The dimly lit bar had shadows dancing on the cracked wooden floors. Melton hardly paid attention to the soft music coming from a jukebox in the corner. He was completely immersed in the task of discovering solutions. He pushed the door open and entered, looking around the room for any faces he recognized. His gaze fixed on Jemmy, who was seated in the exact same place they had initially crossed paths. Looking upwards, she locked eyes with him as he drew near. She had a tight expression with her hands tightly clutching the glass before her.
As he got closer to her, Melton's hands balled up by his sides and his jaw became tense. "We need to talk."
Jemmy looked away briefly, as if considering whether to run, but she remained seated. "I know."
He sat down across from her, not waiting for an invitation. "Enough with the games. I want the truth."
Jemmy inhaled deeply, her gaze scanning his eyes for any sign of tenderness, yet all she perceived was fury. "Do you desire to know the truth? Okay, you are correct. I have been employed by Erebus. From the start."
Melton felt his heart drop. He had a feeling about it, but the sting of hearing her say it caught him off guard. As he leaned in, his expression became more serious. "Have you really been watching me this entire time?"
Jemmy quickly stated that it was not the case, her voice filled with pleading. "It began as a quest. Erebus instructed me to monitor you closely, remain nearby, and provide updates. However, circumstances shifted…"
"In what way was it changed?" Melton's voice was filled with fury as he snapped, speaking in a low tone. "You were supposed to keep an eye on me, and now you're saying things have changed?"
Jemmy's hands shook slightly as she held her drink with more force. "I fell in love with you, Melton. That was not included in the original plan. I was surprised when it happened, but it did. I didn't intend to cause you any harm."
Melton let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Love? You call this love? Lying to me, manipulating me, feeding Erebus information about my every move?"
Jemmy's eyes filled with desperation. "I didn't have a choice! You don't know what it's like with Erebus—they own me. They own everyone. You think I wanted to be a part of this?"
"You're human! You always have a choice because you're human," Melton shot back, his voice growing colder with every word. "One of those options is that you could have told me the truth from the start. You could have walked away."
Jemmy looked down at the table, her voice barely above a whisper. "And then what? Erebus would've killed us both."
Melton's fists clenched even tighter as he stared at her. "Maybe. But at least we wouldn't be standing here with this betrayal between us."
Jemmy lifted her head, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "I did not intend for things to escalate this much. I believed I could keep you safe by remaining nearby. I believed I could prevent Erebus from bothering you. They have all the knowledge, Melton. All of it."
Melton brought his hand down hard on the table, making Jemmy startle. "Do you comprehend the extent of suffering I have endured as a result of this? Is it your fault?"
Jemmy blinked quickly, attempting to stop the tears from falling. "Melton, I never intended to cause you pain. You must trust what I say. I love and adore you."
He laughed scornfully, rising suddenly. "What is love? You don't have any idea what that signifies. You were simply performing your duties, Jemmy. This was all that mattered to you."
Jemmy also stood up, moving nearer to him, reaching out her hands. "Melton, no, please. I am concerned about you—"
Melton quickly withdrew his hands before she could make contact, speaking with a sharpness likened to a blade. "Do not do it. Do not attempt to distort this into something that it is not."
Jemmy's expression fell apart as her voice cracked. "This wasn't my choice! I had no choice but to do it. Erebus has dominion over all things. I believed that by remaining, I could keep you safe. I was thinking—"
"Your assumption was incorrect," Melton interjected, his voice dripping with bitterness. "I do not require your protection. I don't now and I never did. I was just in need of the truth."
Jemmy's heart dropped as she saw the extent of the damage, her shoulders drooping in response. "I apologize, Melton. I truly am sorry"
"What did you say?" Melton laughed harshly in response. "Apologies aren't enough. You've been telling Erebus all about me - my missions, my tactics, my weaknesses. How can I be sure that everything you told me wasn't just a requirement of your job?"
Jemmy's voice trembled as she murmured, "Because it wasn't. When I am with you, it is authentic. I promise."
Melton gazed at her intensely, his stare penetrating her guard. "Perhaps it felt genuine to you, Jemmy. However, I'm now uncertain about what is truthful."
He began walking towards the door, the weight of his boots echoing loudly on the floor.
Jemmy rushed after him, seizing his arm, her voice full of panic. "Do not leave me, Melton. I kindly request. I am aware that I made a mistake, but we can make things right. Together, we can defeat Erebus."
Melton pulled his arm away forcefully, fury evident in his eyes. "We are no longer a team, Jemmy….just when I was starting to trust you, you betray me"
She remained motionless as he angrily left the bar, the door slamming shut behind him. Jemmy slumped into her chair, tears streaming down her face. She had anticipated this clash, yet it didn't lessen the pain.
---
Outside, the cold night air failed to pacify Melton's tumultuous thoughts. A combination of rage and feeling deceived stirred within him as his chest throbbed with emotion. Jemmy's admission had a stronger impact on him than he cared to acknowledge.
He had placed more trust in her than he did with anyone since his team fell apart, and now that trust was completely destroyed. He couldn't get rid of the sense of being deceived, of being controlled by the person he had grown to like.
One thing was obvious now: Erebus had played a role in his life since he was transmigrated to this dimension. Jemmy was simply a pawn in their chess match, just another player they manipulated.