Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 894: Not Alone ()

They both exchanged an uncertain look, before Kaideon reached out, putting an arm around Neveah to support her weight.

She didn’t realise just how exhausted she already felt until then. She leaned heavily into Kaideon, exhaling a breath of relief.

It felt good to finally put some weight off her own feet. And while she knew Xenon had repeatedly attempted to offer that relief, she was more at ease with her father.

"You’re not in any condition to be out here." Jian’s tone was firm, but tinged with concern. "I didn’t think I’d have to make that clear to Everon."

Neveah finally glanced over at him. He looked... terrible. There was no better word for it.

His eyes were sunken and his hair had outgrown its usual length. And there was a look in his eyes...a hollowness that reflected the one she felt.

"He’s right." King Nolan said, also walking over to Neveah. "You have been through enough already, pup."

"It won’t take long." Neveah murmured, "Afterwards... I’ll do as Everon wants."

Jian pursed his lips slightly. He was visibly reluctant but nodded once.

Neveah exhaled another breath. With Kaideon’s support, she made her way over to the desk.

She could feel their eyes trailing her. Everyone had probably expected her to lead the way out of the study.

But what they needed to see, was right here.

Leaning over, she felt for the lever and pulled on it.

The placement of the book shelves rearranged themselves with a muffled creak.

"A hidden room?" King Nolan asked, his brows furrowed.

Neveah nodded. And passing a look to Kaideon, she smiled in reassurance before stepping away from his support.

Gritting her teeth, she headed to the shelf, pulling a book to reveal the door.

Xenon moved to stand in her way. "I’ll go in first."

Neveah shook her head slightly, unlocking the door. "There’s no danger."

She brushed past him and ventured into the darkness.

It didn’t take too long for her eyes to adjust to it. And she didn’t look back, knowing everyone else would follow.

The path leading to the ice cavern was a short walk. The air grew frostier the further in they went, and when they emerged into the room, it was chilling enough to be felt down to the bones.

"What is this place?" King Nolan murmured from somewhere behind.

But Neveah’s gaze was fixed on the ice platform. The barrier she’d placed was perfectly intact and so it appeared to be just a platform, but Neveah knew better.

She walked over to the platform on unsteady footing, stopping just below.

She drew in a breath and reached within. The pain around her midriff was excruciating. She couldn’t concentrate around it.

"Veah, Everon said you couldn’t use magic!" Xenon exclaimed,

"I... I just need a moment." Neveah said without glancing back.

Giving it a second try, it surged through her, rising to her call. But it fell short before she could truly grasp it.

She broke into a coughing fit, clutching her chest and just as she staggered, Jian was by her side the next moment. His arm went around her waist, keeping her steady.

"I’m fine." Neveah protested, pulling away. But his hold was firm and unyielding.

"No, you’re not." He replied, eyes daring her to argue.

Neveah frowned slightly, but suppressed her protests. "You...need to break my barrier." She muttered beneath her breath, "I can’t...reach my magic..."

Jian raised a brow, glancing over at Xenon.

Xenon stepped closer to the platform, eyeing the length of it. Now that he knew to look for a barrier, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to tell where to weaken it.

"Just...be gentle with it..." Neveah said quickly before Xenon could summon a torrent of flames.

Xenon glanced over at her uncertainly. His hand lit up with flames and he clenched it into a fist, thrusting it outwards sharply.

The barrier crackled with golden light, resisting. And it took a second hit from Xenon before it crashed around them.

Xenon drew back immediately, his eyes going wide as the form of a woman became visible on the platform.

For a moment, the cavern went eerily silent.

"What in the stronghold..." Cassian muttered, his tone astonished. "She looks just like Neveah!"

Neveah winced visibly. That was indeed the first thing anyone would notice.

She slowly turned to Kaideon but his gaze was already fixed on the woman on the platform, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I..." Kaideon stuttered, taking a slow step forward.

Neveah’s heart constricted. It was the first time she’d ever seen her father look so uncertain.

King Nolan was just as stunned. But he snapped out of it first, dashing towards the platform "Eira!"

His exclamation seemed to pull Kaideon out of it and he crossed the room in a flash, arriving even before Nolan did.

"Scales..." Kaideon gasped, his tone breaking into a sob as he dropped to his knees by the platform. "Eira...my Eira..."

It began as a call, but soon turned into a chant. Like he could not muster any other words, but her name.

"This is...all my fault... I failed you... I couldn’t protect you...I didn’t search hard enough...I failed you..."

His regrets were deeper than just the words he cried out.

His shoulders trembled visibly, and his sobs tore out of him, raw and visceral.

"I’ll kill them all." King Nolan vowed darkly, "Every last Eclipse wolf!"

She had wondered since waking up how she would face this moment. Even now... she still wasn’t sure.

Neveah sucked in a sharp breath, "Father..."

Kaideon glanced over his shoulder at Neveah, and the broken look in his eyes completely tore at her.

She didn’t say the words, but Kaideon’s eyes searched hers. And he knew.

His eyes widened and he hurriedly checked for a pulse.

There were no breaths to tell. At first glance, she appeared to be a frozen corpse.

Even her pulse was barely there. Just the slightest flutter, easily missed if one didn’t pay close attention.

But Kaideon’s cry of delight announced what Neveah already knew. Eira...still lived.

Barely...but she did.

Tears stung her eyes as she watched Kaideon, his fractured sobs of relief echoing through the cavern.

A fortress lord as he was, a pillar of the stronghold and a feared battle lord, she’d never seen him so utterly...human.

It broke her heart, yet warmed it at the same time. His love for Eira... it was beyond anything Neveah had ever seen.

"Thank you....thank you....thank you...." He chanted between sobs, "Thank you... for giving me back...my family."

"I will never...fail you, or our daughter again... I’ll die a thousand deaths, before anyone hurts my family again..."

Jian’s hold around her tightened. And Xenon took her hand in his, his thumb stroking comforting circles on the back of her palm.

That numb feeling finally faded, and her heart pulsed, a myriad of emotions flooding her.

A few years ago, she was a girl without a home. Without a place in the world.

And now... she didn’t quite know what she was. But one thing she was certain of, was that she was no longer that girl.

"You’re not alone anymore, Veah..." Jian’s tone was a low whisper, "Now, you have truly found your place."