Chapter 903: Reunion (Ch.904)
The ongoing council required both Jian and Xenon’s attention, and Neveah was soon left to Everon’s company.
He busied himself brewing yet another tonic, and only sat by the bed when he left it to steam.
He eyed Neveah suspiciously, and she avoided his gaze. Their last conversation in the Eclipse Palace had been a somber one and she was certain it had left him feeling concerned about her ntal state.
She was grateful, however, that Everon hadn’t shared his concerns with Jian and Xenon. There was more than enough happening already.
"How are you feeling? Truthfully?" He asked, "And don’t give
that silly act you put up in front of them, like you’re back to being yourself when we both know you aren’t."
"Seducing them to keep them distracted from seeing through you isn’t going to work every ti."
"Lust is also a form of coping chanism, but if you keep avoiding facing the truth, you’ll hurt yourself."
She grimaced. Nothing could escape Everon’s eyes. As expected of a healer, his eyes were trained to see the ailnt no matter how carefully concealed.
"I..." She exhaled a shaky breath "I’m hurt...lost. I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself to him. Alessio..."
Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them away furiously. She couldn’t believe she was crying over this... over him. She couldn’t believe he’d left such an effect that she still couldn’t shake it off, even with her mories returning steadily.
"With or without your mories, the months you spent there... happened. They were neither a dream nor an illusion. Every pain, every experience was real. Nothing can change that." Everon said with a heavy sigh. "Trying to shake it off like it never happened might not be the best solution."
"And I hate to say this, but their touch won’t make you forget him." The words sounded bitter on his tongue even as he said them.
Neveah winced. It wasn’t even that she had any regrets. Alessio got what he deserved. Her nights weren’t plagued by guilt for killing him, rather, they were plagued by mories of his warmth, and the cold disgust that followed.
She hated it. Hated that she’d spent two months living as his, believing she carried his child, convincing herself that she was ant to be his even when her heart fiercely argued otherwise.
The more she thought about it, the more the rage and bitterness flooded her heart.
"Losing your child has consud your heart, Veah." Everon stated seriously, "Your hate for him ties you inextricably to him, that’s why you can’t shake him off. Because you hate too deeply..."
She pressed her lips together into a thin line.
"But he’s dead. And his sins are gone with him." Everon’s voice was firm. "Forgiving the past will be the only rcy you can give yourself now. And everyone else waiting to see you back to yourself again."
Everon took her hand, squeezing gently. "So fight it, Veah. Fight the darkness... because the Creator knows, I cannot heal you of it. And they will see through you soon enough."
He was right. He always was.
If she wanted to move on from the darkness of these months, she had to let go of her hate for Alessio. She had to let the resentnt of the past be buried with them.
"Did anyone ever tell you this Keep wouldn’t function without you?" Neveah asked on a lighter note.
Everon smirked cockily. "I don’t need to hear it from any one of these prideful bastards. I know they can’t live without
anyways."
She sniggered in amusent at the rare cocky side of Everon. A dragon lord, battle lord or not, was always a dragon lord.
"So, are you ready to face the world now? You’ve been back for an entire day already and Jian left orders that you weren’t to be disturbed...but the line of people awaiting your audience is steadily growing." Everon said,
"Estelle, Dante, Kaliana, Imagor, narx, your father and the Dune dragons, the keep dragons, the infernal dragons... the elders from the academy, the entire stronghold, really..." He listed off the top of his head. "Sucks to be Queen, huh?"
Neveah’s lips twitched in amusent. "Am I fit enough to entertain my guests, my dear physician?"
Everon scoffed beneath his breath. "You’re asking
now, huh? You didn’t ask
before you and your dragon lords..." He was saying but Neveah quickly cut him off, choking on air.
"I get it. I get it, Ron."
Everon chuckled, fetching the tonic he’d been brewing. "Dante and Estelle are waiting outside. They spent months scouring the dark lands with Kaideon in search of you. And portaled over from Fort Scabbard just this morning."
"anwhile, narx is throwing a fit about being barred from seeing you but Imagor has him under watch."
She smiled slightly at that, a warmth blossoming in her chest, "I’ve caused a lot of concern, haven’t I?"
Everon shrugged casually. "You faced off against Beoruh and Misha with barely any help and prevented a disaster. You fell into a damned canyon...if anyone has earned the rights to be the cause of concern, it’s you."
The door ca open and Neveah braced herself for the impact the mont she caught a glimpse of Estelle’s ssy head of hair.
"Keep your hands off..." Everon is saying but his words fall on deaf ears because Estelle’s already racing across the room, diving for Neveah with arms wide open.
Neveah grunted in pain as Estelle’s weight cut off her airway for a mont. Her arms wrapped tightly around Neveah’s neck as she broke into a sobbing fit,
"Veah! I knew you wouldn’t die! How could you die and leave
behind?" She sobs,
Neveah’s lips twitched in amusent. "Will you feel better if we die together?"
Estelle struck Neveah harshly on the back, earning a furious howl from Everon.
"Spit that out now. Nobody’s dying, and if we must, a good few centuries from now will be a better ti."
Dante ca over, prying Estelle off of Neveah with an exasperated expression.
He looked a ss, much like Kaideon had been when she first saw him at the Eclipse Domain.
She didn’t need to ask to know why. Between comforting Estelle and worrying about her well being himself, as well as their duties in these trying tis.
"Welco ho, Your Grace." Dante’s greeting was less chaotic. He inclined his head to a bow and Neveah nodded.
"I’m glad you’re both here. I’ve had a lot I’ve been aning to ask and I don’t trust anyone else to give
the full story."
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