chapter 23

I stood from the bed, making my way to the door to find Kharon standing bowing a little more than necessary. “Kharon!” I said little nervously, as I did not expect to see his stand there.
“my lady” he said, looking like he had been caught, like a deer in headlights
“y..you are here!” shit! I looked at him, hoping that he did not hear all that..
“yes, I decided to give you a bit of privacy as you seemed quite….” He looked a bit awry of what he wanted to say.
“here my lady, I brought you flowers” I should not have been shocked but for some reason, I wasn’t. I saw the cuts on his arm and then the guilt I felt tripled I was the cause of the cuts after all.
My heart sank further at the sight of his smile. The flowers were beautiful, their colors vivid and bright.
"Kharon," I whispered. "You shouldn't have."

He looked at me with those deep, ancient eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You deserve beauty, even here," he said simply, holding out the flowers.

I took them, my fingers brushing against his. His skin was cold, a reminder of the toll his journey had taken. I could see the faint burns on his hands, the blisters that marked his flesh. The sight filled me with a profound sadness and guilt.

"Why do you do this?" I asked, my voice trembling with emotion. "I told you before, you don't need to hurt yourself for me."

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with gratitude. "I don't deserve this."

"You deserve more than you know," Kharon replied, his voice a gentle murmur. "And I will continue to bring you these tokens, no matter the cost. It is my choice, and my honor. I am nothing in this place and this is the least I can do for you"

His words left me speechless, a flood of emotions swirling within me the most dominant one being guilt. The flowers were more than just a gift; they were a symbol of Kharon's love. The love he thought he had for me.

Kharon turned to leave, but I reached out and touched his arm, shoving the flowers into his arm a little harshly. It was the only way I knew he would accept it.
“I cannot accept this” I said, shaking my head as i said it.
“but my lady…”
“no Kharon!, going to the surface to get flowers for me, the injuries… how do you think it makes me feel!!”
“I have come out too bold and scared you, I am sorry I would be more subtle in the profession of my feelings. the flowers must have upset you somehow, I am sorry, I would find other ways to make you smile but…”
“No, please no, I really do appreciate it, everything. But I can’t accept your feelings towards me.” It was better I put this to an end now than leaving it to escalate further”
“I do not understand, I thought you loved me” he really did look pitiful and I felt genuinely bad that I had to do this but this was better than keeping quiet.
“I am sorry Kharon, I do not have such feelings towards you” there, I had finally said how I felt.
“b..but that can’t be right. I thought…. You helped cleaned my wound” I sighed a lesser demon, the one that took me to the baths the previous day came standing by as though she got a message for me.
“you stood up and defended me when the lord wanted to double my punishment. You cared for my wellbeing and..”
“Kharon, I thought we were just being friends, I was just sticking up for my friend and caring for him” it was the truth, that was how I saw him, nothing more, nothing less.
“you … you can’t do that!!! You hugged me the last time you.. “ gone was the man who looked trusting and caring, in his place, it was someone else who looked like he could slap the brain cells out of my head if I made the wrong move.
“you can’t just toy with my feelings..” his voice grew deeper.
The lesser demon cleared her throat as he took a step closer to me “it would be wiser to not do that. The lord would not hold back” she simply said, like she had not a care in the world.
“my lady, please follow me” she said leading the way as I followed her to wherever it was that she was taking me to.
I looked back at Kharon one more time, feeling extremely sorry for him. ‘it is all my fault, ifonly I had told him then, It would not have led to all this. Would he want to be friends with me after this?’
“you don’t have to be worried my lady, he was getting ahead of himself and in his mind, I am sure he knew, so don’t blame yourself for it.”
“have you ever lost a friend before?” I asked hoping she could give me some advice on how she coped with hers because it looked like Kharon and I most likely were not friends again. It was the second friend in my whole life I losing him was… painful.
“no I have never”
“oh”
“I never had a need for it. the underworld was all about power and who can climb the ladder to Hades’ side, friends, they would only slow you down” she said opening the door to the baths, leaving me stunnned