Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 84

20 minutes or 2 hours.

I couldn't even tell anymore as the minutes blurred together. Or, perhaps, it was my eyes blurring the events with the tears.

We had been sat in silence for too long, that was all I knew. The only sounds were the sound of Maya sobbing as she lay head against Negus's chest.

I didn't make a move to look around at anyone else; I didn't have the strength to, so I just eyed the father and daughter numbly.

He was gone.

Negus was gone and I couldn't believe him. I had tried to heal him after, but the red powder wouldn't seep into his form and I realised then that it only travelled into living things.

I had retreated after that, feeling selfish for having stolen his last moments from Maya. She didn't seem to notice at all, too engrossed in her woe and she screamed until she began to cough violently. She resorted to just sobbing now and I looked down in despair. Not long back, I was thinking if the powdered colour was washable yet now when my dress was splattered with blood, I knew I had my answer. No amount of water could wash away this.

"We're done."

My head snapped up at Maya's words as did everyone else's. She didn't spare us a glance, her tear-stained eyes glancing to Negus.

No one spoke, letting her vent as she stood up abruptly, her cheek stained red from the blood and tears streaking down her face.

"I'm through with this, we're finished!" She sobbed, her voice croaky from having cried so much and Emut leaned off the wall, his jaw clenched.

"We can't finish this after what they did" He ground out, but she shook her head anxiously, her lip quivering.

"I mean it, Emut, I don't think I can take any more pain! It's bad enough it was one of our own!" She spat out and I could feel the tension that wafted into the room at her words.

Arun.

The delicate and whimsical flower who had, in reality, turned out to be a thorn in our side. No one had dared bring up his name in the aftermath in fear that it would make it true yet now it was said and it couldn't be taken back.

Arun had betrayed us.

"That's how the Bakenanouke found us to take the weapons." Ayla whispered in shock, her petite hand against her mouth and her eyes glassy. In response, Abrax placed a hand against her shoulder, but his eyes were deep in thought.

"I don't care about that anymore! Thinking about the past won't bring him back!" Maya cried back harshly, falling to her knees and Demir si from where he was stood near the window.

"What matters now is gutting that fool." He ground out, his eyes glowing and I stilled at the malice in his voice, even more so when Emut nodded, his hands clenched to his side.

"We need to find him for that." He answered with indifference when usually Emut would only speak well of the group. This group was his family and, now, he had to kill one of his own.

Maya shook her head, her eyes fixed to the floor and I watched as teardrops fell across the marble.

"No, I said, I can't take this anymore. We're leaving this right now" She muttered out in a weak whisper and Ayla sighed slightly.

"But, Maya-"She was cut off with a tearful glare from Maya, but not the usual playful one.

"I said, no and I meant it! I can't take it!" She screamed out harshly and the room fell into silence at her words.

I felt my heart thudding in my throat, but spoke what I felt was right despite the ache I felt.

"Yeah, because that's what Negus would have wanted." I uttered back weakly to which all eyes snapped to me and Maya scowled maliciously.