Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Call Me By My Name

Chapter One

“Aeylia, surely you must know how I feel about you.”

‘Crap,’ Alex thought, panic rising in her chest as she peered at Aven’s earnest gaze. ‘This is not good.’

“Everybody seems to know,” the nervous prince continued. “Even my mother, who had been thanking the stars above when she first laid her eyes on you.”

Alex internally groaned, eyes fluttering closed as she realized all those breakfasts with the Queen happened because of an ulterior motive. ‘Double freaking crap.’

“Are you… are you going to say something?”

She opened her eyes as she heard the open vulnerability in Aven’s voice. As she stared at the prince, whose face was now slowly morphing into one of utter devastation, Alex could not believe this was the same person who heartlessly Claimed her best friend.

Thinking about Jordan, it was enough to bring her to answer him, “Aven, I’m not sure…”

“But I am sure, Aeylia,” he firmly stated. “I’ve never been more sure in my life.”

And bless his heart, Alex had this inkling he was really, truly sincere.

“Niyx!” she cried in her mind. “Niyx! We have a problem. Aven just confessed to me.”

Niyx released colorful Meyarin expletives in reply. “Damn it, Aven!” he said. “I was hoping he’d confess after the festival so that you’ll be gone soon. You’ll just be his stupid first love, and he’ll move on.”

Alex slightly cringed, wondering how she’d found herself in this situation.

‘You didn’t discourage him, Alex,’ she silently admonished to herself. ‘You are entirely to blame. As always.’

“Aven…”

“You do not need to reply so quickly,” Aven cut her off, face already shuttering with feelings that still confused Alex. “It’s… forgive me for dumping this on you on a day that is supposedly for celebration.” He blinked away and glanced at his feet. “I just thought…”

He let his words dangle, and Alex did not know what to do.

Xira said he was already strong enough to bring her back to the present. Alex was tempted to just run away from the confusing feelings of Aven in his pre-villain era. She would just be a weird anomaly in their memories, and no one was none the wiser.

“Be gentle with him, kitten,” Niyx continued through their mental bond. “He is in a vulnerable state right now. What with the Garseth and all.”

And it was all because of her. Of the words she told him that shook his strong beliefs regarding humans.

A part of her felt that if she ran away like this, keeping Aven hanging while he nursed his broken heart without getting the definite answer he deserved, it might have bad repercussions for the future, her original timeline.

‘Like become the psychopathic murderer we all know and love,’ she thought.

Lady Mystique said that whatever she did in the past wouldn’t matter because the future—her present—had already happened.

But then, looking at the clearly devastated Aven, Alex couldn’t just accept that. She did not know how it happened, but this Aven… this Aven was her friend. It was still difficult to divorce this version of him from the one who made her life a living hell, but past Aven was someone kind and loved with his whole heart. He may be misguided, yes, but maybe because no one was there to nudge him to the right path.

She couldn’t just leave him like this, still so conflicted with his thoughts and feelings. Besides, Alex would do everything for her friends.

She was born with the gift of having a strong willpower; a gift so strong it could even break the most forbidden of bonds.

What if her will could also change the future?

“Aven,” she repeated, firmly this time.

“No, Aeylia. Please… please think about it first.”

Alex blew a frustrated breath. “I am thinking about it,” she replied. ‘Too darn hard, to be honest.’ “It’s just so sudden, Aven. We’ve only known each other for three weeks, and then what? You already like me?”

“More than you’ll ever comprehend, Aeylia,” he softly replied.

Her stupid, teenage heart fluttered annoyingly at his words. She could even feel a blush creeping up to her cheeks.

“You only like me because I’m mysterious,” she protested. “I intrigue you.”

“Fair point,” he agreed. “You are the most enigmatic being I’ve ever met.”

Despite her anxiety, a small smile appeared on her face. “Possibly part of my charm, I bet,” she teased.

Aven had gradually relaxed, now that Alex was starting to joke around.“Now you understand why I found myself falling in love with you, Aeylia.”

Alex expelled a surprised chuckle. “Love?” she echoed. “That’s not possible, Aven. You don’t even know me. All of me.”

He surprised her when he grasped both of her hands and earnestly peered at her eyes. “Then allow me to have the privilege of completely knowing you, Aeylia.”

‘Alex,’ she internally sighed. ‘My name is Alex, Aven.’

She then shook her head. “You won’t like everything about me, Aven.” ‘For starters, I’m a freaking human you oh so despise.’

“Impossible,” he interjected. “You are one of the most annoying Meriyans I’ve ever met. Even at par with Niyx, by the light. I think I can manage.”

She cracked another smile. “Be careful what you wish for, Aven,” she replied.

He sighed and pulled his hands away. “From what I’m gleaning from this conversation is that I’m not being outrightly rejected.” Hope shone in his eyes. “Good. That’s good.”

“I… I don’t feel the same way about you, Aven.”

He momentarily looked stricken, but then Aven heaved a huge breath and stood taller. “I’ll prove myself to you,” he swore. “I’ll show you how good, how right we are, and you’ll have no choice but to fall in love with me in return.”

“No means no, Aven,” she reminded. “Have you no manners?” Alex knew she had said those words in jest. Judging from Aven’s look, he could see it in her eyes too.

He beamed so brightly despite how truthful she had been with her feelings.

“No matter,” he said, clutching one of Alex’s hands. “Let’s set this conversation aside for now and enjoy the festivities. I haven’t shown you my surprise yet!”

Before she could ask, Aven summoned the Valispath and they were travelling back to the castle. Throughout the journey, Aven kept holding her hand. Alex was hyperaware of this physical connection she had with Aven and she knew she should pull away. But she couldn’t. In her defense though, his hand was warm and comforting.

“Any updates, kitten?” Niyx asked through their bond.

“I rejected him, Niyx.”

She heard his sigh in her mind. “Leave it to me to cheer him up for now,” he said. “A few shots of good alcohol can lift one’s dejected spirit.”

“I don’t think Aven needs some cheering up.”

“What do you mean?” Niyx asked.

She didn’t have the chance to reply because they finally reached the entrance to the castle. Niyx was already there, lounging around, and when he spied the two, he pointedly looked at their entwined hands.

“Rejected huh?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Alex blushed and threw him a glare. “It’s not what you think,” she claimed. To prove her point, she pulled her hand away from Aven’s comforting hold.

“Our guests, Niyx?” Aven asked, breaking their silent conversation.

“They’re inside, already waiting,” his best friend replied. His gaze then landed on Alex. “I’m sure dear Aeylia will be so happy to see them again.”

“Don’t ruin the surprise,” Aven grumbled, now placing a hand on the small of her back while ushering her inside.

“Guests?” Alex mentally asked Niyx.

He merely smiled and shook his head. “You’ll see,” he replied. “By the stars, kitten. Aven did this for you. I hope you show him proper appreciation, whether you return his feelings or not.”

She did not have the chance to probe further because she got distracted by the interior of the Great Hall.

Alex gasped in wonder, marveling at all the decorations that the castle boasted. All the Meyarins were dressed in the outfits she, Kyia, and Queen Niida had worked so hard on. Everybody looked like they were enjoying themselves, while some twirled on the dance floor, ate at the overflowing buffet, and chattered merrily with their companions.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed out, glancing at Aven who was, to her surprise, carefully observing her reaction. “You did really well preparing for this, Aven.”

A shy smile appeared on his face, cheeks lightly staining pink. “This isn’t all me,” he insisted. “I had a lot of help from you and the others.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” she replied. “This is mostly you.”

His smile widened as he grasped her hand again. “Come,” he said. “I’ll bring you to our guests.”

Curiosity got the best of her as she allowed Aven to pull her. She couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping from her lips, though, as she finally saw the familiar faces.

“Bensie!” Alex cried.

Bensie Hayes, together with her human companions, glanced at Alex and beamed at her brightly. “Lady Aeylia! It’s so good to see you.”

“W-what are you all doing here?”

Bensie looked confused and glanced at Alex’s silent companion. “Didn’t your prince tell you?” she asked. “He invited us to witness a Meyarin festival firsthand.

“He did?” Alex asked, staring at a still silent Aven. As she looked at him now, she was bewildered at the embarrassment on his face.

“Aye, he did,” Bensie continued. “And thank you very much, Prince Aven, for inviting us. It is such a great honor to celebrate with the Meyarins.”Bensie’s companions also voiced out their thanks.

Aven tilted his head in acknowledgement. “You are welcome,” he answered. He then proceeded to usher them to the overflowing buffet to taste the delicacies Meya had to offer.

“You invited them,” Alex said once they were out of earshot. “Why?”

Aven could not meet her gaze. “I thought it might make you happy,” he replied. “From what I heard from Vaera, you were quite taken with the mortals the last time they visited. The time when…” His cheeks reddened when Alex knowingly smiled.

“When you ditched me far away from the castle and I had to travel on foot under a torrential storm?” she helpfully supplemented.

Aven visibly flinched, remorse coloring his face. “I am truly, truly sorry for that day, Aeylia,” he said. “That was horrible of me and I still feel immense guilt every time I remember it.”

She smiled at his blubbering. “It’s in the past,” she said. “You made up for it already. And inviting humans too!”

“This pleases you?” he tentatively asked.

“Of course it does!”

“Good,” he smiled. “I am glad.”

“By the stars, kitten. Aven did this for you,” she recalled Niyx telling her. Before she could even properly think about it, Alex reached out to clutch his hand. She gave it a grateful squeeze and said, “Thank you, Aven.”

“Anything for you, Aeylia.”

Her traitorous heart did another somersault and she suddenly could not meet his eyes. She immediately pulled her hand away and looked at Bensie and the others once more, who were now awed by the delectable food decorating the long table.

It was also at that moment when Alex recalled something D.C. said.

“He murdered a group of humans in front of everyone before he was disinherited by the King,” a memory of D.C.’s words echoed inside her head as her blood ran cold, eyes once again latching onto the humans.

“Is everything all right?”

Her heart thudded loudly inside her chest, this time from an entirely different reason.

“I-I’m fine,” she stammered. Still unable to meet his eyes, she continued, “Maybe I should accompany the humans. Show them around and entertain them for the time being.” If she stuck with them, maybe Alex could prevent any disastrous interactions with Aven and the mortals that could lead to their massacre.

Aven answered her with silence, thus prompting her to look back at him. She could clearly see the displeasure on his face, which was why it shocked her greatly when he said, “Then let me join you too.”

“No, no,” Alex said even before he finished his sentence. “This is the party you organized. I think you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor instead.”

“And I was the one who invited the humans,” he reasoned out. “It is only proper that I entertain them also.”

D.C.’s words echoed once more, increasing her panic. “No, Aven, really, I insist,” she said. “I’m sure you don’t want to spend the rest of your time with mortals you despise so much.”

Aven frowned at her words. “I… don’t despise them,” he said, although Alex could see the great effort he gave just to utter those words. He then looked away, his frown deepening. “And I want to spend the rest of my night with you.”

Alex sighed, slightly growing weary of his inconvenient feelings. “Tell you what,” she whispered, stepping a bit closer to Aven. She swallowed when his piercing, gold eyes met her gaze. “I… um, I promise to dance with you once before the night ends. I’m sure you’d want to interact with your friends instead of your mortal guests.”

He became contemplative, ruminating about her bargain.

“Three.”

“What?”

“You will owe me three dances,” he elaborated. “Then I can leave you alone with the mortals.”

“Three!” Alex gasped. “Aven, if you want to save your toes, I promise you, one dance with me is enough.”

He softly laughed. “I am a very good dancer,” he replied. “I can make up for your, well, abysmal dancing skills.”

“Hey, watch it!”

“Three, Aeylia,” he said, still with a grin on his face. “Then you’ll have yourself a deal.”

“Oh, fine,” she relented. “If you can barely walk tomorrow, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Us Meyarins don’t bleed easily,” he reminded her. “I’m sure I’ll live another day.”

“We’ll see about that,” she grumbled.

__________

Alex had barely relaxed throughout the festival. The other humans were big chatterboxes, and quite curious too, and Alex had indulged their questions with the meager knowledge she’d gleaned during her three-week stay with the royal family.

Aven sought her out thrice, as promised, to sweep her onto the dancefloor. Despite her two left feet and profuse apologies, Aven kept on reassuring her that he was all right. The stupid Meyarin looked like he was even enjoying himself, and Alex couldn’t help matching his enthusiasm.

Niyx had pulled her twice for a dance, and despite his persistence in asking what had transpired back at Raelia, she kept on telling him they would talk after the festival. She could not afford to get distracted, not with Aven and the humans in the same room.

Soon, by some miracle, the festival had come to an end without any hitch and Alex was already saying goodbye to the mortals.

“You have been a gracious host to us, Lady Aeylia,” Bensie said, speaking for the group. “Tell your prince once more we are grateful for your hospitality.”

“I am no Lady,” Alex insisted, perhaps for the nth time. “And he is not my prince.”

Bensie merely exchanged glances with the others, prompting Alex to sigh.

“Safe travels to you all,” Alex then said with a smile.

Alex was confused when they suddenly straightened. “Prince Aven,” Bensie greeted, as they all bowed in greeting.

“You are leaving?” the prince asked, sidling beside Alex.

“It will take a few days to return to Tryllin, so we must.

“Then, keep safe and thank you for accepting my invitation despite the short notice,” he replied.

“As we’ve said, attending a Meyarin festival has been a great privilege for us humans,” Bensie said. “Thank you, Prince Aven, from the bottom of our hearts. Meya will surely flourish if the royal family is as kindhearted as you.”

Alex felt Aven stiffen beside her. He merely tilted his head as the humans bid them goodbye once more.

“Come, Aeylia,” he then said. “I’ll escort you back to your room.”

Alex nodded and followed Aven. Along the way, she bid the other royal family members good night.

Their journey back to Alex’s room was initially a quiet one.

“They think you’re kindhearted, Aven,” she softly said, breaking their amicable silence.

Aven glanced at her briefly. “If only they knew, right?” he lightly teased.

But Alex was already shaking her head. “They are right, you know,” she said. “What you did today, inviting them to the festival tonight when you have certain… opinions regarding their race. I— thank you, Aven. For trying. I know it’s hard. I know you are still conflicted. But you tried.”

Aven was silent for a while, and Alex thought their conversation had already ended. “They are not that… bad.”

Alex snorted in an unladylike manner, much to Aven’s amusement. “Which means they are not that good either,” she pointed out.

“I’m trying my best, remember?” Aven shot back. “It was particularly hard not to be condescending in their presence.”

“Oh, there were some thinly veiled jabs that were bordering on condescending a while ago. But, bonus points for reining them in.” She grinned widely at him. “Next thing we know, you’ll be the champion of the poor and downtrodden humans. You just wait.”

Aven snorted this time. “Now, we are just being too ambitious,” he said, halting in his steps as they now reached Alex’s room.

“But not too far-fetched, Aven,” she said as he pushed her door open.

Before she could completely cross over her threshold, she said, “But Aven, really. Thank you.”

“You are most welcome, Aeylia,” he said, beaming down at her. “I hope you had a great time.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I mean, yes, yes, of course I had a great time, no thanks to you. But what I really mean is thank you for being so kind to the mortals tonight. I know it isn’t much for you, but it means a lot to me.”

Mainly because there was no massacre that happened tonight by Aven’s hands, but he didn’t really need to know that.

“I… can’t say the same for your other, well, comrades.” Alex’s voice dropped a few octaves lower just in case some eavesdropping Meyarins were still up and about. “It wasn’t too hard to notice how some of your acquaintances didn’t look pleased with the presence of the humans in your festival tonight.”

“Well, they aren’t too pleased with me either for my sudden change of heart,” the prince pointed out, his lips tugging down in a frown.

Sudden fear struck Alex’s heart. “I hope they won’t be a problem in the future?” she asked.

Aven pursed his lips and silently tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Do not concern yourself with them, Aeylia,” she said. “They are not your problem to worry about.”

“But they are yours,” she pointed out matter-of-factly. When Aven’s eyes hardened with an emotion she did not understand, the dread in her heart grew. “Aven—”

“It had been a long day,” he insisted. “It is best if you retire for the night.”

“Aven—”

“Aeylia,” he firmly replied. “Please.”

Stubborn her wanted to talk about it more, but Aven was right. She was tired, and her comfortable bed was paces away from her. She’d let this issue go for now.

To her surprise, Aven suddenly dropped a kiss against the worry lines on her forehead. “Do not worry your pretty head over this anymore,” he whispered, his lips lightly brushing against her skin. He lightly pulled back and grinned at her flustered face. “Sweet dreams, Aeylia.”

The prince then walked away, leaving Alex to stare dumbly at his retreating back, while her fingers pressed against her forehead where his lips had just touched a while ago.

“Well, that was just sickening.”

Alex yelped in surprise and whirled around, heart jumping to her throat. Although she had not mastered the heightened senses from her Meyarin blood, she could still see the familiar silhouette of Niyx sitting on her bed, bathed in darkness.

“Jeez, Niyx!” she furiously whispered as she slammed her door. “You could have given me a heart attack!”

“Melodramatic much?” Niyx teased.

“What the heck are you doing here?” she demanded, walking closer to her bed.

A frown appeared on Niyx’s face. “I need answers, kitten,” he explained. “Lots of them, in fact. But for starters—” he gestured wildly at her closed door—“what in all the stars and the light in the sky was that with Aven?”

“What do you mean?”

“Aeylia, I thought you said you rejected him,” he elaborated. “That sickening forehead kiss he gave you as his goodnight contradicted that. Not to mention how much dancing you did during the party. My best friend did not look like he was nursing a broken heart.”

“We only danced thrice,” Alex lamely protested. When Niyx merely quirked an eyebrow, she sighed and sat down on her bed in front of him. “I told him I didn’t feel the same way about him, but I think… I did not outrightly reject him.”

Now, Nixy looked confused. “I don’t understand.”

“What I mean is, I did not really say ‘no’ to his confession,” she murmured. She was thankful her room was still very dark since Niyx could not fully see how her cheeks flared in embarrassment.

“Aeylia,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I still do not understand why you did that, but if you are just stringing him along, then end whatever this is you have with him. Do not give him any false hope.”

Alex struggled internally about whether she should tell him the real reason for her decision or not. Only Roka knew of Aven’s dark fate, and she wasn’t sure how Niyx would react to it once he knew.

Finally coming to a decision, she expelled a soft breath and said, “Now that you know I am human, I think you should know that I have other secrets too. Since we share this bond, it would be harder for me to keep them further inside. Especially now I may or may not have done something reckless that could change my future for better or worse.”

Niyx only stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to reveal her other secrets.

“Remember when I told you I’m from the future?” she asked. “When I told you about this… enemy of mine, who initially Claimed me, but I was able to break from the chains because of my gift of strong willpower?”

Instead of offering his words, Niyx nodded.

“That enemy… that future enemy of mine is Aven, Niyx.”

His eyes bugged out, his jaw dropping in surprise too. “Y-you don’t mean to say—”

Alex was already nodding her head. “From when I came from, that version of Aven is just plain evil, Niyx,” she softly continued. “He was driven by a lot of hatred from all the humans and he’s building an army consisting of Claimed gifted Medorans and Meyarins alike to destroy the human race.”

“I… I don’t believe you,” Niyx breathed out.

Knowing that words alone couldn’t convince him, Alex mentally conjured all the interactions she had with the future Aven. She showed him the very first time she met him when she stumbled into Medora, showed him all those chance encounters just for him to torment her.

She had now shown him a mental image of how Aven tried to Claim her, when Niyx gasped and whispered, “Stop. Please.”

She shuttered her dark memories away to properly look at Niyx. He looked as pale as the moon, a stricken look on his face.

“So you see,” Alex softly started, “after getting to know how Aven is in the past, the now, I can’t just leave him be. Not when he’s just starting to understand how wrong his perceptions are against us humans.”

“With you being here, will that change anything for Aven?” he quietly asked.

“To be honest, I-I don’t know,” she stammered. ”When I arrived here, Lady Mystique, the Aes Daega, told me that the time I’ve left behind cannot be changed because it already happened. That no matter what I do right now, nothing will change.”

“Then why are you trying, even when it is futile?”

“Because don’t you see?” Alex sighed. “If by some miracle I was able to stop Aven from becoming the monster who hurt my loved ones, then I will not only save my friends and my family. I can also save Aven.”

Niyx mutely stared at her, a myriad of emotions flashing in his eyes.

“You cannot save everyone, Alex,” he said. It did not escape her notice how he’d used her real name. “If the Aes Daega said you cannot change anything that already happened, then all might be for naught.”

“So that is it, Niyx? I should just give up on Aven and… and let the natural course of his descent to the darkness happen without even trying to stop it?”

He could not give her an answer.

“I don’t know how it happened but the Aven here—the Aven now—he has become my friend, Niyx. I can’t just do nothing.”

He stared at her unblinkingly for a long time before expelling a slow breath and offering her a weak smile. “Has anyone ever told you how mighty stubborn you are?” he asked.

“I have other stellar traits, but I think that is one of my best,” she cajoled.

Nixy chuckled softly and shook his head. “I don’t know how you’re going to defy what has already been written, but I will do my best to help you, Aeylia,” he said.

“Aww shucks, are you turning into a softie for me, Niyx?”

Alex yelped when he flicked her nose. Niyx grinned and stood up, narrowly escaping the slap she intended to give on his arm.

“It had been a long and tiring day, kitten,” he said. “Get some rest.”

He patted her head like she was truly a kitten, ignoring Alex’s cries of indignation.

Once Niyx was gone, Alex changed into her nightgown and settled on her bed.

“Alex? Are you awake?”

“Xira!” Alex greeted. “It’s late at night. Why are you still awake?”

“We don’t sleep as much as humans, Alex,” the draekon explained.

“Handy,” she replied. “I wish I weren’t such a human who needs to sleep too much. Imagine how productive I can be.”

She heard Xiraxus’s low chuckle.

“Alex,” he continued, “my strength has now fully recovered. I have enough energy to bring you back to your own timeline as early as tomorrow.”

Alex pursed her lips and lifted her blanket up to her chin. “Change of plans, Xira,” she said. “I think I’m going to stay here for a little longer.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Now that the excitement of the festival had ended, things started to calm down for Alex.

Aven had always been a constant to her since she’d forgiven him for ditching her. What she wasn’t prepared for, however, was how he seemed to now desire to spend all of his free time with her. It had started to become a problem now that Roka was back to training her. Aven kept insisting on watching them spar, and Roka was already running out of excuses to stop his younger brother from watching and accidentally discovering that Aeylia was, in fact, a human named Alexandra Jennings.

“He is brutal with me, Aven,” Alex told him one morning when he just caught Roka and Alex before they started their sparring session. “Merciless, I tell you. I don’t think it’s something you want to see, right? How will you feel watching your brother sweep the dirty floor with my body?”

She knew she was overexaggerating a lot, since Roka tended to coddle her. Judging from the amused look on the Crown Prince’s face, she could tell that he believed she was embellishing too.

But that seemed to do the trick, for Aven paled simply imagining the words she fed him.

“Fair point,” he sighed. He then glared at his older brother. “Ro, if I see a single scar on her skin later, I swear I will—”

“Ugh, Aven, we get it. Just go!” Despite the exasperation she was feeling, Alex couldn’t stop the smile from blooming on her face. It scared her a little how his overbearingness was starting to be more endearing than annoying. “Besides, we Meyarins do not wound easily, remember?”

“Not a scratch, Aven, I swear to the stars,” Prince Roka replied with a chuckle.

“Don’t indulge him!” Alex snapped, but Aven merely nodded and left the two alone.

“Finally, some peace and quiet,” Alex sighed as Roka continued to laugh at her half-hearted annoyance.

“He is overprotective of you, Aeylia,” he pointed out.

“‘Clingy’ seems to be a more fitting word,” Alex grumbled as she lifted the wooden sword and fell into a fighting stance. Niyx’s training was still more brutal than Roka could ever give her, but they both agreed that Alex would continue training with the Crown Prince just so he would not ask difficult questions.

Alex expected Roka to mirror her stance, but to her surprise, he was still staring at her. “What?” Alex asked, her hand now on her cheek. “Is there something on my face?”

Roka lightly smiled and shook his head. He then activated the Myrox dome to hide them from their surroundings and protect them from eavesdroppers.

“Forgive me. It’s just that…” He trailed off, his smile morphing into a frown. “My brother has taken a great liking to you. I fear what his reaction will be if he found out that, well, you’re not one of us.”

“I do not plan on telling him, Roka. Ever,” she quickly replied.

Roka pierced her with a stare. “My brother is a smart man,” he simply said. “He is bound to notice things about you that won’t make sense to him. Sooner or later, he will know about your true race, Aeylia.”

“Then let’s just hope it will be the latter. Before it gets revealed, I’ll be out of your hair already back to my timeline,” she said. When Roka continued to stare at her disapprovingly, Alex made a face. “I am being careful.”

“Need I remind you that I accidentally discovered that you’re human from a mere paper cut?”

Alex glared at him in return. “Then I will be extra careful around Aven,” she amended.

“For all our sakes, especially yours, I hope you really will be,” he said. “Aven may be conflicted right now about his opinion with regards to humans, but the initial negative feelings do not just disappear overnight.”

She mellowed down at his words, feeling their heavy weight on her shoulder. “I know, Roka,” she said. “Trust me, I know.”

