Hey gang! Happy hump day! And check me out, still on schedule. I actually finished this chapter last week, but as you know I'm a fan of weekly updates and it's not quite time for an exception yet. Another decent size one for you, though!
Thanks to all of you for reading, and extra thanks to all reviewers!
It's wedding time! Enjoy!
Singin' oh, love / Get me out of the cold
If I promise that I'd take you there with me / Would you go?
Reyna's dress was waiting for her in her hotel room the following morning, so she had no trouble getting clothed and ready before the appointed time (she was sure to conceal a dagger beneath her skirt, just in case). A private beautician had been hired to come to the hotel and do each girl's hair and makeup, which Reyna sat through with considerable discomfort. Just after 12:30, when she was finishing putting on her jewelry and shoes, there was a knock on her door which turned out to be Hazel.
"Ready?" the daughter of Pluto asked with a bright smile when Reyna answered the door. She couldn't help but notice how perfectly complementary the amber color of their gowns looked against Hazel's dark skin tone.
"As I'll ever be," Reyna replied with a shrug. "Let's go."
When they reached the lobby, Thalia and all the men were already waiting near the front door, away from the general activity of the hotel's in-and-out traffic. Reyna couldn't resist a brief exchange of glances with Leo, who, for possibly the first time ever, wasn't wearing work clothes. He, like Percy, Frank, and Nico, had been forced into a perfectly-tailored black three-piece suit over a violet flat satin dress shirt (Jason was dressed similarly, only with a white shirt instead and orange and purple carnations pinned to the lapel of his jacket). They all looked great, though Reyna didn't spare much thought for any of the others. Likewise, she noticed Leo's eyebrows jump appreciatively as he looked her over from across the room. She gave a quick smile before averting her eyes.
"Where are Piper and Annabeth?" Hazel asked as they approached the group.
"Annabeth won't let Piper out until Jason leaves," Percy told her. "She keeps insisting on that lame superstition." His gaze slid over Hazel and Reyna's heads and he frowned, saying, "What?" Reyna turned to see Annabeth leaning out from the elevator hallway, waving an arm over her head. Back by the door, Percy rolled his eyes and said, "Alright, fine, we're going. Cool your jets." Annabeth glared at him and disappeared back around the corner.
Both their limos were waiting outside—one for the men, one for the women—so Jason, who was looking particularly nervous and fidgety, and his groomsmen took their cue to load up and get going. As soon as they were gone, Annabeth and Piper emerged from the side hall and joined their small group.
Where Jason had looked the picture of nervousness, his bride-to-be was the opposite—all smiles and excitement. Reyna recalled Piper's complaints about her dress the other day and Annabeth's assurances that it was perfect, and now, seeing it in person, she had to agree with the latter—Piper looked stunning. The dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, fitted over her torso and hips and flowing loose from mid-thigh to the floor. Layers of silk waves circled the skirt, giving it bottom-volume that was probably more than a little heavy (which may have been one of Piper's displeasures). Tiny diamonds, like those embroidering the bridesmaid dresses, decorated the bodice and also were pressed into her hair, which was done up in an elaborate knot of tiny braids and twists. If she was uncomfortable at all, though, she didn't show it.
"You look amazing!" Hazel told her. "How do you feel?"
Piper beamed at her. "Thanks! I feel great, actually. I'm so ready for this."
"Good, because we'd better get moving," Annabeth told them seriously, gray eyes glancing up at a clock on the wall above the front door. Without much further discussion, she checked to make sure the guys' car had driven off before ushering the women out of the lobby and on their way.
Surprisingly, the wedding went off without a hitch. Reyna had been expecting another mishap after yesterday's random monster attack, especially with so many people—most of which had godly blood—under one roof. But the extra protection Chiron had had put in place must have done its job, because the ceremony carried on completely undisturbed. Enough guests arrived to fill just over half of the hall, which somehow made the wedding feel small despite its impressiveness. Still, it was a beautiful affair, and relatively brief considering the time it took for the entire wedding party to walk down the center aisle. And, contrary to Percy's warning, Aphrodite did not end up dropping by, for which Reyna was considerably grateful.
By the time they returned to the hotel and arrived at the reception hall, Reyna was starving. She suffered through the greeting line and general proceedings before the buffet was finally opened and they were allowed to eat.
