked at him like he was crazy, his big eyes curious. Marlo ignored him, peeking over the top of the stall to watch the male across the street. 

Maverick had not noticed him, or at least he pretended not to. He was talking to a female in front of the Tea House. Shiloh's family was smart to set their flower stall in front of it, because everyone knew it was not tea the males were excited for when visiting. Marlo may be too young to walk through the front doors, but curiosity had always put him in strange situations. 

He had seen what really went on inside of the establishment, behind the closed doors of the private rooms. 

Marlo's nose scrunched up with disgust, watching his brother talk to the female that clearly worked there. He knew Maverick slept around but he didn't know his brother was paying for it. 

Shiloh was ignoring him where he still hid, selling a young male a bouquet of pastel pink flowers. He had talked the male into picking those ones, swearing that they were perfect for a pretty female. Marlo thought the flowers were prettier against his light green skin. 

He was caught up with staring curiously at the small faerie when a hand grabbed a hold of the back of his shirt and hefted him up to his feet. He was spun around quickly, his heart beating rapidly. 

"Little brother," Maverick smiled down at him, his brown eyes swirling with crimson. Marlo knew it was a sign that the male had just recently fed. "What are you doing outside of the palace?"

His red eyes swept past him to Shiloh, who stood there staring up at the Night Childe with his big eyes. 

"None of your business," Marlo spat, jerking out of the male's hold and putting himself in front of the little garden faerie. 

Maverick raised a brow, a slow smirk lifting his lips. 

Marlo's face grew hot in his anger, his fist clenching and his teeth grinding. He flashed his teeth at the male, wanting to smash his fist into his face more than anything, but he knew that would scare Shiloh. 

"I saw you with one of those whores," it was his turn to smirk at the older male, as Maverick glared at him. 

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"What Mavey, can't find anyone who would fuck you for free?" he taunted. 

Maverick hissed in his face, the red in his eyes taking over the dark brown. Others were starting to stare, and whispers that were not here nor there were starting to cloud Marlo's mind again.

"Go home," Maverick whispered, his words ending on a hiss. 

"I'm trying to." Marlo growled back, not talking about the golden palace at the top of the hill, that was never his home. 

His older brother paused, his red eyes staring into him. "So am I."

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Rewritten 8/17/2023.