The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 94: Dilemma

"Joar..."

Jessamyn’s eyes widened and her lips curved seeing the one she loved waiting for her. Without any second thoughts, she ran to him.

As she ran, the ground beneath her feet trembled violently, the tremors increasing with each passing second. Ahead of her, Joar reached out with a look of desperation, his eyes wide with fear and determination. She pushed herself harder, willing her legs to move faster.

I have to get to Joar...

Without warning, a massive chasm began to form, the ground cracking open with a sickening groan. The fissure started as a thin line, but within moments, it widened into a gaping abyss that threatened to swallow everything in its path. Dust and dirt erupted from the rift, obscuring her vision.

"Joar!" She shouted. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The chasm continued to widen, the sides crumbling and falling away into the void. Her heart ached with the realization that she might not be able to reach him, that the chasm might separate them forever.

"Joar... I am coming... Wait for me a little longer... Wait for me..."

Jessamyn shouted fueled with desperation. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she tried to steady herself. Panic surged from the bottom of her heart.

I cannot lose Joar... I cannot lose the only person who loves me... I cannot... Joar... don’t leave me alone...Take me with you...

She almost jumped into the chasm. She was not unfamiliar with this dream. She always tried to jump into the chasm to get to Joar.

But this time, something else happened—A soothing voice enveloped her like a gentle embrace of a mother.

"Shh...I’m here, Jessamyn... I’m here..."

Jessamyn stopped, her ears straining to hear the familiar yet distant voice. As the dust settled, a gust of wind blew it away, revealing the chasm still gaping before her.

Her eyes, however, were drawn to her back, where the soothing voice called. Her breathing got regular.

The peaceful plains stretched out behind her, green and fresh, just as she loved. Her heart got lighter breathing the scent the breeze passing through the meadows brought her. There were mango trees ripe with mangoes, and cawing ravens, and amidst the ravens was a mynah bird that mimicked the ravens too.

To her left lay the beautiful scenery where she longed to run free, and to her right was the chasm. Beyond the chasm stood Joar, waiting for her.

A war raged in her mind, unable to choose. She sat hugging her knees and rocked herself.

On one side was what she yearned for the most—love. She cannot let him go after everything he did for her. But to get there, she needed to descend the chasm.

On the other side, however, was happiness and peace. She could go there just as she was.

What should I do? Where should I go?

"Shh...All is well... That’s right... Breathe, Jessamyn... Breathe..."

In the soothing embrace of the gentle voice, Jessamyn closed her eyes. Soon all that troubled her disappeared. Everything around her vanished and there was a soothing darkness that lulled her to sleep.

-----

Jerrick gently patted Jessamyn’s hand watching her breathing get regular. She was like a weathered flower lying on the big bed. One moment she was sleeping peacefully and the next moment she was in great distress.

Once again, she said his name but this time, it didn’t hurt him as it did the first time. Maybe he expected it.

He was unsure what actually went on earlier, but she was shaking in distress. His voice, however, brought her back.

Is she having visions of Hector from beyond? Is he trying to take her from the land of living?

Jerrick almost drew her blood to cast a spell to read her mind. But he decided against it. It was a spell that would cause immense distress to the one it was enacted on—it was a spell used in the interrogation of spies and was not meant to be gentle.

But he didn’t want to let it go and decided to investigate it further.

Jerrick’s hand fisted to balls as his eyes ended on his leg. He never held hatred toward Joar. He was grateful for him. But if he was haunting Jessamyn in her dreams wishing to steal her before her time ends, he wouldn’t let him.

What if he was dead? He could still hurt him if he dared to cause distress to Jessamyn again. He just needed to find a way.

Jerrick looked at Jessamyn’s dainty hands inside his hands. At the dance hall, when he prepared to leave her the veiled lady appeared, and she stopped him. He still remembered the possessiveness of her hold. She acted assertive and was fearless in front of that woman while holding on to him.

"What were you thinking, dear Myna...Why did you stop me? Why did you forget? You want me... don’t you? Tell me you want me..." he whispered, her voice barely above a breath, and kissed her hands.

He watched her sleep, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he noticed the slight curve at the corners of her mouth. She must be feeling better now.

He realized how messy she looked. Carefully, he removed the corset and tossed it aside. He had loosened it earlier when she had trouble breathing. Her face had regained its color after the scare earlier, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

The room felt stuffy and he opened the window. The temperature was dipping as the sun reached the horizon. Although the winter in Elodia was not as harsh as Roche, it would get chillier. At times, it would snow in Elodia too.

He approached the bed, his footsteps soft against the floor, and found her lying there, clad only in her chemise. He remembered being the one to remove the other layers of clothing.

A pang of concern flickered through him as he noticed the nubs of her chest, standing erect and prominently visible. Is she feeling cold? Without knowing he ended up staring at her chest.

His throat went dry as he observed the way she lay on the bed, an unintentional allure to her posture that stirred something deep within him, something primal and forbidden.

The curve below her neck caused a tightness in his abdomen. Her twin peaks, sculpted by the hands of a divine artist, rose with graceful prominence from the delicate curve of her chest.

He chuckled. Is she the same girl who cried that she was not a woman?

Before he knew it, he was already standing by her side, his hand reaching to her.