"What?" Shelby blurted. She was so surprised that Roman had opted not to let her in on the past. It surprised her as well as made her sad. How lovely would it be to understand how this person had ended up in that state. However, what was the essence? Maybe, he was right?
Sothing told Shelby that the key to whatever was going on in the Fae kingdom was linked to Roman’s story. She was unsure why she thought so, but Shelby was a 100% positive on this. That aside, with the little information she had before coming there and what she had seen, she could make so deductions of her own.
However, it wasn’t like she could force the last essence of Roman to give her any information. It was impossible as she was also not sure what she was dealing with. Leaving that behind, Shelby had another challenge.
"W-hat’s h-appening to you?"
Roman smiled, bringing his arms up to study it. He was not surprised like Shelby was, as if this was sothing he expected.
"I’ve been here long enough... I guess the ti is right...."
A few shadows flickered in the glow from him. It was an unnatural phenonon. But looking at the grand scale of things Shelby had seen and experienced that day, this was barely a drop of water in the bucket.
A hush settled over the cell as the two looked at each other with no one willing to break the ice. Shelby did not know what to do in this case. She had just t her supposed father-in-law, if she could call him that, but he was fading away right then?
What about eting Iana and Geneva? She could barely hear her own breathing over the rapid pounding of her heart. Shelby was absolutely positive that Ian would co for her and in her mind, it was just a question of. Because of this, she had thought that they would get that chance to et Roman at least once... so why?
Roman slowly stood before her, his smile steady, unshaken, as if nothing in the world could touch him. But she knew better. She could barely see through him then.
His edges had already begun to blur, his form unraveling like mist in the morning sun. Wisps of him lifted into the air, vanishing before they could touch the ground.
"No..." Shelby’s voice was barely a whisper, but the desperation in it was deafening. She barely knew him, but those few minutes, when he had shared nothing of his past, felt so close, as if she had known him all her life. The reluctance of the impending parting was getting too much for Shelby to bear. The sheer thought of how she was reacting was absurd.
Shelby’s chest tightened, a sob clawing its way up her throat as if trying to break free from a sudden unbearable weight pressing down on her. She unconsciously rubbed her chest to try to ease the sudden discomfort.
But obviously, that did nothing. It was as if a storm had shattered inside her, its violent winds tearing through every fiber of her being. It was a known, yet foreign emotion. The floodgates burst open, and before she could even comprehend it, hot tears stread down her cheeks, relentless and unchecked.
’Why am I crying?’ Shelby asked herself as her hands touched her wet cheeks. Shock mingling with surprise in that mont.
Her hands trembled as she clutched at the near empty space where he had been, her fingers curling into nothingness. This ti, her hands went through him as if he wasn’t a solid entity anymore. The warmth he had left behind still lingered on her, telling her that she had not imagined him touching her, but it was a cruel reminder ... a flickering ember of what was slipping through her grasp.
"W-ait....what am I going to tell I-an?.... Mu-m? Wh-at..."
A crisp sob escaped her lips, raw, the kind of grief that had no words, only a deep, aching void. But why? She hardly knew this man! What is this?
’Pregnancy hormones?’ This was quickly dismissed. It didn’t an that the downtrodden emotion left. It swept over her like an unrelenting tide, drowning her in sorrow so intense Shelby thought she might never surface again.
Roman’s gaze softened, a silent apology in his eyes.
’It was always ant to be this way.’ He knew this, but Shelby did not.
"I’ll give you a gift instead...."
"Wh-at...?"
"You told so much about the person I missed the most... and you carry my lineage. Thank you, Shelby Monroe. I know that you’ll do good and live beyond all expectations...."
Shelby did not know what he was talking about. Suddenly, the air shimred around Roman. Shelby frowned, using the back of her arms to wipe the tears. Her eyes widened at what she saw after that though.
Roma’s already transparent body looked to be unravelling like threads of so light form. At so point he had gone back on one knee in front of her and his palm rested on her tummy. Unlike when she had tried to touch him, his warm palm rested on her solid body.
His touch remained firm .... warm, grounding. She could also see how affected by what was happening to him. His trembling hand continued pressing gently against her stomach, fingers splayed wide as if trying to morize the life growing within.
Unexpectedly, a spark of extra warmth pulsed from his palm, seeping into her flesh, deeper, until it wasn’t just her skin that felt it, but sothing inside .... sothing ancient, powerful.
Shelby gasped, holding her waist to stabilize herself as there was nothing she could hold on to.
Her body arched as the energy from him, flowed through her veins, curling around the small life she carried. The warmth was unlike anything she had ever known .... like the sun’s first light after a bitter winter, like safety, like love... like .... She did not know.
Roman exhaled, long and slow, as though releasing his very essence. His smile remained, steady, sorrowful, but full of sothing else too... hope.
’Is this what he ant by gift?’
Her hands flew to his wrist, surprisingly, gripping him, refusing to let go, but trying to pry his hands off of her. At this mont, it was as if whatever power he was offloading was helping her grip him, as it had been impossible to do so, re seconds prior.
She knew what he was trying to do to them... because the more he offloaded whatever, the more Shelby felt stronger. It was in a strange way that she could not describe. She could also see the effects on him.... It was the opposite of whatever was going on with her and Shelby did not like it one bit!
"No ...stay! You can’t! What do I tell them!? Please... stop!"
No matter what, Shelby could not pry his hands off of her.
"My son is the best! I am glad that he t such a pure soul like you.... Live well and help him be."
"You should tell them yourself! Please! Roman! P-"
Roman only shook his head. His form flickered, the last remnants of him dissolving into golden embers, dancing in the air before sinking into her skin.
His voice was barely a whisper now, carried on the dying light.
"Protect them... both of you."
She reached for him, her fingers brushing through nothingness, this ti. His aura was so weak this ti that whatever had enabled her touch him seed to be ineffective this ti. Where warmth should have been, there was only an aching void.
"Please, don’t go," she pleaded, stepping forward, as he stood and stepped back from her, but his fading presence only made her feel worst. He simply stood there, watching her with that sa gentle smile, as if committing her to mory one last ti.
His lips parted. Whether to speak or simply to breathe, Shelby would never know, because the mont the last sound left them, his face and the rest of him dissolved into the air.
And just like that, he was gone.
If not for the lingering warmth dancing on her stomach and a few embers around, Shelby would have thought that she had imagined this. She felt spent all of a sudden....
"I-" She dropped her arms....
"Should I j-ust end this all?" Her voice squeaked, but there was no one to answer.... Even if Shelby wanted to do that, she would not. She had a life to protect, a husband to wait for and many assholes to try to ’take care’ of amongst others.
One thing that Shelby knew for sure was that Roman’s smile that lingered in her mind, so much like Ian’s would haunt her more than any ghost ever could. What had Roman given her? What was the purpose?
What was going to happen next? Exactly what was she to do in the face of those questions? Shelby was in a bind in all of this. She had so many questions but not a single answer. So many scenes flashed in her mind as she struggled to stay awake and in control, but the proceedings of the day as well as the encounter, the encounters and the crowning incident made everything too much to bear.
Spent, Shelby felt herself go limp and she lost consciousness.
*********
Thank you so much to all for your votes and comnts! I hope we can keep it up ^_^
Support the author by reading only on Webnovel :) ~Uploaded only on webnovel by Loctovia ~
Reviews
All reviews (0)