"I never asked you about your neck."

"Well, despite getting knifed in the neck, I'm fine. Spiders heal faster, well, in my case it did." She went to the other side of the bed and climbed in. Elijah blinked, speechless. "This is my bed, so we're sharing. Move, you fool, I need space."

She settled on the right side of the bed, pulling the torn blanket up to her chin. Her white hair covered her neck as she drifted off to a slumber. Elijah's cheeks went pink, he had never been in a bed with a woman before. Then something struck him as odd, Father and Mother spent days settling on the perfect lady for Abel, but never him, the heir to the Kingdom.

Why didn't I see the signs earlier? They were always going to get rid of him, it was never him, but always Abel. Something itched his brain, was Abel part of it? If so, would Elijah kill his baby brother?

Abel was turning eighteen, the age of inheriting the throne. Elijah was nineteen, but he missed his coronation since he had to defeat Arachne. Arachne. He never imagined he would fight alongside (and be in bed with) the enemy that everyone around him told him to kill.

After a while, Elijah got sleepy and forced himself to close his eyes.

"Eli," Mother, Queen Athena, spoke lightly. She gestured to the empty chair opposed to her and Father. She had fair skin with brown hair in a tight bun. Father, King Viron, had darker-toned skin, but he and Elijah shared his eyes. "Sit."

Elijah, who was only nine years old, took a seat. He clasped his hands in his lap, trembling. Was he in trouble? He hoped not. "Eli, you must have heard of the spider-webbed attacks across the Kingdom by now," Mother said. "They're caused by a woman named Arachne Idmon."

"That's a pretty name."

"Elijah Cybill," Father warned gravely, "don't be fooled by Arachne, she's dangerous."

He swallowed hard. "Okay."

"She's been stealing the Kingdom's resources and she's been proven to be very dangerous," Mother continued as her hands tightened on the arms of the chair. "So the Kingdom needs a hero to step up, and Eli, you'll be that hero."

Elijah blinked. "Wh-What?"

"Son, there's been a prophecy. Your mother and I were desperate to rescue the Kingdom, so we consulted an oracle named Pythia. She said that you were the solution and we should start to train you to become the hero the Kingdom needs."

"No, I don't want to be some h-hero," Elijah spluttered, standing up from his chair. "I-I just want to be a kid, I don't want to die! I don't want to slay some spider lady!" His face fell once he saw the disappointment on his parents' faces, especially his mother's.

"Eli," Mother whispered. "It's a prophecy, you can not change it."

"No, I don't want to!" Elijah cried out. "I'm scared! I-I'm terrified—"

"You are the sole heir of the Kingdom, Elijah Cybill," Father said sharply, standing up as well. He walked closer, grabbing his son's wrist. "You need the guts to protect this Kingdom and that even means ending Arachne's life."

"Viron," Mother said, looking worried, sighing.

"The Prophecy," Father breathed, "will make you stronger."

I was a kid, I didn't need to be stronger, I needed to be protected and safe, Elijah thought, tears slipping down his cheeks.