The floor was opened for dancing partway through dinner, starting of course with Jason and Piper's first solo dance. Not long after that others around the room got up to join in, and when Annabeth vacated her seat beside Reyna to dance with Percy, Reyna was startled to see Piper slide into it after barely a minute of quiet.
"So," the bride said at once, resting her elbows on the table and fixing Reyna with a knowing smile. "You and Leo."
A few colorful curse words sprang at once to Reyna's tongue, but she hid them by taking a sip of her wine. "Me and Leo what?"
Piper rolled her eyes, pointing a finger at Reyna. "Don't play dumb with me, missy. I know my mother. Goddess of love—overdramatic, loves complicated relationship scenarios. I had a feeling she knew something about this affair of yours. And then last night… Well, she wouldn't have given you guys your own rooms right next to each other for nothing. You and him are having sex, aren't you?"
Reyna choked briefly on the beverage in her throat and set down her glass. Even though Aphrodite hadn't come to the wedding, apparently she still made sure Reyna's secret got out. "Well…" she said noncommittally, unable to decide whether it was worth it or not to feign denial.
"Ha, I knew it!" Piper said in triumph, not fooled for a second. She sat back in Annabeth's chair, a wide grin on her face. "Oh, I'm gonna kill him for not telling me! Man, though, if you were looking to cheat on Octavian with someone more… well, satisfying, you picked the right guy." She wiggled her eyebrows in a suggestive sort of way and if Reyna had been eating or drinking, she was sure she would have gagged again.
"Wait," she said slowly. "Have you…?"
Piper frowned at her, before her eyebrows jumped high and she laughed. "What, me? With him? No, no, no, no—of course not. Ugh, that'd be weird." She shot an amused glance down the table to her right, where Leo was currently snagging food off of Percy's forgotten dinner plate. "No, Leo's my best friend. I just talked to a couple of the other girls he's been with. I mean, can you blame me for checking up on him? Anyway, I hear he's awesome." She smirked slyly at Reyna. "But I guess I don't have to tell you that, huh?"
Reyna couldn't help a tiny smile, finding herself unable to argue. Leo had told her once before that a body was just a machine, after all. And he was very good with machines.
Piper once again leaned forward, resting her arms on the table surface. "So how long's this been going on?"
Reyna sighed and sat back in defeat. "Since last August."
Piper scoffed in disbelief, smacking her on the arm. "Reyna! Almost a year? Well… you know, is it serious?"
There's a can of worms… Reyna thought wryly. "I don't know," she answered honestly.
Piper might have sensed that there was more to the story, but this time she didn't pry. She shook her head and observed, "Guess you were right. You are handling yourself. Well…" She shot another glance down the table before leaning close to Reyna and adding with a wink, "Someone's handling you, anyway."
Reyna elbowed her in the side, suppressing a smile. Oddly enough, she did actually enjoy discussing her secret with someone other than Leo. "Don't tell anyone," she warned Piper just in case, though she wanted to think she trusted her not to blab.
"Don't worry," Piper promised. "The only person I plan to discuss this with is Leo. Just because that idiot's been living on the other side of the country doesn't mean he gets to keep stuff from me. Especially stuff this exciting."
Reyna eyed the look on Piper's face, thinking to herself that Aphrodite apparently wasn't the only one enamored by complicated relationship scenarios.
Just then, Jason approached them asking Piper for a dance, to which she happily agreed, and once again Reyna was left alone to finish her meal. She was forced to her feet shortly after, however, for Piper's bouquet toss—which was, to no one's surprise, won by Annabeth, who was appropriately elated. Behind her, Reyna saw Percy drop his head to the table and Nico pat him sympathetically on the back.
Before Reyna could return to her seat, Octavian intercepted her for a dance. She agreed, of course, like a good girlfriend, glad the song was slow only because she wasn't altogether confident in her faster-paced moves.
"You look beautiful," he said to her, raising his voice over the loud music. He'd told her this earlier as well, but they'd yet to have much opportunity to talk since then.
"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "You look nice, too. Not that you don't always."
He returned her smile. "How was your night here at the hotel?"
"Uneventful," she lied with a shrug. "Morning was busy, though. I missed you," she added, twirling her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck.
She noticed his grip on her waist tighten, turning distinctly possessive. "Did you?"
"Of course." She searched his ice-blue eyes for signs of where he planned to take this conversation, but as usual she had a difficult time accurately reading him.
