Ceremus let out a slow breath, his gaze sharp but unreadable. "Do you truly believe that you have been set free, Meliše?"
Her smile twitched, but she did not falter. "What else would you call it? I am here, am I not?" She spread her arms wide, as if to emphasize the point. "Your ever-loyal advisor allowed me to slip through his fingers. I wonder—was it carelessness or intentional?"
Ceremus' expression remained impassive as he stared the woman down. Unfortunately for her, Anemone had already told him about their brief exchange prior to his departure. As soon as he had returned, Anemone pulled him aside and explained the situation to him. How he can strike up a deal with Meliše in order to ensure his safety?
The king wasn't happy to hear that one of his prisoners had left the confines of the dungeon, but he understood why Anemone did what he did. As a matter of fact, Ceremus had sensed the sorceress' energy many times throughout the journey but did nothing to address the issue, as it was not a pressing matter. His sole focus was on finding Tiresias and recovering the plant.
Looking at the sorceress now, he couldn't help wondering why she wished to cause strife since someone had already ensured her so-called "freedom." She could've made her escape the moment they had arrived in Trojas and they would be none the wiser. So why was she back? Why had she returned? His eyes narrowed as a sudden idea came to mind.
"Alright then. You are free, as you say. There is nothing holding you back here. You have completed your mission, done as Anemone asked and received your staff in return. You may go on your merry way." Ceremus said, his void devoid of emotion.
Meliše's brows furrowed, and for a moment, something flickered across Meliše's expression. Doubt.
"...What are you talking about?"
Ceremus raised a brow. "Did I not make myself clear? I said you're free to go. Leave the kingdom, leave the country. Hell, leave the mortal realm for all I care."
Hael stared at Ceremus, and a sudden look of realization fell on his face. His gaze then turned to Meliše, who looked more skeptical than before, but this time, there was a hint of something else buried beneath the layers of doubt. Loss.. and fear?
"Your arrogance is suffocating," she muttered. Then, her eyes flicked to Hael, and her expression turned thoughtful. "Do you seriously think that by sending me away now that your beloved is awake and, well, Dicaeus won't come seeking more retribution?" She exclaimed, her voice wavering slightly at the mention of his name.
Hael's brows furrowed when hearing that name, his mind going back to his vision.
"Ceremus." He called, making the expressionless king turn back to look at him, his gaze softening slightly.
"What is it?"
Hael took a slow breath, steadying himself as the weight of his vision pressed against his thoughts. His gaze flickered toward Meliše, then back to Ceremus, his expression unreadable.
"I saw him," Hael murmured. "Dicaeus. Or more like hearing mentions of his name. In a vision."
Ceremus' golden eyes sharpened. "A vision?"
Hael gave a slight nod. "When I was unconscious, I stood before the goddess Kaleeso. She told me many things, but most importantly, she mentioned his name to me."
Meliše's breath hitched, but she remained silent, her expression carefully guarded.
"She explained why Dicaeus came after us," he continued. "He was the reason the Bull of Judgement was after us in the first place. It was his form of vengeance for defeating the kakoethes we came across near the forest. Since we had destroyed something dear to him, he wished to do the same to us."
Ceremus' expression darkened, but he remained silent, letting Hael continue.
"But Dicaeus is no longer a threat. Kaleeso didn't tell me what happened to him, only that he's been 'dealt with.'" He paused. "Whatever that means, I don't know, nor do I wish to know—"
"Someone relinquished his powers." The pair turned to look at her.
"Relinquished?" Ceremus repeated. The sorceress nodded. "It means that he was punished, most likely thanks to Kaleeso. She reported Anos's interference to the god and leader of all gods, who then punished him accordingly. Meaning, he really won't bring you any harm…and I will finally be free." She whispered the last part, almost to herself.
The king glanced at Hael, and the guard nodded. "So, what will you do now? I already told you are free to go," Ceremus said.
Meliše was silent, unsure of what to say. Dicaeus' had held her captive for nearly fifty years, doomed to spend another fifty. She didn't know what fate she had in store for her, but she knew she would have to return to the celestial realm soon. They would come looking for her no matter where she hid.
