Chapter 34: Not me
Axelius stormed out of the duke's office, his expression hard and unyielding, fists clenched tightly at his sides. His footsteps were swift and purposeful, carrying him through the long corridors and out into the garden without a single glance back. Owen, still nestled on his shoulder, bounced slightly with each hurried step. "Axelius! Hey! Are you alright? Answer me!" Owen's voice was laced with concern, but Axelius remained silent, his jaw clenched and eyes fixed forward.
They finally reached the garden, the cool breeze brushing against his face as he came to an abrupt stop. Without warning, Axelius gasped for air, as if he had been holding his breath the entire way. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the soft grass, sprawling out as if he could finally breathe again.
Owen squeaked in surprise, bouncing off his shoulder and landing on the grass beside him. "What in the world was that?!" Owen asked,
Axelius lay there for a moment, his chest heaving, one hand clutching at his heart. His eyes stared up at the sky, wide and dazed, before he chuckled softly, the sound shaky and uneven.
He slowly sat up, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head in disbelief. "What... what happened back there?" he murmured, his voice still trembling.
"Huh? What do you mean, what happened? You were shouting at the duke like you wanted to kill him! It was... intense."
Axelius chuckled again, though there was a hint of nervousness in his laughter. "That... that wasn't me," he said, his eyes staring off into the distance. "I mean, I remember saying those things, but it's like..." He paused, searching for the right words. "It's like I wasn't the one speaking. My mouth was moving, the words were coming out, but it didn't feel like it was me."
Owen wobbled in place, "What?"
Axelius shook his head, still breathing heavily. "I don't know... but it was like... like memories just flooded my head. I saw things I shouldn't have. I felt things that weren't mine."