Page 85 of Pet: Genesis

“Nothing,” I whisper. His frown deepens at my outright lie, but he continues to suck my life away.

“What did you give them?”

My flesh begins to prickle, my consciousness waning. Just when I think I’m going to pass out, Remus snatches my top, pulling me in close to him, his eyes boring into mine. The darkness of his pupil is trembling as he takes me in, and suddenly, I can feel the slow descent of pain wash over me.

“Do you really want to play this game with me?” he growls. The ground around us begins to tremble, the air growing heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

“What did you give them?” he snaps. His eyes are beginning to take on the rage that I’ve become terrified of, but for the sake of everyone, I can’t tell him. I won’t. It’s the least I can do after trying to convince my brother to abandon humanity. I squeeze my eyesshut as more tears stream down my cheeks, shaking my head. I can’t find words to speak anymore from the pure terror gripping me, nor can I bring myself to look at Remus.

I hear the crack of glass as Remus’s rage grows, the reality around me shifting.

“Iris!” he shouts my name, throwing me to the ground. I cry out in pain as my body collides with the solid surface from the force. When I open my eyes, Remus is standing over me, his body trembling in rage. His eyes are focused on me, and I can see him fighting for control, though I don’t know why.

Just kill me now. It’s the perfect opportunity.

“No! I won’t... I won’t betray them again,” I shout. Tears rush down my face, and my fingers are trembling as my nails dig into the dirt beneath me. I feel them tearing from my flesh from the tight grip that I have. I look up at Remus, my breathing shaking as he takes me in. His gaze is frightening. He kneels to my height, gripping my chin to hold my gaze. He has somehow calmed himself down, but not fully.

We look into each other’s eyes, neither of us aware of how to move forward from here, but I finally break the silence between us.

“Just kill me,” I whisper. Remus’s gaze narrows, and I can see him considering, if only for a moment. He lets out a bitter laugh, shoving me away roughly. He then stands to full height, glaring down at me.

“You and I both know I can’t.”

Chapter Thirty

Iris

The water is extremely calm today, barely licking the sand before dipping back into the ocean. Even the breeze is nice and comforting. We are located in a secluded area, as no living beings for miles surround us. Even the distance shows nothing but more water.

I’ve seen more of the world in Remus’s care than I ever did beforehand. The water was never like this in the blight. It was scarce, and when it rained, it was murky and dirty from the debris and dead animals. Sometimes, even humans. A soft smile spreads on my lips as I dig my toes into the sand that the water barely touches. The top layer is warm, but as I dig my feet deeper into the sand, the cool sediment begins to tickle my toes. My eyes involuntarily close as I imagine myself a free woman. No Leviathan, no Remus, no rebels... just me, maybe on vacation, enjoying my day on the beach.

Remus hasn’t spoken to me in days. He won’t look at me, and he’s been very adamant about keeping his distance. I should feel proud. I should be happy that although I gave out information, Remus doesn’t know what that information is, which puts him at a disadvantage. Even better, he’s more cautious about his next steps because he’s aware that his brother could be in real danger.

I’ve managed to put the Leviathan leader at a disadvantage. I should be proud. But I’m not. I am wracked with anxiety and guilt. I’ve only prolonged whatever end he has in mind for the rebellion while giving them false hope. If they kill his brother, Remus won’t spare any of them. And I should be killed right along with them for giving them the information in the first place. In all honesty, I should be dead right now. Remus could have ended my life that day. Judging from the damage left in the courtyard from his anger alone, he wanted to. But at the same time, he couldn’t.

“You and I both know I can’t.”

What began as a simple challenge between us has morphed into more. Much more. Remus has actually gained an emotional attachment to me, deep enough that he is willing to sacrifice so that I can live. But it also means that he has a deeper hatred for the humans that have his brother and almost killed me.

I tense when I feel the sun’s warmth dispel slightly, and when I open my eyes, Remus is standing over me with a large umbrella made from light fabric. He pushes it into the sand with little effort, and I watch in awe as it remains standing, hovering over me.

“You shouldn’t be out here like this. The sun’s rays can be damaging to your skin,” he says. Once he’s satisfied with the positioning, his eyes meet mine. I shrug, looking back at the ocean.

“Does it really matter?” I murmur. Remus laughs softly, taking a seat next to me.

“Of course, it matters.”

I bring my knees to my chest, resting my chin atop them as I focus on the scenery. The weight of Remus’s presence next to me doesn’t feel as threatening as it once did. It also doesn’t feel completely comfortable. But I’m suddenly more aware of my situation as it pertains to not only giving the resistance an advantage but betraying Remus’s trust, the only being that seems to be concerned about my life and wellbeing at the moment.

I release a shuddering sigh as I think of Cypress. He left me with no interest in protecting me. And he’s my blood, not a foreign being hellbent on taking over our planet. “Why did he leave me? Is it because I tried to stop him from fighting? Does he see me as a traitor?” I ask.

Remus heaves a deep sigh.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to. He probably thought you were dead—”

“No. He wouldn’t come with me even when I tried to save him. He wanted to die and leave me,” I say softly.

I pull my locket up, looking at it one last time as my feelings take hold of me. Cypress left me here with Remus. He wouldn’t come with me when I tried to save him. I risked my life to save him, and he abandoned me to continue the fight against Remus. A fight thatI know will not end well for one side. I feel anger at my situation, ripping the necklace from my throat. It’s the only thing of my past life that I have, but I no longer want it. My fingers clench around the pendant, and I try to launch it into the ocean when Remus’s hand closes around mine.

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