"Then why have you been so distant lately?" he asked calmly.
"I told you. I've been busy with wedding stuff."
"Not all the time," he argued. "You still made time to be with your other friends—not working, mind you. So why not your boyfriend?"
"I think you're overreacting," she said lightly, but regardless of her tone he didn't seem to take that well.
"Why don't we go somewhere more private?" he suggested, his eyes hardening. "To talk."
Reyna tensed. "What's the matter with here?"
Octavian shook his head. "It's loud. I don't want to have to yell. Come on, we'll just step out for a bit." He took her by the hand and she allowed him to lead her across the dance floor, around a few of the tables, and out of the reception hall. The outside hallway was a bit crowded as well, so after some quick searching they ended up—ironically—in the same storeroom she and Leo had ducked into the previous day. As Octavian closed the door behind them, Reyna eyed the crooked stack of chairs she'd been shoved against yesterday mid-passionate-make-out, and when she turned to face her boyfriend she had to hide an amused smirk.
"So what's wrong?" she asked him diplomatically.
"I'll tell you what's wrong," he began, his voice controlled but his eyes noticeably cold. "You don't see anything wrong with us not spending time together. You'd rather stay the night in a hotel than be around me."
"I never said that," Reyna pointed out. She wasn't about to let him put words in her mouth. "Besides, even if I had stayed at camp, we were in different cabins. We wouldn't have been together anyway."
"That could've changed."
Reyna raised an eyebrow. "Did you want to spend the night with me?"
"Of course," Octavian answered off-handedly. "You're my girlfriend. At least…" He lifted a shoulder. "That's what everyone needs to think."
Reyna felt her lungs seem to tighten in consternation. That was the first time ever, since they'd started dating, that he'd admitted aloud the falsehood of their relationship. She crossed her arms in front of her, hoping he wouldn't view it as a defensive gesture, and said, "Cards on the table, huh?"
Octavian rolled his eyes. "Don't act like you don't know what this is."
"I know exactly what this is," Reyna shot back. "This is you, lying and using people in your selfish scramble for power. Just like you always do."
"Someone needs to look out for the legion," he said coolly.
"Yes," she agreed. "Someone does. Why do you think I won't leave everything in your hands, no matter how much you try to make me?"
He chuckled, a low sound in his throat, and she felt goosebumps prickle to life on her skin. "Everything is in my hands." He stepped forward and set his hands on Reyna's arms, not too firmly but still it got the point across. "Including you."
"Don't touch me," Reyna snapped, stepping quickly backward out of his reach.
"Why not?" A pleased sort of sneer spread his lips. "You're happy, aren't you, Reyna? Everyone knows it. Imagine what they would think were they to discover that it was all a lie—that you've been using me from the start."
Reyna felt her expression contort in anger. "I've been using—?"
"At least, that's what I could tell everyone," Octavian interrupted her, turning up his palms with a shrug. Reyna opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off. "I know, I know, you could spread the same story. But tell me honestly—who do you think the Senate will believe?"
Reyna's voice died on her tongue and she stared at her 'boyfriend'. He was right—what chance did she have against him, who was so articulate and persuasive he could probable sell ice to an Eskimo?
"But it doesn't have to come to that, of course," he said, looking satisfied by the expression on her face. "As long as we play our parts and work together, the Senate will have no reason to think anything is amiss." He stepped forward and gripped Reyna's arm—stronger this time, his cold fingers digging grooves in her tan skin. She reached up reflexively, something inside her snapping, and shoved his shoulders forcefully. He staggered backward and scolded "Ah, ah…" in a low voice. "Having violent tendencies, are we?"
Reyna was furious, but she forced herself to remain silent. The last thing that would help her situation would be for her to let him goad her into saying or doing something she'd later regret. Instead, she only balled her hands into fists and glared at the floor.
Octavian smiled. "I thought not. Just take a few minutes to calm down. We've got a party to return to, after all." He once again approached her and leaned in close, somehow managing to make a kiss on the cheek feel like a threat. Reyna turned her body sideways to face the back wall of the storeroom as Octavian walked away from her. "Just so you know, Reyna," he added from behind her, "I do so enjoy working with you."
