Gray and Erik exchanged a nervous glance across the table.
“You’re my younger brothers,” Hunter continued. “I’m tasked with the responsibility of protection. I was elected to lead. Everything I do is to make sure I keep you both and the rest of Elysia safe.” He oozed charm and logic. There would be no reason to doubt him with the charisma he possessed.
“I never ask you for anything.” Hunter placed a hand over his heart and softened his voice. “I’ve always led on my own, but I’m asking for your help now, and I would trust that my family would stand by me. The task will be too great for Elva alone. We’d need to round them up and then get rid of them.”
Erik shifted uncomfortably. “Hunter…”
“I know it might not be in your nature to kill, Erik. It isn’t in mine either, so we can help to gather them.” He turned his focus on Gray. “Grayson. I need you.”
Something flashed in Gray’s eyes. A vulnerability that he hid from the world.
Hunter walked over to him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “My brother. Help me keep Elysia safe. Prove them wrong. They think you are not capable of acting on their behalf. They think you’re a monster, but show them you care.”
“Allow them a trial,” Gray replied. “Any found committing treason should be sentenced, but the others?—”
“We’ll see what happens once we have them. First, we need to contain the incident before it becomes something we can no longer handle. Do you understand?”
There were a few moments of silence before Gray nodded his head.
“I knew I could always rely on my flesh and blood.”
I knewwhat Hunter’s words must have done to Gray. Gray, who had always been an outcast because of his gifts. Gray, who felt like no one could love him because he was made to feel like a monster. Hunter preyed on that and made him feel like there was redemption if he did this, and Gray believed him because hewanted it so badly. Gray trusted that his brother would do the right thing, only for him to lie and frame Gray as the vicious one in the end.
As the day drew on, Erik and Elva were called on to share their memories. Hunter didn’t waste any of the emotional strings on Elva. He ordered her directly to use her gifts to help and Elva had already sensed a large amount of death coming, even if she wasn’t involved. She chose to do so in order to help the rest of Elysia steer away from war.
A heavy melancholy blanketed the chambers as the truth of the war that wiped out the demigods came to light. Tears were shed and the emotional weight of the testimonies had Gods leaning on each other.
“There is one more memory that I wish to share,” Gray said, looking directly at Archer. “But I’m only willing to share it with you.”
Archer looked back at the congregation behind him. He’d led the minor Gods as an unelected figurehead for so long that even cuffed, he still spoke for them. There were a few nervous glances before heads began to nod.
“Okay,” Archer said, the word stilted and hesitant. The cockiness he wore had slowly faded away.
Gray stepped towards him and reached out his arms. Archer didn’t flinch as Gray’s fingers met his temples and they fell quiet.
“What is he doing?” I heard Aria mutter from her throne.
But I knew exactly what memory Gray was sharing with him. It was the same memory he’d shown me. The moments before Elara’s death. The conversation he’d had with her was meant to remain a secret, but the circumstances had forced his hand. I held my breath, watching the pair. The entire chambers froze while they shared a private moment of honesty.
When Gray finally dropped his hands and took a step back, my heart broke. Archer had lost all his colour, and a tear rolleddown his cheek, quickly followed by twin streams that carved down his face.
“Thank you,” Archer managed eventually, barely getting the words out, “on behalf of all of us for sharing those memories. I believe we need to discuss what we’ve seen before we make a decision.”
“How long will you need?” Gray asked.
“I’m sure we can deliver an answer promptly.”
Archer turned away and back to the minor Gods. They swelled towards him before he was obscured from view.
Gray made his way towards the dais and stood beside me. His confidence had not faded, but there was a sadness that plagued his features.
“How are you holding up?” he asked, leaning down for a kiss.
“I’m fine,” I replied as we broke apart. “I’m more concerned about all of you. Reliving all of this can’t be easy.”
“It had to be done.”
The more time I spent in Elysia, the more certain I was that diplomacy and politics were not meant for me. Give me the solace of a lab any day.
