Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 447: For How Long? ()

"Narx?" Neveah called to him after a moment had passed.

Menarx hummed in response, his attention still fixed on the blueprint on the table like he was only now seeing it for the first time and he had not been the one to design it in the first place.

Neveah did know Menarx had long studied the blueprint in a bid to make timely adjustments if the need arose, but looking away for a moment at this time would not hinder the result in anyway.

It was granted he kept his attention occupied and so as not to give any false hopes to the one whose life was on the line, yet Neveah had to wonder if Menarx was ignoring one... while concealing from another.

His eyes, she had seen Adrienne’s eyes at the least but Menarx’s was faced down and focused, it was not unusual yet at the same time, Neveah was one who was far too sensitive.

He was overcompensating, it was hard to watch on Neveah’s path. She had not expected he would be completely indifferent to his own bonded, but seeing her condition and trying so hard to act unaffected was all to avoid hurting Neveah...even so, the exact opposite was accomplished.

It was not Menarx’s fault, it was no one’s fault. Him trying hard was proof of how deeply rooted the bond was, even if it was out of consideration to Neveah, it only proved facts Neveah did not wish to acknowledge.

To move on from this like nothing had happened, to carry on with life just as normal...as happy as they had been, would it still be possible?

Neveah breathed a quiet sigh, reaching for one of Menarx’s clenched fists.

"You can let go of it now...you are hurting yourself." Neveah coaxed in a quiet tone.

Menarx’s gaze lifted to Neveah then and for a split second before it disappeared, Neveah thought she caught a tinge of sadness.

It had been so swift, Neveah was not certain she had seen correctly or if it was just her mind messing with her and creating scenes.

Menarx smiled slightly, his smile was genuine but strained, Neveah searched his eyes, in a bid to find answers to questions she did not even know,

Yet what Neveah got in return was a dull tug from Menarx’s reversed scale, it had been constantly on edge and unwilling to calm whilst Neveah was unconscious but since Neveah awakened, it was perfectly still.

Seeing as it had begun reacting again, Neveah was not sure how long she would be able to rest easy or how much more harm a backfire would cause her.

The reversed scale would only truly come to rest when Adrienne’s matter was seen through, when she died... the backfire could be rectified.

It was a melancholic feeling, that the success of their bond depended on Adrienne’s death just as much as Adrienne’s life depended on the failure of their bond.

’I can no longer sense his emotions...’ Neveah realized.

It was an ability she had gained with the success of the second merging and now that it had backfired, she had again lost it... she had not even gotten around to revealing it to Menarx, that she had been able to feel what he did at some point.

Perhaps it was for the best that she said nothing of it.

’It was said that what was not yours to have would eventually be taken away.’ Neveah thought to herself.

’Veah...’ Neveah’s wolf warned her to guide her thoughts.

Neveah grazed a thumb over Menarx’s now injured palm, a pained look in her eyes.

"It will heal in a moment. I am fine, you need not worry about me." Menarx reassured, taking note of Neveah’s concerned expression.

Neveah gave no response but a small smile to acknowledge she heard his words.

’The wounds on the surface can heal, what can be done of the ones hard to see? You say you are fine, but are you truly? If you are fine now... for how long can you still be fine? How can I be rest assured?’ Neveah thought to herself.

"Come, I have a table laid in the garden, let’s go eat." Menarx offered Neveah his hand as he got up to his feet.

Neveah took Menarx’s offered hand and let him lead the way, an uneasy feeling rested in her heart and Neveah feared it was one she may never get to shake off.

_____________

"Lord Rodrick." Neveah greeted the Keep steward who dutifully stood by King Jian’s door.

"Lady Neveah." Lord Rodrick returned the greeting with a small bow.

Neveah inclined her head slightly in a show of respect. It had been quite some time since she last met with Lord Rodrick, Neveah was uncertain their paths had crossed since her return.

Their last meeting seemed to have been at the trial where Adrienne’s crime had been revealed before the council, it was also the last time Neveah had set eyes on Davina.

A few months had already gone by, so much had happened in this time, though the thought of Davina had crossed Neveah’s mind on multiple occasions, she had been unable to do much more than think it.

Now, Neveah felt a pang of guilt. She had left for the Dwarven Outposts all those months back while Davina’s condition was still unstable and she had not inquired into her recovery up until now.

Perhaps if she had not met Lord Rodrick now, she would never have cared to know anymore about Davina...at least never out loud.

Neveah guessed the situation back then had caused her such great trouble, she could not help but find their friendship troublesome.

If she did not allow it, how could Adrienne have found someone to be used against her? But all of that was in the past now.

"Davina... she is in good health?" Neveah asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"My daughter could preserve her life with your help, it would be ungrateful of her to be anything but in good health. There has been difficulties...but being away from the Keep, she is in recovery." Lord Rodrick replied with a small smile.

"That is good enough." Neveah murmured as she walked past Lord Rodrick into King Jian’s quarters.