The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 96: Togetherness

Jerrick had long avoided the one-eyed seer. Even if he saw her, he had a way to handle her but this time, she felt so powerful. By gripping his heart where it would hurt, she managed to make him falter.

He clenched his fists, trying to steel himself against the wave of dark emotions surging within him kindled by the darkness emitting from the woman. He had faced countless dangers, and fought battles that would break lesser men, but this was different.

This was a battle within his own soul, a fight against the one thing he couldn’t control: his feelings for Jessamyn.

He was losing. Standing alone, the oppressive weight of her dark presence caused him dread. Lacking a light, he was crumbling.

Is this the end? Am I getting imprisoned in my mind and lost in my dreams forever?

As he lost the last sliver of hope, a warmth engulfed his hand—his left hand to be precise. He looked down to see that hand glowing with a bright glow of silver. The immaculate glow scorched the tentacles of darkness wrapped around him, rendering their attack useless.

Jessamyn, he thought, seeing the glow. Nothing was signaling her presence, and yet, the glow reminded him of her.

Thinking of her name, a blinding light sparked in his chest. It radiated outward, filling him with a surge of strength and clarity—a feeling similar to the one he felt at the dance hall. Soon he was engulfed in brightness.

The oppressive darkness that had threatened to consume him began to recede, unable to withstand the pure, unblemished light emanating from within. The light in his chest grew brighter, and he felt its warmth spread through his entire body, driving away the cold despair that had gripped his heart.

The seer’s hold on his mind weakened as the light drove away the darkness. "You will not control me," he said, his voice steady and resolute.

"You underestimate, boy..." the one-eyed seer laughed as she retreated along with the darkness, yet Jerrick sensed the fear she tried to hide. "She will die!"

The malevolent voice echoed as the tentacles of darkness fell away along with the dark figure, unable to withstand the purity of the light. He felt the oppressive weight lift from his shoulders, replaced by a sense of freedom.

In the garden, he found himself standing alone, the seer’s presence now a distant whisper in his mind. The birds were chirping, the sun was bright and he heard the distant stream.

*Clang*

He awoke with a gasp, and sat upright in bed, hearing the loud noise. He saw Isadora picking up the water jug. The entire room was lit with candles and he loved the brightness. He saw no one else there.

"I apologize, Your Grace... The room was dark and I..."

Jerrick placed his forefinger on his lips and shook his head to silence Isadora. His eyes ended on Jessamyn as he worried she might have gotten startled by the noise.

She was sleeping peacefully, but his eyes widened noticing it. Jessamyn was holding his hand—the same hand where the glow originated back in his dream.

"There is no water. I~"

Jerrick didn’t even look at Isadora and waved his hand to dismiss Isadora. If it was someone else who dared to barge into the room he was resting in without his permission, they would have been thrown for his pigs to feed on.

Too bad, he couldn’t kill Isadora.

Isadora got his message and rushed out of the room. Jerrick observed his hand, now sandwiched between Jessamyn’s hands. She had a peaceful smile on her face and her breathing was even. She was deeply asleep.

He placed his hand over her hands and rested his forehead on it. Her alluring scent entered his senses and he looked at her face and gently kissed the tip of her nose.

Her nostrils flared and she pulled out her hand to scratch the tip of her nose where he kissed.

Jerrick regretted disturbing her but she went back to place her hand on his hand. His lips curved and his heart raced out of happiness.

He lay at his side, facing her. The warmth from her hands reached his heart and he couldn’t stop smiling. She is willingly holding my hand!

He had no doubts this time that she might be thinking of someone else when she was holding him. Because he felt her warmth earlier.

Just like on the dance floor, it was Jessamyn’s presence and her warmth that chased away that one-eyed seer from his dreams.

It did make him wonder. Both of them saw that one-eyed seer earlier and both of them had nightmares they dreaded. What are the chances of that?

Jerrick’s heart shook remembering the words of the seer—She will die. That was the one thing he dreaded more than anything else—to live in a world where she wasn’t in. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Closing his eyes, he took in her scent. He realized one other takeaway from today’s debacle.

We were pretty much invincible together against the seer—well, Jessamyn appeared to be stronger, but she channeled strength through me. The seer was afraid of us being together.

Jerrick kissed the tip of his fingers and nuzzled closer to her hand. I am not letting go of you again, Jessamyn!

He was not willing to live life without her anymore. The thought of having her away from him caused him dread. Whatever fate had in plan for them, he wanted to face it and wanted to shield Jessamyn from any harm using whatever means possible.

He was about to fall asleep again when he heard the grumbling of a stomach. It was not his and his lips curved up seeing Jessamyn furrowing her brows and rolling to her back.

He straightened up. She would wake up soon. He needed to prepare dinner for her.

Meanwhile, Jessamyn had a pleasant dream. She was walking in the garden of the Beaumont Castle when she came across a wolf cub under a mango tree. Wolves were not common in Ravensworth but she was awed by its beauty.

The wolf cub was covered in dirt and shivering out of fear and yet it held a mysterious allure that made her heart skip a beat.

She picked up the wolf cub and held it between her hands to warm it up. Soon, the cub got warm and got revitalized. She walked around the garden holding that cute cub that offered her a sense of belonging.

Suddenly, the wolf cub jumped from her hands and ran away. Jessamyn tried to chase the cub and with that, the dream dissipated.

Jessamyn woke up hungry. Rubbing her stomach, she looked around. She was in an unfamiliar room.

Where am I? Did I faint again?