“If I read one more line about how the House of Dalmarta claimed the Meyarin throne, my brain will seriously explode, Kyia.”

The pretty Meyarin eyed Alex in amusement, who was now slumped over the numerous history tomes opened on her desk.

“But we still haven’t discussed how the great Houses of the Meyarin High Court were created,” Kyia replied.

Alex groaned and buried her head underneath her arms. ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,’ she thought, biting her tongue to hold back from voicing those words aloud that could put her at the receiving end of Kyia’s wrath. She was very good with a bow and arrow, after all.

“Fine, we will stop here.”

“Thank you, Kyia. You are the best!” Alex gushed out as she lifted her head to gratefully look at the Meyarin.

There was, however, a strange glint in Kyia’s eyes, who then proceeded to swipe the books to the side. “We have another pressing matter to talk about, though,” she continued.

“A pressing matter?”

A sneaky grin grew on Kyia’s face. “You and Aven.”

Alex couldn’t stop a frown from appearing on her face. “And what about us?” she asked, although she already had an idea what she was talking about.

Kyia rolled her eyes and leaned forward. “Anyone with eyes can see that something has changed between you two since the festival,” she pointed out. “Am I correct in guessing that Aven finally confessed his feelings for you?”

Alex could feel her cheeks heating, and she could not meet Kyia’s eyes. “So everyone does know,” she sighed.

“Ha! I knew it!” Kyia claimed triumphantly.

“Okay, sure, he did confess to me but that was it,” Alex quickly added. “Nothing happened since.”

“Nothing?” Kyia echoed. “Really?”

“Really, really,” Alex said with a firm nod.

The Meyarin’s lips magnetized into a frown. “Forgive me for assuming, but I thought…”

“Thought what, Kyia?”

“Thought that his feelings are reciprocated.”

Alex’s eyes widened in shock. “Whatever gave you that impression?” she asked.

“Well,” Kyia started, “if you were so adamant that Roka and I were ‘meant for each other’, then so are you and Aven.”

Disbelieving her words, Alex threw back her head and loudly laughed. It took a moment for her to calm down, and when she looked back at Kyia, there was a half-amused, half-exasperated expression on her face.

“Are you done laughing, Aeylia?”

Alex wiped away a few tears that formed in her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kyia, but no,” she said, “we are not meant for each other. Unlike you and Roka.”

“And why not?” Kyia stubbornly asked. “I am not blind. I can see that there’s a certain… something between you two.”

‘How about that certain something as sworn enemies?’ Alex offered silently. She kept shaking her head. “Whatever you are seeing between us is nothing compared with whatever is blossoming between you and Roka.”

The blush on Kyia’s cheeks was unmistakable.

“Ha! I knew it!” Alex echoed Kyia’s earlier words. “Something happened between you and Roka when you travelled to the Medoran capital.”

Now, it was Kyia who could not meet Alex’s eyes. “You were right,” she softly confessed. “Roka has a lot of charming qualities and I was blind, so blind, not to see them before.”

A terribly girlish squeak escaped from Alex’s lips as she grasped both of Kyia’s hands. “You have to tell me everything that happened, Kyia,” Alex said. “Everything!”

“Later,” she assured, a shy chuckle escaping from her lips. “I have some matters to attend to now. I can’t believe we wasted a few minutes talking about stupid princes.”

“Hey, you started it!”

“Don’t think you’re off the hook with all this Aven thing,” Kyia warned. “We’re going to have a long talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Alex insisted. “Except that we are just friends.”

“In which one looks like he’d gather all the stars above for you if you so wish it?” Kyia helpfully added.

Alex frowned. “That’s… that’s not how Aven looks at me.”

Kyia sighed. “Oh, sweet, sweet Aeylia,” she said with a fond smile. “Open your eyes.”

Her heart jumped to her throat, and Alex could not talk about Aven anymore. “Didn’t you say you have another errand to attend to?” she reminded instead.

The Meyarin jumped to her feet and bid Alex goodbye, leaving her behind after summoning the Valispath.

Alex pushed all Aven-related thoughts from her mind. She busied herself returning all the books she used during her History lessons with Kyia.

By the time she was done, she had a few more hours to spare before supper with the royal family. Maybe a nap would do her some good.

Alex could now access the Valispath as easily as breathing, but something in her heart told her a nice walk back to her room would be better.

She still marveled at how exquisite the Meyarin castle was. D.C.’s home was already beautiful, but it truly did not hold a candle against this castle.

As she continued strolling, a sudden, weird sensation erupted at the back of her head. Alex stopped walking, her instincts telling her that someone was standing behind her.

Without even turning around, she already knew who it was.

“I honestly thought you’d seek me out much earlier.”

Alex slowly turned and came face-to-face with Lady Mystique.

Aes Daega gave Alex a small smile and reached out for her hand. “Walk with me, child,” she said.

Alex had barely grasped for her hand when she was suddenly whisked away in a blinding light.

The travel was brief, but it had momentarily blinded her. After blinking rapidly, she glanced around and noted that they were back at the mushroom circle in Raelia.

“A little warning won’t hurt next time,” Alex complained, but Lady Mystique merely gave her an unrepentant smile.

“I needed to bring you somewhere to avoid any eavesdroppers,” she explained. “Meyarins, after all, have a very good sense of hearing.”

A soft sigh escaped from Alex’s lips. “I already know what you’ll say,” she said. “So save it, Lady Mystique.”

“Do you truly, Alexandra?”

When Alex stared knowingly, Lady Mystique’s expression grew serious. “Xiraxus’s strength has already returned. Enough to bring you back to your own time.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you still here, child?” the wizened lady asked.

From the looks of it, Lady Mystique already knew the answer. Alex wasn’t even sure why she was interrogating her like this, when surely she was all-knowing and all that crap.

“I needed to do something,” she murmured, unwilling to break their gaze. “Aven is… he is my friend. No matter how strange that sounds. But after spending almost a month here, he just is.”

“And what do you think your continued presence will do to him?”

Alex was tempted to pull out her hair in frustration. “Well, someone’s insistent on asking the difficult questions today, huh?” When Aes Daega merely quirked an eyebrow, Alex sighed once more. “I know you said my present cannot be changed anymore because it already happened. But I can’t just—” She paused and swallowed, her expression turning beseeching, silently wishing that the old lady would understand. “I cannot just stand aside and not do anything. Aven’s trying, Lady Mystique. He’d stopped actively campaigning to cut off ties with the humans because he could at least now understand the gist of why Meya continues to trade with the Medorans.”

“And what do you think this will accomplish, Alexandra?” she replied, her gaze still intense.

“I don’t know, okay?” Alex answered in exasperation. “You said I cannot change anything, but Aven failed to massacre those humans during the end-of-the-summer festival. D.C. once told me that that was a major turning point in Aven’s destiny. Before he was disinherited and became the monster we know and love.” Her blood ran cold, imagining what could have happened if she had handled his confession poorly. “Call me egotistical, but I cannot stop thinking that I may be his main reason for turning to the dark side. And because of that, I want to actively do something to prevent it. To stop him from hating me so much, it could end in a mass genocide of my race.”

Lady Mystique’s answering silence stretched too long; it was almost too uncomfortable for Alex. She could neither decipher what the powerful being was thinking, her expression not giving her any hint of what she was running through her mind.

“You are correct in assuming that you are Aven’s trigger point, Alexandra,” she finally replied.

Her blood chilled, now that her suspicions were voiced aloud. “Then… all the destruction, the hurt and the terror,” she slowly said. “Aven did that because of… me?”

Alex felt like she was going to be sick. The burden of keeping everyone safe from Aven’s warpath was already heavy on her shoulders. Now that she knew that for some bizarre reason, it was her presence here in the past that triggered Aven’s wrath, Alex now felt like she was drowning.

Aes Daega kindly smiled at her and reached for her hand. “None of what’s happening in your current timeline is your fault, child,” she reassured. “The fault all lies in Aven Dalmarta and his choices.” She squeezed her hand before pulling away. “Which is why what you are doing right now is futile. No matter how long you stayed, your departure will still be the specific point in time that will trigger Aven’s doom and lead to the future you always knew. It has been written in the stars.”

“Then I will stay here for as long as I can, until he’d fully understand the importance of humans,” she stubbornly replied.

“And do you want that?” the old lady asked, her stare now unforgiving. “Your friends, your family, and classmates… the Medorans. Would you delay the inevitable just to satisfy your ego?”

A lump formed in Alex’s throat. “This isn’t about my ego, Lady Mystique. This is about a friend I want to help,” she whispered, suddenly growing weary. “I refuse to think that the only reason why I am accidentally sent in the past is to lead Aven to his doom, and hurt all the people I love. I just can’t.”

Lady Mystique’s eyes softened. “You cannot save everyone, Alexandra Jennings,” she said. “Even your worst enemy.”

“And yet, I still want to try.”

Aes Daega sadly shook her head. “You can’t save the Rebel Prince, child. That is not your role in whatever timeline you are in,” she said. “Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself.”

Alex was ready to defend her decision, but the older lady’s last words made her pause. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. “When you said it is only Aven who can save himself?”

Lady Mystique only smiled. “Come, child, you are needed back at the castle,” she said, grasping her hand.

“No, wait—“

Another blinding life engulfed them both. The next second, Alex blinked, and she was now back in her room in Meya. Lady Mystique was nowhere to be found.

“Aww, come on!” Alex grumbled to the wind. “We were actually getting onto something!”

As she plopped down on her bed, she could not help but replay their conversation in her mind.

“Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself.”

‘Then…’ Alex thought, her heart now fluttering with another possibility. ‘Does that mean all hope is not lost?’

The only answer she got was silence.

Alex yelped in surprise when she was suddenly pulled back, barely missing a pillar that she swore appeared out of nowhere.

“Stars, kitten, you almost smacked yourself,” Niyx said, who was the one who rescued her from the possible accident.

“Thanks, Niyx,” she said with a sheepish grin. “And it wasn’t my fault, you know. That pillar wasn’t there a while ago!”

Niyx snorted at her, amused. “Yes, of course, let’s blame an innocent building structure,” he said, glancing at her red cheeks. “What’s got you so distracted, Aeylia?”

Lady Mystique’s words echoed in her mind once more, prompting Alex to grimace. “A lot, as a matter of fact,” she honestly replied. Her grimace deepened as she noted that they were nearing the Dining Hall. “I am half-tempted to ditch dinner just so I can wallow in peace.”

“You know that Aven will seek you out if you do that, right?”

Alex blew a frustrated breath and threw him a glare. “He is so… incorrigible,” she complained. “And annoying. And sooo clingy.

Niyx chuckled at her apparent distress. “This is entirely your fault, Aeylia,” he pointed out. “For giving him hope.”

This reminded her once more of Lady Mystique’s parting words, of a possibility that Aven could still be saved.

Alex grew more frustrated with all of her unanswered questions and mutely dragged Niyx to the Dining Hall instead.

It turned out they were the last ones to arrive, as the royal family was already seated in their respective seats. Alex pointedly stared at Kyia when she noted the beautiful Meyarin was sitting beside the Crown Prince. Kyia lightly glared back at her, her cheeks dusted with pink.

“My dear Aeylia, Niyx,” King Astophe jovially greeted. “Why don’t you take your seats so we can start our supper?”

“Right, yes of course, Your Highness,” Alex said, tightening her grip on Niyx’s hand as she tried to drag him to the empty chairs.

To her surprise, Niyx did not budge. Alex glanced back at him, only to see that he was not looking at her. He followed his line of vision, landing on Aven’s form. The prince had a hard look in his golden eyes… eyes which were staring at their clasped hands.

Alex tried to pull away, but Niyx kept his firm hold.

“Niyx, let go,” she said, trying to pull her hand away unsuccessfully. For some reason, she was feeling something akin to guilt.

“Look at that, your prince is jealous,” Niyx replied through their bond. “Stars, this is fun.”

Alex successfully retrieved her hand away. “You are also incorrigible, Niyx. You know that, right?” she said, quickly putting some distance between her and Niyx. “Do not provoke him.”

“Is that an order?” Even though she could not see his face, she knew he was quirking an eyebrow.

“Incorrigible, honestly.”

“By all means, take your time. We have all day.” It was Prince Roka who broke through their mental conversation.

Alex’s cheeks bloomed red, noting the teasing grin on the Crown Prince’s face.

She muttered a soft apology and glanced once more at the vacant seats. One was beside Kyia, and the other beside Aven.

Alex started to walk towards the seat beside Kyia, but Niyx quickly bumped her away and claimed that seat instead.

“Darn you to the stars, Niyx Raedon,” she grumbled in her mind, slowly walking to sit down on the vacant seat beside Aven.

“Be kind to your prince,” he shot back. “He did a good job reining in his jealousy.”

For her answer, Alex threw him a quick glare. “He is not my prince.”

Supper commenced then, and soft chatters about anything under the sun were exchanged among the group.

Alex was already content listening to Prince Roka’s recounting of their experience in the Medoran capital. Kyia helpfully supplemented his storytelling, and Alex couldn’t stop the smile on her face at how animated the two were.

Her attention was then pulled to Aven when he lightly touched her hand.

“I’m sorry for being busy for the rest of the day,” he said in the common tongue. “I wasn’t able to accompany you at all.”

“You’re not required to be with me at all times, Aven,” she assured him. “Besides, Roka and Kyia took up most of my morning and afternoon, so I won’t be able to entertain you at all.”

This brought out a frown on Aven’s face. “You seemed to have spent a few hours of your day with Niyx, though.”

Before she could stop herself, she quietly teased, “Jealous, Aven?”

The hard look he gave her already spoke volumes, and Alex wordlessly cursed herself for her audacity. At the corner of her eyes, she could see how Niyx was trying to swallow his laughs, no doubt having heard their whispered conversation.

“I’m allowed to spend my time with whomever I want,” she said, mirroring his frown.

“Yes, of course,” Aven drawled. “How terribly presumptuous of me.”

Alex snorted. “Your common tongue has amazingly improved, prince,” she shot back. “Who the heck uses ‘presumptuous’ in their everyday life? I think you should stop reading a thesaurus to practice.”

“Duly noted, Aeylia,” he replied with a glare.

To her surprise, the King suddenly burst into loud laughter. Both Alex and Aven glanced at the King in confusion, only to notice that all of them were looking at the pair with barely contained glee on their faces.

“My apologies, but I can’t help but listen to your conversation,” King Astophe said in the Meyarin language, looking nowhere near apologetic.

‘Curse the Meyarins and their stellar hearing,’ Alex internally groaned, wishing a hole would appear in the Dining Area and hide her from shame.

“Here’s a suggestion,” Queen Niida piped in. “Aeylia here has been gracious enough to eat breakfast with me and help me practice my common tongue. Why don’t you help my son practice more, my dear?”

“I don’t think he needs—”

“Excellent suggestion, my Queen!” King Astophe supported, cutting off Alex’s protest.

“Niyx! Please help me!” she pleaded through her bond.

Niyx lightly smirked, mirth dancing in his amethyst eyes. “Sorry, kitten,” he replied. “This is too entertaining for me to intervene.”

“I think this can also help you, Aven, once we send you as part of our planned envoy to the leaders of the Medoran kingdom,” Roka said in encouragement.

“Envoy?” Alex echoed in surprise, blinking her gaze away from Niyx to look at Roka.

Aven’s eyes hardened. “I have not agreed to this yet,” he reminded.

Alex saw how the king frowned. Tension became palpable inside the Dining Room, and Alex grew nervous.

“We must not pressure him yet, Father,” Roka appeased. “Besides, the envoy is due in the next full moon. Aven has plenty of time to prepare by then.”

“If I agree to be part of it,” Aven murmured under his breath. Roka shot his younger brother a warning glance.

Alex quietly gazed at Aven, who resumed eating quietly. Roka then had moved the conversation to another topic, easing the tension that had formed a while ago.

As she ate silently, she mentally calculated that the next full moon was still a month from now.

If Aven agreed to be part of an envoy to a place teeming with humans… well, Alex refused to conjure worst case scenarios in which Aven suddenly became the psychopathic murderer she’d known for two years.

‘A full month,’ she thought. ‘Am I willing to wait for another month just to see how that will end?’

Alex had no immediate answer right now.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Alex didn’t realize King Astophe’s suggestion for her to tutor Aven with the common tongue would be taken to heart. But here she was now, seated across the prince, who was busy trying to read a short novel written in the common tongue.

She also didn’t know why they were insisting; Meyarins were blessed to be fast learners. Aven did not need her to tutor him to perfect the language, as he’d been getting better and better each day. What she said back at dinner was to spite him for being so annoying, but it certainly bit her back in the ass.

“Please, just indulge the King,” Roka told her once when she pointed this out in one of their sparring sessions. “And maybe you can also… well, influence him.”

Influence Aven - meaning, loudly advocate for the humans and maybe direct Aven’s decision to join the special envoy to the Medoran castle.

She had yet to decide if she was willing to wait for another month just to see if her presence could change Aven’s beliefs regarding her race. She terribly missed her friends; Jordan was still amongst the wolves, and everything had just turned into a disaster when she left to go back in time.

‘A disaster you may either singlehandedly trigger or prevent, Alexandra Jennings,’ she told herself. It wasn’t even a competition. What she would choose was already a no-brainer.

“Aeylia,” Aven called, cutting her off from her inner turmoil, “What does this mean?”

They had been at this tutoring thing for most of the afternoon, and Alex already longed for a nap. Niyx was still unrelenting with his brutal training, pulling her at dawn just to beat her up to a pulp. While laendra did  wonders for her body, she knew she’d be fully charged with adequate sleep.

Alex suddenly blinked awake when Aven flicked her nose. She didn’t realize she was falling asleep, and Aven only noticed when he asked a question and was met with silence.

“I’m sorry,” she sleepily smiled at him. “It’s been a long day.”

“Roka’s not being too hard on you, yes?” he asked, worry in his eyes.

Alex had to swallow a snort, recalling Roka’s refusal to give his all in fear of breaking her. Comparing it with her training with Niyx at the break of dawn, her sparring session with the Crown Prince was a walk in the park.

“Right,” she answered. “He was merciless.”

When Aven’s face darkened, Alex wondered if she was exaggerating too much.

“But he’s been very helpful,” she quickly added. “No scratch on any inch of my skin, see?” She even jumped up to fully show her exposed skin. “Roka means well.”

“I don’t know why you’re training with him,” he said, watching as Alex sank back on her chair. “You’re not training to become a Zeltora, Aeylia.”

She shrugged. “I’m a close acquaintance to the royal family,” she pointed out matter-of-factly. “I think it is smart to at least know some basic combat skills.”

It didn’t escape her eyes when Aven lightly stiffened at her words.

“What is it?” she worriedly asked.

“No, you are right,” he quickly said. “We do have a lot of enemies. You may be a target if you are not prepared.”

Alex wryly smiled. “Well, that sounds terribly like a foreshadowing to me,” she joked.

“Aeylia,” he said, clearly not amused.

“I’m kidding!” she said, putting her hands up as a universal sign of ‘Calm down’. “Jeez, Aven. Lighten up a little.”

He deflated a bit and frowned. “I’m sorry, Aeylia,” he sighed. “It had been a long day for me too.”

Alex silently observed Aven, noting the dark bags under his eyes. The only time she’d seen him this haggard was when he came to her room and apologized for ditching her.

“Is this about the envoy King Astophe mentioned last night?” she asked.

Aven looked at her, a small smile sliding on his face. “Honestly, that’s the least of my concerns right now,” he revealed. “Although my father and brother have been… annoyingly persistent.”

“You don’t want to go?”

He expelled a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Me amongst mortals?” he pointed out. “That’s asking for trouble.”

‘Oh, you have no idea, Aven Dalmarta.’

“Although my beliefs have changed, that does not mean I’d like to spend a full, long week surrounded by mortals.” He made a face. “But my father thinks this is a good opportunity for me to get to know them better and understand where they are coming from.”

“Wise words from the King,” she agreed.

But Aven was shaking his head. “I still have time to think of a decent excuse to not go,” he said. “Like I said, that is the least of my concerns in a long list of worries.”

“Which are?” she asked.

“Well, for starters, how am I to finally steal your heart?” he bluntly said.

Alex was baffled by how casual he voiced it aloud, looking teasing and truthful at the same time.

Her heart nervously fluttered inside her ribcage. “I hope for both of our sakes you do not mean that literally, Aven Dalmarta,” she answered with a glare.

It annoyed her immensely when the lovely smile he gave her made her heart flutter more.

“I’m being serious here, Aven,” she said. “Maybe I can help if I know what bothers you the most.”

The smile fell from his face, and Aven suddenly could not meet her eyes. “It is nothing,” he said. “You need not concern yourself with it.”

Alex already had an inkling, but she wanted to hear his confirmation. “Is this about your Garseth?” she whispered.

It apparently was still too loud for Aven, for he expelled a loud and terrified, “Shhhhhh!

She flinched and muttered a soft “Sorry.” She sheepishly smiled at him and added, “But I am right.”

Aven paused for a while, probably debating whether to tell her or not. Alex was relieved when Aven sighed in defeat and slowly nodded.

"Your friends are still bothering you?” she continued.

The prince scowled. “They are not my friends,” he quickly snapped. When Alex only stared at him, his scowl deepened. “I admit they are becoming quite a predicament. I told you before - they were not pleased when I told them I decided to leave our cause because my opinions have started to change.”

Alex recalled the faces of those who attended the meeting, back when Aven secretly brought her to Narsae de Trigon. Unsurprisingly, the leery face of Skraegon appeared in her mind. “I bet it had been a difficult conversation,” she offered.

Aven darkly laughed, a hard glint in his eyes. “Who said we stopped with just words?” he lightly said, prompting Alex’s eyes to widen in shock. She quickly did a once-over at him, trying to see if he was injured in any way.

“Are you okay?” she quietly asked, surprising herself by hearing genuine worry in her voice.

His gaze softened. “I can hold myself well in a combat, Aeylia,” he assured. “I trained alongside Roka and Niyx, you know. And besides, we don’t wound easily, remember?”

This did not ease her worry at all. “Then, if they are displeased… are they becoming violent?”

“I shouldn’t really tell you these things, Aeylia,” he said, shaking his head. But Alex gripped his forearm, eyes piercing as she waited for his answer.

He sighed, placing his hand on top of hers. “There had been news of disturbances,” he revealed. “Now that we are trading again with humans, there were reports of skirmishes that ended with scrapes and bruises, mostly decorating the human traders’ skins. Thankfully, only brief brawls are happening, but knowing them, I worry…”

Alex wasn’t sure if Aven was aware of how tight his grip had become. “So, that’s why the King is planning a special envoy to the Medoran royal family?”

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod. “My father worries this will sully our relationship with the humans. Maybe even with the other mortals. And so, he wanted to send me to lead the envoy, to discuss strategies on how to prevent any unfortunate encounters in the future.”

“Roka just got back from Medora,” Alex pointed out. “Why can’t it be him to lead the envoy again?”

“He is the Crown Prince, Aeylia,” Aven simply said. “His place is here, in Meya, beside my Father.”

“That is why they’re insisting on sending you instead.”

He nodded again. “As the spare, it is safer if I am the one to leave this time,” he added. “Especially with these reported skirmishes. My Father cannot afford to lose his heir.”

“Don’t call yourself that!” Alex loudly protested. “You’re not a spare, Aven. You’re just as important to the kingdom as Roka!”

His eyes widened in bewilderment at her sudden outburst. Alex herself was surprised too. Then, Aven gently reached out to tuck a few strands of her hair behind her ear.

“It makes all the more sense if I’m the one to go,” he softly explained, lips twitching a little at how her cheeks reddened because of his small ministrations. “As much as I want to protest, they do have a point.”

Alex nervously cleared her throat and tried to put more space between her and Aven. “Then, you’ll agree to lead the envoy?” she asked.

Aven pursed his lips. “I can’t believe this problem, which is initially the least of my concerns, just got bumped to the top spot.” He wearily ran his fingers through his hair. “Stars, what was I thinking when I tried to instigate a rebellion?” A dark cloud settled over his head as he mutely warred with his tumultuous thoughts.

It was jarring how one minute, Aven was perfectly handsome, and the next minute, he looked tired and haggard.

He blinked a few times and sat up straight, realizing he wasn’t alone. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I shouldn’t be dumping these things on you.”

“I… I don’t mind,” she said. Her traitorous hand reached out to touch him again for comfort. “You can tell me if you’re having a hard time, Aven.”

It scared her how much she meant it.

Aven’s breath hitched, a myriad of feelings swirling in his clear, golden eyes. Alex did not stop him when he pulled her closer for a warm hug.

“By the light, Aeylia,” he whispered, his lips brushing against the crown of her head, “Why is it that you keep saying the right words to me?”

Alex smiled, her eyes dropping closed as she placed a gentle hand on his back. “Call it one of my many superpowers,” she joked.

Aven slowly pulled away. “You can’t blame me if I keep on falling more deeply in love with you every day,” he said. “It is your entire fault.”

At the panicked look on her face, Aven lightly chuckled. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know for the past days I’ve been terribly incorrigible, annoying, and… clingy.”

She gasped, his words familiar, which prompted him to widely smile. “Niyx,” she growled.

“My best friend sat me down for a talk, yes,” Aven said. “I truly am sorry, Aeylia. If you must know, I—“ He paused and shyly smiled at her. “I’m completely outside my comfort zone here. Contrary to the connotations of my title, I do not have much experience in matters of the heart.”

