Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 814: Reluctantly Care ()

"Veah, wait!" Xenon called after her.

She didn’t. Tears stung her eyes and she bit down harshly on her bottom lip to keep them in.

"Neveah!"

He was catching up. She doubled her steps and soon she was running.

"Veah!"

Whatever he had to say, she didn’t want to hear it. Not right now. That name...it shook her to the core. Brought back ugly memories. Gnawing at insecurities she had fought to overcome.

Her heart was tightly constricted. But he was easily on her trail. She was faster, but she couldn’t outrun him like this. Not when he knew the Keep like the back of his hand.

"Don’t do that...Veah..." Xenon warned, right as a portal tore open a few paces ahead of her.

She made for it. Just before she could cross through, a massive black claw wrapped around her, and her feet left solid ground.

His wings beat against the wind. They gained altitude with speed. She didn’t struggle. She couldn’t if she tried. His hold was firm and didn’t give any room.

He flew straight for his cave and let her down at the entrance. She didn’t move until he nudged her further in with a gentle push.

Then he got in himself. Still in dragon form, successfully sealing the entrance with his massive size. For a moment, he stared down at her. Her eyes were narrowed into a glare.

He shifted then. Still blocking the entrance. "Do not run from me, Veah. You know it unsettles my predator."

"Or else?"

Xenon’s eyes narrowed. "Stop it. Look at me."

She drew in a sharp breath and met his gaze. "Tomorrow... I can’t do this right now."

"No." Xenon said firmly. "I won’t spend the entire night agonizing, knowing you will be doing the same. Not tomorrow. Not even a moment later."

Neveah didn’t respond. Tears stung her eyes and she turned away from him. Running a hand through her hair.

"Love..." Xenon tried, his tone was pained. Guilty. "I..." He hesitated for a moment. Embracing her from behind.

"I love you, Neveah."

She bit back a sob. His inability to explain what had just happened out there was as concerning as it was infuriating.

"I love you. Only you."

She knew that.

"I’m not her, Xenon." Neveah finally whispered.

"I know... I know." It sounded more like he was trying to remind himself.

"I won’t ever be her. Not in any lifetime."

Xenon exhaled a slow breath. "I’m sorry. Forgive me, my love."

She leaned into his hold. "What...was that?"

For a long moment, he was silent. "I don’t know."

His hands moved slowly, cupping her breasts through her clothing. "You’re the only one on my mind. And I’ll show you...how much I ache for you. To be deep... inside..."

His tongue trailed the side of her neck, leaving a burning trail. She gasped softly, arching into him.

"...of you...."

______

At dawn, Jian’s return was known by all. The rider council gathered in the throne room, awaiting his audience.

"You barely slept." Neveah murmured, smoothening the collar of his outer robe. He had spent the entire night holed up in his study.

Rather than deter him, Xenon had pulled a couch by his desk before heading down to the archives to assist Garron, and Neveah spent the night between watching Jian, settling some affairs he couldn’t spare the time for, and occasional sleep.

"Neither did you." He replied, an easy smile on his lips. "You’ve been too busy worrying about me."

She rolled her eyes. "Rodrick will return today. I will leave your care in his hands then."

"Thinking about it now, he’s about the age of retirement." Jian mused.

She laughed. "You might hurt his feelings. He hasn’t yet sired an heir to take his place in service."

Jian nodded slowly. "Perhaps that is for the best. Rodrick’s lineage has been intricately tied to mine for generations... It hasn’t been easy on them."

"Nor on you." Neveah pointed out. "I can’t imagine how it must feel, having to watch those you care about grow old. How many of his predecessors..." She trailed off.

"Two before him." Jian answered the question she had left hanging. "His grandfather was my first aid after... Asrig passed."

"If you wish to relieve his lineage of their vow of service... you have my support." Neveah said after a beat of silence. "I will reluctantly be in charge of your care for the rest of my life."

Jian smirked. "How can I express the depth of my gratitude?"

"Just... don’t shut down on me. No matter how tough it gets." Neveah murmured. "Especially not here in Dragon Keep."

His expression turned solemn and he nodded. "I swear it."

"There." Neveah leaned up, leaving a soft kiss on his lips. "You should see the council now. They’ve been anxious."

He pulled Neveah back to him and kissed her properly. A slow, reverent kiss. "Later... I’ll take more than a taste..."

"More than a few tastes..."

Neveah’s throat went dry.

"Join me?" He asked. Like he hadn’t just hinted at something distracting.

Neveah shook her head slightly. "Not today. I’ll head down to the archives."

He nodded in understanding, heading out.

Not long after, she also stepped out. Finding Kaliana waiting outside the ascending room.

Upon sighting Neveah, she smiled. Walking over.

Neveah didn’t protest when Kaliana hugged her. "It’s good to see you again, Veah."

"Likewise. Is Imagor here too? Zephyr?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Kaliana pulled away. "In the throne room. Rodrick babysat while we were out on patrol. He will bring Zephyr with him. We haven’t been able to get him to sit still since he heard you’d be back soon."

Neveah smiled slightly. In more ways than one, she and Zephyroth had been through thick and thin.

"Too bad, I’m not sure we’ll be staying long." Neveah said.

Kaliana nodded. "We’ve heard. Adrienne’s demise..."

"About Keila too..."

Neveah didn’t respond. The sisters ended in a tragedy due to their own choices. There was nothing to be said about it.

Nothing they said now would change anything.

Kaliana accompanied Neveah as far as the ground level where they parted ways. And Neveah went the rest of the way to the underground level.

In the hidden archives, Garron was still buried nose deep in the tome. Xenon was nowhere to be seen. His presence would be required at the rider council.

"We’ve tried everything to get it to open." Garron said when Neveah was within view. "The only thing we haven’t tried..."

"Magic." Neveah murmured. "That’s why you sent for me."

"Summoning a mage down here would be inappropriate." Garron reminded. "Thousands of volumes here document processes to attain great advancement in magic practices. At a cost of course, but for many magic wielders..."

"It would be irresistible." Neveah guessed.

"Not for you." Garron said, passing Neveah a meaningful smile.

She walked over to the tome and stared at it for a while, studying the floral binding. It was just as intact as it had been the day before. Yet the tools on the table were evidence that Garron and probably Xenon as well had spared no effort.

"What am I supposed to do?" Neveah finally asked. "Just hit it with a blast of magic?"

Garron shrugged. "I know many things. But for that, I have no Idea."

"Usually, you know what to do when you stare at it. Try thinking about whatever was going through your mind when you made the book fly out on its own."

Neveah frowned. "I just thought about it. That I wanted to be hit in the face by it, rather than getting elbow deep in all that dust."

She peered down at the volume and pictured the binding snapping open.

It didn’t budge.

"Guess this will take more than just a thought." Garron muttered.