Serene Of The Sea

29. Judgement

Athena had been pacing in front of them for a good five minutes now. I was tired, I wanted to go home. It had gotten to the point where the pain in my chest was growing numb, my body trying to keep me from slipping off the edge.

"Why are you gathering the half bloods Athena," Kai suddenly speaks.

I was mad at him for drawing her attention.

Her copper eyes fell on Kai, "The humans dropped forty two thousand, eight hundred gallons of oil into our ocean, causing an entire county to evacuate, claiming three thousand lives. An act of war."

My mouth fell open, they were declaring war on humans?

"So taking more lives is the only way to solve this problem?" Kai blurts in outrage.

Athena throws her hands in the air, "Well at this point there is nothing more I can do. They pollute our home. It gets worse each year! We've been left with no choice."

"They don't even know you exist! You must reconsider!" I try, praying to all the higher forces that she might just listen.

"You mean they don't know we exist. It doesn't matter anymore anyway. I've already given out orders," She sighs. I notice now that her eyes are sunken into her face, she hasn't been sleeping.

"So what does all this have to do with half bloods?" I'm feeling more frustrated by the moment.

"I need an army that can survive on land," She say's it so calmly I nearly take her down there and then. If it weren't for the guards.

My blood boils, "I just stopped the people who were going to kill the humans. So now you're going to kill the humans."

Athena's copper eyes turn into fire, "With good reason! They're killing us! Are you a human sympathiser Serena? Sympathisers are being detained until further notice. Until we can lessen their threat to our people. Your people. Have you forgotten what you are?"

I step forward. The movement causes the guards the form a barrier between me and my prey.

"She hasn't forgotten. She's just concerned it might hurt more of our people if we attack humans. Right Serena?" Kai's voice is tight with anxiety as he shoots me a pleading glare.

With teeth clenching I try to calm myself, "Right."

"Good, then it is your duty to help us. You will be contacted within the coming days. Your exit of the city will be denied. Men, please escort her from the palace grounds.
Oh, and Welcome to the Guard Serena. Thank you for dedicating your life to my service."

My arms are grabbed harshly by the sentinels. They take Kai first, he doesn't fight it.

"Oh, and Serena?" Athena adds without turning around once Kai was out of ear shot, "If you betray me, I'll destroy everything you love. Everything."

She didn't have to look at me to know her message hit home.

With a wave of her hand we were dragged out of the grounds. They left us at the gate, roughly pushing us into the street.

My hands clenched and unclenched as I tried to calm my whirlwind of anger. I was on the verge of doing something drastic.

The city continued to pass us by. I noticed the change now, things were more tense than they had been before. It felt as though the air was forcibly happy, pretending that bad things weren't happening. Passers by had just seen us being thrown, yet they were blind to it. This was clearly not the first time this was happening.

I couldn't take my emotions, with fists formed I swung at the wall, which was unfortunately stronger then me. Knuckles connected with stone, splitting the skin. I didn't react to the pain that came with it. I needed the release.

"Serena," Kai's cooling eyes plead, "Serena you must calm down. You've hurt yourself."

I ignored my throbbing hand, "Calm down?" I laugh, "Calm down. Right. Good. I am calm. Everything is just pearly and perfect. This is exactly what I wanted. Now I can live my happily ever after destroying the humans that I hate so much. I can finally become the monster my father always claimed I was. Shall we go share the good news?"

I walk, unable to face him. He was my family, and now saving him meant doing the unspeakable.
I know he is keeping up with my fast pace, thinking of something to say, "Everything will work out."
I turn, stopping us both in our tracks. We're now in some abandoned side street.
"How, how will everything 'work out'? I can't see a way out this time Kai," My hand shakes in defeat.
"She can't force you to do anything. It's not like she can hurt us," He reasoned.
But he didn't know, that's exactly what she would do, and I couldn't tell him, because he would get himself killed.

I close my eyes tight and count to ten, feeling a small amount of tension leave me, "I know. I'm sorry."

Kai grabs my face, "Look at me."
Would he take one look and see that something more was going on? I didn't want to involve him in this struggle. This time it was going to be my fight. I would bear the weight on my own. I will be the one to suffer and stay strong.

I open my eyes to see the face of the only person I care about, and my heart breaks.

"I won't let them hurt you," He comforts.

Heat springs up into my eyes, "And I won't let them hurt you," little did he know I was already holding up my end of the bargain.

"Lets go home?"
"Yes," I reply as he takes my hand. The hand that I longed to hold for so long. I would treasure this moment, knowing that it could shatter at any moment.

The stairs were punishing on my fatigued body. Even Kai was puffing this time. The Skycrystals were beginning to show signs that the day was reaching dusk, casting a golden glow over the great city. These domes had enchanted me from the start. A bittersweet emotion rippled over me, I didn't want to feel unsafe here. I wanted to call it home without the word giving me fear.

Our plateau came into view. There it was, home. Signs of the fire still showed in the blackened marks up the walls. I could see Kai was disturbed by it.
"Are you ok?" I brushed my thumb over the back of his hand.
He took in a deep breath, "Yeah, I'll be ok. Just some bad memories coming back."
I put my head on his shoulder, "We can fix it. This is the smallest problem we've faced in a long time."
Kai laughed. How I loved his laugh. He put his arm around me, "You might be right."

The sound of his laugh brought out Anahi, "You're back!" She wailed, tears falling onto her perfect cheek, "What happened? Are you hurt?" She fussed over both of us.
The others came out at the commotion. Crowding to hear our story.
Tag stood next to me, "You ok?" He whispered over Anahi's blubbering.

"Alright. Hang on everyone," Kai took charge of the situation, "We had best go inside. We need to have a conversation."