“In summary, you are the complete opposite of Niyx,” she pointed out.

Aven made a face. “He has… an abundance of delightful escapades ever since he discovered the wonders of the opposite sex, so yes, I believe so.”

“Ewww,” Alex answered. “Niyx, you freaking pervert,” she added through their mental bond.

“What in the stars did I do?” came his reply. There was a brief pause, then he continued, “Is Aven with you right now? Are you both talking about me? Don’t listen to that kregon! He’s trying to taint my reputation just so he’ll be the shiniest in your eyes!”

Alex ignored his inane protests and focused back on Aven. “I sure hope you do not take to heart his pieces of love advice, Aven.”

Grinning, he answered, “He may be a lady’s man, but Niyx’s pieces of advice are actually sound.”

“If you want to steal my heart, I promise you. Don’t listen to Niyx Raedon.”

Aven laughed for his answer as he started cleaning up. “Duly noted,” he said, stacking the books neatly on one side. “Enough about my problems and Niyx. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry, Aeylia.”

“You know what? I think I am too,” she said, helping Aven clear the table.

“Perfect,” he said, “I know a place that provides a great meal.

__________

She expected Aven to bring her to another pub in the town’s square. Which was why she was understandably surprised when he steered her into a different wing of the castle until they reached the kitchens.

Alex was stunned at the threshold, watching as the different Meyarins bustled around carrying pots and pans and plates and pitchers. It was near supper, and Alex figured they were already busy preparing for the royal family’s meal.

As Aven dragged her to a circular table somewhere in the middle of the pandemonium, a most scrumptious smell permeated the air and reached Alex’s nose.

“Mmm, I’d like to have whatever that is,” she said, her mouth already watering.

“You’ll have that during dinner later,” he promised. “I have a different snack in my mind.”

“This better be delicious, Aven!” she lightly warned.

An ebony-haired female Meyarin suddenly sidled beside their table and curtsied. Alex smiled in amusement at the faded pink, but frilly apron tied around her waist. “Prince Aven, what would you like to have?” she asked in the Meyarin language.

“The usual, Mirin. Thank you,” he said.

Her grey eyes then landed on Alex, with an uncertain look in her eyes. “And for the Lasa?” she asked in common tongue.

“Umm.” Alex scratched her cheek and looked at Aven. “I’ll have the same, please. Thank you.”

The Meyarin palace maid curtsied once more and left their table.

“What is ‘the usual’?”

Before Aven could answer, Mirin was back with two bowls and placed each in front of them. Alex peered inside, noting a golden cream-like material sprinkled with bits of fruit that resembled blueberries.

Meyarin food had, by far, looked weird for Alex, compared to the human food she’d been eating for ages. But, goodness, the taste always made up for it.

“Go on,” Aven urged, watching her as she took a sniff and sloshed the contents of the bowl around.

Alex then scooped a fraction from the bowl and placed it inside her mouth.

A burst of delectable flavors, both creamy and fruity, that complemented each other really well, coated her tongue. Alex couldn’t help closing her eyes to savor the food.

“It tastes so good!” she gushed out, eyes fluttering open to look at Aven. The Prince was already looking at her with a huge smile on his face. Mirin, too, who was standing behind Aven, wore a shy but pleased smile on her face.

“Mirin makes the best kraemsah in all of Meya,” Aven said.

“You made this?” Alex asked in Meyarin, eyes on Mirin. “This is so good! I feel nourished just after taking a few spoonfuls.”

“Thank you kindly, Lasa Aeylia,” the palace maid humbly replied.

“There’s an essence of laendra mixed, if you can recognize it,” Aven continued, “That is why it is energizing.” Then, to Mirin, “Coran, nalahi.”

Even without her handy built-in translator thanks to her bond with Xiraxus, Alex’s Meyarin was decent enough to know that Aven politely requested drinks.

As Alex was taking a few more bites, Mirin came back with two steaming mugs and placed them in front of Alex and Aven.

“And what is this?” she asked, peering inside. Its color was suspiciously like chocolate, and she was curious if it tasted akin to the dessert her mortal heart missed. She had yet to discover a Meyarin equivalent, even if she’d been in the past for a month.

Alex blew the steam away and took a sip from her drink. Her eyes grew wide, surprised beyond belief that this was actually hot chocolate.

“What was it the humans called it, Mirin?” Aven asked, not noticing Alex’s look of wonder.

“Chocolate, trae atiri, Prince Aven,” Mirin answered.

“Right, chocolate,” Aven said as he too took a sip. He smiled at Alex, now noticing her surprise. “You are aware of this?”

“There is chocolate in Meya?” she asked. ‘Much less in this millennium?’

Aven shook his head. “This came from the Medoran traders,” he explained. “One of the things humans trade with us is these delicious things. Did you know they came from beans? Beans, Aeylia! The humans taught us how to make it.”

“I’m… aware of it,” she said, racking her brain from some brief history of chocolate she might have encountered back when she was still on Earth slash Freya. “But from what I remember, these things are luxurious!”

“Yes, they did say that,” the prince agreed. He eyed his drink with shining eyes. “If there’s one thing I appreciate about what the humans trade, chocolate steals the top spot.”

“Who knew the mighty Prince of Meya has such a sweet tooth?” she joked.

Aven lightly blushed, but there was an unmistakable shy smile on his face. “It is delicious,” he insisted. “I initially thought it had some trace of laendra when I first tasted it because it was such a comforting drink.”

“Agreed,” she said, lifting the mug to her lips to take a sip again. She then smiled at Mirin and pushed her empty bowl. “Maybe another serving, nahani?”

“No more,” Aven was quick to answer. “We have dinner in a while, and we do not want to spoil your appetite.”

Alex pouted, a pleading look in her gaze.

Aven rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. “Fine,” he said. Then to Mirin in Meyarin, “Give her only a half bowl.”

“Make it three-fourths,” Alex amended. She only grinned when Aven threw her a glare.

Poor Mirin did not know who she should follow. Aven thankfully relented, much to Mirin’s amusement. The maid palace excused herself, but not before Alex noticed the smile she was fighting to hide.

“I think Mirin likes me more than you,” she pointed out.

“Everybody likes someone more than me,” Aven said. “Or so Niyx says.”

When Mirin came back with a full bowl of kraemsah, she pointedly ignored Aven’s glare while Alex softly laughed.

Alex had been in the past for almost two months. The planned envoy to Medora was fast approaching, but Aven still had not consented to lead it.

Dinners with the Dalmartas were starting to be a little uncomfortable for Alex. No matter how much Queen Niida and Roka tried to direct the conversation to other benign topics, King Astophe always found a way to bring up the impending envoy. This unsurprisingly irritated Aven, and he was bound to blow up.

During their latest dinner, Alex flinched when Aven stood up so quickly in his seat that his chair toppled behind. He stomped angrily out of the Dining Hall and did not look back.

Once the doors slammed behind him, King Astophe expelled the biggest, most exhausted sigh Alex had ever seen him make.

“I’m so sorry you have to see that, Aeylia,” the king apologized. “Please also excuse my youngest son’s behavior for the past weeks.”

“Please don’t mind me, Your Highness,” Alex was quick to reply. “I know this, um, envoy is of great importance for you, so I can’t blame you for being insistent about it.”

To her surprise, the king had grown weary right before her eyes. Alex wasn’t sure how old King Astophe was; he looked somewhere between his late 50s, but given his immortality, she knew he was way older. Right now, however, he looked like he had gained a hundred more years with how tired he looked.

“He is just so… stubborn,” he sighed. “I don’t know what to do with him.”

“My dear,” Queen Niida said, placing her hand on top of her husband’s. “Perhaps we should finish our supper first to let the others retire for the night.”

“Right, yes, yes, of course,” the King said. He waved his hand dismissively as a gesture for them to start eating again.

“Aven is royally pissed,” Niyx suddenly said through their connection. “Care to share what happened?”

“He’s with you, then?” Alex asked, silently relieved that at least he wasn’t alone right now.

“He just appeared in my bedroom out of nowhere and proceeded to drag me to De Talen,” was Niyx’s reply. “He stubbornly refuses to answer my inquiries and proceeds to drink like his life depended on it.”

Alex made a face as she continued to silently eat. “Watch out for him, Niyx, will you?” she asked.

“Is that an order, kitten?”

She discreetly rolled her eyes. “Didn’t I tell you I won’t order you around?” she snapped. “I promised to uphold the end of my bargain.”

“Relax, Aeylia. I was merely joking,” Niyx appeased. “But tell me, what really happened with Aven?”

“He had another fight with King Astophe because of the envoy to Medora.”

“Ah, the envoy,” he said. “That explains it.” There was a pause, and then Niyx sighed in her mind. “He’s really angry, Aeylia.”

“Stay there, please,” she then said, coming to a decision. “I’ll be there in a while.”

Nixy voiced out his acknowledgement while Alex slowly pushed away her plate.

“Are you done eating, Aeylia?” Kyia asked. When Alex glanced at the Meyarin, she noted the knowing look in her eyes.

“I…” She paused, wondering if it was best to be truthful. “I think I’ll check up on Aven and make sure he stays out of trouble.”

She didn’t like how King Astophe and Queen Niida's gazes met, meaning in their eyes.

“Excellent idea, my dear,” Queen Niida said, unable to stop her growing smile. Alex once again remembered when Aven told her how the queen’s breakfast invites had an ulterior motive.

“And maybe you can put some sense in that thick skull of his,” King Astophe added.

Beside him, Roka softly laughed. “If there’s anyone who can sway my stubborn brother, I’m sure it’s you, Aeylia,” he said.

Alex wanted to protest, but there were words of agreement murmured among the others.

“I’m just going to leave and ignore what you said, Prince Roka,” Alex said, putting an emphasis on his title just to annoy him. Roka merely raised an eyebrow, amused.

Alex sighed and curtsied for her goodbye before strolling out of the Dining Hall. Once outside, she called forth the Valispath and traveled to De Talen.

The place wasn’t crawling with patrons, which was why she easily spied Aven’s golden hair hidden behind one of the more secluded booths.

When she approached him, she was surprised to see that Aven was alone.

“That was one heck of a grand exit you did back there, Aven Dalmarta,” she greeted as she slipped on the opposite side of the booth.

Aven threw her a wary glare. “You’re really here,” he said, mild surprise laced in the tone of his voice. “When Niyx said he had a feeling you’ll come after me, I didn’t believe him at all.”

“Speaking of Niyx, where is he?” She craned her neck around in search of his smug face.

“He needed to go back home,” he explained.

“You left without waiting for me?” she silently asked Niyx.

“Take care of him, kitten,” was all his reply.

Alex frowned and glanced at the three empty glasses on the table. Aven was nursing a fourth one with an amber liquid inside, the smell so strong it made her a little nauseous.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asked, watching as Aven emptied his fourth glass of liquor.

“Meyarins don’t get drunk,” he pointed out. “Which is such a shame, really.” He lifted his hand to call for the bartender and exclaimed, “One more glass of glaeron here, please.”

Alex looked at the bartender and furiously shook her head. Aven saw her opposition and glared. “I am the Prince,” he declared to the bartender. “And that is an order.”

Alex rolled her eyes when the bartender quickly fixed Aven’s fifth glass of glaeron and promptly delivered it to their table.

Before Aven could empty his glass, Alex grabbed the tankard, planning to gulp it down instead.

“Aeylia, no—“

She wasn’t a big fan of any alcoholic drinks, even back at Freya. The ones she had tasted were mostly cheap beers and wine. There was also the alcoholic eggnog-equivalent prepared by Gammy back at the Ronnigans' house during Kaldoras. But those were it, and mostly they were mild to her taste buds. And so, she wasn’t prepared for the sudden burning sensation that crawled down her throat from the amber liquid.

Great, hacking coughs escaped from her mouth, and through tearful eyes, she felt a cup of water pushed into her hands. She drank the water in big gulps, and by the time she had calmed down, all that was left was a very sore throat.

“I really, really don’t like this one,” she croaked. Now that her coughing fit had ceased, she noticed that Aven could barely contain his laughter. “Good to know my near-death experience by alcohol entertained you so much.”

“By the light, Aeylia, that isn’t how you drink glaeron,” he pointed out in between chuckles.

“Thank you for the warning,” she quipped in sarcasm. “Duly noted.”

Aven grinned and offered her another glass of water, which she emptied immediately.

“I can’t believe you managed to drink four of this!” she exclaimed. “Do you have a death wish?”

“Four is child’s play,” he answered. “If you didn’t arrive and disturb my solitude, I could have drunk ten.”

She made a disgusted face. “No, no more for either of us,” she said. “Let’s go back to the castle, Aven.”

“Go back first, Aeylia,” he refused, his smile now gone from his handsome face. “I don’t think I’m ready to go back yet.”

Alex sighed, now noting the frown on Aven’s face. “Stop being such a stubborn brute,” she grumbled. “I’m sure Roka’s keeping your father distracted right now to keep him from fighting with you again.”

“Why are you here, Aeylia?” His eyes narrowed, suspicious. “They sent you to convince me, didn’t they?”

“Well, actually, I sent myself just to check on you,” she corrected. When his gaze softened in surprise and confusion, Alex reddened and stammered, “I-I mean, yes, that too. They did ask me to convince you.”

Aven groaned and stood up from his seat. “Please, spare me,” he said, as Alex scrambled up to follow him. “If I hear one more word related to that stupid envoy, I’m going to break something.”

He slammed a few coins at the counter before completely leaving De Talen, Alex still hot on his heels.

“Actually, about the envoy—“

Alex halted when Aven whirled around, eyes blazing in raw frustration. For a moment, Alex felt her heart jump to her throat in terror because he did look like the shadow of his evil, future self she’d long been acquainted with.

“Go back to the castle,” he snapped. “I’m not pleasant company right now, Aeylia.”

Her fight-or-flight instincts activated, recalling all those terrifying encounters she had with future Aven.

‘He’s not your enemy yet, Alex,’ she chastised herself. ‘Quit it.’

“I…I’m going to stay quiet and not bother you,” she insisted, aloud this time as she willed her frantic heart to calm down. “If you wish to be alone, I swear to you, you won’t even notice me like I’m invisible.”

Aven darkly glared, but Alex stood taller and didn’t back down. Wordlessly, he stomped away, and Alex quickly followed.

She made sure she was a few paces behind him. Aven wasn’t kidding when he said he was a horrible companion right now. He walked aimlessly, meandering through the streets filled with Meyarins doing last-minute shopping before the stalls closed. He didn’t say a peep to Alex, which she didn’t mind.

Alex quietly observed him, noticing how he kept running his fingers through his hair in frustration. His shoulders were tensed in anger, and his strides were long and purposeful. She didn’t know where Aven was going, but she still followed behind. Cursed with shorter legs than the prince, she had to exert extra effort so as not to lag too far behind.

Such was her concentration that she had missed a step and tripped. A soft yelp escaped from her lips as she braced her arms in front of her to break her fall, but Aven suddenly appeared near her and kept her upright.

“Stars, Aeylia, be careful.”

She sheepishly grinned at his annoyed expression. “Oops,” she said. “So much for staying invisible, right?”

He shook his head in exasperation, but it calmed her down a little to see that his lips were already twitching into a smile.

“Stay close to me,” he said, this time pulling her beside him. He shifted her hand so that it was hooked to his arm.

Alex was thankful it was dark for Aven to notice how he’d made her frazzled with his proximity.

They continued their stroll in silence. Aven had now relaxed a bit, having blown off his steam from all the stomping he did around Meya.

“Feeling better, Aven?” she asked.

He sighed. “Please, let’s not talk about the envoy anymore,” he begged.

She could see now that he was more tired than angry. “Okay,” she said. “I won’t bring it up tonight. I promise.”

“Thank you, Aeylia.”

“But just so you know, your Father—“

“Aeylia,” he firmly said. “You promised.”

Alex pursed her lips and nodded. “Right, right,” she said, patting his arm to appease him. “I suggest we go back now, though. It’s getting late, and it’s been a long day for everybody.”

Aven hummed his agreement, now conjuring the Valispath.

“No, wait, it’s a lovely night and we’re near anyway,” Alex said, stopping him before he navigated the Eternal Path. “Why don’t we walk the rest of the way? It’ll be good for your mood.”

He was thoughtful for a while before lightly nodding. The shimmery dome of the Valispath disappeared, and Aven now directed their walk back to the castle.

It was a pleasant evening, and Alex took that opportunity to appreciate Meya at night. It was just as beautiful as Meya in the morning, or more so, dare she say it, with the stars above shining brightly down at them while the Meyarins slowly packed up to retire for the night.

There was a comfortable silence between them, and both were content not to break it. Alex could feel Aven fully relaxing with this peaceful walk, prompting her to smile in the dark.

But then, Alex suddenly felt a strange tingling at the back of her head. She wasn’t sure if it was her heightened Meyarin instincts warning her of a possible danger. ‘Or maybe I’m just being too paranoid,’ she thought, after being thrust front and center in different dangerous situations for the past years.

“Aeylia,” Aven quietly said, his grip tightening.

She glanced at the prince, his mouth now formed into a thin line and his golden eyes shining in high alert.

“You feel it too?” she asked, glad that she wasn’t being too paranoid. And terrified, because the tension that suddenly blanketed them was almost suffocating.

The night noise seemed to disappear. All Alex could hear was the deafening silence.

Aven now wildly looked around to survey the scene.

Then, Alex felt the wind on her left side changing directions. Aven was quicker, though; he pulled her out just in time for a dart to whizz past her cheek, barely missing her by a few centimeters.

The prince’s shoulders tensed once more as he placed Alex behind him. His eyes were now slowly darting around. Alex activated her Meyarin senses, and that was when she noticed around five cloaked figures closing in on them.

“Good evening, Prince,” one of the cloaked beings murmured in the Meyarin language.

“Skraegon,” Aven hissed through gritted teeth.

Alex stiffened upon hearing the name of the Meyarin who tried to violate her.

“Isn’t it too dark to stroll with the lovely Lasa Aeylia?” Skraegon asked, switching to the common tongue. “Terribly unromantic, don’t you think?”

“Leave us alone, norot,” Aven hissed, trying to shield Alex away from the Garseth’s leering smile.

Skraegon’s face crumpled with anger at Aven’s insult. “We are not done with our conversation last time, princeling,” he drawled. “And since you were persistently ignoring our invitation to join one of our meetings, might as well bring the group to you instead.” His sneering face darted at Alex, who threw him a glare. “I’m just sorry the lady just so happened to be accompanying you today.”

“It is me that you want,” Aven pointed out. “I will come willingly if you let Aeylia leave.”

Skraegon laughed and glanced at his cloaked companions. “You think we’re idiots to agree to that?” he drawled, his eyes landing back on Alex, “When I know she’ll run her pretty, little mouth and ask for help.”

“Aww, shucks, you know me so well,” Alex said with a sweet smile on her face. “Kregon.”

The Garseth looked murderous with her insult and lunged forward. Aven firmly kept her behind, shielding her from Skraegon’s bloodlust.

“Tell your wench to shut her damn trap, Prince,” he said.

Alex scoffed. “Well, I beg your pardon!” she exclaimed, ready to summon A’enara and stab his stupid face.

“Aeylia, please,” Aven softly begged. Alex mellowed down, hearing the unmistakable fear in his voice.

Alex now realized the gravity of their situation. She recognized that there were more rebels hiding in the shadows, ready to jump in as backup once Skraegon ordered it.

They were outnumbered and would most definitely be overpowered, should Skraegon call forth the rest. Although she had vastly improved from her training sessions with Niyx, she still paled in comparison to these rebels, who naturally have the Meyarin instincts she was still honing. She knew Aven could hold himself in battle, too, and yet, her confidence wavered when he could sense his terror. Perhaps, he too felt it was suicide to take all the Garseth with just the two of them.

“Alex?” Xira’s worried voice suddenly appeared in her mind. “What is it? Are you in trouble? I can feel your fear through the roof!”

“Big, big trouble, Xira,” she thought in panic. “Hurry! Please help us!”

“I’m on my way!” the draekon cried with a roar.

More cloaked figures stepped out of the shadows, and Alex gasped, noting there were roughly twenty more.

“Where the heck are the other Meyarins?” Alex asked, panicked.

Her mind was too terrified to focus on her Meyarin instincts. Which was why she sensed a figure sneaking up behind her, too little too late.

“NO!” Aven exclaimed, whirling around to shield Alex from a rebel who was about to stab her. They stumbled back from the attack of the unknown assailant, a clutched blade in his hand.

Alex’s wildly beating heart started to slow down, relieved that she wasn’t hit and inevitably revealed her secret.

But then, Aven groaned and almost toppled over. Alex was quick to clutch his arm and steady him.

“Aven! Aven, what’s wrong?” she asked, turning him over in panic. She immediately saw the small nick underneath his right eye, his silver blood slowly trickling down. But then, she noticed a murky, brown substance mixed with his blood.

“Sarnaph,” she gasped, paling when Aven’s eyes fluttered closed, his face scrunched up in pain. “NO! AVEN!”

A great roar from above startled them all as Xiraxus landed with a mighty thud just beside Alex and a barely unconscious Aven.

“GO!” the mighty draekon exclaimed, circling around Alex and Aven to protect them from the Garseth. They immediately fled away in fear of getting burnt alive.

“No, no, no, Aven, please,” Alex gasped, tears already in her eyes as Aven completely lost his consciousness. “NIYX! Niyx! Come quickly! Please Aven—Aven—he’s!”

“Aeylia? Calm down, kitten. Deep breaths. Tell me what happened?”

It horrified her so much how fast the brown veins slithered out from Aven’s wound.

“Please, please, you have to come,” she begged. “Aven—we were ambushed by the rebels and one of them has a blade coated with Sarnaph blood and—“

Niyx gasped. “Please tell me he wasn’t hit.” She could hear his terror loud and clear.

“He’s unconscious, Niyx, please come quickly, I—”

Even before she could finish her sentence, Niyx arrived on the Valispath and stumbled towards them.

Alex did not like the look on Niyx’s face. Wordlessly, the Raedon heir carried Aven away from Alex and activated the Eternal Path once more. Alex quickly jumped in and they zoomed back to the castle, a terrified, weighted silence between them.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

“Why are they keeping us out?” Alex asked, anxiously walking to and fro outside Aven’s room.

It had been hours since she and Niyx brought the unconscious Aven back to the castle. One of the Zeltora warriors roused the royal family, and ever since then, the King, Queen, and Crown Prince were locked inside Aven’s room, together with the palace physician and his two assistants.

Dawn had already arrived, and they still had no news. Alex was tempted to just barge in and demand updates, but they kept Aven’s room locked from other visitors.

'The Valispath!’ she finally remembered, brain foggy from a myriad of emotions. She stopped pacing and concentrated hard to conjure the Eternal Path.

“Aeylia, you cannot enter his room with the Valispath,” Kyia slowly said. “All the private rooms in the castle are warded against it.”

Alex’s hands balled into fists as she glanced helplessly at her two companions. Niyx was deathly silent ever since he transferred Aven’s unconscious body to his bed. Kyia was leaning against the wall, worry evident on her face.

“Why can’t we—“

“Kitten,” Niyx said, speaking for the first time, “let the palace physician do his work. Come and sit beside me to rest while we wait.”

Tears filled Alex’s eyes as she allowed Niyx to pull her down on the floor beside him.

“This is my fault,” she tearfully whispered, covering her wet face with her hands.

“No,” Niyx firmly said, “It’s nobody’s fault but the Garseth.”

But Alex furiously shook her head. “If I didn’t insist that we walk back to the castle instead of using the Valispath, we wouldn’t be ambushed and A-Aven—“ Her voice cracked with his name. “This is my fault.”

“If you want to point fingers, then maybe I am to blame, too,” Niyx coolly said. “If I didn’t leave you and Aven alone at De Talen, then I might have been there to help fight against the rebels and prevent Aven’s poisoning.”

“No,” Alex vehemently said. “It wasn’t your fault. You were called back to your home. You didn’t know that the rebels were planning an ambush.”

Through her blurry eyes, she saw Niyx give her a small, albeit sad, smile. “Good to know,” he whispered in reply. “Now try telling that to yourself this time, Aeylia.”

A sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob escaped her lips. “Smarty pants,” she sniffed as Niyx wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close until she was heavily leaning against him in support.

The three of them fell silent then, except for Alex’s occasional sniffs. Her tears had long dried, an empty feeling now settling in her heart as she stared unseeingly at the door that was separating them from Aven’s unconscious form. Due to exhaustion, Alex wasn’t aware that she soon fell asleep, surprising her greatly, given how she was such a nervous wreck. It was only when she felt a hand on top of her head that she woke up.

She immediately scrambled to her feet upon seeing Roka.

“Aven, is he…”

“The palace physician was able to stabilize him,” the weary Prince reported. “He was able to arrest the poison’s spread to his heart.”

Alex looked at her other exhausted companions, both Kyia and Niyx mirroring grim expressions on their faces.

“I don’t understand,” she said, “isn’t that good news?” She swallowed, realizing how parched she was. “I saw the wound. It was a nick on his face, barely an inch long. It was small. It wasn’t like…” She trailed off, eyes latching onto Niyx’s chest where she knew huge scars from the Hyroa’s claws decorated his skin underneath his clothes.

