END

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It must be my brain's imagination. Anything else would be illogical. Zaret can never stand next to me. And yet I smell the note of sulfur that is so familiar to me. Feel his lips over my ear. And above all, the iron chains on my legs and arms will be loosened.

"I would have expected more joy," he whispers, and the amused undertone alone makes it difficult for me to exhale. There is only one who would be capable of anything like amusement even in this situation. Zaret. He's really here. right next to me With the knowledge I land back in reality with a bang and my eyes widen. people are around us. All over. are they screaming I can not say it. I can't even fathom what's happening right now. Absolutely overwhelmed and makes my blood rush in my ears.

Zaret moans in agony and leans a little more on my table. His hands are rough. The skin is partly torn so severely that there are small wounds everywhere. I know this sight. These are the after-effects of dehydration and malnutrition. Just the fact that I pay attention to something like this should make me think. After all, everything is important right now, but certainly not Zaret's condition. At least not while he's still able to stand next to me.

"Even if I would really begrudge you to rest, it's a bad time for it right now," Zaret presses out and he pulls me to my feet with a pull. I squeak and my knees want to buckle again, but Zaret doesn't even give me a chance to slump. He presses me tightly against him and I automatically take a deep breath. His proximity alone makes my heartbeat even calmer. And the arm that wraps around me gives me security above all.

"Here we go," someone shouts full of euphoria and I can only look to the right, completely stunned. Zet stands next to us and gives me a wink before charging forward. I look after him completely in disbelief and at that moment I also perceive other noises. The clash of iron on iron. The screams and angry roars from some men. And that's how I recognize the struggle. An unequal fight. Guards against pawns. But not only. Zet is here. And other men, too, who look wild and must clearly have sprung from the forest.

"Zaret what?" I can't go on. Can't even really understand what's happening here. "Today is the day of reckoning, Kalota," Zaret whispers, releasing me. It's only then that I realize he's holding a bow and frown. But decide that it doesn't matter. "And you made it possible for us to just walk in here." Zaret laughs softly and the thunder of his voice makes it even through the surrounding fighting. My heart instantly seems to adjust to the bass and I shake my head in disbelief. I can't be serious, can I? How can my body react to him in this situation?

"What are you telling me? I didn't do anything," I yell and look around. What am I looking for? After Xerxes. I want him to be safe. But I can't find him anywhere. That should be a good sign. Platura probably immediately pulled him out of the room.

"You have called off all the guards posted to protect the castle." Zaret backs me as he adjusts the bow, and with a well-aimed shot, the arrow lands in a man's leg. There is a shrill scream, but before the man can collapse completely, the blade hits him. Slits his throat, killing him in a second.

"And you were the reason for it." A grin forms on Zaret as he turns to me, and I can only stare at him with wide eyes. Is Magda really so consumed by hate that she herself sent the men who were supposed to protect the castle to me? But the answer is already clear to me as the question arises in my head. Yes she is.

"But what are you looking for here?" To be honest, I'm amazed that I'm even able to ask such questions. My back still burns. I notice that myself through the adrenaline filling me, but Xerxe's teaching helps me again. Pain no longer prevents me from thinking. Helplessness doesn't freeze me.

"We're just showing the king not to forget who feeds him and his nobility," growls Zaret, raising his bow again. It's amazing that despite his condition, he manages to keep a close eye on his surroundings. Every time someone wants to come to me or Zaret, Zaret recognizes it by a slight turn. A small step that goes in our direction.

"In other words, we'll make sure he doesn't forget." And so the arrow shoots forward. But Zaret is weak. Slightly trembles and this time the effect of it is showing. The bullet misses its target. Although it touches the trouser leg, the man keeps storming towards us.

"Shit," growls Zaret, pulling a small knife out of his boot. But before he can even do this, Zet Zaret forestalls. He rams the sword into the man's skull and with a strangled gasp he falls to his knees. And even as the dead man collapses, Zet grins at Zaret. Zaret smiles too and I have no idea how they do it, but there's something intimate about such a small gesture. As if the two had known each other forever. But as familiar as this little interaction seems, it's over just as quickly. Zet storms on.

And me? I can only look around and shake my head. Just don't understand what's going on here. There's blood everywhere. The sweet, metallic smell fills the room and yet it seems like everything is a dream. A bloody nightmare. Zaret seems to notice my bewilderment. He hugs me close and kisses the top of my head. Just the fact that he's capable of such a tender gesture in the middle of a fight makes me close my eyes in resignation. How broken does he have to be that everything leaves him so cold?

"People just want to feel like they're making a difference, Kalota," he whispers against the top of my head, and I just shake my head. They won't do anything with this. It's madness Nothing but senseless carnage.

"You won't change anything with it." This statement applies to me more than Zaret. And yet it is the absolute truth. I've fought so many times. Always lost. Battle after battle I stood up and wanted to make a difference, but it never worked. Everything stayed the same. Until Xerxes came into my life.

"I see it the way you do." Zaret's lips are still on the crown of my head. Nevertheless, I turn to him and can only draw my eyebrows together. How can he agree with me when he's doing the exact opposite?

Zaret seems to see my surprise. He grins slightly and brushes a strand of hair out of my face. "I wanted to make your king my puppet." I notice that he calls Xerxes my king, but it's only worth a weary thought. I also skillfully negate Zaret's disgusted undertone. "With your help I would have succeeded." Zaret says it like it's a fact. And in a way I have to agree with him. Xerxes trusts me. He let me get close to himself and his immediate surroundings. Zaret could have manipulated without taking any action himself. only through me That should piss me off. But it doesn't. Zaret has never hidden the fact that I am his puppet. The only question is how far would he have gone to get what he wants? Would my life have been a fair price? Probably.

