Chapter 27
:
“The Glimpse of the Past
The image vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a sense of unease.
Selene’s eyes darted away, her expression unreadable. She resumed her work without a word,
the air between them thick with the silence of a thousand unspoken things.
Ares felt a pang deep inside. His chest tightened as if something buried long ago was pushing
to the surface. His heart, still mending from its previous betrayals, thudded irregularly. What was
it about her that stirred him so? Was it the way she moved? The way she was so familiar, yet so
distant?
“Do you ever stop?” he muttered, more to himself than to her, as if the words would dispel the
memory that clung to him like a shadow.
Selene glanced up for a brief second, her face blank. “You’re getting better. Soon, you won’t
need me.”
It was a cold truth, one Ares wasn’t prepared to confront, though he already had. Still, his voice
was sharper than it should have been when he spoke next.
“Don’t be so sure of that.”
His words hung between them, but she didn’t respond. There was no bitterness in her
demeanor, just the practiced neutrality that had become her signature over the years.
The silence in the room felt suffocating as Selene continued her work on Ares‘ shoulder. Her
fingers were deft and professional, but the moment she brushed too close to his skin, something
shifted. Ares stiffened, a sharp breath escaping him as his muscles tensed.
“Don’t touch me,” he snapped, his voice tight with irritation.
The words felt heavier than they should have. They sliced through the air with a bitter edge, but
Selene didn’t flinch. She could’ve, she should’ve, but she didn’t. Instead, she pulled her hand
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Chapter 27
back, retreating into the space between them with quiet dignity.
Her heart ached, though her face betrayed none of it. The touch had been an innocent one, an
attempt to help him, to make the physical pain a little more bearable. Yet it had triggered
something in him, something darker.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, as if the apology was for both of them as if the weight of his anger
was something she had to shoulder too. But it was clear, even without the words, that her
apology wasn’t enough to erase the chasm of bitterness that had settled between them. He
didn’t look at her as she stepped back. He didn’t need to.
The faintest trace of regret washed over her. But she had no time for regret. She had a mission.
A purpose. And that mission didn’t involve comforting him or accepting his pain as her own. Still,
she couldn’t stop herself from feeling the smallest ache for the man she had once loved.
Ares, for his part, was too proud to acknowledge his own vulnerability. Too much of him
remained locked away, buried deep beneath layers of arrogance, pain, and pride. He glanced at
her only once, his eyes sharp and unreadable.
“Go,” he said, his voice rough. “I don’t need your pity.”
Selene’s heart clenched, but she nodded, her movements stiff as she gathered the supplies.
The silence stretched out, thick and oppressive.
Ares sat on the edge of the bed, his back to the window, the pale light from the city illuminating
his features. He had been doing better moving more on his own, a small victory that had him
stubbornly pushing the limits of his recovery. But today, he was testing himself more than he
should have.
“Don’t push it,” Selene said softly, but her words didn’t stop him. She had seen it too many times
the way his pride refused to let him ask for help. The way he fought against even the smallest
kindness as if it were a betrayal.
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Chapter 27
“I’m fine,” Ares muttered, his jaw clenched as he tried to stand. His legs wobbled beneath him,
his weight shifting dangerously to one side.
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Selene was there before he could fall, her arms steadying him with a practiced ease. Her fingers brushed against the raw skin of his arm, and this time, he didn’t recoil. The strength in her touch
was surprising, the way she seemed to hold him up without even trying.
“You’re not fine,” she said, her voice low and calm. Her gaze lingered on him for just a moment
longer than necessary, and Ares felt something stir within him, something he didn’t quite
understand.
He glared at her, his eyes hard with pride and irritation. “I don’t need your help.”
But the truth was, he did. He was weaker than he wanted to admit, weaker than he could
accept. The reminder stung, and he tried to push her away, his frustration boiling over.
“I said, let go,” he growled.
Selene didn’t answer immediately, her eyes never leaving his face. She could see the struggle
behind his words, the battle between pride and need, the deep, unspoken ache that had never
healed. And yet, she didn’t speak. She only held him there, silent but steady.
“Let go, damn it!” he barked, his voice rising.
Finally, Selene released him, but not before her eyes softened, just for a second. She watched
him as he struggled to stand on his own, her hands clenched at her sides, betraying her
frustration.
He could barely stand, his legs shaking with the effort. And yet, in that moment, he was the one
who looked defeated.
Without a word, Selene turned and left the room, the door clicking softly behind her. Ares
remained standing there, his body trembling, but his pride as unyielding as ever.
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THE PHOENIX’S REVENGE