Niyx met her gaze. “The dosage of the poison matters, yes,” he explained. “But, Aeylia, a tincture of a Sarnaph blood is potent enough to kill a grown Meyarin.” He paled and glanced away, unable to meet her eyes anymore. “We do not know how much Sarnaph blood coursed through Aven’s wound. If he is still unconscious, I think—”

“No,” Alex said, looking at Roka and Kyia to see if they would counter Niyx’s claim. When they only stared at her with sadness in their eyes, Alex’s face crumpled. “No, there’s another way. I-I read somewhere that if you performed this ritual, it could save the life of a Meyarin poisoned by Sarnaph blood.”

“You don’t mean Menada dae Loransa?” Kyia said with a gasp.

Alex vigorously nodded her head. “That’s exactly what I meant.”

“Aeylia,” Roka rasped out wearily, “that ritual’s been forbidden in Meya, and for a good reason. No one wants their free will stolen from them. And besides, it hadn’t been performed for centuries. We don’t even know if it will work. If it will bring more harm than good to Aven.”

“But… can’t we try?” she weakly asked.

Roka suddenly looked like the formidable Crown Prince he was supposed to be. “No,” he firmly said. “Aven’s already stabilized, and I—we—cannot risk performing a dubious ritual on him. The palace physician claims that his current state will not worsen, now that he’s arrested the spread of the poison. There is still a chance of Aven recovering from its deadly effects, however meager it may be.”

“Then what must we do?” Alex persisted.

“We wait, that’s what we’ll do.”

Alex swallowed her protests, seeing the finality in Roka’s face. Her frustration was palpable, and Niyx— gently, silently—reached for her hand to hold it in comfort. All it did was make her cry more.

“Aeylia,” Roka said, deflating.

“What if he doesn’t make it?” she softly asked, voicing out their fear for all of them to hear. “What if… what if he doesn’t wake up?”

No one had an answer to her question.

“Go back to your rooms and rest,” Roka finally said, expelling a tired sigh. “Everyone’s exhausted, and it won’t help anyone.”

But Alex was already shaking her head. “I can’t,” she said. “How can I rest, if Aven’s fate is uncertain?”

“Aeylia…”

“Can I at least see him before I leave?”

Roka stared at her intently for a few moments before finally relenting and nodding his head. Alex did not waste a minute and strode inside Aven’s room.

She hadn’t been in his room before, as Aven was always the one who sought her out in her current bedroom. But the first thing she noticed was how dark and cold it was. Aven was an unmoving lump right at the middle of his bed, tucked underneath his blanket. Despite the darkness, Alex’s Meyarin eyes could see the ugly, brown veins marring Aven’s flawless skin.

When she slowly stepped closer, a lump forming in her throat, she noticed that the veins only ended up to his neck. This might be what Roka meant when the palace physician was able to halt its spread. Alex refused to imagine what would happen if those veins reached his chest, right where his heart lay.

Fresh tears tumbled from her eyes. Alex thought she’d cried enough, but seeing the slow rise and fall of his chest made her choke up once more.

She gently clutched his cold, cold hand. “Aven,” she said. “I’m so, so sorry. Please wake up.”

His grasp was limp in her hand, but that did not stop her from tightening her hold, as if that itself could be his lifeline.

“Aeylia.” Niyx had sidled beside her, a grim look on his face. “Come. Let Aven rest. You need to sleep too, if you want to be awake when he finally opens his eyes.”

‘If he finally opens his eyes,’ she added in her mind, not having the heart and strength to voice it aloud.

She was reluctant to leave, but Alex finally relented and allowed Niyx to pull her out of Aven’s room. Roka and Kyia were already gone when they stepped out, likely also retired in their quarters.

Niyx silently led her to her room and didn’t leave until Alex slipped under her covers.

Once alone, Alex curled herself into a ball and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Things had been somber in the castle following Aven’s attack. Alex had barely seen the King and Queen, who were always either with Aven in his room or discussing matters with the palace physician.

Alex could not bear to visit Aven anymore, terrified of seeing him so vulnerable and immobile. The Alex a few months ago would have rejoiced to see her enemy incapacitated like this. But this Aven was her friend. All she felt seeing him like that was suffocating fear.

She tried calling out for Lady Mystique, demanding what she meant when she said that only Aven could save himself. There was a part of her that tightly clung to the hope that Aven was in her future, evil he may be. If what Aes Daega said was true, that her present could not be changed no matter what she did, then that meant Aven would survive this and live to relentlessly torment her in the future.

“Aeylia,” Niyx called, three days after Aven’s affliction, “Get up. We’re going to train today.”

Alex was set to ignore him and bury herself underneath her covers for the rest of the day. But then, there was a sharp knock outside her balcony door. Alex slowly sat up and glared at the determined look on Niyx’s face.

“Go away, Niyx,” she grumbled mentally.

“Stop moping around and get up, kitten,” Niyx hissed back. “You are severely lagging behind in your training.”

Alex angrily stood up from her bed and opened her balcony door. “I don’t care about my training, Niyx,” she bit back, this time out loud. “Do you honestly think I am in the right headspace to spar with you right now?”

“This is exactly what you need, Aeylia,” he said, his features softening upon noting her shining eyes. “I promise you. You’ll feel better after it.”

“I seriously doubt that,” she grumbled. When Niyx continued to stare at her, waiting, she finally sighed and asked him to turn around while she changed into her training gear.

Niyx had brought her this time to Draekora, with the help of Xiraxus. “A change of scenery will do you some good,” he explained, as he helped Alex jump down from the draekon’s back. “Let us begin.”

He was still ruthless, fighting Alex with his whole being, as if his life depended on it. Alex initially got a lot of stabs and blows because she was distracted by worry, but Niyx did not give her enough time to wallow in self-pity. And so, she had no choice but to focus and fight back, this time successfully shielding his jabs and slashes.

By the time Niyx decided to stop, Alex was heaving huge gulps of breath. He wordlessly gave her a flask filled with warm laendra extract while he applied a laendra-infused ointment on her open wounds.

“Do you feel any better?” Niyx asked once Alex’s wounds had slowly healed.

Now that she had no distraction, Alex’s mind went back to worrying about Aven. She didn’t want to lie to Niyx, and so, she shook her head. “Nice try, Niyx,” she wryly replied, her eyes once again blurring from emotion, “I feel just as bad as before. Maybe even worse.”

He smiled in understanding, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her closer and allowed her to softly cry against his clothes.

It wasn’t only Niyx who’d constantly worried over her. Her bonded draekon asked about updates daily, and one time, Alex got so tired saying the same words over and over again—“Yes, Xira. Aven is still alive. No, Xira. He hasn’t awakened yet.”—that Xira had no choice but to insist that flying over Meya could do her some good.

Gripping tightly at Xiraxus’s scales around his neck, Alex took a deep breath and marveled at the land below in all its glory. She always knew Meya was beautiful, but at night, the city had an ethereal glow at this vantage point, where Alex could see from here to yonder. The stars above definitely helped make the night more beautiful, and often, Alex was so torn whether she should look high above or glance in admiration below.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Xira said, breaking through her mind.

“Yes,” Alex said, expelling a huge sigh of content. “All of it.”

They continued flying through until Xira could see the first signs of light on the horizon. Instead of bringing her back to her room, he brought her to the field of fluorescent wildflowers in Draekora she loved so much.

Xira gently landed in the middle of the vast field, lowering his hulking body down to allow Alex to slide down his right wing. Alex lost her footing near the end and fell on her bottom amongst the glowing wildflowers. She expelled a surprised laugh and didn’t get up, instead choosing to get more comfortable in her current position and leaning against Xiraxus’s warm, comforting body.

“For someone so mighty, you sure lack some grace,” Xira had joked to her aloud, bending his head down so that he could playfully nuzzle his snout against her neck.

“That is me,” she said with a chuckle, “Alexandra Jennings, the girl with two left feet.”

Xira’s whole body rumbled, prompting Alex to smile.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, both watching as the sun started its low ascent to the sky, as the stars one by one blinked out to let it shine through.

“How are you holding up, Alex?” Xira softly asked in her mind.

She was already falling asleep after her comforting flight, head leaning heavily against Xira. “I’m managing, Xira,” she whispered, smiling when she felt his head leaning down on the top of her head. “Thank you for being with me, even when I’m like this.”

“You die, I die, remember?” he teased. “I don’t think I have a choice but to comfort you when I can feel all your emotions so viscerally due to our vaeliana bond.”

Alex winced, remembering all the moping she’d been doing ever since Aven’s poisoning.

“And now you’re feeling embarrassed with your actions,” Xira pointed out with a soft rumble.

“Stop reading my thoughts and feelings, Xira,” Alex complained, her cheeks turning pink at getting caught.

“Then stop feeling everything so openly, Alex,” he shot back.

She dryly chuckled and closed her eyes, annoyed that a lump of emotions was clumping in her throat once more. “If only I could switch off every negative feeling I feel at command,” she murmured. “Shooting my shot here, but maybe your draekon powers can do something like that?”

She felt Xira affectionately nudging her head with his snout once more. “I’m sorry, my friend,” he said. “I don’t have that kind of power.”

Alex sadly smiled and got more comfortable against Xira. “That’s okay,” she said, a sleepy yawn tearing out of her mouth, “you just have no choice but to endure all the emotional turmoil of a seventeen-year-old girl.”

“Then I hope it gives you comfort that in my knowing how you feel, you are not alone in them, okay?” Xira continued. “Feel whatever you want to feel, Alex. I see them. I feel them, too. I hope it gives you comfort to know that somebody understands what you feel, because I truly do.”

A few tears slipped down from her closed eyes. “I hate a lot of things that have happened to me since I traveled to the past,” she said, “but you are one of the best things that happened in all this mess.”

Xira nudged her head once more and allowed Alex to continue leaning against his body, for as long as she wanted.

“Both here and there, Alex,” he reminded his vow. “Forever and always.”

It had been a full week when Alex once again had the courage to visit Aven. The royal family started having dinner again together, and to be at least respectful, Alex started attending too.

She was afraid Aven’s parents would blame her for his current condition. She knew Roka had told his parents about what happened and how Alex was involved in all of this. It surprised her, however, when Queen Niida continued to have breakfast with her and King Astophe kept asking her every time they crossed paths if she was feeling better.

“They do not blame you for what happened, Aeylia,” Roka had told her one time. “They only blame the Garseth.”

“They should blame me,” she insisted.

Roka shook his head. “I hope soon you’ll stop blaming yourself,” he sighed. “It wasn’t your fault, Aeylia.”

Niyx and Xira were such great comforts to her during their wait. Although sometimes they smothered, especially Niyx, she appreciated them so much for being there for her.

As the wait dragged on longer for a few more days, Alex’s dread of Aven’s current condition was now mixed with weird, confusing feelings. Blinded with worry for the first few days after Aven’s poisoning, Alex’s feelings were all over the place. Now that she had some time to sort through them all, she was left with deep confusion on why she was feeling like this, for her nemesis no less.

She had grieved when future Aven Claimed Jordan and stole him away from her and her friends. Alex had held D.C. a lot of times after Jordan’s departure as they cried for their lost friend. She and Bear had quietly talked about Jordan with each other, exchanging words of hope that someday they would see him back.

Alex had felt Jordan’s absence as acutely as she felt with past Aven’s condition, but it wasn’t as debilitating as this. A part of her knew she should be disgusted by feeling this devastated over Aven’s poisoning, but she always comforted herself in knowing that this Aven hadn’t done anything wrong yet. It helped that Xira agreed when she ranted about these confusing thoughts. “He isn’t evil, Alex,” Xira told her during one of her sleepless nights. “No one can fault you for being sad that he’s not doing well.”

On the day Aven was to leave, supposedly for an envoy to Tryllin, Alex finally thought it was best to visit him once again.

Roka and Kyia were busy doing things—together, Alex honestly hoped—and so, her training sessions with Roka and history lessons with Kyia had been put on hold indefinitely. Niyx was away doing some family business, and so, Alex had no one with her when she decided to visit Aven.

Steeling her nerves and swallowing down her suffocating emotions, she strolled purposefully inside his room.

It was still early in the afternoon, but Aven’s room was bathed in the darkness. Alex frowned and went to his curtains, pulling them open to let some light shine in. It was also getting a little cold, and so she dusted a few myraes in his blazing fireplace to invite more heat.

Once the room was comfortable enough for her, Alex finally had the courage to look back at Aven’s unconscious form.

It comforted her to note that he still looked the same. Not better, no, but at least he didn’t look worse than the last time she saw him. There were still brown veins sneaking out from his wound, but Alex wasn’t sure if they had faded in color.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” was her greeting, her voice cracking a little because of emotions. Alex cleared her throat and pulled a chair closer to his bed to settle down. “For all I know, this is your way to continue ditching my tutoring sessions.”

Her eyes slightly watered when Aven didn’t miraculously awaken with her voice just so he could dispute her claims. Sighing, Alex got comfortable on the chair and opened the book Aven had been reading, back when she first started tutoring him with the common tongue. It had surprised her that a book of fairytales like this was in the Royal Meyarin’s library; it surely rivaled the Brothers Grimm version she grew up with back at Freya.

“Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a princess…”

__________

Alex jerked awake when she felt a presence in the room.

Still disoriented from sleep, she slowly looked around and realized she was back in her own room in Meya. The last thing she remembered was reading the book of fairytales aloud back at Aven’s room. ‘Someone must have moved me here,’ she thought, stretching luxuriously on her bed and trying to snuggle deeper under her covers.

But then, she felt that strange presence once more, prompting her to shoot out of her bed, ready to defend herself from whoever was in her room.

It took a while for her Meyarin eyesight to adjust in the darkness. Alex was proud that it didn’t even take a minute. But then, when her sharp eyes landed on the golden ones staring calmly across her bed, Alex gasped in surprise.

“I found you asleep in my room. Uncomfortably so, if you must know. I’m sorry if I woke you up as I carried you back to your room. I was trying to be gentle, but my limbs are not cooperating well with my mind.”

“A-Aven?” she stammered.

The prince, who looked haggard and pale under the moonlight, gave her an uncertain smile. “Yes?”

Alex slipped out of her bed. “I… this… this isn’t a dream, right?” she said. “Why are you in my dream, Aven?”

“You always are in mine,” he revealed, carefully stepping closer. “Often, actually, for the past days, since I think I slept for most of those times.” He was standing just a few breaths away from her and smiled, “But, fortunately, this isn’t a dream.”

A shaky laugh escaped from her lips, which then morphed into soft sobs as she launched herself into his arms. “You’re awake,” she cried, tightly hugging Aven to herself like she was afraid he’d disappear.

She felt his chuckles against her head. “Gently, Aeylia,” he said, “I am still weak from the poison.”

She relinquished her tight hold to look up at him. “H-how are you awake?” she stuttered. “I—the last time I saw you, you were still dead to the world and—” Her feelings were all over the place, her thoughts racing inside her mind a hundred miles per hour. She was still in disbelief that Aven was here in her room, upright, awake, but weakened, hugging Alex back just as tightly.

“Maybe I should get poisoned a lot if this is how you’ll react to my recovery,” he lightly said. “I don’t think you’ve ever hugged me like this.”

Alex’s breath hitched, pulling her head just so she could give him the darkest glare she could ever muster.

He gave her an unrepentant smile. “Too soon?” he teased.

She took a deep, shaky breath and buried her face against his chest once more. “You scared the absolute crap out of me, Aven,” she confessed, her tears increasing in volume as they tumbled down from her eyes. “When you wouldn’t wake up after the poisoning, I… I didn’t know what to do.”

“I’m awake,” he assured her, his lips brushing against her forehead. “I’m still here, Aeylia.”

“But how are you awake?” she asked, still in disbelief, as she pulled away from him once more. “I thought you said no one can heal from a Sarnaph’s poisoning without doing the Menada dae Loransa.”

Alex wasn’t sure why he was looking at her strangely. Aven then grasped her hand and lifted up her palm. The silvery scar future Aven had given her back when he tried to Claim her shone brightly in her dark room. “And yet, you’ve survived one too,” he pointed out. “It turns out we are the only two known Meyarins who have fully survived the poison.”

“Wh—” She swallowed down her question, silently cursing herself for forgetting the excuse she made when Aven discovered her scar – a scar that should have completely healed because she was, after all, a Meyarin. “Right. Does that mean you’re completely healed?”

Aven slowly frowned. “Honestly, I do not know,” he sighed. “How long was I unconscious?”

“For almost two weeks, Aven,” she solemnly said.

Aven took a sharp intake of breath, his eyes growing wide in disbelief. “That long?” he asked. “Normally, if someone poisoned with Sarnaph blood didn’t wake after the third day, then…”

She cracked a watery smile. “We thought you were going to d-die,” she said, fresh tears welling in her eyes as she recalled those long, harrowing days. “The palace physician was able to arrest the spread to your heart, which apparently equated to instant death. But none of us were certain if you would still survive the poisoning.”

Alex peered up at his pale face, now noting that the brown veins were indeed starting to fade. The small wound on his cheek had now completely healed, but the silvery scar that matched the one on Alex’s palm looked like it was there to stay. “Who knew such a silly little cut could bring you almost to the brink of death?” she sighed, lifting her hand against Aven’s cheek to lightly rub his scar. “You’re going to have this scar forever, Aven.”

“Aren’t we a perfect match then?” he said, his own thumb rubbing the scar on her palm.

A shaky laugh broke out through her tears as Aven slowly wiped her tears away.

“During the attack… they didn’t hurt you?” he quietly asked, his eyebrows knitting together in worry.

Alex shook her head. “No, not at all. Xiraxus felt my distress and fear and swooped in to save the day,” she explained. “It is safe to say that, despite being a hatchling, my draekon is still ferocious against the Garseth. Then I talked to N—” She paused, realizing that she was about to reveal to Aven that she, too, was bonded with Niyx. “I-I mean, Niyx then came because he was searching for us after we left De Talen. And that was how he found us, and he carried you back to the castle.”

“I’m glad,” Aven said, relaxing in relief. “The first thing I thought when I woke up was if you’re all right.”

“I am,” she assured him with a nod. “As for you…” She pursed her lips and lightly glared. “Please don’t pull off such a stupid stunt in the future, Aven. Promise me you won’t be catching any Sarnaph-laced daggers in the future for me.” ‘Because I can survive one, seeing as I’m not a full-blooded Meyarin,’ she added in her mind. ‘And you might not.’

Aven smiled and lightly shook his head.

“Promise me, Aven!”

“You know I can’t promise such a thing,” he said, pulling Alex closer once more to engulf her in a hug. “If I have to catch one a thousand times over, I’ll do it again in a heartbeat for you, Aeylia.”

Emotions clogged her throat as she buried her against his chest. ‘Alex,’ she thought. ‘My name is Alex.’

Both jumped away from each other when Alex’s door burst open with a loud bang.

“Aeylia! Aven is mis—”

Roka, who was initially frantic, was rendered mute upon seeing the scene inside Alex’s room. Kyia was also behind him, and when she peered over his shoulders to see why his words died down, she gasped upon seeing Aven up and about.

In three big strides, the Crown Prince wordlessly reached Aven and yanked his surprised younger brother in a bone-crushing hug. Alex softly laughed at Aven’s struggling, tears still slipping down from her eyes. Kyia was equally in tears as she held Alex’s hand, a wide, wobbly grin on her face.

“Jeez, Roka, give him some space to breathe,” Alex joked, her voice still raw and scratchy from crying.

Roka slowly pulled away, and Alex noted that his eyes were shining too with unshed tears.

“Welcome back, brother.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

After that dramatic reunion in Alex’s room, Aven was dragged back by his brother to his room while Kyia bounded away to bring the palace physician. Alex had followed the princes to Aven’s room, watching in amusement as Roka mercilessly fussed over an annoyed Aven. The younger prince kept on darting looks at her, silently begging her to save him from Roka’s smothering.

“I think Aven likes his personal space, Roka,” Alex said, deciding to step in to rescue. She gently pried Roka’s tight hold on Aven’s arm, like he was afraid his younger brother would suddenly vanish without warning, then directed Aven back to his bed. He looked paler and still weary from the poison.

Roka was ready to run out of Aven’s room to hunt down the palace physician and personally drag him back, but Kyia had finally arrived right on time, the physician not too far behind. Alex was surprised to see that both the King and the Queen were also present.

Alex wobbly smiled when Queen Niida burst into loud, relieved sobs, collapsing unceremoniously on the floor beside Aven’s bed just so she could properly pull him into a tight hug. Aven was quietly reassuring his mother, gently patting her back as an added reminder that he was very much awake.

King Astophe’s eyes — ones that matched Aven’s golden color — were suspiciously shiny as he gently coaxed his wife to relinquish her firm hold with their son just so the palace physician could examine Aven.

It was becoming too crowded inside Aven’s room. Alex thought it best to leave the royal family to fuss over the youngest prince while she went back to her room.

But Aven seemed like he knew what she was thinking, for his bright, golden eyes met her gaze.

Stay, he wordlessly said. Stay, please.

She gave him a small smile; his attention was soon directed to the palace physician, who started asking him a litany of questions while simultaneously doing tests.

‘Maybe just for a little while,’ she thought.

It felt like the whole of Meya released a collective sigh of relief now that Prince Aven had recovered from his close encounter with death.

While the royal family was being deliberately reticent about their youngest son’s lack of presence in the kingdom, there had been rumors going around. There were at least twenty or so Garseth who’d witnessed Aven’s collapse. Alex wasn’t surprised that news like this had spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom.

Which was why, when Aven stepped out of the Meyarin castle for the first time for a brief stroll, there were audible gasps and sighs of relief following his wake.

“You should have seen the Meyarins, kitten,” Niyx reported to her, as he had accompanied Aven on his first public appearance after recovering from Sarnaph poisoning. “I think one mother even started crying in relief. It was outrageous.”

“And Aven?” she asked, lips twitching into a smile as she went back to defending absentmindedly against Roka’s controlled attacks. “How was he?”

“The stupid kregon basked under all of the attention, by the light,” Niyx replied. “I’m sure he’d get poisoned again and again just to receive the love of our people.”

Alex hissed - both because of Niyx’s words and Roka’s jab against her ribcage.

“Too soon?” the Raedon heir asked. “Judging from the sudden pain that appeared on my chest, my words may have distracted you from your training with Roka.”

The Crown Prince had furiously apologized for it. Alex got annoyed that he’d decided they were done for the day.

“Too freaking soon, Raedon,” she grumbled, grimacing as she poked at the tender spot to see if it was cracked. “It will never be okay for me to joke that, I fear.”

“Aww, is the mortal getting all softie for Aven?” Niyx then teased. “Be careful, Aeylia. It kind of feels like you’re falling in love, too.”

Her cheeks reddened in horror, a huge huff of indignation blowing out of her lips.

“Is everything all right?” Roka asked, worry in his eyes.

Alex dismissively waved her hand and excused herself for the day.

“Kitten? Still there?” Niyx asked.

For her answer, Alex sharply poked at the bruise she knew surely blooming under her tunic. Pain crawled throughout her chest, and judging from Niyx’s sharp hiss through their mental bond, she knew he had felt that too.

“Did you just poke your own bruise just to spite me?” he asked incredulously. “Stars, Aeylia, sadistic much?”

“Shut up, Niyx,” she snapped.

“Why, Aeylia? Did I just hit a nerv—OWW! Stop poking your bruise!”

Alex’s face had scrunched up in pain, now regretting the two painful jabs she had given herself. “Shut up, Niyx,” she hissed once more.

She blocked off his incessant chuckles in her mind, stomping mindlessly around the castle. It was only when she heard the familiar cacophony of servants preparing for dinner that she realized her feet brought her to the kitchens.

“Lasa Aeylia!”

Alex turned around and smiled brightly upon seeing the familiar, friendly face of Mirin. “Hello, Mirin,” she said in the common tongue. The servant tilted her head in greeting, although Alex knew she did not fully understand her. “Umm.. Kendara, Mirin. Doro trae melana aus kraemsah?” Now that she was in the kitchens, Alex wondered if Mirin could prepare another bowl of kraemsah she had eaten last time with Aven.

The palace maid smiled and tilted her head. “Sesu, Lasa Aeylia,” she agreed, then directed Alex to sit at the circular table in the middle of the kitchens.

It didn’t take too long before Mirin brought her a full bowl of kraemsah. Alex beamed at her brightly when she also gave her a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

“It felt like you needed one too,” Mirin said in Meyarin, pointedly looking at the dark bags under her eyes.

“Am I too obvious?” Alex asked with a deep sigh. Mirin merely gave her a sympathetic stare, no doubt already updated with what had happened to the royal family for the past week.

The kraemsah and the hot chocolate provided the much-needed comfort for Alex. Now that Aven was up and about, Alex… Alex was at a loss. She was glad he was fussed over by his parents and brother during his days of recuperation, since he had basically left Alex alone to her own devices.

She knew something inside her had changed since Aven got poisoned. Her worry for his well-being was at the forefront of her mind during the days when it was still uncertain whether he’d survive or not. Without a possible death looming over their heads, Alex was finally able to sort out her feelings. Through all this ruminating, she had landed on a conclusion that she would, without any ounce of doubt, be quite devastated if Aven did not wake up. As devastated as if this had happened to one of her best friends.

Alex—terrified—thought it might even be more.

“Alex?” Xira softly asked in her mind. “What is it? I can sense your distress.”