Blood roared in Reyna's ears, so loud and violent that she barely heard the storeroom door open and close as her fellow praetor left her alone. She stood silent for a long moment, breathing heavily and wishing there'd been something she could have done to tell Octavian off, to scare him even a fraction as much as he scared her.
Because, though she'd been loath to admit it until now, he did scare her. Their partnership had, for so long, been a game—a tense back-and-forth strategy that required serious thought and care. But now, she realized that it was no game. Not anymore. It was so much more than that—dark and dangerous, volatile and, if worst came to worst, deadly.
Now, it was a war.
Feeling angry tears burn her eyes, Reyna yanked the hidden dagger from her dress and whirled around with a feral scream, hurling it blade-first at the door through which Octavian had just exited. She gasped, however, when her eyes landed on the unexpected sight of a person stepping carefully into the room—directly into the path of her blade.
"What the—?" Leo yelped in surprise as he noticed this as well. He raised an arm and summoned an arc of flame that knocked the dagger aside, causing it to clatter harmlessly to the floor.
Reyna released her breath. "I'm sorry," she said shortly, stalking forward to pick up her knife.
"No, don't," Leo insisted quickly as she bent over. "It's probably—" Reyna cried out and dropped the dagger as soon as her fingers touched it, her skin burned by the heat of the metal. "…Hot," Leo finished his sentence. "Sorry. It was reflex. I didn't expect to see a knife flying at my face when I came in."
As he picked it up and set it on a nearby stack of chairs, Reyna grumbled, "I didn't know you were there."
Leo looked at her skeptically. "So, what, you were just using the door for target practice?" Reyna turned sideways, still too angry to carry on a proper conversation. When she didn't respond, Leo sighed and asked, "What did he do?"
Reyna just shook her head.
"Come on, I saw him leaving. Usually you're good about not letting him get to you." He reached out and gently touched the side of her face, forcing her to look at him. "What happened?"
She breathed out slowly, fury seeping out of her and leaving behind an empty sort of helpless feeling—a feeling she hated more than anything. "Things are getting… difficult," she admitted. It was all she could say at the moment. "I just don't know if…" She locked eyes with him, trusting her expression more than her words to convey her inner turmoil. She didn't want to tell him exactly what was going on for fear of his getting somehow dragged into the middle. She was afraid to imagine what might happen to him if Octavian ever discovered exactly how close he was to this whole thing. "I'm glad you're here," she said instead, placing her hand over his where it still rested against her cheek. "I hate being alone with him."
Leo's eyebrows knitted tightly together in what could have been worry. "You're not alone," he said quietly, pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder (he'd removed his jacket after the ceremony, leaving only a thin layer of matte purple satin separating her from his warm skin) and closed her eyes, trying to force her tense muscles to relax. As she shifted, though, her left arm pressed against his right, irritating the spot which Octavian had gripped too tightly, and she hissed at the momentary twinge of pain.
Of course it didn't go unnoticed. Leo pulled back immediately to inspect her, making the mistake of putting a hand directly over the sensitive skin on her bicep. She flinched and he slid his hand down her arm, lifting it to see what was wrong.
"Did he…?" he started to ask, voice trailing off as his eyes widened in vague disbelief.
Reyna pulled her arm from his grasp and twisted to the side. "It's nothing," she said flatly. "I can handle much more than this."
That argument didn't seem to help, however much she wanted it to. Leo scowled and said agitatedly, "I know you can handle it, Reyna, I know, but… You shouldn't have to!" He shook his head and turned to pace toward the left wall. "Aw, this is so messed up…"
"It's okay," Reyna insisted. "You aren't involved, just let me—"
"Not involved?" he repeated incredulously. "Of course I'm involved! And I know this isn't the first time this has happened. I can't just let you suffer through it like—"
"You don't get it!" she interrupted, desperation leaking into her voice. "This is between me and him—at least as far as he's concerned. If he found out about you… the danger you'd be in, it's…"
"You mean like how he tried to get me killed last summer?"
She looked at him sharply, flashing back to the war game event they'd held the day after the Greeks' first arrival a year ago. Leo had told her he'd assumed the attack on him had been an accident. Had he suspected all along that Octavian was actually behind it and just kept quiet?
"Yes," she admitted. "And that was before, when you were just some Greek he didn't want in charge of a joint project. If he knew you were more… he'd try harder."
Leo crossed his arms, a hard expression on his face. "I'm not afraid of Octavian," he said confidently.
