we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write
Hotaru speaks the truth; she knows it and Wessex knows it. That she’d done this, intentionally, to draw the ire of others away from her family is one thing and she can accept outsiders calling her whatever the fuck they want. To hear it from Edy was entirely different. Even though she knows the girl is childish and irresponsible. Even though she knows the Rapacious is volatile. Even knowing all that, it still cut as deep as Nephele’s chakrams.
Wessex smiles weakly.
Of course Ru doesn’t know who said that to Wessex, and some dark voice in the back of the demigod’s mind is certain that when the time comes, if the Outlander chooses another side that their words will not be the same. But that is -
No -
She tries to capture Ru’s hand after it zaps her a bit, pressing the back of her warm, flesh-and-blood hand to her cool lips and then squeezing it. “I’m okay with being the primary Ascended target. It’s when it comes from the very people I’m supposed to protect that it’s harder to… shrug off.” Because they were supposed to benefit from her so-called Monstrosity, not run from it. Not fear it.
Her gaze turns again towards the movement on the horizon, which is closer, but not alarmingly so. They still have a bit of time before Wessex has decided she’ll whisk them away. “Kiada has told me a bit about her past with a false god. What kind of world was it, that you think you’re far worse than me?” There, at the end, is a flash of the teasing Wessex that Hotaru knows. A glimpse of self-deprecation and in it, resilience.
Wessex smiles weakly.
Of course Ru doesn’t know who said that to Wessex, and some dark voice in the back of the demigod’s mind is certain that when the time comes, if the Outlander chooses another side that their words will not be the same. But that is -
No -
She tries to capture Ru’s hand after it zaps her a bit, pressing the back of her warm, flesh-and-blood hand to her cool lips and then squeezing it. “I’m okay with being the primary Ascended target. It’s when it comes from the very people I’m supposed to protect that it’s harder to… shrug off.” Because they were supposed to benefit from her so-called Monstrosity, not run from it. Not fear it.
Her gaze turns again towards the movement on the horizon, which is closer, but not alarmingly so. They still have a bit of time before Wessex has decided she’ll whisk them away. “Kiada has told me a bit about her past with a false god. What kind of world was it, that you think you’re far worse than me?” There, at the end, is a flash of the teasing Wessex that Hotaru knows. A glimpse of self-deprecation and in it, resilience.
WESSEX