“When can a girl get some peace and quiet here?” she asked, her lips twitching into a small smile when Xiraxus chuckled. “Remind me again why you bound yourself to a teenage girl with too many feelings?”

“Umm, maybe because you would have died if I didn’t?”

Alex sighed and took a sip from her hot chocolate. “Touché,” she replied.

“Care to share with me what distresses you so much?” Xira paused for a few moments. “Is this about Aven?”

A surprised laugh escaped from her mouth. This drew a curious look from Mirin, who was standing a few paces away from Alex, waiting to be ordered around. Alex sheepishly smiled at her and gently dismissed her, promising that she was all right on her own.

“Alex?”

“Why did you think this is about Aven?” Alex asked once Mirin went back to her chores.

Xira snorted in her mind. “Alex, please, everything has been about Aven for the past few weeks,” he stated matter-of-factly. “You have so many feelings regarding the youngest prince, I honestly cannot keep up anymore.”

Her heart thudded loudly inside her ribcage, suddenly having lost her appetite. “Oh, Xira, what am I going to do?” she asked.

“About what?”

Alex ran a frustrated hand through her hair. “Honestly? I don’t even know,” she grumbled. “I don’t even know where to start. I don’t know what I’m even feeling. I don’t know what to think. It’s like… It’s like one day I just woke up and Aven had invaded all of my thoughts and feelings for the past weeks and I…” She closed her eyes in misery. “I don’t know what is happening with me anymore.”

“Alex,” Xira gently said, “you just witnessed a very traumatic experience in the past days. You saw one of your friends almost die. I think it is valid that you feel so overwhelmed with emotions.”

“That’s the problem, Xiraxus,” she said. “Because I know I should feel happy that Aven’s finally well. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I am happy that he is better now. But why… why do I feel all this confusion and awkwardness when I am around him?”

Xira didn’t answer her for a while, and Alex feared she’d dumped a lot on him and driven him away.

“Alex…” She could detect the discomfort in Xira’s voice. “Maybe the best thing to do right now is to be honest with yourself.”

“That scares me the most, Xira,” she sighed. “I think—” She paused and gulped down the remaining hot chocolate. “I think I’m not ready to face the truth.”

Alex knew the Meyarins were already noticing how deliberately she had been avoiding Aven for the following days. The meals shared with the royal family were excruciating for Alex because she always had to sit beside the youngest prince and endure the huge tidal wave of emotions slamming against her heart just with his close proximity.

She had congratulated herself for trying to appear well to stave off any more curious questions from the others, but Aven was starting to get persistent. Besides the meals, she had made sure she would never be alone with Aven in a room. Anytime Aven would approach her and just talk, Alex would stammer half-baked excuses just so she could escape. Their common tongue tutor sessions had ceased, because let’s face it, Aven was already well-versed with the language, and he didn’t need Alex’s help anymore.

“Put the poor bloke out of his misery, Aeylia,” Niyx told her after brutally drilling her to walk to and fro the edge of one of the floating lands in Draekora. “He’s been pulling me everywhere just to rant the heck out of my ears. He is confused. And actually hurt with your avoidance, kitten. Maybe cut him some slack. He just got back from almost dying.” His amethyst eyes pierced right into her soul. “Don’t make him feel like he’s dying all over again.”

“Well, that’s such an exaggeration,” she lamely replied, pointedly avoiding Niyx’s gaze. “Nobody can die from that.”

Niyx snorted. “Aven might just prove you wrong, Aeylia,” he claimed so matter-of-factly.

When Alex continued to stubbornly meet his eyes, he sighed and asked, “What’s really happening here, kitten? Why are you suddenly keen on avoiding Aven like he’s contagious or something?”

Alex failed to answer him.

“Alex just has a lot of feelings for the Meyarin prince,” Xira suddenly piped in.

“Xiraxus!” she hissed, glaring darkly at the amused draekon. “Help me out here, will you?”

“I am helping you out, Alex,” he rumbled, lowering his face just to bump his muzzle against her head affectionately. “And helping myself too. Frankly, Alex, your overwhelming feelings are starting to keep me up at night.”

She looked properly shamefaced, lifting her hand to pat Xira’s snout in apology. “I’m sorry,” she said, closing her eyes and leaning against his scaly neck. “I don’t know how to stop feeling.”

Throughout their whole exchange, Niyx had fallen silent. It was only when she felt him clutch her hand that Alex finally, reluctantly, looked back at his eyes.

Niyx had an unreadable look on his face, his amethyst eyes staring intently into her own as if trying to make sense of her actions for the past days. At the same time, his thumb was rubbing comforting circles along her silver scar on her left hand, which somehow helped her calm down.

Clarity now colored his features as a slow, sad smile appeared on his face. “I believe you’ve found yourself in quite a conundrum, Alexandra Jennings,” the Meyarin said. Alex flinched; Niyx only used her real name when he was being serious.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said with a stubborn pout.

Xira blew warm air against her head from his deep, belly sigh. Niyx looked above Alex’s head to catch the draekon’s eyes, a small grimace now on his face. Alex wasn’t sure what was happening, but an understanding was exchanged between the two.

Niyx shifted his gaze back at Alex and said, “I’m going to slowly spell it out for you, kitten.” He tightened his hold on her hand, just so Alex would stay put with whatever he was going to say. “I think… I think you just caught some feelings for him, and it’s been driving you crazy.”

Alex took a sharp intake of breath. She felt like Niyx had given her a literal physical blow against her chest, knocking all the breath out of her mouth. Her throat was starting to close up in panic as she mightily pulled her hand away from his grip and wobbled back on her feet.

“Get me back to Meya, Xira,” she said, her voice shaky from panic.

“Alex…”

“NOW!” she roared, crazed eyes landing on the worried draekon.

Niyx had jumped onto his feet too and latched onto Alex’s hands.

“Let go, Niyx,” she cried, already feeling lightheaded with all the revelation she was currently having within herself.

“Take deep breaths with me, Aeylia, okay?” he asked in a soothing voice. His other hand gently gripped her chin so that her panicked eyes connected with his. “That’s it. Deep breaths, Aeylia. Deep, deep breaths.”

As her heart started to slow down from its rapid beating, tears filled her eyes. She refused to let them fall, afraid she would break further, and steadfastly held Niyx’s gaze.

“I know it is disastrous,” Niyx whispered, pulling Alex back down on the ground to sit beside her. “I know who he is to you in your future. That is why you are confused, Aeylia. And terrified with all these new feelings you’re having for Aven.”

Despite her overwhelming feelings, an amused chuckle still broke out from her lips. “Since when are you an expert on the matters of a teenager’s heart, Niyx?” she teased, a single tear escaping from one of her eyes.

Niyx smiled and gently brushed the tear away. “Since I’ve become bonded to a very emotional one, I think,” he replied, marginally calming down to note that Alex was still well enough to joke around.

“I can release you from the Claiming, you know?” Alex softly said, squeezing his hand in comfort. “It’s scary how I trust you with my whole heart. I know you’ll keep my secret to your grave long after I leave this place.”

“And miss all the fun of you sorting out your feelings for my best friend?” he asked. “Not a chance, Aeylia.”

Her face shuttered. “This isn’t a joke, Niyx,” she mumbled, a few more tears slipping down her face.

His gaze softened as he brushed away her other tears. “I know, I’m sorry,” he said. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry too that you are feeling all of this.” He gestured at her wet face, then to her heart. “I understand, Aeylia. I remember the visions you showed me of Aven, the future one, who leaves hate and destruction in his wake.”

“I don’t know what to do,” she said, as all the fight left her and she now slumped forward, resting her head against his shoulder. “Hypothetically speaking, you are correct, Niyx, about… the feelings you claim I’m starting to have for your best friend, what do you think I should do?”

Niyx snorted and placed a hand on top of her head. “Okay, so hypothetically speaking, I am correct,” he fondly drawled, “I think you should do what feels right, kitten.”

“That’s the problem!” she said, pulling away to catch his indulgent gaze. “I already know what is right! I know I should go back to my timeline and continue fighting alongside my friends and family. I know—”

But Niyx cut her off with a sharp shake of his head. “No, no, Aeylia,” he said, “do what feels right for you. Not for your friends back home. Not for your family.”

“That’s terribly selfish of me,” she pointed out.

“Is it? Really?” he softly shot back. “Does following your heart make you a selfish person?”

“Yes, if it means I betray the trust of the people I love.” Alex sighed and shook her head. “You’ve seen what Aven will do to my future. You’ve seen how much hurt he’ll give to my family. I can’t just… I can’t just follow my decidedly fickle heart.”

Niyx was shaking his head again. “He isn’t the Aven of the future yet, kitten,” he said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Truthfully, I cannot fathom a version of Aven who is ruthless and murderous. He’s been my best friend since I could walk—my brother in all things but blood, and if I have the power to do anything to save him from his dark future, then I will.”

“And you think I do?” she asked him. “You think I have the power to save him?”

“I… don’t know,” he answered with uncertainty. “You said Aes Daega was adamant in saying the future, your present, is set. That no matter what you do and how long you stay here, your departure will trigger Aven’s path to doom. But I just can’t accept that, Aeylia. I can’t. Because Aven is my brother and I don’t want to give up on him.”

Alex cracked a watery smile, noting the sincerity shining in Niyx’s amethyst eyes. “Well, at least now that’s something we can agree on,” she said.

Niyx pierced her with a stare. “Don’t be afraid of what your heart is telling you, Aeylia,” he continued. “From what I’ve gleaned from the visions you’ve shown me about your timeline, I believe it has never failed you. Trust your red, bleeding heart.”

She snorted and buried her snotty face against his neck. “Thanks, Niyx,” she murmured. “And you too, Xiraxus,” she added through her vaeliana bond. “I don’t think I’ll survive in the past without you both.”

For the following days, Alex still could not fully trust her heart. But, she followed Niyx’s suggestion to stop avoiding Aven. She was still walking on eggshells around him, but she could now speak to him when he asked her questions, just as long as she didn’t look at his eyes too long.

She was relieved Aven had stopped looking like a sad, kicked little puppy every time she bolted at the mere sight of him. She knew he was still confused about how cold she had become, but bless his heart, he continued to persistently try to strike up a conversation with her as much as he could. Alex couldn’t help but appreciate him for trying so hard.

One day, during supper with the royal family, Alex’s attention from her silly, teenage heart was diverted when Aven made a startling announcement.

“You what?” Roka asked, jaw dropped as he looked at his brother with sheer surprise on his face.

Aven coolly darted his eyes from his brother to his equally dumbstruck father. “I’ve thought long and hard for days after I recovered,” he elaborated. “After that attack, I can’t stop thinking about the possibility that they might become more violent with the human traders. And so, I’ve decided – I will lead the special envoy to the Medoran capital to discuss strategies on how to handle the Garseth.”

“But… but you just got better!”

All eyes landed on Alex, who realized it was she who had spoken those words aloud. Judging from the gazes of the other royal family members, she knew it wasn’t only her who was thinking the same thing.

“She is right, my love,” Queen Niida said, her gaze landing back on Aven.

“I am well now,” Aven insisted, briefly looking at Alex, whose cheeks had bloomed red from their attention. “The palace physician’s latest examination showed that all of the Sarnaph blood had already left my system.”

Alex could observe that the physician was right. The brown veins were already gone; the only indication that Aven had any wound on his face was the thin, silvery scar under his right eye.

“But—”

The Queen’s protest was cut off when King Astophe held her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Is that what you really want, Aven?” he softly asked. Alex could see the worry shining in the king’s amber eyes, but mixed with that also was unmistakable pride.

Aven did not hesitate to nod his head firmly.

“Very well, then,” the King said. Queen Niida slightly slumped on her seat, dejected, but the king continued to comfortingly hold her hand. King Astophe then looked at the silent Crown Prince and said, “Assemble your most trusted Zeltora, Roka. They will leave in three days.”

“I’m coming too!” Alex blurted out before she could stop herself. For the second time that day, all eyes landed on her. “I-I’d like to join the envoy, too.”

“No, Aeylia,” Aven said, shaking his head. “It will be a long, arduous journey. Quite dangerous, too.”

Alex ignored him and stared squarely at the King’s eyes. “I have been training for the past weeks with Roka,” she insisted. “A’enara is mine to command, and I am bonded with the Heir of the Sky Kingdom. I am well-equipped for this journey, Your Highness. Please allow me to come with the envoy.”

“Aeylia—”

This time, she pierced Aven with her determined eyes. “I was raised by humans,” she continued. “I know their ways. I speak their language and know how to interact with them. It will be easier for the envoy if there is someone who knows how to be both a mortal and a Meyarin. So, it just makes more sense if I were to come.”

Aven looked conflicted, wanting to object more.

“You know I am right, Aven,” she said, allowing herself to be vulnerable at that moment as she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I am right.”

It was Aven who looked away first, knowing that her decision was set and no amount of protesting from him would stop her from coming.

“Very well, then,” King Astophe, pulling Alex’s attention back to him. The king had a small, understanding smile on his face, which widened a fraction when he briefly glanced at their clasped hands. “You may join the envoy, Aeylia.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” she said. “Then, I must prepare for the journey.”

It was the night before their departure to Tryllin, and Alex was restless.

Things had been hectic in the castle after Aven declared he would be leading the envoy. Alex scarcely saw him, as he was always locked inside the war room with his father and older brother.

She busied herself for the following days by continuing her training with Niyx, who would also be joining the envoy. Kyia had helped her pack all the essential things needed for the journey. Even Queen Niida, during their breakfast meals, would helpfully tell her about the current King and Queen of Tryllin.

Now that they were nearing their departure and Alex was all set, she was able to properly think about what this envoy would mean to the Kingdom of Meya. Spending a week amongst humans made her nervous, especially with Aven among them. She already firmly believed he wouldn’t spiral into the psychopathic murderer he was doomed to be, but a lot of things could happen in a week. Alex still could not help feeling nervous.

Knowing it was futile to sleep on her bed that time, what with all the tossing and turning she’d been doing, Alex purposefully strode out of her warded room before summoning Valispath.

Her travel to the Golden Cliffs was brief. As she jumped down the Eternal Path, her eyes were already distracted by how beautiful Meya was under the night sky. She glanced beyond, knowing that they would be journeying out of the borders of the Golden Cliffs to the mortal lands tomorrow.

Alex sat down on the grassy ground and tightened her cloak around her shoulders. She let the peaceful night calm her tumultuous heart and mind, breathing in deeply the cool, night air. As she breathed out, she hoped for the best.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

She gasped in surprise and swiveled around. Aven stood a few paces behind, a small smile on his face.

“A-Aven,” she stammered, warily watching as the prince closed the remaining space between them and sat down beside her. Alex tensed with their close proximity, but did not dare to pull away.

"You should go around Meya alone, Aeylia," he admonished. "I just recovered from an attack." 

She frowned and ignored his words. Instead, she asked, “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“I came to your room a while ago to check on you on the eve of our departure,” he explained, stretching his long legs in front of him. “I almost panicked when I noticed you were nowhere in sight. But then, I saw your draekon was sitting patiently outside your balcony and informed me where to find you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Xira, you traitor!” she cried.

“You looked like you needed some company, Alex,” Xira answered, sounding unrepentant. “You’ll thank me later.”

Alex briefly closed her eyes and fought the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose in annoyance. When she opened her eyes once more, it was to see Aven carefully looking at her.

“This envoy expects us Meyarins to stick together, especially in a land of strangers whose motives we are not familiar with yet,” Aven slowly started. “Are you sure you still want to come, Aeylia?”

She threw him a withered glare. “If you came here to convince me to stay, then you’re just wasting your time, Aven,” she said, stubbornly lifting her chin to prove her point.

Aven softly chuckled. “After three days of trying to dissuade you from joining, I think I already got the point,” he replied. “No. What I meant was, are you certain you still want to come? Now that you’ll have no means of avoiding me?”

She stiffened at his words, noting the knowing look in his gaze. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered.

The prince snorted and rolled his eyes. “Please, Aeylia, spare me,” he said. “I’m not blind; I knew you’ve been avoiding me after I recovered from the Sarnaph.” His face then slightly crumpled, uncertainty in his eyes. “Although I don’t understand why you’ve been avoiding me so persistently.”

Alex felt her heart jump to her throat at the look of hurt on his face.

“Did I do something wrong to you, Aeylia?” he softly asked. “Did I say something you didn’t like? Did I hurt you?” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and Alex noticed that there were dark bags under his eyes. “I’ve tried to rack my brain just to make sense of your avoidance, but I’m afraid I’m still at a loss.”

“Aven…”

His earnest, golden eyes met her gaze. “Tell me what I did wrong,” he softly begged. “And I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you.”

The telltale signs of her tears prickled her nose, and Alex refused to let them fall. “No, no, you’ve done nothing wrong,” she assured.

“Then why—”

“That was all me, Aven,” she cut him off. “You’ve done nothing wrong. You were just… you.” ‘And that was the entire problem.’

After her heart-to-heart talk with Xira and Niyx, Alex stopped lying to herself. For some bizarre reason, all she felt was deep fondness for this young prince that wasn’t the same as how she felt for her friends. Admitting the truth to herself was especially difficult, but it did help assuage the turmoil inside her heart.

“I don’t understand,” he confessed. “If I didn’t do anything wrong, then why were you avoiding me, Aeylia?”

She could not bear all his difficult questions. Alex turned her head away just so she wouldn’t spend more time staring at his kind eyes, but Aven grasped her chin and gently tilted her head once more so that he could look at her eyes.

“Help me understand,” he whispered. Alex started feeling breathless, noting how his golden eyes distractedly glanced at her parted lips.

Emotions clogged her throat. “I-I don’t belong here, Aven,” she finally whispered. “In Meya. With the royal family. With… with you.”

He smiled and shook his head. “No,” he said, his voice dropping an octave lower. “No, Aeylia. You are right where you should be. In Meya. With my family. With me.” He grasped both of her hands and placed them against his lips. “If you feel lost and unmoored, know that you already have a place in my heart.”

Tears tumbled down her face with his words. Unable to stop herself due to her overwhelming feelings, Alex leaned forward until her lips were pressed against his.

Aven took a sharp intake of breath at the brief contact.

“This is a mistake,” she whispered with shining eyes, as she slowly pulled back. Her heart was beating wildly inside her chest.

Before she could completely pull away, Aven had tenderly cupped her cheek and anchored her back. “Does this feel like a mistake to you?” he whispered back. He did not give her a chance to answer him because he dipped his head down and gave her another kiss. Alex’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned closer, kissing him with equal fervor.

“Aeylia,” he rasped out in between kisses, “Aeylia. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do this.”

She kissed him more deeply, her arms already snaking around his body just to keep herself upright.

‘Alex,’ she thought, sighing against his lips when he pulled her nearer. ‘My name is Alex, Aven.’

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Dawn came too soon, and now the Meyarin envoy to the Medoran capital was already assembled in front of the castle. Alex was roused by Kyia earlier after a very peaceful sleep despite staying out a bit too late, and had helped her dress for the trip. She was grateful Kyia had given her a tunic, form-fitting breeches, and some boots fit for travel. She’d rather not be dressed in the Grecian-style clothes she’d been wearing as a guest in the Meyarin castle.

Alex slowly looked around, noting that there were around fifteen Meyarins, including her, Aven, and Niyx. What surprised her, however, was the familiar face of Zain Erraeya wearing the uniform of a Zeltora.

“So, you finally stopped being stubborn and joined,” Alex greeted as she strode closer to the hulking Meyarin.

He shot her a wary glance, refusing to answer.

“I’m glad Prince Roka was persistent enough to recruit you,” she continued. “You should thank me for vouching for you, Zain.”

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “What?” he shot back.

“Why do you think the Crown Prince pursued you relentlessly?” she said with a proud smirk on her face. “I just saved you from an eternity of running away. At least now you can protect the less fortunate and at the same time serve the royal family without them breathing down your neck.”

Zain slowly stalked closer to Alex, his eyes now narrowed in suspicion. “Why?” he asked.

“So now you’re a man of few words?” she scoffed. When Zain continued to stare at her suspiciously, she sighed and offered him an appeasing smile. “You saved me back at The Scarlet Thief with Skraegon.” She lightly shivered in disgust, remembering how he’d trapped her back then, with clear ill intent in his eyes. “I saw your potential, Zain. You are a good Meyarin.”

He was still frowning at her, but his wariness had disappeared. “Then, it seems you are the one I should be thanking. Little princess.” He added the nickname as an afterthought, his lips twitching in amusement when she looked deeply affronted.

“I’m not a princess,” she protested. Alex wasn’t sure which she hated more—being called ‘little human’ by future him or ‘little princess’ now. She wasn’t even sure which was worse.

“Hmm. Yet,” Zain said, his gaze above her shoulders.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she cried, whipping around to follow his line of vision. It turned out his gaze was locked on Aven, who was still busy discussing last-minute points with his father and brother. As if feeling their gazes on him, Aven glanced up and met her eyes.

Alex, breathlessly, quickly looked away and glared at Zain. She was well aware of how her cheeks burned, especially with the amused look on Zain's face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she exclaimed, which prompted an eyeroll from the Zeltora and left her blubbering at his retreating back.

“You know Zain Erraeya?” Nixy suddenly asked, appearing beside her.

She took a deep, calming breath to settle her heart before nodding. “We’ve met,” she said. “He… saved me back at The Scarlet Thief.”

“You’ve been to that place before?” he asked. When she shot him a blank look, he continued, “I mean, before that meeting Aven dragged you into.”

“Let’s just say on the day Aven ditched me in the city, I stumbled upon unpleasant company,” she said. Unwittingly, the leery face of Skraegon with his disgusting hands trapping her arms once again appeared in her mind. She blinked in surprise when Niyx took a sharp intake of breath, horror in his eyes. “I take it you saw that?”

“Kitten…”

She shook her head to stop him. “I’m fine, it was in the past,” she assured him.

“Skraegon is a poor excuse of a Meyarin,” Niyx continued nonetheless. “When he tried to attack you at Narsae de Trigon, I didn’t know it was because…” He paled and grasped for Aeylia’s hand to give it a comforting squeeze.

“I’m really fine,” she said, heart warming at the genuine worry in his eyes. “Like I said, Zain was there to rescue me from his grubby, pervy hands.”

“Has something happened?”

Alex stiffened when she felt Aven’s presence behind her. She shot a warning look at Niyx, who had now let go of her hand. “Don’t tell him anything,” she hissed. “I swear to the stars, Niyx.”

Her friend rolled his eyes, then smiled reassuringly at Aven. “Nothing of importance, Aven,” he calmly said. “Aeylia and I were just discussing how she came to know Zain Erraeya.”

At the corner of her eyes, Alex saw Aven’s frown. “You do seem like you are familiar with him, Aeylia,” Aven concurred, a worried look now on his face.

“Aww, don’t be jealous, brother,” Niyx teased, much to Alex’s mortification. “I’m sure kitten here doesn’t see him that way because of y–oomf!” She cut him off before he could spout more ridiculous things by hitting him with her pointy elbow.

Aven nervously cleared his throat. “I wasn’t jealous,” he murmured.

An awkward silence settled between the two of them, and goodness, it was almost too much for Alex. Last night was… a dream. A very good dream, in fact. That was only how Alex could describe whatever they shared back at the Golden Cliffs because surely, surely it wasn’t real. Her traitorous heart—and lips, gosh darn it—was swayed too much by Aven’s mesmerizing, golden eyes. It was the only explanation she could think of.

“Does this feel like a mistake to you?”

Her cheeks flared redder, and Alex suddenly couldn’t breathe. Panicked, she tried to look for some means to escape, but Aven and Niyx had effectively blocked her way.

“You both are acting very, very weird right now, you know that?” Niyx slowly said, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Alex’s eyes widened, glancing briefly at Aven, and she almost laughed to note that he, too, looked as awkward as she felt.

“Did something happen?” the Raedon heir insisted, his amethyst eyes piercing her with a stare.

She tried her very hardest not to conjure an image of what had transpired between them at the Golden Cliffs. Instead, she loudly cleared her throat and made a show of looking around. “I don’t see any means of transportation,” she said, cringing inside at how shaky she sounded. “How are we to travel to Tryllin then?”

She frowned when Niyx and Aven exchanged amused glances.

“What?” she asked, her frown deepening. She wasn’t sure exactly what century she was in, but when they said there would be an envoy to Tryllin, Alex honestly imagined horse-drawn carriages. Come to think of it, she had yet to see any horses around Meya, so now she was curious if there were other animals that would help them travel to the Medoran capital.

“Aeylia, we’re Meyarins,” Aven said, perhaps a tad condescending, “We already have a means to travel anywhere we want.”

She immediately knew what he was talking about. “The Valispath,” she said, which was answered by identical nods from the two. “But… but you said it will be a long, arduous journey. I just thought…”

She paused, a scowl forming on her face, when Aven softly chuckled. “Of course, I said that because I was discouraging you from joining the envoy,” he plainly said.

“You liar,” she hissed, which only made his smile grow wider. “I really don’t like you right now.”

His smile settled into a smirk, leaning his head down a little too close for Alex’s poor heart to take. “Your lips said otherwise last night,” he pointed out. Beside them, Niyx choked in surprise at Aven’s words.

Alex’s cheeks flared into a furious shade of red once more, her mouth opening and closing like a stupid, blubbering fish. Aven had the audacity to lightly tap her warm cheek before excusing himself to bid his goodbye to his family.