"But I am!" Reyna admitted, throwing up her arms. "He's ruthless and he's powerful, and if he finds out that I'm in love with you he'll do everything he can to get rid of you for good!"
The defiant look on Leo's face vanished completely as he slowly dropped his arms and stared at Reyna. She replayed her rant in her head and realized what she'd let slip just before he choked out a weak, "…What?"
Reyna pressed her fingers to her temples, nursing a headache. She was sick of secrets. She was sick of lies. Her life had involved far too many of both lately—revolved around them, more like, been ruled by them. Maybe her misspeaking now was nothing more than a sign that it was time to start coming clean.
"I didn't want to tell you," she explained steadily, having a hard time meeting his blank expression with her eyes. "By the time I realized it, I figured it was too late. But now, with everything else, I… I'm tired of doing this. All this time, I've been hiding so much from everyone—everyone except you. You deserve the truth. …And that's it. I love you. Really." A hard lump had formed in her throat, making it difficult to get the words out. Leo's eyebrows angled together in an expression of angst, his mouth opening soundlessly, speechlessly. "You don't have to say it back," Reyna told him, surprisingly calm. She'd expected as much, anyway. "I just wanted—"
"No—no, that's not…" he stuttered, speaking over her. He ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated, and paced a few steps to his left, mumbling, "I mean… I just…" before he stopped dead and turned to face her. Taking a short breath, he said slowly, "I don't know… what love feels like."
Reyna felt a frown pull at her brow. "What do you…?" He shook his head, looking away from her. She sensed easily that there was more he wanted to say, and the thought that he didn't trust her stabbed painfully at her chest. She didn't want him to feel that way. "Hey," she said softly, very lightly touching his shoulder. "Talk to me."
His eyes—somehow darker than usual—studied her critically. Just when she was worried he'd refuse and push her away, he breathed a heavy sigh, shoulders dropping. "For most of my life, I had nobody," he explained in a brittle voice, looking like each word was costing a great amount of effort. "I grew up without a family, without friends, without… getting close to anyone. I know what it's like to care about somebody now…" He waved a hand aimlessly toward the door, probably indicating his friends in the reception hall. "To have people you want to protect, people you can't imagine living without." His eyes met Reyna's and she felt a hopeful sort of swell as she suspected that that included her. Then he shook his head and went on with a grimace, "But… But I'm not good at… you know, feelings. Other people's or my own, I don't… understand them." He lifted his hands and looked down at them as though blaming them for whatever shortcomings he thought he had. "I can't connect with people."
"I don't believe that," Reyna told him firmly. After all, she felt connected to him. It couldn't possibly be only a one-sided connection, could it? She stepped up to him and placed her hands on his face, this time being the one to force eye contact. "You connect just fine. What about us?" She felt his hands on her hips, his grip hard as his fingers wrinkled the fabric of her gown. He pulled her closer so their bodies pressed flush together and she could feel his rapid heartbeat echo against her ribcage. She pushed a few curly strands of his hair from his forehead, the pained, needy look in his eyes making her heart ache. He leaned toward her, arching his shoulders, and her lips parted reflexively as his breath hit her chin.
"No…" he muttered into the centimeters of space that separated his mouth from hers. He shook his head just barely and suddenly tore away from her, turning his back and pressing both hands against his forehead. "No, see, that's my problem! Feelings come up and I…" He spun around to face her, obvious pain and regret on his face. "I turn it physical because that's what I know. That's what I'm good at. I know it's wrong and stupid but… it's all I've got. Something about me is damaged, Reyna."
His voice broke as he spoke and Reyna felt her breath catch in her throat. How had she missed this?
He held out his arms and took a step back, as though trying to keep a wild animal at bay. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you and I didn't mean for this to go so far, but I just… I can't…"
Reyna shook her head. "Stop it," she ordered him, feeling her own voice break in kind with his. She hated hearing the obvious layers of self-loathing in his voice, seeing the hurt in his eyes. She'd always thought she was good at masking her thoughts and feelings, but now she realized that she was an amateur compared to him. Every time she saw him, he seemed perfectly happy—his usual lighthearted, joke-cracking self. But this… This was a side of him she'd never noticed, a side he was unbelievably good at keeping hidden. When she thought about it, though, things seemed to fall into place—like he said, their relationship had always been based on physicality. In recent months they'd spent more time just hanging out together, but anytime things got serious, they would communicate with their bodies rather than their speech. She'd never considered the possibility that the reason for that was because Leo couldn't handle anything else.