His next words will probably answer that for me. But Zaret doesn't go on talking. Instead, he pushes me aside and wants to raise the bow. But he doesn't even have to put the arrow on the string, because the man who wanted to approach us is already pulled back. And that's when I realize that Zaret and I are wedged. From his people. They're clearly shielding us from the guards. At least for now.

"But as you can see, people didn't want to wait any longer," Zaret continues, as if nothing had happened. "And I wasn't there to talk sense into them. So they created their own little glimmer of hope." Zaret's lips curl into a smirk and his whole presence radiates that he's enjoying this fight. "By capturing me, the king brought the battle directly to the people." Zaret's voice is lowered. Inexpressibly quiet and yet so dangerous that even I shudder.

Zet is still standing near us, chasing his sword into the nearest guard. He whoops as he pulls the blood-splattered blade from the man's chest, and it makes me realize how balanced this fight is despite the guards' training. The guards are fighting for the life of a king they do not worship, and the others are fighting for their lives, freedom, and families. Two such different reasons that decide between devotion and half-heartedness. And yet it is the wrong way.

Zaret also seems to notice that I still have no understanding for the actions of his men. He bends down until his lips hover over my ear. "I thought you of all people would understand that desperation drives you to take any risk just to avoid it," Zaret whispers, and there's that man again who understands me without even knowing what's really going on inside me . Yes, despair is a powerful weapon. And yes, I too have repeatedly acted against all reason to avoid it. And yet this fight will not help them. But I can't tell Zaret all that. He no longer looks at me, but looks around. Seems to be looking for something in the crowd. And so I look in the direction he's looking. Wanna see if there's something what might catch his attention. But nothing. Just people pointing guns at each other.

Something hisses past me. I automatically flinch and look at my leg. And what missed me, hit Zaret. He gasps as the arrow pierces his thigh. But unlike the others, Zaret doesn't scream in pain. The gasp is lost in a growl. And that very sound seems to come from deep within his chest. There's that abysmal aggression again that goes through my bones.

Zaret looks up, his pants soaking with his blood. And as he looks past me, he cracks a grin. Something that makes my blood run cold. Zaret clearly sees something he likes. So I follow his gaze and see the reason for Zaret's joy. Platura and Xerxes are in the middle of the battle. Looking at us, so I know who hurt Zaret. platura. All of his smugness can be heard even through the roar of the crowds.

With that, Platura challenges Zaret. There's that underlying vibration in the air again that I heard when Platura and Zaret last met. I just don't think Platura is Zaret's goal. But the man next to him. Xerxes. And that really freezes me inside. no Zaret is supposed to kill everyone but not him. Not the only person who sees at least something more in me than an object that can be pushed back and forth at will.

Platura says something to Xerxes and starts running. Directly towards us. But he clearly underestimated the people around him. They attack him. They rush in and form the wall meant to protect Zaret. I seize this moment and turn back to Zaret. And with that, I have my confirmation that he didn't target Platura. Hate burns in Zaret's brown eyes. This time the storm isn't just in his voice, but his whole presence seems darker. Like a roaring thunderstorm that crushes everything and everyone who stands in its way.

who has died. And for my little glimmer of hope that someday I won't have to suffer any more deaths around me.

"It wasn't intended either." Now Zaret lifts his eyes and looks straight at me. I almost think I see something like sadness in those beautiful brown eyes. As if Zaret understands why I don't want Xerxes to die. That he knows full well that in doing so he is tearing away from me the man who, for once, gave me a sense of belonging.

"But why do you want to do it then?" I don't understand. If it's not part of the plan, then Zaret can let me have Xerxes! But instead of answering directly, Zaret brushes away the tear and leans slightly towards me He is so close to me, so infinitely close and yet I have never had the feeling that Zaret is so far away.

"Because no one tortures me and gets away scot-free." Even as the last word rings out, Zaret raises his bow. Points it. And shoots. I can't even scream anymore. My mouth opens, but there's no sound. No voice, that Xerxes warns. And so all I can do is look for him. People are fighting all around us. Screams are everywhere. And even Platura I can see out of the corner of my eye. How he whirls around to Xerxes and with the knife cuts down three men in a second. I don't care I want to warn Xerxes.

And then I find Xerxes in the roaring crowd. Look into the green eyes. He's looking at me too, and for a second it seems like there's just the two of us in the room. One damn second where two lost souls are no longer alone. In which we both give each other support. Xerxes says something. His lips part. But not a word is heard. There will never be a word again. Zaret's arrow hits him. Right between the eyes. This will turn off the green. The monster that was never really one will never rage again. Zaret has won. This time Xerxes had an opponent he didn't see coming. Who took the pain away from him to go on living. And me? I collapse. Exhale heavily and in that moment a piece of my soul just seems to die with Xerxes.

-End-

THE EPILOGUE FOLLOWS DIRECTLY. I'VE CONSIDERED FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT WRITING TWO ALTERNATIVE ENDINGS, BUT I'VE DECIDED AGAINST IT. SO I WANT TO SAY HERE: IF YOU ONLY READ STORIES WITH A PURE HAPPYEND, YOU SHOULD STOP READING HERE. THIS WILL LEAVE EVERYONE SO FAR SATISFIED AND EVERYONE CAN BUILD THE END HOWEVER THEY WANT. IF YOU'RE NOT SHORTED NOW: GO ON.