Once he was gone, Niyx grabbed her shoulders to force her to look at him. “What in the stars was he talking about?” he demanded.

The unbidden image of their shared kiss—well, kisses—last night appeared in her mind again. She softly groaned when Niyx took a sharp intake of breath, no doubt having seen her night escapades with his best friend.

“Alexandra freaking Jennings,” Niyx lowly muttered for only her to hear. “We have so much to talk about.”

“No, we absolutely do not,” she huffed.

Niyx was ready to protest, but they were thankfully called to Aven’s side to discuss their transportation plans to the Medoran capital city. While their travel to Tryllin would be easy because of the Eternal Path, Niyx and Aven explained to Alex that the long distance could still prove to be dangerous, especially for the one commandeering the Valispath.

“Sheer concentration is needed to travel that long,” Aven said, then proceeded to tell them that they would be divided into three, big groups of five. It was safer, he said, rather than letting all fifteen of them travel through individual Eternal Paths or all together in one Valispath. Aven would obviously control one Valispath, and Niyx for another. It surprised her that the task of commandeering the last group would fall under Zain, but the prince seemed to trust him enough, and Zain accepted the task without complaint.

Aven then assigned the groupings. By the time he was with Alex, he lightly grimaced and said, “You’re safest if you travel with Niyx.”

“What? Why?” she said as a frown grew on her face. “Can’t I travel with you?” She quickly looked at Niyx with apology in her eyes. “I mean, no offense, Niyx.”

Hesitation broke through Aven’s initial confidence, an unreadable expression on his face. “I don’t think you’re safe with me travelling to Tryllin when my utmost concentration is needed,” he simply said. Without looking at Alex’s face, he continued, “You are, quite frankly, very, very distracting right now, Aeylia.” He darted a pointed look at her pink, parted lips, before silently striding away to continue assigning groups.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Niyx cajoled, then made retching sounds complete with some miming actions.

“Shut up, Raedon,” Alex said, knowing full well her cheeks were burning a brilliant shade of red, while she unremorsefully slapped Niyx’s arm.

Her friend just laughed, then ushered the other Meyarins who would be joining their little group, which consisted of two more male Meyarins and one female Meyarin. Such was her distraction with anything Aven, it escaped her notice that the other Meyarin with them was Mirin.

“You’re coming with us also?” Alex greeted in Meyarin, a delighted smile on her face.

“Sesu, Lasa Aeylia,” Mirin said.

“Aven said she’ll be assigned as your personal maid while we’re in Tryllin,” Niyx explained, having heard their exchange. “I take it you know each other?”

Alex lightly nodded her head, her eyes unwittingly landing on Aven. He was back on directing brief orders to the other Meyarins. Aven thought she might need someone familiar with them in a city full of strangers. And since he knew she was comfortable with Mirin, he’d decided that she would come and assist her for comfort.

Her heart fluttered once more with those weird, new feelings, unable to suppress a smile on her face at, well, at how thoughtful the prince was.

“Wipe that dopey look on your face, Aeylia,” Niyx then whispered in the common tongue. “Stars, you are hopeless.”

She glared darkly at Niyx, then smiled shyly at their other companions, who didn’t understand what Niyx said. “Ready when you are, captain,” she drawled, eyes landing back on Niyx.

“Mmm, Captain,” he said with a dashing grin. “It’s got a nice ring to it.”

“Everyone ready?” Aven suddenly called. Affirmation echoed in the small courtyard, and with a smile, he activated the Valispath. “See you on the other side, my friends.”

__________

The travel wasn’t too bad. It was just like travelling around Meya in short distances. But, on observing Niyx, who had grown strangely quiet since they started their journey, she could see that there were already beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Alex was tempted to ask if he was okay, but at the risk of breaking his concentration, she swallowed her worry. It was plain to see that this long-distance travel via the Valispath was taking its toll on him.

Alex tried to see the other two Valispath, but they were too far away for her to properly see how Aven and Zain were faring. It made her heart rest easy knowing that none of them were lagging behind and no unfortunate accidents had happened yet.

“Alex? Are you in Tryllin?”

“Xira!” she asked, happy to hear his voice as a distraction from her thrumming nervousness. “Not yet, but I think we’re near.”

Xira hummed in acknowledgement. “I’m right behind you,” he said. Alex quickly turned around, and true enough, a looming figure of the draekon was trailing the three Valispath.

“You’re coming with us?” she asked, surprised.

“I will just survey the area around,” he said, “Just to check the place is safe. I can visit you any time I want, you know.”

She smiled, warmth spreading in her heart for the worry she detected in his voice. “We’ll be fine,” she promised. “We’re with some of the finest Zeltora. And I trained with Niyx!”

“I know,” Xira sighed. “But after the stunt the rebels did back then, I just want to make sure.”

“Oh, Xira,” she said with a smile, lightly shaking her head. “Who knew such a ferocious beast could be such a big softie?

“Who are you calling a beast, mortal?” Xiraxus playfully sniped. Alex swallowed a snort, lest she’d distract Niyx from his navigating.

No one dared to talk while they traveled. Right now, she busied herself by looking over the change in scenery. There was an endless sea of green and brown, as opposed to the familiar silver and gold foliage she got so used to back in Meyarin. They were still too far above for Alex to properly compare Medora now to the one she was used to, but what she could deduce right now was that there were more trees than buildings.

“We’re near,” Niyx spoke suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence inside.

Alex directed her gaze to the looming castle at the center of Tryllin. Her heart stuttered, thinking that the façade didn’t look too different than D.C.’s home. But instead of the commercial towering buildings, all that surrounded it were humble homes with muddy stone walls and sturdy roofs made of reeds, hay, and twigs. She felt like she was somewhere in medieval times, especially with how the people were dressed.

Speaking of the Medorans, she could see the open-mouthed stares they were garnering, now that the Valispath was hovering over the townsquare. Some of the children were even wildly waving their arms around, trying to get the attention of the Meyarins.

They had gathered quite a crowd as they finally traversed the last miles of their journey. Niyx directed them down to the stone pavement just in front of the towering castle. Once the Eternal Path dissolved on their landing, Nixy expelled a humongous sigh of relief and started massaging his temples.

“Are you all right, Niyx?” she worriedly asked.

“Just a tad tired, kitten,” he reassured through a shaky smile. “That was one of the longest concentrations I’ve ever done.”

She worriedly glanced at the other Meyarins. Zain looked slightly tired, but he tilted his head to answer her questioning gaze that he was all right.

Perhaps, it was Aven who looked the worst of the three. He looked too pale, his silvery scar stark on his otherwise flawless skin. More beads of sweat clumped on his forehead, and he was breathing faster than normal. While Aven usually did not get tired easily despite how tiring the activity was, she figured his body was still trying to recover from his previous poisoning.

Before Alex could even think, she pulled her flask of liquid laendra and strode towards the tired Meyarin. “Aven,” she called, worry laced in her voice. “Drink this.”

“I’m fine, Aeylia,” he reassured, voice cracking to disprove his claim. When she merely frowned, he sighed and gratefully accepted her flask. He took three, big gulps before color returned to his face and he was breathing at a normal rate again.

“Thank you,” he said, returning her flask. He fondly brushed a few strands of her hair away from her face before striding towards the palace gates.

Alex quietly stood beside Niyx, who was most definitely trying to hide a grin at her pink cheeks, and waited for the guards to let them in.

“I am Prince Aven Dalmarta, youngest son of King Astophe and Queen Niida, brother of Crown Prince Roka of the Meyarins,” he then declared with his most regal voice. “We have come as a special envoy from Meya to continue strengthening the relationship with Medora.”

The gates then slowly opened, where a line of soldiers adorned with typical chainmail that was reminiscent of Sir Camden were waiting on the other side.

“Prince Aven, salutations. I am Percival,” one of the guards greeted, who Alex figured was the head of the palace knights. “The royal family waits for your envoy at the Throne Room. Please follow me.”

Aven nodded his head, then glanced at his companions as his silent command to follow him.

Alex had been at D.C.’s home one too many times after they became the best of friends. She wasn’t prepared, however, with how everything inside the castle looked like they were out of the BBC Merlin TV show her mother binged-watch one time back when they were still living in Freya. While the façade was essentially similar, the modern Cavelles had redecorated the interior to keep everything up to date.

Numerous pictures of the descendants of the Cavelle family lined the stone walls of the cold castle. Alex was amused to note that the fiery, auburn hair that was a unique characteristic of the Medoran royal family dated back to the medieval ages.

Sir Percival finally stopped them in front of a huge, double-oaked door. He then opened the doors and strode inside. “Your Highnesses, I present to you, Prince Aven Dalmarta of Meya, and his envoy of Meyarins.”

The knight then stepped aside and gestured for Aven to enter. Alex kept up with the other Meyarins, bracing herself on what she would see inside what she supposed was the Throne Room.

It was just as vast as she remembered, but instead of the kind faces of King Aurileous and Queen Osmada greeting them, strangers sat on the gilded thrones. Their faces, however, were just as kind, if not with the guarded looks in their eyes, as they beheld their new guests.

“Prince Aven,” the King greeted, “welcome to Medora.”

Aven slightly tilted his head, because of course, he was a proud immortal who did not bow to anyone, even mortal royalty. “King Aurum,” he stiffly said. His eyes then landed on the lady sitting beside the king. “Queen Esmeralda.”

If Alex squinted, King Aurum shared similarities with the modern Cavelles she knew and loved. His auburn hair was now streaked with grey, his blue eyes still bright, but wise with age. Queen Esmeralda was beautiful with her ebony hair and green eyes, boasting the nose she shared with her princess best friend.

“I trust that your travel had not been difficult?” King Aurum continued good-naturedly, ignoring the stoic greeting of the Meyarin Prince.

“No, it was quite easy in fact,” Aven replied. Alex hid an eyeroll, remembering how pale-faced and sweaty he was after all that concentrating he did just to bring his envoy in one piece through the Valispath.

The smile on the king’s face slightly fell, looking uncertainly at Aven’s companions. Alex smiled kindly, just to project that everyone in their envoy did not behave the same as the snobby Meyarin prince.  

“Forgive me, but I am not familiar with your other companions, Prince Aven,” the King said instead.

This prompted him to introduce his companions, and after he’d introduced Alex to the king and queen, their eyes widened in shock.

“Lady Aeylia?” Queen Esmeralda asked curiously. “As in the Meyarin babe abandoned in Medora to be taken care of by mortals?”

Alex smiled uncertainly. “Yes, that’s me,” she slowly said. “You’ve heard of me?”

“There was news of your existence from the human traders who came back from Meya after your end-of-the-summer festival,” King Aurum explained. Alex looked nervous under his roaming gaze, as if he was trying to see the humanness in her. “Just to see you here, in the flesh… you, my dear, look—”

“—magnificent,” someone piped in, somewhere from behind.

Both the king and queen looked over the Meyarins. King Aurum looked slightly disappointed, but the smile on Queen Esmeralda was far and wide.

Alex craned her neck and watched as a strapping, young man in riding breeches strode closer to the thrones until he was standing directly in front of Alex, just beside the King.

“Prince Aven and friends,” King Aurum said as he placed a hand on top of the newcomer’s shoulder, “it is my pleasure to introduce my only son, Heir to the Medoran throne, Prince Carden Cavelle.”

The Medoran Prince was daring enough to grasp Alex’s hand to place a kiss on her knuckles. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said with an easy, handsome smile. Alex could feel her cheeks heating with his attention, returning his smile with a hesitant one of her own.

Beside her, Aven loudly cleared his throat, and Alex hastily retrieved her hand away. A brief glance at Aven made her nervous because he looked nowhere near friendly. Another glance at Niyx made her lightly glare at him, as she could see the amused laugh he was trying to suppress.

“Forgive me for arriving late,” Prince Carden continued, his eyes barely glancing at the fuming Meyarin Prince. “I just came back from a hunting trip with my friends.”

‘That explains the mud streaks on his clothes,’ she thought, nervously looking at Aven. She knew Meyarins valued appearances above all, and she hoped the unkempt clothes of Prince Carden would not be taken as an insult.

As she looked back at Prince Carden, he looked every bit like the Cavelle heir. He was not exactly bad to look at, but he shared too many characteristics with her best friend to feel anything besides quiet admiration of his handsome features.

“No matter,” Aven softly drawled. His dark glare shifted to the suddenly nervous King Aurum. “Perhaps, you will be gracious enough to show us to our quarters? It had been a long journey.”

Alex bit her lip to stop from pointing out that he just said it was an easy journey.

“Of course, of course,” King Aurum said. He tilted his head at Sir Percival with his silent command. “Please rest for now, and we’ll convene during supper in a while.” He smiled widely once more as his eyes swept across his immortal guests. “Welcome to Tryllin, once again. If you have any concerns, feel free to course them through our servants or through my Head Guard, Sir Percival.”

They were then dismissed, with several servants stepping forward to direct them to their quarters. Alex was brought away from Aven and Niyx, who had their quarters in a different wing of the castle. It brought her some comfort to note that Mirin would be staying in an adjacent room, ready to be there at her beck and call.

They were then brought into a room that was strangely reminiscent of D.C.’s room. As she settled down and allowed Mirin to fuss over her rumpled appearance from the journey, she could not stop herself from missing her best friend.

Two days had passed since they arrived in Tryllin, and things had been almost… boring for Alex. Aven, Niyx, Zain, and the important Zeltora were mostly hidden inside the war room with King Aurum, Prince Carden, and their trusted palace knights as they devised a plan to keep the human traders safe from random attacks of the Garseth. As a lady and not really with a shiny title in Meya, Alex was mostly barred from these meetings. She had half a mind to barge in and declare that she was, in fact, very much a warrior in her own right after battling an evil monster wreaking havoc back in her time. But of course, that spelled disaster as the said evil monster’s younger self was part of the meeting, and she was masquerading as a Meyarin born in this timeline.

And so, Alex endured the following days strolling around the Medoran castle. Mirin was a good companion, but she was too shy and disciplined to break protocol and had kept Alex at an arm’s length. Queen Esmeralda was gracious enough to keep on inviting her for tea and other brief strolls in her lovely rose gardens, and Alex took those opportunities to get to know D.C.’s great-great-great-times-something-grandmother.

Her training with Niyx continued, with Mount Paedris actually nearer in Tryllin than in Meya. He was still ruthless despite their friendship, but Alex would not take it any other way. She rarely saw her friend, what with all the planning he’d been doing with the others, so her sparring sessions with him were a welcome respite.

As for Aven… well, if she saw Niyx scarcely, she never had an opportunity to be alone with the prince, much less talk with him. He was always swept away in royal business, and while she was glad he was being respectful and actually cooperating with the mortals, Alex found herself missing his stupid face the most.

“Thank you, Mirin,” Alex gratefully said on the night of their second day in Tryllin, smiling through the mirror at the kind Meyarin. “You really do not have to keep assisting me while we’re here. Go explore and enjoy Medora!”

Mirin shot her an amused look. “This is my job, Lady Aeylia,” she said in Meyarin. “Prince Aven will not like it if I leave you at your own devices.”

Alex made a face. “Please, ‘Aeylia’ is fine. Drop the ‘Lady’, because I’m seriously not one,” she said, perhaps for the nth time. “And blast whatever Aven says. He’s not here, is he now?”

She knew how bitter she sounded with the last line. She knew Mirin did not miss it, too, what with the knowing glint he shot her. It made Alex all the more annoyed that she was being so obvious with her feelings with regard to the Prince.

A sudden knock at her door froze Alex in her seat. The smile on Mirin’s face also fell as a look of nervousness colored her features. It was already very late at night, and although the humans had been very amicable for the past days of their stay, late-night visits from strangers still made her nervous.

“Stay here,” she whispered to Mirin as Alex slowly stood up and summoned A’enara.

“Lasa Aeylia, I don’t think—”

Alex placed a finger against her lips to signal for her to quiet down. Mirin, now pale-faced, slowly nodded her head and helplessly watched as Alex finally reached her door.

She took a sharp intake of breath, activating her Meyarin senses, before opening her door in one mighty pull.

“I sure hope you won’t use that against me,” Aven greeted with a small, bemused smirk on his face, glancing pointedly at A’enara, which was poised in the air for an attack.

“Aven!” she gasped, the Sword of the Stars disappearing immediately into thin air. “What are you doing here?”

Her heart hummed pleasantly at seeing his stupid face, but she could see that he was a little tired from his endless meetings with the Medorans.

“I’m sorry, were you about to sleep?”

Alex realized she was in her nightgown, which very much left little to the imagination. Aven was gentlemanly enough to stare right above her neck, but she knew he was aware of her clothing—or lack thereof—if not for the nervousness on his face.

“Lasa,” Mirin softly said, handing Alex her robe.

She thanked Mirin for her promptness, then wore the robe over her nightgown.

“What the heck are you doing here?” Alex said, relaxing a bit now that she was decently covered. “It’s in the middle of the night!”

Aven looked over her shoulders and murmured a soft, “Leave us,” to Mirin. Her maid dropped into a curtsy and scuttled to her room, leaving Alex alone with Aven.

This was the first time she’d been alone with him since, well, and the awkwardness that suddenly appeared between them was almost too much for Alex.

“I know you’ve had a long day, and I’m sure you’ll be locked in the war room tomorrow once again, so maybe you should—”

“Walk with me?” he quietly cut her off, a hopeful glint shining in his eyes.

Her heart thudded inside her chest because, of course, she’d walk with him. Alex sighed and silently nodded her head, knowing it would be tiring to come up with excuses.

Aven placed a hand at the curve of her back and directed her out.

Their walk was initially quiet – slightly awkward, yes, but not entirely uncomfortable. Alex was struggling with how to break the silence, but the treacherous image of the kisses she shared with Aven back at the Golden Cliffs clammed her up like a coward.

“I’m sorry.”

She blinked in surprise and glanced at Aven. They had finally arrived at the beautiful rose gardens outside the castle. Alex would have loved to explore more, but at that moment, she was too distracted by the golden eyes of the Meyarin Prince.

“Sorry?” she echoed. “What for?”

Aven sighed and slightly slumped forward. “I know I haven’t been available for the past days as we were busy discussing strategies with the royal family.” Aven ran a hand through his hair and grimaced down at Alex. “I…” His throat bobbed in nervousness. “I… um, Niyx misses you, by the way.”

Alex smiled at his blabbering. “He told you to tell me that?” she teased. When Aven lightly grimaced, she softly confessed, “I miss him, too.” She hoped he caught the meaning in her gaze.

An indescribable look appeared on Aven’s face. “Aeylia,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her walk. “We have to talk about what happened at the Golden Cliffs.”

Her heart jumped to her throat, and she unconsciously took a step back. Aven mistook her reaction as something negative, prompting him to sigh, his hand falling back down on his side.

“Being away from you for a while got me thinking,” he murmured, his eyes turning sad at whatever he was seeing on her face. “I still don’t know how you feel about me, but I just want you to know whatever happened between us at the Golden Cliffs… that wasn’t a mistake to me.”

“Aven—”

He shook his head and cupped her cheek. Alex’s heart quivered at how tenderly he held her. “Our stay here in Medora is a blessing, because I’ve been swept away for business most of the time,” he said. “And so, I can stay away while you have plenty of time to sort out your feelings about… about me.”

His thumb pressed lightly against her lips. “I can’t stop thinking about these,” he said, eyes blazing with an emotion that almost knocked her off her feet. “Stars, Aeylia, these were all I could think about. Do you know how difficult it was for me to concentrate on discussing strategies and policies when all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss you again?”

Her breath stuttered when Aven bent down. She thought at first he’d kiss her again, and Alex wasn’t sure whether to pull away and lean closer eagerly. But then, he dropped a tender kiss against her hairline instead, then smiled down at her. Alex had to bite down on her lip to keep from groaning in disappointment. “Niyx said I should give you some time,” he said, completely pulling away from Alex. She felt unmoored, untethered, and it took all of her strength not to latch onto him to steady herself. “It doesn’t matter how long, then. I have an eternity to wait for you.”

Ales was rendered speechless at how earnest his declaration was. Aven sadly smiled at her then, pulling her back to her room and murmuring a quiet goodnight once they arrived.

‘Stupid prince didn’t even give me a chance to speak,’ she realized as she burrowed down in her blanket.

It didn’t matter, anyway. Alex did not know what to tell him in the end.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

“Niyx? NIYX!”

“Kitten? Is something wrong?”

Alex groaned and rolled over her bed. “I’m so freaking bored,” she whined through their bond. “When will all these stupid talks end?”

“You think what we’re doing right now is stupid?” There was amusement laced in Niyx’s voice.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Alex sighed, slowly sitting up on her bed to lightly grimace at a curious Mirin. The Meyarin maid was currently sitting on one of Alex’s chairs in her guest room in Medora, mending some of her clothes that had strangely gotten torn when Alex was supposedly staying put in the castle. Thankfully, the maid didn’t ask her questions about her tattered clothes, which she most definitely got from Niyx’s brutal training, nor question why she’d catch Alex sneaking into her room just after dawn.

“Will your meeting take another whole day?” she asked, as she strode towards one of the huge windows in her room and looked over the town square.

“Honestly, Aeylia? I’m not sure,” Niyx said. “I’m bored out of my mind with all this politicking, but you know that this will be good for Meya, right?”

“Of course, I know,” she sighed, leaning her forehead against the cool windowpane. “What you and Aven and the rest of the Meyarins are doing is so important for the humans. For my race. So, thank you, anyway.”

“This will all be over soon, kitten,” he assured. There was a brief pause, and Alex wondered if Niyx had to focus back on their meeting. “As consolation, I’d say Aven’s been getting antsy with all these stuffy and boring meetings with the Medorans. I caught him getting distracted one too many times, Aeylia.”

A brief flash of her talk with Aven two days ago resurfaced in her mind.

‘Stars, Aeylia, these were all I could think about. Do you know how difficult it was for me to concentrate on discussing strategies and policies when all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss you again?’

Niyx loudly retched in her mind. “I didn’t need to see that, Aeylia,” he whined.

Alex felt her cheeks heating from embarrassment. “Stop invading my mind, you norot!” she cried, which prompted a snort from Niyx.

“Stop mooning over my best friend then,” he pointed out. “This needs to stop right now, Aeylia. This mutual pining is seriously giving me a headache.”

“We really need to figure out how to set boundaries and block certain… memories from each other,” she admonished.

“Agreed,” Niyx replied. “Imagine poor me once you get your head out of your ass and completely, irrevocably profess your undying love for my best friend. Imagine all the kissing and the touching and more, Aeylia.”

“I’m going to stab you with A’enara the next time I see your stupid face, Niyx Raegon!” Alex exclaimed in her mind with blazing cheeks.

Niyx laughed loudly inside her mind. “We need to start discussing the, well, you know, differences in anatomy between mortal and immortal beings soon,” he continued, unfazed by her indignant noises. “I mean, there isn’t much difference anyway. We are molded just like humans, only with super strength and super senses. I think you are in for a treat, actually.”

“You freaking pervert! Get out of my head!”

Niyx continued to fondly laugh at her expense. “Later, kitten,” he said. “Be nice and less stabby.”

Red-faced, Alex dove back to her bed face down and swallowed the curse words she wanted to hurl at Niyx.

“Lasa?” Mirin tentatively asked. “Is everything all right?”

Alex took deep, calming breaths before slowly looking over her shoulders. “Get dressed, Mirin,” she said in Meyarin. “We’re going to explore Tryllin.”

The town was bursting with life once Alex and Mirin set foot in it. Everywhere Alex looked, she could see numerous stalls lining the streets, with merchants selling knick-knacks from food and jewelry and medicine, and more. Early shoppers hopped from one stall to another, loudly bargaining for the wares at more acceptable prices.

This was vastly different from the Tryllin she knew and explored with D.C. Alex felt like she stepped into a fairytale book, what with all the outdated outfits and obsolete materials.

Despite how old everything looked, the town had a certain charm to it.

As Alex was about to take a step into the market, Mirin suddenly latched onto her arm.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Lasa Aeylia?” she worriedly asked. Mirin nervously looked around at the curious gazes they were getting. Between the two of them, Mirin looked more Meyarin than Alex, but given how almost the same the style of their clothing was—which was vastly different from the Medorans—Alex knew she was equally getting the same attention.

“It’ll be fine,” Alex reassured, hooking her arm around Mirin’s, much to her surprise. “We’ve been cooped up too long in the castle, Mirin. I think we deserve some change of scenery.”

The Meyarin maid still looked unconvinced, but she finally relented with a nod and allowed Alex to drag her around.

It was the first time she explored Medora, as she had opted to stay put inside the castle for a few days just to see if something disastrous would happen between the royals. Although completely different from his future self, Alex still worried one of the Medoran royal family members would do something that could incur Aven’s wrath.

“Nahani, Lasa Aeylia,” Mirin begged. “Slow down.”

Alex sheepishly glanced at her frazzled maid. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I just can’t stop myself, Mirin. Everything looks—”

“Different?” Mirin helpfully offered.

“Yes,” she agreed, bright eyes taking in all the noise and color and smell that was so, so human and severely lacking in Meya. Meyarins were too perfect for their own good; it placed Alex’s heart at ease to see children with large scrapes on their knees or burn marks on random food vendors’ hands from their steaming pans.

“Humans,” her palace maid continued, this time in her broken, common tongue. “Very vulnerable.”

