Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 117: What Has Changed ()

Neveah shook her head slowly, she did not retreat anymore, holding her ground and the gaze of Menarx who had stopped a short distance away from her and awaited her response expectantly.

She was not certain what exactly Menarx wanted her to say, if she admitted to Davina giving her an understanding of what it truly meant to ride a dragon, what would he do with that information?

Would Davina be punished for it? Even without that, it was too embarrassing to admit she now understood after riding Xenon’s dragon for four days.

Neveah’s wolf was also completely quiet, she had not chipped in anything since they arrived Xenon’s cave.

"I have nothing to say." Neveah replied in a blank tone, she would not be intimidated by Menarx...or anyone for that matter.

"Truly?" Menarx asked again with a raised brow.

Neveah contemplated on what to say that would be convincing enough to Menarx, however before she could come up with anything, a low, deadly growl echoed through the cavern.

A cold chill ran down Neveah’s spine and she stiffened as she sensed that dark, predatory aura approaching from behind.

She did not need to glance over her shoulder to know at this moment, Xenon headed their way and he already knew who Neveah was with and must have heard their conversation too.

Menarx also snapped out of his inquiry and glanced behind Neveah, his expression turning serious.

"My Lord." Menarx greeted, inclining his head to a small bow.

His respectful regard to Xenon regardless of Xenon’s furious state was impressive to Neveah.

Neveah remained in her frozen position, her ears twitched slightly as she picked up the sound of Xenon’s quiet footsteps but she maintained an unfazed countenance, up until his footsteps stopped.

Even when she felt his brooding presence right behind her, so close she was encased in the warmth exuded from his body and Neveah guessed if Xenon moved forward even just a little bit, they would be in contact.

Xenon did not respond to Menarx and no one expected a response from Xenon even, he only stared, his gaze narrowed in a deadly glare.

Mount Edar was off limits to everyone, there were no exceptions whatsoever...well, that was until Neveah.

"... Leave..." Xenon finally snarled in a dark tone as his hand encircled Neveah’s waist and pulled her backwards so she was pressed up against his chest.

Neveah felt her breathing cut off completely as Xenon’s claws grazed the side of her waist, she knew enough about possessive instincts as a werewolf to know what declaration Xenon was making.

Just like Xenon did not want anyone near his cave, he did not want anyone near anything he considered his... Neveah could understand this reasoning,

The only reason she was here in the first place was because Xenon favored her for reasons she could not understand just yet.

Neveah was not sure how she felt about this and she did not want to contemplate it either.

Meanwhile, Menarx’s gaze narrowed slightly before he averted his gaze to Neveah and that amused glint returned to his eyes.

"Lord Xenon will return you safely to the keep and in time so you may have your rest... I trust..." Menarx relented.

"If you want to know about dragons...you should ask a dragon. See you around... princess." Menarx said, as he turned and strode off, stepping right off the edge of the cave before his dragon form shot up to the sky.

For a moment, Neveah’s eyes met his gleaming red orbs before he vanished into the clouds.

With Menarx gone, Neveah turned to Xenon who still had on a deep frown as he stared after Menarx.

"Do you dislike him?" Neveah asked curiously.

Xenon’s brows furrowed as his gaze moved to settle on Neveah.

"D..is.. like?" Xenon asked and Neveah nodded in response.

"It means to disapprove of him... like... I don’t know..." Neveah murmured thoughtfully, unsure of how to explain it to Xenon in a manner he would understand.

Xenon’s brows furrowed slightly, tilting his head to the side in a cute manner before he shook his head slightly and Neveah realized he already understood her clearly.

"No...Me..narx...is good." Xenon said in his slow drawl and Neveah raised a brow.

"So you do not dislike him then? Your actions are truly a vast difference from your thoughts." Neveah said with a shake of her head as she thought back to the cold and cruel manner Xenon accorded Menarx.

Not that it mattered since Menarx himself was not a ray of sunshine either.

"Me... evil." Xenon added, finally completing his words.

Neveah’s smile dropped as she understood Xenon’s implications.

"Menarx is good and you are evil?" Neveah asked and Xenon nodded.

"Evil... what constitutes that word exactly? Your people think you evil...my people think me to be the same."

"I have known evil all my life... I cannot tell the difference between it and I... perhaps we are not so different." Neveah murmured with a shake of her head.

Xenon stared down at Neveah for a moment, before he leaned down and lifted Neveah up into his arms.

As he did before, he adjusted Neveah’s weight so he easily carried her with one hand and headed out of the cave.

The wind tousled Neveah’s hair as Xenon began his descent down Mount Edar, how he could manoeuvre such a steep path with just one hand was a wonder to Neveah,

However when it came to the dragons, Neveah found everything about them to be a wonder.

It did not take too long for Xenon to arrive at the precariously dangling wooden bridge and when Neveah thought he would let her down, he merely strode across the bridge with no hesitation.

’Such confidence can only be displayed by beasts of flight..." Neveah’s wolf spoke for the first time in almost the entire day.

Neveah hummed in response, when Xenon crossed the bridge to the other side, Neveah broke the silence.

"You can let me down now, I can find my own way back." Neveah reminded.

Xenon grunted in reluctance but he let Neveah down to her feet as she requested.

The walk back from the bridge to the keep would take at least a half-hour, though the sun had long set and darkness blanketed the sky,

There were still bright lights shining from the towers all around the keep that lit up all the paths leading up to the keep.

It also gave light to an astonishing sight, high up in the sky,

As Neveah tilted her head back, she spotted the form of the massive beasts of the Asvarian stronghold.

They soared on what appeared to be a rehearsed pattern, their wings cutting through the sky as various divisions streamed in and out of the eight lower levels of beneath the level.

Their scales were of various diverse colours, gleaming like gems. Those gleaming scales caught the bright lights and shone like stars, creating an awe inspiring display in the sky.

For a moment, Neveah just stared in awe, there were many beautiful existences in the supernatural realm but Neveah did not believe anything could be compared to the beauty of a dragon.

Though Neveah had never said it out loud, she had never seen as impressed as anything as she was by her first sight of a dragon, and even till this moment, she still was impressed by all of it.

As Neveah took in the sight, Xenon stood quietly off to the side, he did not interrupt Neveah at all, not until she snapped out of her daze all on her own. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Neveah glanced over at Xenon who stood with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for her to make the first move.

"I can find my own way back, you do not have to escort me." Neveah said.

Xenon grunted quietly but said nothing more and he did not leave either,

Neveah pursed her lips as she recalled her situation in the Dragon Keep was not as convenient as she was letting herself feel, it was only a day since she had come.

’Not a day of admiring the beauty of the dragon race... only a day more with our freedom farther from reach.’ Neveah’s wolf echoed Neveah’s thoughts.

"How many more of such days shall we have?" Neveah thought back to her wolf as she gave up the idea of returning by herself and headed back in the direction Davina brought her through, with Xenon trailing behind her.

_________________

King Jian stood on his balcony, his eyes narrowed as he watched Xenon’s descent from the mountain with the wolf princess clutched in his arms like the most precious treasure.

"What is it you had to report?" King Jian asked in a dark, deadly tone.

"Lord Menarx flew up to Mount Edar, what occured there cannot be known but it is strange... Lord Menarx and the other Lord Dragons do not dare defy Lord Xenon’s order and trespass on his mountain."

"I do wonder what has changed..." Rodrick wondered aloud.

A quiet chuckle resounded in the background as Everon who prepared the King’s evening tonic caught wind of the conversation.

"What...or who?" Everon asked in a knowing tone.