Reyna had to say something. She prayed silently that just this once, words wouldn't fail her. Taking a deep breath, she began carefully, "Look, I'm not gonna say you aren't damaged." All of her recent experiences flashed before her mind, and she realized that on some level she could relate. She supposed it was time for more truth-telling. "Okay—I'm damaged," she said. "If I had… the confidence and security that Octavian has, I wouldn't have to play this stupid game with him. I want so badly to protect the legion and everything it stands for, but I feel like, as myself, I'm not good enough. I need to be someone different."
There was something oddly freeing about airing her innermost insecurities, Reyna realized. These were doubts and feelings that she'd struggled with for years, had never confessed to anyone—not even Jason. But if there was ever a time to admit to them, it was now. Feeling her heartbeat slow, she glanced up at Leo to see him silently watching her, sadness in his eyes. But behind that, the fire she could always see inside him seemed to spread and give her strength.
"But the thing is…" she went on, "you have this way of making me forget that. With you, it's like… just me is more than good enough." She felt a small smile tug at her lips. "To me, you're… evening sunlight, and autumn wind that blows leaves in the air, and jogs in the gardens, and hot chocolate before bed, and… a bonfire on a cold night. You're all the things that make me… relaxed and happy." She took a few steps forward until she was close enough to loosely grab both his hands in hers. He let her, glancing down at the contact with a particular intensity in his eyes. "With you, I don't have to… overanalyze my words and actions, worry that I'm not doing enough. I don't have to stand up straight to make myself seem taller, or harden my expression so people can't see what I'm thinking. I don't have to hide how I feel so I don't look weak."
She stared into his eyes, trying to mentally force him not to look away. "To me, that's what love is—something to fix what's broken inside us. Cement to fill the cracks, steel wool to polish the surface." The corner of his mouth turned up in a small smile, possibly at the attempt at a metaphor he'd understand. "I want to do that for you like you do it for me—at least to try. You don't have to love me, just—"
"I do," he cut her off, causing her heart to actually skip a beat. She noticed that the pain and uncertainty had mostly faded from his expression as he looked down at their still-joined hands, tracing waves on her skin with his thumbs. "I mean… If that's what it is… Everything you just said…" His eyes rose to meet hers again. "Then I do. I love you."
Reyna felt an unconscious smile appear on her face. She knew how hard it must have been for him to say that, understood inside her the full weight such a simple statement carried for someone like him. But rather than scare her, it made her feel warmer and happier than she'd felt in quite a long time.
Leo gave a weak laugh, eyes shifting downward again. "Man… I haven't said that since I was eight years old." He grinned ruefully, but his brow creased as though he realized what an absurd truth that was.
"I'm glad I was the one to break you," Reyna replied, adding humor to her voice in an attempt to lighten and relax the situation.
He glanced back up at her and said, "Me, too." Carefully, she reached up and pulled him into a comfortable embrace, her body feeling oddly weightless as the simple truth settled into her mind—she was in love with someone who loved her as well. It was a new and unfamiliar experience, and the feeling wasn't something she would give up for any other in the world.
"I need you to do something for me," she said after a long, silent minute, pulling back and fixing him with serious eyes.
"Anything," he replied.
Reyna took a steadying breath. There was still one issue they needed to clear. Might as well address it now. "Leave Octavian to me. Okay?"
Immediately Leo tensed in apprehension. "Reyna…"
"I don't want him to know you're involved," she insisted adamantly. "If he found out, he'd ruin us both. Or worse. I can't let that happen."
She stared him down until he gave a frustrated sigh in submission. "Fine," he conceded unhappily. "I know you're tough and you can fight your own battles and everything, but just… Remember I'm here. Whatever happens."
Reyna smiled, studying the sincere look on Leo's face and relaxing in the warm safety of his arms. "I know."
"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."
—Oscar Wilde
Seriously, that quote could not be more appropriate to this chapter. It might be my favorite of the list.
Anyway, things sure are getting heavy. Wait 'til I post the next chapter, which is (praise the heavens!) already finished and ready. It's rough. And then chapter 13? Forget about it, haha.
So how 'bout a review? Thanks, everybody! Later days!
-oMM