Instead of taking offense, Alex beamed at Mirin and said, “But that’s the best part, Mirin.” Her eyes swept around the busy town once more, heart filling with warmth at the boisterous conversations exchanged among the townspeople. “Their mortality makes them appreciate their very short life all the more.”

‘Because I truly do,’ she said, as she continued to meander through the growing crowd, ignoring the curious looks Mirin kept throwing in her direction.

Being here made her miss her home so much. Lady Mystique said her present was currently frozen in time, waiting for her to come back to continue moving forward. Still, she wondered what her best friends were doing right now. She wondered what her parents had recently discovered in the Ancient Egypt setup by the Library. She wondered how her classmates and teachers were doing to prepare for another school year in Akarnae.

“Well, this is a delightful surprise!”

Alex was jerked back to the present upon recognizing a familiar voice. Mirin, beside her, briefly fell into a curtsy at the approaching Medoran Prince, who barely gave her a glance since his startlingly blue eyes were intently latched onto Alex.

“Lasa Aeylia,” he said with a respectful tilt of his head, addressing Alex in her Meyarin title. The Medorans scattered around recognized the heir of the throne, as they all hastily bowed down in respect.

“Prince Carden,” she greeted in the common tongue. “I’m surprised you are here. Aren’t you supposed to be in the war room with the king and my friends?”

The Medoran Prince made a face and graciously accepted an apple offered to him by one of the vendors. He took a big bite, then grinned widely at Alex. “It was starting to become such a bore,” he sighed, halting in his steps when he was a few paces away from Alex and Mirin. “I had to get away.”

She merely quirked an eyebrow at his easy smile.

He was giving major Prince Eric from ‘The Little Mermaid’ vibes, except with the auburn hair that was a Cavelle characteristic. Despite being human, he was definitely handsome. Even Mirin, an immortal with flawless features, could not help but stare a little too long at his dimpled face.

“What are you doing outside the castle, Lasa Aeylia?” he asked. His eyes swept around her, his smile faltering in confusion. “Aren’t you supposed to be with a guard? I’m sure your prince will not like it if you venture alone unchaperoned.”

“I am chaperoned,” she said, gesturing at her silent maid. “Not that I needed one.” She murmured the last sentence lowly, but judging from the amused smile on Prince Carden’s face, she knew he had caught it.

“Nonetheless, allow me to show you and your chaperone around,” he offered. “I know this town like the back of my hand; I can show you the stalls that sell the most delectable of foods.” He glanced back at the two, silent women and grinned. “Have you tried chocolate?”

Upon the mention of the dessert, Alex and Mirin perked up in recognition.

“Ah, I see you’ve been familiar,” Carden said as he started to walk and gestured for them to follow. “Come. I’ll bring you to a place that exclusively sells them. At a steep price, of course. Seeing that it is such a luxury item.”

Alex exchanged a wary glance with Mirin. “Actually, Prince Carden, with all due respect,” she slowly started, “Mirin and I can manage on our own.”

“No, no, I insist, Lady Aeylia,” he said. “I cannot let a lady as beautiful as you roam around alone.”

“And like I said, I am not alone, so—”

“Lasa,” Mirin stopped her as she latched onto Alex’s arm. She darted a shy glance at the prince and whispered, “I think it is best if we accept the Medoran Prince’s offer. So as not to offend.”

Alex bit her tongue to stop herself from protesting more. Mirin was right; if she outrightly rejected Carden’s offer, he might take it in a negative way, and the relationship Aven and Niyx and the other Meyarins were trying to preserve may all be for naught.

“Very well, Prince Carden,” she relented with a sigh. “Lead the way.”

“Excellent!”

As they continued their exploration, Alex realized that Prince Carden loved to hear his voice so much. Although his stories about Medora and his adventures were admittedly entertaining, Alex couldn’t help but be annoyed that he sometimes was so fond of cutting her off just so he could interject another story that came to his mind.

“Kitten? Where are you?”

“Niyx?” Alex asked, surprised to hear his voice early that afternoon.

“Where are you?” he asked once more, worry in his voice. “We stopped by your room, but upon knocking, no one answered. Even your palace maid is missing.”

Alex darted a glance at Prince Carden, who had now brought them to a stall selling pretty hairpins. Mirin was drawn to the different gemstones, while Carden asked the merchant which designs were his bestsellers.

“You’re done with the meeting?” she asked. “But it’s not even the evening.”

“The Medoran Prince left, and King Aurum’s got into a bad mood for his son’s sudden disappearance,” Niyx explained, “So he requested the meeting to stop early today. And now, we’re free.”

“What do you think, Lady Aeylia? Do you like this?” He offered her a long hairpin that was coated in gold, studded with small diamonds that formed a flower that resembled laendra. The color also kind of reminded her of Aven’s eyes.

“Kitten?”

“Hmm? Oh, right, Prince Carden is with Mirin and me,” she answered, still distracted by the hairpin. Prince Carden considered her silence as confirmation, as he paid a hefty number of coins to the merchant and presented the hairpin to Alex once more. “He’s here with us in the market town square.”

“Prince Carden is with you?” Niyx asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” she answered.

“Lasa Aeylia, if I may,” Mirin said, already opening her hand to ask for the hairpin. Alex smiled and placed it on her palm. The Meyarin maid then proceeded to style her hair before securing it with the beautiful hairpin.

Once she was done, Mirin gave her a big smile of appreciation.

“Beautiful,” Prince Carden then said, earning a blush from Alex. “It suits you very well, Lady Aeylia.”

“Thank you, Prince Carden,” she said, lifting her hand to touch her new hairpin. “I… well, it is expensive. Let me pay you once we get back to the castle.

A deep laugh escaped from the prince’s mouth. “It is my gift for you,” he said, his dimples unfairly highlighting how handsome he looked under the open sky of Medora. “There is no need to pay me.”

“Aeylia.”

She flinched in surprise, eyes growing wide upon seeing a stoic Aven standing a few paces away from them. Behind him stood Niyx, whose eyebrows were close to his hairline in unadulterated surprise.

“P-prince Aven,” Mirin stammered, immediately dropping down to the lowest curtsy Alex had ever seen her do. “Please, I beg for your forgiveness. I was—”

Alex cut her off. “It wasn’t Mirin’s fault,” she explained in Meyarin as she slowly pulled Mirin back onto her feet. “I forced her to take me outside.”

Aven’s gaze hardened, his eyes briefly flicking behind them. “Without any guards?” he slowly drawled, switching to the common tongue.

“I have A’enara and Xira,” she plainly said. “I don’t need any guards.”

If his face wasn’t so perfect, Alex bet a vein would have visibly popped on Aven’s forehead in irritation. “You don’t need—”

“Okay, I need everybody to calm the heck down,” Niyx said, stepping in front of his fuming best friend. He shot Alex a warning look when she was about to open her mouth and exclaim her protests. “Aeylia, Mirin, come here.”

Alex scowled. “Who are you to order me around?” she stubbornly asked.

Niyx sighed and shook his head. “Please,” he added. “I’m asking kindly, Lasa Aeylia.” “Stop being so freaking annoying, Alexandra Jennings, if you want to prevent a disaster.” He added the last part in his mind, much to her annoyance.

“Why do I feel like we’re being reprimanded here like children?” she mentally huffed as she finally relented and walked closer to the two Meyarins, Mirin closely following her behind. “We didn’t do anything wrong!”

“You left the castle with your palace maid without informing anyone. You left without a trusted Meyarin guard when just a few weeks ago, the Garseth attacked our prince, who, by the way, fought so hard to stay alive,” Niyx silently admonished, his amethyst eyes piercing intently into Alex’s soul. “Why do you think we’re mad, Aeylia? We had a mini panic attack when we found out your room was empty and none of the Medoran guards could answer our question about where you were!”

Alex flinched once more, as Niyx almost screamed the last few words in her head. Now that he’d spoken it out loud, she realized that maybe their anger wasn’t unfounded.

“I have A’enara and Xira,” she countered again, almost whining.

“You had them both too last time, but Aven still got poisoned by the Sarnaph,” was Niyx’s brutal counterattack.

A stricken look crossed Alex’s face, which Niyx didn’t miss. He briefly apologized for his uncalled-for barb. “I’m sorry,” he sighed, sounding remorseful. “I shouldn’t have said that. Aven’s poisoning wasn’t your fault.”

Alex sighed and slightly nodded her head, acknowledging and accepting his apology. “I’m sorry, too,” she softly replied. “I understand why you’re angry with me.”

“I’m not really that angry with you, Aeylia,” Niyx replied. “And also, I don’t think I’m the one you should be apologizing to, you know.”

Alex tentatively glanced at Aven, who had stayed silent as she and Mirin slowly approached the two of them. There was a deceptively calm mask on his face right now. Alex wouldn’t have known he was pissed if not for the hard glint in his eyes.

“Vaespris Aven, Loro Niyx,” Prince Carden greeted, using their official Meyarin titles, reminding Alex once more that they weren’t alone. “It is nice to see you here.”

“It’s nice to see you here,” Niyx said, quirking an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be at the meeting?”

The Medoran Prince lightly smirked, an innocent look on his face. “Shouldn’t you two be there too?” he shot back.

Niyx narrowed his eyes but did not grace him with an answer.

“Umm… maybe you’d like to stroll around too?” Alex helpfully offered to the other Meyarins. “You’ve been busy with all the strategizing and politicking.”

“Sounds like a great plan, Lasa Aeylia,” Aven softly murmured. Alex lightly flinched at how icy his tone was. “Why don’t you lead the way?”

Alex frowned and exchanged a quick glance at her weary friend.

“Perhaps, I can tour you around, now that the whole gang is here,” Prince Carden offered, flashing his million-dollar smile that highlighted his dimple so much.

“By all means,” Aven said, gesturing ahead.

Prince Carden glanced with uncertainty at the others, but Alex merely shrugged and wordlessly told him to just go around.

This tour was marginally more somber than when it was only Alex and Mirin who were following Prince Carden. Niyx had taken upon himself the job of entertaining Carden, quipping questions about Medora and its people, which Carden replied to with much enthusiasm. Despite his, well, unintended obnoxiousness, Alex could see that Prince Carden truly loved his kingdom and the people. No wonder the Cavelles had endured the test of time and still reigned over modern Medora, still much loved by the people.

Since Niyx was busy conversing with Caden, Alex had no choice but to match her step with Aven. She very much wanted to turn around and continue speaking with Mirin, but no matter how much she tried to engage her in a conversation, the palace maid would give her one-worded replies, then continue lagging behind the group.

“Aven,” she finally said in a soft whisper. She sneaked a glance at the stoic prince and frowned, “Aven, are you mad at me?”

The Meyarin Prince expelled a soft sigh, his tensed shoulders lightly deflating. “I can never be angry with you, Aeylia,” he said, truth in his voice. “I just got worried when you weren’t in your room.”

“Hey, I’m still up and about,” she said, gesturing wholly at her body.

Her heart fluttered when his lips finally twitched into a small smile. “I can see that,” he said. His eyes briefly landed on the hairpin Carden had given her, and his smile slightly fell.

“Prince Carden gave it to me,” she immediately explained, not sure why she felt guilty for receiving such an innocent gift.

Aven’s eyes slightly hardened. “You look lovely, Aeylia,” he simply said, prompting pink patches to form on Alex’s cheeks. “The hairpin suits you.”

She gave him a shy smile as her fingers touched the golden hairpin. “Thank you,” she whispered. She held his gaze and continued, “The color reminded me of your eyes.”

Said eyes widened in surprise at her claim. Something flashed in Aven’s eyes that made her breathless—eyes that flickered briefly at her parted lips, but thankfully, Prince Carden had turned around to ask her a question.

“I-I’m sorry? Can you repeat your question, please?” she told Carden, tearing her gaze away from Aven.

Now that the Carden was speaking with her, their group had reshuffled with her now walking side-by-side with the Medoran Prince while Niyx and Aven walked behind them.

Throughout their stroll, Alex could feel Aven’s attentive gaze on the back of her head.

Her heart hadn’t rested easy then.

“Lady Aeylia, how are you finding Medora so far?” King Aurum asked her during dinner one time.

The Medoran royal family was gathered together with Aven, Alex, and Niyx. A few of the Zeltora warriors, including Zain, were standing at attention against the walls, mixed with the chainmail-clad Medoran knights.

“It is a beautiful kingdom, Your Highness,” she said with a truthful smile. “Thank you for welcoming our envoy into your home.”

“Carden told us he toured you around the townsquare yesterday,” Queen Esmeralda offered, fondly glancing at her silent son.

Alex’s smile grew as she nodded. “Yes, when he should have supposedly been sitting down in your meeting,” she casually replied.

Instead of getting offended, Carden gave her a dimpled smile. King Aurum released an unregal snort, but it relieved Alex that he wasn’t that annoyed his heir had ditched them to gallivant around.

“He… does make a habit of escaping his responsibilities, yes,” the King continued. It didn’t slip Alex’s notice how Carden’s jaw tightened a bit with the king’s harmless claim. “I apologize that you were there to see him evading his duties.”

“No, no,” Alex said as she shook her head. “I think he was, um, dutiful enough to accompany my friends and me as he showed the beauty of Tryllin. For that, I’m thankful to your prince.”

Carden actually looked surprised she was saving his ass, but he then gave her a sweet smile and lifted his goblet, as if to silently convey his thanks.

Alex then flinched when Aven loudly cleared his throat beside her.

“I hope this won’t happen again in the future,” the golden-haired prince stiffly said. “We have been away from Meya too long; we would like to end these talks as soon as possible.” He darted a quick, dark glare at Carden’s carefree smile. “Perhaps with everyone important in attendance.”

King Aurum looked properly shamefaced on behalf of his son, and Alex had to hold herself back from hitting Aven with her pointy elbow.

“Oh, we should all lighten up,” Carden sighed, grinning widely when Aven frowned. “You have yet to see the full beauty of Medora.” He glanced at his father and continued, “If my father permits it, I’d like to take these gentlemen for a full day of hunting at the Ezera Forest.”

Alex couldn’t stop the grimace she made.

“You do not approve, Lasa Aeylia?” Carden asked, noticing the look on her face.

“Well, I’m not a huge fan of hunting animals for fun, so, yes, honestly, I do not approve,” she said.

The prince gave her a reassuring smile. “What my knights and I do is to hunt for game as potential meals,” he told her. “We use a certain anesthetic to make it as less painful as possible for the animal.”

She still wasn’t a huge fan, but at least they were slightly humane about it. “Well, my opinion doesn’t matter anyway,” she said, glancing at her Meyarin companions. She noted the excited look in Niyx’s eyes, no doubt waiting to use those muscles of his instead of being locked inside the war room. Aven had a more guarded look, but at least he didn’t look like he was dismissing the offer.

“If our guests agree, then I will grant it,” was King Aurum’s reply.

Alex hid a snort when Niyx glanced at his best friend with pleading eyes. Aven expelled a huge sigh and lightly glared at Niyx.

“Fine,” the Meyarin Prince answered. Alex laughed when Niyx unabashedly whooped in excitement, then proceeded to quickly apologize for his behavior.

“Excellent,” Prince Carden said, grinning widely at his father, who tilted his head in agreement. “I hope you are early risers, gentlemen, for we ride at dawn.” Then, directed at Aven, he said, “I also hope that you know how to ride a horse, Prince Aven.”

To Alex’s surprise, identical affronted looks appeared on Aven and Niyx’s faces. “We may have the Eternal Path as our main transportation,” Aven slowly drawled, “But we’ve ridden horses before, yes. Trained with them even.”

“You did?” Alex asked, unable to stop herself. Aven gave her a quick glance, and she added, “I-I mean, I haven’t seen any horses in Meya.”

“That’s because their stable isn’t on land, Aeylia,” Niyx answered. “It’s in the sky.”

“They fly?” she gasped. At the indulgent smile Aven flashed at her, she continued, “How come I never knew about this?”

“You are bonded with the Heir of the Sky Kingdom, Aeylia,” Aven answered her. “Surely, ptaerappi pale in comparison with the mighty draekon.”

She glared lightly at her two friends. “We are so going to ride a ptaerappi once we get home,” she said.

“Ptaerrapus,” Aven corrected. “Ptaerrapus, if singular.”

“Duly noted, smarty pants,” she grumbled under her breath, too soft to hear by mortal ears. But the Meyarins heard her as Niyx snickered while Aven gave her another sweet smile.

Then, to the amused Medorans, Aven said, “So, at dawn?” His golden eyes landed squarely on Carden’s bright, blue ones.

“At dawn,” Carden echoed with a firm nod.

“Why do I feel like this is a pissing contest?” she groaned internally to Niyx.

“Of course it is a pissing contest,” Niyx replied to her with a snort. “Do you want to know what—excuse me—who the prize is?”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Freaking men and their freaking egos,” she sighed. “And I’m not some prize to win, by the way.”

“Mmhmm, tell that to your lover boys,” Niyx pointed out.

She made a face, her cheeks flaring red in a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.

“This will be so much fun,” Niyx continued. “I can’t wait.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight

“Freaking dawn,” Alex groaned as she hauled herself out of her bed. “Why can’t it be like noon or something?”

Alex wasn’t aware she said those words in Meyarin. Mirin heard her words loud and clear and couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping from her lips. “Well, I’m glad someone finds this so amusing,” Alex grumbled, but she still shot Mirin a small smile.

“I’m sorry, Lasa,” her maid said, shamefaced.

But Alex was already shaking her head, even before she finished her apology. “No, please, don’t apologize,” she sighed. Mirin kept her eyes on her feet, prompting Alex to sigh. “Actually, I want to apologize to you instead, after that little escapade we did back at the town market.”

Mirin knitted her eyebrows in confusion, then slowly met Alex’s gaze.

“I shouldn’t have placed you in that situation,” she continued. “Looking back, I didn’t think about the possible consequences of my actions that time. All I could think about was that I was so bored out of my mind, Mirin.” She sheepishly smiled at the thoroughly surprised maid palace, and continued, “I won’t force you to do things that you’re not comfortable with, or at least we know for sure you’ll get severely punished for.”

“Lasa…”

Alex cut her off again when she held her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m not going to let any royal prick punish you for my hotheadedness. You know that, right?” Alex smiled when Mirin expelled another surprise chuckle at how she casually insulted the Meyarin Prince.

“Thank you kindly, Lasa Aeylia,” Mirin answered a tad wobbly, her eyes shining too brightly with emotions.

“Of course, Mirin,” she said, patting her hands once more before pulling away. “You’ve been such a great companion to me for the past few days. I think we have to thank the royal prick for introducing us together.”

“Please don’t speak about Prince Aven like that,” the maid palace softly admonished, her smile now morphing into a small, disapproving frown. “He only worries greatly about you, Lasa.”

Alex snorted and stood up from her bed. “I know,” she sighed, because truly she did, “but he didn’t have to be so annoying about it sometimes.”

She was about to open her mouth, but Alex held up her hand. “Save it, Mirin,” she grumbled. “Let’s stop talking about annoying princes now. It’s too early for that!”

Mirin’s eyes twinkled with amusement, which Alex pointedly ignored.

For the next few minutes, Mirin assisted Alex in preparing for the day. It was still dark in her room despite the candles, as dawn had yet to break. Mirin had helped Alex wear some riding breeches and a tunic, styling her hair in a beautiful braid, before finally slipping the hairpin Prince Carden had given to her in place.

By the time they were done, it was almost time for the princes and their knights to leave. Despite Mirin’s protests for her to slow down, Alex ignored her and activated her Meyarin speed to bring her quickly to the entrance of the palace.

“You could have used the Valispath,” Niyx greeted, an amused smile on his face when a slightly huffing Alex arrived just in time, her frazzled maid not too far behind.

Alex made a face and comically slapped a hand against her forehead. “Right,” she whined, slightly glaring at Niyx, who smirked at the red mark on her forehead. “My brain is still asleep from waking up too early. Seriously, who organizes a hunt at dawn? Who organizes anything at dawn?”

“Nobody asked you to get up early.”

Alex rolled her eyes, turning around to lightly glare at an amused Aven. “Well, good morning to you too,” she mumbled. Her annoyance made him more amused, and when his eyes glanced at the hairpin she compared with his golden eyes, Aven just smiled wider.

Her hopeless heart fluttered inside, which made her more annoyed because it seriously was too early for her to get swayed like this by annoying princes.

“Lasa Aeylia!” Prince Carden suddenly called. Alex did not miss how Aven’s face darkened at the sound of his voice. “Why are you up? Did you change your mind and join us for the hunt?”

“Oh, no, no hunting for me,” she said, politely smiling at the Medoran Prince. “I just got up to make sure these two”—she jutted her thumb at both Niyx and Aven—“wouldn’t do anything too reckless that can bring them more harm than good.”

Niyx snorted. “Kitten, please, we’re Meyarins,” he stated matter-of-factly. Beside him, Aven vigorously nodded his head. “Have some faith.”

“That overconfidence is exactly what makes me nervous,” she sighed, shaking her head in fond exasperation at the identical grins on Niyx and Aven’s faces. Over their shoulders, she caught Zain’s eyes and said, “Make sure these two are safe, Sir Zeltora.”

Zain quirked an eyebrow at her address, but he still tilted his head in acknowledgement.

“Oh, there’s nothing to worry about,” Prince Carden assured. “Ezera Forest is perfectly safe… well, most of the time.”

“Don’t jinx it!” Alex exclaimed, which only brought a wide grin on Prince Carden’s face.

His eyes then landed on the hairpin in her hair. “As always, you look beautiful today, Lasa Aeylia,” he said, grasping for her hand to place a kiss on her knuckles. “The hairpin I gave you suits you so well.”

She saw the dark glare Aven threw at the mortal prince, and Alex quickly pulled her hand away. “Thank you again for giving this to me,” she said, cheeks lightly pink. “It is a beautiful hairpin.”

But of course, he didn’t really need to know that he wasn’t the reason why she was wearing it right now.

Prince Carden gave her that dimpled smile before excusing himself to prepare the group for their hunt.

“You should go back inside, Aeylia,” Niyx then said. “We’ll be leaving soon.”

Instead of answering him, she glared at them. “Come back safe. I mean it,” she firmly said. Then, to Aven, “You just recovered from the Sarnaph poisoning.”

He just grinned down at her and gently pulled her braid. “Get back inside,” he merely said as he turned and walked closer to where Prince Carden and the other group of humans and immortals alike were waiting for their signal to leave.

“Wipe that stupid grin off your face, Aeylia,” Niyx said through their mental bond.

Alex felt her cheeks heating in embarrassment, this time directing her glare at a smirking Niyx. “You wipe that stupid grin off your face,” she grumbled in return.

The Raedon heir sighed and shook his head. “I don’t even know why we’re doing this pissing contest,” he pointed out. “When it’s plain to see who already won that heart of yours.”

Her cheeks reddened more. “Shut up, Niyx,” she hissed, this time aloud.

Niyx was unfazed as he fondly pinched her nose. “No, you shut up,” he said. He laughingly avoided the smack she was sure to give her, then joined the others.

Alex watched as several horses were brought out from the stable. Niyx was given a tall, black steed that matched his ebony hair perfectly. And, of course, a white mare with golden hair was given to Aven. The two looked like knights in shining armor straight out of a fairytale book, and Alex found herself unable to tear her eyes away from how handsome Aven looked on top of his horse.

She took a soft, sharp intake of breath when Aven met her gaze. The pleased grin on his face was enough to bring out the ravaging butterflies in her stomach. He then tilted his head as his goodbye, then trotted with the company out of the palace grounds to Ezera Forest.

“Lasa,” Mirin said, touching her hand once the hoofbeats were too faint even for Meyarin ears. Alex looked at her, ignoring the knowing smile on her face because surely, surely she witnessed how Alex freaking swooned at the Meyarin Prince. “It’s time to go inside.”

Her blood was buzzing too much for her to retreat inside the castle wall. “Go back inside, Mirin,” she said. Alex gestured at her whole attire. “I’m dressed for adventure, so might as well course through Medora on my draekon.”

When Mirin looked hesitant, Alex patted her hand reassuringly. “I’ll be with the Heir of the Sky Kingdom, Mirin,” she pointed out with a smile. “Xira will burn anyone who tries to hurt me.”

This had marginally calmed down Mirin, since she had seen the draekon with her own eyes before.

Mirin softly agreed in the end and went back inside.

Once Alex was gone, she looked up at the sky. “Xira, are you there?” she called through their vaeliana bond.

“Alex?” She quirked a small smile, hearing the soft yawn in her mind. “It’s a little bit early for a call, don’t you think?”

“Well, I’m up and about,” she continued. “What do you think of an early morning flight?”

Xira’s rumbling chuckle filled her mind. “Sounds good to me,” he said.

__________

Both Xira and Alex greeted the sun airborne, and as it made its slow ascent to the sky, Xira continued to lazily fly over Medora, Alex firmly seated on his back.

“Well, what do you think?” Xira prompted.

Alex blinked once more and glanced down. The sea of greenery was beautiful and familiar, and at the same time, evoked feelings of nostalgia in her heart. She spied Ezera Forest from where they were flying, squinting her eyes to see any telltale signs of the hunters, but to no avail. She instead glanced at the lake sitting beside it, then to Akarnae, which already stood proud and formidable at this time and age.

“It is beautiful,” Alex sighed, smiling as she leaned her head against Xira’s scaly neck. “It is home.”