"Looks like I will go back." She sighed.
The two men said nothing in response, as the decision appeared to be final.
A knock at the door cut through the heavy air, and before they could even react, the door burst open.
Atilla was the first to step inside, his grey eyes widening as they landed on Hael sitting upright. "You're awake?" he blurted, the normally unshaken boy looking as though he had seen a ghost.
Behind him, Anthanasia stiffened, her gaze locking onto Hael as she took a slow step forward. Her usual composure wavered, her fingers tightening at her sides. "Hael…" she murmured.
Loki followed soon after, and the moment he laid eyes on the newly awakened man, he scoffed, crossing his wings. "...Took you long enough."
Hael huffed a quiet chuckle. "I suppose it did."
Anthanasia was the first to approach, hesitating for only a moment before kneeling at the side of his bed. Her usual sharp gaze shimmered with something unfamiliar—something unspoken. "You… You were gone for so long."
His expression softened. "I know. I apologize for worrying you."
She looked away, exhaling a slow breath before murmuring, "It doesn't matter. You're here now."
Once she had regained her composure, she walked right up to Hael and smacked him—gently, but firmly—on the shoulder. "Never do that again," she muttered.
Hael let out a startled laugh, rubbing his arm. "I'll try not to." He said, lying through his teeth. Ceremus did not miss the way his eyes glanced at him when he uttered those words.
He felt a prickle in his heart, and didn't know whether to be upset or happy to hear those words. Love truly was a strange emotion.
Loki sighed, shaking his head before glancing at Ceremus. "I imagine you won't be letting him out of your sight for quite some time."
Ceremus didn't even hesitate. "No. I won't."
Anthanasia finally noticed Meliše, who had since moved into a corner, her face full of thought.
"Perhaps you should join the huntsmen guild. We are always looking for talented individuals to the join our ranks. It's a great job, pays well, and you get to kill some divine beasts."
Meliše looked up at her in surprise before contemplating her words. The prospect of hunting something and having some security, even if for a brief time, was nice. She decided she would consider it.
The day ended, and after advising Hael to spend at least two more days recovering, Ceremus joined him in bed.
Finally, being able to lie next to each other after so long made the king feel a little anxious. A comfortable silence had enveloped between them when Hael broke it.
"She also spoke about you," he said, glancing at Ceremus. "About what you did for me."
Ceremus turned to look at him, slightly confused by his words. "Who spoke about me?" He asked.
"Kaleeso."
"Somnus held me in a prison of endless dreams," Hael continued. "I was meant to wither away, bound to a fate I never chose. But you…" He swallowed. "You found the key. You broke his hold on me."
"..The void." Ceremus whispered, surprising Hael. "Yes, that's what the goddess referred to it as. How did you know?"
Ceremus gave him a bitter smile in response. "I, too, have been plagued with dreams. Visions I should've taken more seriously, but dismissed at the time. In one of them, a man who told me that the person I needed to find was Tiresias visited me. He knew where the plant that saved you was located. Once I found him, I could find the plant." He explained.
He then went into more detail about the visions he had, the one with the wilted flower, the one with the desert and the one he had recently. The entire time he spoke, Hael's heart broke more and more. He couldn't believe the things Ceremus had been through, and the lengths he went just to save him.
"What else did she say?" Ceremus asked, cutting through his thoughts.
"She also said my fate isn't just my own anymore. She also explained that my life is now intertwined with someone else's. To you.
Ceremus tilted his head to the side, his eyes boring into Hael's. "To me?" He echoed.
The guard nodded. "Even if we hadn't met each other in that coliseum—during the battle, Olympia—we would've met somewhere else. We were destined to be in each other's lives one way or another."
The two stared at each other, unable to tear their gazes away.
Ceremus' heart pounded in his chest as he finally noticed the closeness between them. He never realized, but they had been unconsciously inching closer and closer as the night went on.
Their hands were now grazing each other, and Hael, noticing Ceremus' haze, placed his hand above his. He bit his lips as he did this, his eyes moving back to Ceremus' face.