GRETA

Adler turns away from the staircase deciding to embrace me in a stiff hug. Suddenly, he jerks his head to the side as someone else has come outside the temple.

It is his wife.

She is very beautiful. Her smile is confident as she looks me over finding no threat in my appearance.

I don't belong here. I don't belong in their relationship and I don't want to.

That woman does not know she is no more a possession to Adler-

"Greta? Adler has told me all about you. He would like you and I to be friends. The three of us."

My heart shudders. Her demeanor changes, innocent now are those big eyes she gives to Adler when he watches her with that sweetened smile.

I do pity Adler, but surely, he sees through her pretense. Adler's previous wives, to some extent, loved him romantically. I'm not sure what Ren is to Adler. I suppose an object for use, something disposable, like he treats everyone...

"Yes, Adler is friends with everyone," I respond slowly, "He, and his family, looked after me for some time-"

"Some time?"

"I am his daughter. Long ago, Adler found me in the desert-"

"How amazing! Your own daughter! This is the first time we are officially meeting I believe," Ren says. Her amazement does not reach the eyes. She is more bold and younger. Younger than me and more loud. Maybe a little controlling. A little different than Adler's other wives who were relatively obedient until they became understandably jealous when he was unfaithful. Ren is still speaking, I think I missed what she was saying, "...right, my handsome emperor-"

"Advisor," Adler corrects, "And yes, sweet Ren, I do believe it was amazing. Not as amazing as you."

He puts on a nice smile before kissing her.

This is what he does and I don't want to belong in it anymore. I don't care.

With a curt nod, I step back in an attempt to silently excuse myself.

"Little pearl, where are you going? I thought we could go for a walk together. You understand, don't you? Relax. I would just like you to be close with your new friend. Where are you off to, anyway, in such a hurry?"

"Friends?" I ask. I don't recognize the new strength in my voice. "What would you know about friendship, Adler? I mean real friendship. A real friend. A real relationship where neither person has ulterior motives or views the other as a utility."

"Well, Adler has more friends than anyone I know!" Ren counters, "Adler, Greta is not as slow as you made her out to be."

"My beautiful Ren, Greta may not be the most stunning, but there is no soul I trust more."

I hear them both chuckling now. Good, she at least makes him happy.

I bite my lip to withhold my scowl. Still, I clench my fists. I do not turn around to face them because I do not want to see the future that is already present.

No woman of his will ever genuinely befriend me. He is merely making fun of my situation.

He is the greatest fool! Most likely, drunk as well, but it's no excuse.

"I am well alone, Adler. I don't want to force people to be my friend. I have a lot of problems," I force out stiffly, but clear.

"Oh! I understand completely! Adler said you have some disabilities that keep you from getting along with others. Or maybe it was her learning is a little slow? Adler, which is it? Please pardon my ignorance, Empress, we just want to help."

"Empress? I'm no empress. There is nothing I wish to control here," I answer simply. "I don't want power or control, but freedom from the pain the godless spread under this false light. Good evening to you both."

"Greta, where are you going? I meant no offense," Ren hurries out.

I clench my jaw. A heavy hand grabs my shoulder.

"Now, just a second. Little pearl, I can take you back to the palace."

"Thank you, Adler. I'm well on my own."

"I'm not asking," his voice turns to steel, "Since when did you become so afraid of me? It was only a few moments ago, before Ren found us, that you wanted me to walk you back. Why do you treat me like a stranger now?"

The gods wanted that to happen. They wanted him to see her so his attention would leave me. Easily, it did.

"Adler, I am forever in your family's debt for taking me in. I must go now to repay you all, the entire city, in my own way. They have suffered too greatly because of me-"

"What do you mean they suffered because of you? Little pearl, you are not making sense. There is nothing for you to repay."

"I know, I'm just going to give them what you and your brother took," I whisper. Of course, The Book of Sood contained the blueprints and instructions for building the observatories and light dials across the city. The truth is, krexbins naturally absorb light. It's how Adler checked on me, he manifested in utter shade, which ultimately, was the final explosion of energy our home star needed to blow up. He had waited. Adler waited to destroy the star for good until he found me...and something else. "You blew up Ashtium, Adler, in an effort to cover up the reward of intergalactic pillage and celestial domination that would come with defeating your star's strong city. Your home. You must have really thought I did not know any better."

"Oh, why, it was all of our home. If I did not destroy our star, and more importantly, Zard's envoy, we would all be dead. The entire city. Every mongrel boiled alive. Yes, you know those ugly long-nosed eyu were going to find us all down there, eventually."

"But you lied to me, Adler. The day of the great quake on Ashtium, you admitted on the fona you knew I was there that morning, and you arrived that night, in manifested black stardust. You didn't just come to check on me. You wanted to make sure your treasures, such as your clout, remained untouched and not stolen by the invaders yet."

"What was I supposed to do, little pearl?" he asks in a babied tone, "You pretended to not be around all those nights I was separate from you. You ignored me when I loved you. Of course, I would come looking-"

"But you already knew I was there! The sole purpose of that device was to track me. I wouldn't be surprised if you were able to hear everything regardless of whether I answered it or not," I tell him quietly.

Like a child, his guilty gaze darts to the ground when there's nowhere to hide from the truth.

"I loved you," he mumbles with a wobbly lip. His spyrt, the crescent above his head, wilts in temporary defeat. "I still do. I always will. Please believe me. I love you."

"That word has no meaning anymore coming from you. Your love does not make me feel special. Why would it? You treated me like an inconvenience while entertaining multiple women in your bed. You got bored. Lost interest. You somehow have a small attention span with those that actually love you and you give all your time to those that don't! I'm tired of it."

"Oh, little pearl. You sound grumpy. Did you not get a nap in today?"

I hate that baby-voice. I hate the way he looks so smug like he knows I'll still go back to eating from his hand again. He thinks I'll still trust him or still want him.

Still bend to his charm...to his will.

No more.

My arms shake so I fold them. I remember him dropping me when I was small. Him leaving me there all night to suffer.

I'm mad at myself for being so foolish. For caring too much. Hurting from someone who mocked my pain and laughed at it. In the past, I let it hurt me. I kept giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Slowly, I turn to look at him.

"Why are you watching me like that, little pearl? What are you thinking about? What were you talking about earlier? What did you mean by-"

"Nothing. I was speaking out of place. I was speaking out of anger, Adler. I made up something to get a rise out of you, but I won't do it again. Of course, I won't tell anybody anything about the secrets we read in that old book. There's nothing I know that you don't. It will continue to stay that way. Don't worry, Adler. I will walk back alone. It won't be the first time," I say loudly.

But it might just be the last. The last time I see him, or anybody, in the light of day here. I will live outside the walls where we initially stayed.

In the darkness waits an unlit sanctuary where I can shine without fear. Without the pain of others hurting me.

I do not need anyone to make me happy. I'm quite tired of feeling alone though even when I go to sleep beside someone at night.

There is one way I can help these people, this time, I will do it. I don't see why else I'm here. I wish I had done it right the first time.

None of them know my pain. They want to live forever. Why would they care? I think if they really were in my head, and they felt the pain in my heart, they would be happy for me to be free in my own way.

I won't let anyone find me this time.

Better an end to a nightmare than a nightmare that never ends.

☁️