And that was the truth. She’d spent most of her formative years in Freya—on Earth— but she never felt like she belonged at all. In Medora, after only spending two years with people she had grown to love, Alex would not hesitate to call it her home.

“Even more beautiful than Meya?” he asked.

“Meya is incomparable, Xiraxus,” she pointed out. The silver and gold forests flashed in her mind’s eye, together with the Golden Cliffs and its waterfalls, then the million stars above that seemed different than the ones decorating the sky in Tryllin, even when they were just neighboring cities.

While Medora evoked such warm, welcoming feelings in her heart, Meya gave her a sense of wonder and delight.

“It is true, both are beautiful in their own way,” Xira agreed.

Alex hummed in both agreement and content, her eyes now fluttering closed.

“Alex? Are you napping?” She could hear the incredulity in his voice. “While we are airborne?”

“Hey, I woke up before dawn for the stupid hunt,” she shot back in defense. “And besides, you won’t let me fall, right?”

Xira snorted. “Flying is a team effort, Alex,” he reminded her. “I won’t have any control over your body if you go limp and slide off my back.”

She snuggled more comfortably against his neck and sighed. “You won’t let me fall because you love me, Xiraxus,” she simply said.

“Or, maybe I won’t let you fall because if you fell down to your death, I’d soon follow you to the netherworld,” he pointed out in amusement.

“That too,” she continued with a sleepy grin, “But mostly because you love me. A lot.”

His whole body vibrated with his laughter, which comforted Alex more and brought her closer to sleep.

Just when she was about to completely gallivant around dreamland, Xira lightly jerked, prompting her to jerk awake too. “Don’t be so fussy and let me sleep, Xira,” she whined.

“Alex,” he said. She heard the worry in his voice loud and clear. “Alex, I think something’s not right with the Ezera Forest.”

His ominous words were enough to wake her whole being. “What? What do you mean?” she worriedly asked, peering down his back. They were still too high above for her to see any familiar movement, even with her Meyarin eyesight activated. Xira understood her predicament and dipped lower just so they could be closer to the thick foliage.

“What do you see, Xira?” she asked, fear now gripping her heart as she wildly glanced around in search of something that worried the draekon greatly.

“I’m not sure… THERE!” He expelled a soft roar as something suddenly shot up from the forest.

From where they were hovering, Alex immediately recognized the Valispath. Inside it was around four to five people, and to her utmost horror, one was sprawled messily on the invisible floor of the Valispath. The Eternal Path was too fast for her to see who had gotten hurt.

“Xira! Go!” she cried, suffocating terror now closing in her throat.

Xira did not need to be reminded twice. “Hold on tight, Alex!” he commanded.

A soft scream in surprise flew out of her mouth as she encircled her arms around his neck for dear life. Xira had never flown this fast with her riding on top before, but she didn’t complain, as worry for whoever was hurt was all she could think about right now.

She silently prayed that no one was fatally wounded. The image of Aven’s unconscious body, brown veins creeping out from his small wound, was at the very forefront of her mind, stark and clear. Another image of Niyx with the fatal slashes of Hyroa’s claws flashed before her mind’s eye. Alex felt like she was going to be  sick.

“Breathe, Alex,” Xira’s soothing voice broke through her tumultuous thoughts. “We’ll be there soon and get some answers.”

They soon reached the palace courtyard. Alex ignored the great shouts of the palace gatekeepers, as Xira easily soared over their tall gates and landed with a loud thud in the courtyard. Alex didn’t hesitate, sliding down Xiraxus’s right wing and breaking into a run inside the castle.

“Keep me updated, Alex,” Xira said through their mental bond, worry laced in his voice. “I’ll be nearby in case you need me.”

Alex whispered her silent thank you and continued running around.

“Lasa Aeylia!”

The familiar voice of Mirin stopped her in her tracks. Through blurry eyes, since she did not realize she had started to cry terrified tears, she glanced at her approaching maid. “Mirin,” she gasped, both from her overwhelming feelings and exertion from running, “Mirin. Tell me, was someone hurt?”

“I-I don’t know, Lasa,” she said, apology and worry in her eyes. “There was news that there was an accident during the hunt.”

Aven with the brown, poisonous veins. Niyx, with his chest slashed open, silver blood admixed with brown Sarnaph blood dripping down his gaping wound.

“Where… where are they?” she croaked as fear now snaked out and tightly gripped her heart.

“The palace infirmary, Lasa,” she said, latching tightly onto Alex’s hand. “Come. I will lead you there.”

Alex was eternally grateful for Mirin’s purposeful steps, as she was too disoriented with worst-case scenarios to keep upright.

It wasn’t too hard for them to spy the infirmary, for a crowd consisting of Medoran knights and Meyarin Zeltora was clumped outside the door.

“Niyx! Oh, thank the stars!” Alex sobbed, spying his familiar ebony hair among the crowd. She flew in his arms and held him tightly to her. “I-I heard… I thought you—”

“Breathe, kitten,” he whispered against her ear as she did a quick once-over on his body to check if he was hurt in any way. She paled lightly upon seeing red streaks on his attire, but to her relief, there was no silver fluid leaking out from any wound. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“Aven?” she choked out, still fearful despite seeing that her friend was okay.

“He’s inside and—”

She did not stay to listen to whatever Niyx was about to say, as she tore the infirmary door open and barged inside.

The infirmary was in total pandemonium, with someone she deduced was the Court Physician bustling around with a bundle of linen in his arms. She saw the King and Queen inside, but her eyes magnetized immediately to Aven, who was, to her utmost relief, standing upright.

“Aven…” she weakly called.

His Meyarin ears heard her whisper, as his golden eyes met her tearful ones.

“Aven,” she sobbed, stepping closer. “Aven, are you hurt?”

He shook his head. “No, no,” he assured, and it felt like a great thorn was plucked out from her chest.

She was about to launch herself into his arms, but he raised a hand to stop her. Confused, Alex faltered in her steps, watching as Aven wordlessly pointed at his tunic.

She could see the same blood streaks on his garment, but then, to her horror, the familiar brown blood of a Sarnaph was mixed with the crusting mortal blood. As her gaze snapped back at Aven’s face, she could see how pale and shaky he’d become, no doubt affected by the Sarnaph blood, even if it was just a stain on his clothes.

It was at that moment when a few of the assistant physicians stepped away from the bed they were crowding. Alex gasped as she slowly walked closer, recognizing the unconscious face of Prince Carden. What caught her eyes, however, were the large gashes on his chest, his red blood oozing out from his open wounds. Mixed with his blood was the familiar brown blood of the Sarnaph. It was reminiscent of Niyx’s wounds before she saved him through the Claiming Bond.

Alex knew, as a mortal, Prince Carden would not be affected by the Hyroa blood at all. But the wounds looked deep—fatal even. The wounds themselves were enough to kill him.

Her chest constricted as she watched the Queen weeping, embraced tightly in the arms of the pale King.

“Zain,” Aven suddenly called, his voice steady despite how affected he was with the Sarnaph blood. “Quickly. Bring laendra.”

The Zeltora warrior did not need to be told once more. Zain activated the Valispath and left the room, only to come back after a few minutes, a pouch of fresh laendra in his hand. Without being commanded, Zain offered the flowers to the confused Court Physician.

“What is this?” he snapped, too frazzled to be disturbed on his work.

“Physician,” Aven calmly said. “If you listen to me carefully, we might be able to save your Prince.”

The old physician looked hesitant, suspicion in his eyes as he glanced at the innocent flowers in his hands. “I don’t think these… these flowers can be of any help,” he answered. “I don’t recognize these at all. It’s not—”

“Just do what he says!” Alex cried, prompting the physician to flinch in surprise. Aven looked at her in surprise too, but Alex ignored him and glared at the hesitating physician.

He glanced uncertainly at the king, waiting for his command. King Aurum’s eyes landed on Alex, who was earnestly nodding her head, before his gaze swept on the stoic Meyarin Prince. Aven’s eyes were firm, stubbornly holding the Medoran King’s gaze.

Finally, King Aurum briefly nodded his head at the physician.

“My people cannot touch your prince because he is stained by the blood of the Sarnaph,” Aven started. “So, you will be our hands. Do you understand?”

The physician still looked hesitant, but the King had already silently commanded him to follow Aven’s words.

“Remove the petals of a handful until the nectar oozes out,” he ordered. “Then, shove as many as you can inside the prince’s mouth. Make sure he swallows.”

The physician immediately followed Aven’s orders, plucking as many petals as he could. His assistants helped lift the unconscious prince, letting him drink the nectar of the laendra.

“You,” Aven ordered, this time at another assistant. “Do the same, but this time rub the extract all over his open wounds.”

The young assistant did not hesitate at all, unlike his mentor, and followed his instructions until Carden’s chest was basically covered with laendra.

Once their jobs were done, everyone waited with bated breath to see any result. Alex mentally crossed her fingers, praying to all the light and stars above who could hear her, that laendra would not fail them now.

Prince Carden suddenly gasped, his breathing returning to normal as the large gashes on his chest started to stitch themselves. Queen Esmeralda cried louder, this time in relief, as she fell beside her son and tightly held his hand.

Aven’s tensed shoulders finally loosened in relief. Alex was beside him instantly when he started to sway on his feet, tightly grasping his arm to keep him upright.

“You should not touch me, Aeylia,” he murmured for only her to hear. “I have Sarnaph blood on my clothes.”

But she stubbornly shook her head, eyes brimming with tears once more to note that he was not hurt.

Aven’s eyes softened, bending down slightly just so he could wipe away her unending tears.

“You saved my son’s life.”

They both looked at King Aurum, whose blue eyes were brimming with tears of relief.

“Thank you.” The gratitude in his two words was weighty, warming Alex’s body up to her bones.

Aven silently tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Please excuse us now as we retire to our chambers,” he then firmly said, but Alex could hear the exhaustion in his voice. “Just being exposed to Sarnaph blood—Hyroa, in your language, I believe—can already affect us greatly.”

He did not wait for the King’s dismissal—because really, a Meyarin did not need to follow any mortal’s orders—and held Alex’s hand as he pulled her out of the room.

Once Aven had stepped out, he stumbled on his feet. Niyx was immediately there to help Alex keep him from collapsing on the floor. Alex knew the poison had affected him more than he showed.

“Don’t you both touch me,” Aven grumbled, beads of sweat now clumping on his hairline. “I am bathed in Sarnaph blood, if you must know.”

“You—” Alex had never seen Niyx so thunderous, and she wondered what had transpired back at Ezera Forest. On quick looking, she noted that Aven was the one who had the most Sarnaph blood on his tunic. “Damn princes and their stupid, bleeding hearts.”

“Well, what was I supposed to do?” Aven snapped, grimacing as he shifted his weight more to Niyx. “Watch the annoying mortal get shredded to pieces?”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t have to jump in like a damn hero, by the stars!” Niyx hissed back. Wide-eyed, he looked at Alex and continued, “Can you believe this norot, Aeylia? If Zain wasn’t quick enough, he would be lying down beside Carden too. And not survive it, by the way, even with laendra.”

Alex inhaled sharply and stared at Aven in horror. Words failed her because she could not stop conjuring the image of his mangled body.

Aven saw her brimming tears and sighed. “I am unharmed, really,” he swore. “There is no need for your tears, Aeylia.”

Niyx angrily summoned the Valispath around the three of them, directing the Eternal Path to Aven’s room.

“I-I seriously freaking hate Sarnaphs with my whole heart,” Alex managed to softly cry during their short journey, tightly clutching onto Aven, afraid that he would suddenly collapse unconscious again.

The weak chuckles that flew out of Aven’s mouth were music to her ears, because it meant he was truly okay. “You and me both, Aeylia,” he sighed, heavingly leaning against Niyx. “You and me both.”

“I also kind of hate you, Aven, just so you know,” Niyx piped in.

Aven rolled his eyes. “I think we’ve established that, yes,” he lowly drawled.

She released a sound that was a mix of a sob and a laugh, her cheek leaning against Aven’s hand, who started wiping away her tears again.

The news of what happened with Prince Carden and his subsequent recovery had quickly spread throughout Medora. The palace servants were abuzz with the gossip, and different versions of what truly happened were exchanged among themselves. Alex listened to some in amusement, wondering how people could come up with the most bizarre versions just to over-embellish, just to make the event more exciting.

One thing that had stayed consistent no matter what version was Aven’s role in the Crown Prince’s recovery. While initially indifferent and admittedly wary of the Meyarins who visited their kingdom, the Medorans had now grown starry-eyed every time they saw a Meyarin walking among them. It was especially amusing watching Aven fidget from all the newfound attention and admiration he was garnering from the mortals.

Aven, together with some of the Meyarins who were exposed to the Sarnaph blood, recovered quickly after only taking a few gulps of laendra extract and a good eight hours of sleep. As for Prince Carden, he was miraculously up and about just two days after his brief meeting with death.

“Your departure is imminent,” King Aurum declared during one of their dinners, where everyone of importance was finally in attendance. “And as a thank you for your envoy and more, we’d like to invite you to a big celebration with overflowing scrumptious food and drinks. I think after everything we’ve been through for the past week, we all deserve some joyous revelry.”

Alex saw how Aven slowly frowned at the king’s suggestion, no doubt imagining a night of partying with mortals. “Thank you, Your Highness, for the invitation,” Aven started, “But I believe—”

“I believe,” Alex cut him off, “that is a great idea.”

The Meyarin Prince shot her a glare, which she equally matched with her own.

“The Lasa wishes to celebrate,” Prince Carden said, grinning amusedly at the irritation on Prince Aven’s face. “I do believe her happiness is of utmost importance, don’t you think, Vaespris Aven?”

He was back to being his smiley, dimply self, and Alex had to bite her bottom lip to stop laughing at the disgruntled look on Aven’s face.

“Of course,” Aven coolly said, his golden eyes glancing back at Alex. “Anything for Aeylia.”

Despite his initial irritation, there was undoubted honesty in his gaze. Alex cursed herself for getting so affected by his words and his gaze that it was her turn to scowl down at her food to hide her red cheeks.

“That is settled then!” Queen Esmerald said, looking like she was the most delighted of all at the thought of a feast. She then leaned across her son and grasped Alex’s hand. “My dear, I’m sure you didn’t prepare for a big celebration for this envoy. Why don’t you come with me after supper so that I can find you a suitable dress for tomorrow?”

Alex uncertainly glanced at the other Meyarins. Aven lightly shrugged, while Niyx gave her an encouraging smile. “That is wonderful, Your Highness,” she finally answered, a timid smile growing on her face.

“Excellent!” King Aurum then said. “Now you’ll see how we, Medorans, throw a celebration.”

“Can’t wait,” Aven said with a tight smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. He flinched when Alex discreetly hit his shin under the table. The golden-eyed prince looked at her in disbelief, but Alex only glared at him, silently getting through him to be respectful. “I mean, we certainly can’t wait. Thank you for your generosity.”

But King Aurum waved his hand dismissively. “It’s the least we can do as a thank you for saving our kingdom,” he said, blue eyes sweeping to his heir. “Now, I bid you all goodnight as we start to do some last-minute preparations.”

He stood up from his feet, while the rest followed suit. Queen Esmeralda then hooked her arm around Alex’s and directed her to her personal chambers to select a dress for her.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine

The castle was busy with the last-minute preparations for the feast in honor of their Meyarin guests. The day after, Alex and her companions would journey back to Meya after their envoy had concluded the talks with the royal family. While Alex longed to return to Meya, the anticipation of the Medorans for the feast tonight made her excited, too.

“Isn’t it too early to start preparing?” Alex asked Mirin through her mirror, watching as her maid bustled all over Alex’s guest room just to prepare everything she would wear tonight. “We still have several bells left before the feast, Mirin.”

“But you have to be pretty tonight, Lasa,” the Meyarin said in her own language. “I-I mean, you are already very pretty, but you have to look resplendent during the feast tonight.”

Alex merely frowned, not really having the strength to protest. She just let Mirin do her thing and kept her mouth shut.

It had been a while since Alex had been to a ball. The last time she actually dressed up was during D.C.’s seventeenth birthday, here in the exact same castle many centuries later. The party her Stealth and Subterfuge classmates crashed did not count, as they were on an assignment for Alex to truly relax and enjoy. ‘And you and your classmates almost died under evil Aven’s hands, so yep, doesn’t count.’

And so, this feast thrown in their honor would be a nice reprieve. Things had been hectic for her ever since she’d decided to extend her stay here in the past. Xira still occasionally asked her when she planned to leave through the abrassa, and Alex always answered the same thing again and again.

“Not yet, Xira.”

“I’ll help you wear your dress now, Lasa,” Mirin said, breaking through her thoughts.

“What? Oh, right,” Alex said, slowly rising up from her seat as Mirin helped her wear the dress Queen Esmeralda had graciously lent her.

It was a lovely midnight black, off-the-shoulder, floor-length dress, draped with sheer black tulle that extended to form sleeves that ended at her wrist. Golden appliques of flowers decorated the neckline, which slithered down to her bust and just at her hips. There were other similar golden appliques sewn on the tulle sleeves and the hem of her dress just to complete the look.

Simply put, it was beautiful—too beautiful—and Alex wondered if it was modest enough given their current timeline.

“Oh, this is what the current fashion is now, my dear,” the Queen assured her when Alex had asked her about it. “If I do have a youthful body like yours, I’d wear this dress in a heartbeat.”

Once Mirin finished smoothing down the small creases, she stood beside Alex and stared at her reflection with great awe.

“You look beautiful, Lasa,” she sighed, eyes shining as she looked directly at the dress. “Like a true Meyarin vaesprissa.”

Alex recognized the Meyarin word translated to ‘princess’. To further support Mirin’s claim, she was wearing the official Dalmarta color – black and gold.

“I’m not a princess,” Alex protested, suddenly feeling embarrassed for being called as such. Mirin merely smiled at her and sat her down in front of her chair once more to do her hair.

Mirin did so many intricate things to her hair, pinning it on top of her head and finishing the look with the golden hairpin Carden had gifted to her before. Alex had lost count of how many pins Mirin had buried through her hair. The palace maid then completed Alex’s look with a pair of gold earrings and a necklace also lent to her by the Queen.

By the time Mirin was finished, the feast had already started.

“This is why we start early, Lasa,” Mirin grinned when she noticed Alex’s surprised eyes as she looked out of her window and saw a mass of guests already arriving for the feast. “It takes time to become this beautiful.”

She gently directed Alex to stand in front of the full-length mirror, just so she could see the final product. Alex was unable to stop her gasp as she saw herself with Mirin’s work.

“Whoa, did you use magic or what?” Alex said, glancing at Mirin with wide eyes. “I can barely recognize myself, Mirin!”

The bell signaling that it was already six in the evening resounded around the town.

“Oh blast, I’m late!” Alex exclaimed, a disbelieving laugh escaping from her lips. “So much for preparing early.”

“No matter, Lasa,” Mirin said with a sneaky smile. “It is perfect then for a grand entrance.”

Alex suddenly got nervous at the prospect of gaining attention just because she was fashionably late. “We should have started preparing before lunch,” she grumbled as she slightly bent down and lifted the hem of her dress. Mirin had paired gold, strappy, high-heeled shoes to match her dress. While Alex wasn’t used to high-heeled shoes, she thought the pair was quite comfortable and complemented her dress well.

“Cinderella will be back at midnight,” she joked, but Mirin merely blinked at her in confusion. “Never mind, Medoran reference.”

Mirin smiled and said her goodbyes, wishing Alex would have fun while at the feast.

By the time Alex reached the Great Hall, most of the guests were already ushered inside. Alex wondered if Niyx and Aven were already inside. They’d offered to escort her from her room just this morning, but Alex waved them off and said she didn’t need a chaperone. Aven rolled his eyes at that, but thankfully did not insist on what he wanted.

Now that she was standing nervously outside the great double-oak doors, Alex wondered if she should have agreed to be escorted. Just so she wouldn’t be the only one stealing the attention of the guests once she gets in.

“You’ve battled psychopathic murderers and crossed over great ravines to live the day, Alexandra Jennings,” she murmured under her breath for a pep talk. “You’ve got this.”

Alex then smiled at the Medoran knight guarding the entrance, and tilted her head as a silent command to open the door.

She then took a steely breath and slowly walked inside the Great Hall.

The room was already bursting with loud chatters from guests, with a live band at the front already playing for the guests on the dance floor. It was too overwhelming for her Meyarin senses, so Alex switched them off and relied on her boring, human ones.

Alex was thankful Mirin was exaggerating with the grand entrances and all, since the guests had barely glanced at her despite being late for the ball. Those who were nearest, though, had noticed her entrance and were now talking amongst themselves, eyes furtively darting at her form.

She ignored them all, cheeks lightly staining pink due to the embarrassment of their attention, and craned her neck around in search of her friends.

“Aeylia!”

Alex expelled a relieved breath when she saw Niyx meandering through the crowd to reach her. Once he was standing in front of Alex, his eyes trailed from her head to toe, then back again, a soft whistle escaping his mouth.

“Stars, kitten, you look absolutely stunning tonight!” he easily complimented with a wide grin. “If I didn’t know your heart already belongs to another, I would have swept you off your feet myself.”

She completely ignored his last statement and grinned back at him. “You cleaned up nicely yourself,” she shot back. Niyx was handsome in silver and midnight blue—House of Raedon colors—which highlighted his amethyst eyes.

Alex didn’t know her eyes were already roaming around when Niyx bent down and whispered, “He is near the buffet tables. He hasn’t stopped looking at you ever since you came in.”

Her cheeks reddened because, of course, she knew who he was talking about. Instead of feigning ignorance, she wordlessly looked at the buffet table teeming with different Medoran delicacies and saw him.

Aven’s golden eyes were widened in shock, and if she weren’t breathless herself, she would have laughed at how gobsmacked he was, complete with an open jaw.

He, too, was wearing his House’s colors, which brought out the goldenness of his eyes. A golden circlet completed his look, resting on his head to signify his royal status.

“Be gentle with him, kitten,” Niyx said through their mental bond. He bent down and kissed her temple. “I think he just fell more hopelessly in love with you, looking like a proper Dalmarta vaesprissa.”

Her breath hitched at his words, too dumbstruck herself, especially with how Aven was looking at her like that, she wasn’t even able to protest anything in return.

Niyx snorted at the expression on her face. “You, my dear, look just as hopeless,” he murmured under his breath. He fondly smiled down at Alex and said, “Follow your heart, Aeylia. It had never failed you before.”

Her friend then left her alone, no doubt to flirt with half of the mortals in attendance.

Alex was still rooted on the spot, pinned down by his gaze. From where she stood, Aven looked just as frozen by her presence, too.

Then, softly, she said, “Aven.”

It was too loud, too crowded, for her voice to be carried to him. But he was a Meyarin; he had heard her loud and clear.

This seemed to snap him out of his stupor, because, as if with a strong magnet between them, Aven strode away from the buffet table and determinedly walked towards her.

Her heart thudded wildly inside her chest as the distance between them grew smaller. All throughout, they could not look away from each other, no matter how much she tried. It felt like everything around them dissolved completely. The band had faded in the background, and all Alex could hear at that moment was how loudly her heart was beating, great anticipation for something she could not quite name.

But then, Prince Carden suddenly appeared right before her eyes, breaking the spell.

“Lasa Aeylia,” he said, his mouth stretched wide in a smile, blue eyes twinkling in awe. “You look lovely tonight.”

Alex briefly glanced over his shoulder, disappointed that Aven was suddenly nowhere to be found.

“Umm, t-thanks,” she stammered, mentally shaking whatever dizzying hypnosis Aven had placed her in a while ago. “You look handsome, too, Prince Carden.”

He truly was, wearing the colors of House Cavelle—lavender and grey—with also a gold circlet on his head similar to Aven’s, marking his status.

“Will you give me the honor of a dance, Lasa?” he then asked, his smile wide enough to show the twin dimples on his face.

Alex wanted nothing but to search for Aven at that moment, but she knew accepting the Crown Prince’s invitation was polite. And so, with a small smile, she wordlessly nodded and allowed Prince Carden to lead her on the dancefloor.

She was still hopeless with dancing. As someone who’d been combating and training with Niyx for the past months, she would have expected her feet to be more cooperative when it came to dancing. Alas, she believed she’d stepped on the prince’s feet one too many times.

Prince Carden merely took her clumsiness in stride. In fact, this just made him more entertained when Alex almost tripped over her several missteps.

“I’m so, so sorry, Your Highness,” she murmured in embarrassment. “I’m really awful with dancing.”

“No worries, Lasa,” he reassured good-naturedly with his dimpled smile. “I’m good enough for the both of us.”

Alex snorted at his confidence, but she couldn’t help but return his smile. He wasn’t kidding anyway; he was really good at dancing.

The first song had already ended, and Alex half-expected the Prince to relinquish his hold. But then, he surprised her when he led her to another dance, this time thankfully slower than the first song.

“It saddens me greatly that you will be leaving with your companions tomorrow,” Prince Carden said.

His tone was truthful, and Alex’s eyes met his clear, blue eyes.

“Thank you for the kindness you showed our envoy,” she politely said with a smile. “It truly had been… an experience.”

Chuckling, Prince Carden continued, “Except for my unfortunate accident with a Hyroa that almost killed me, yes, yes, I believe it had been an experience.”

“Glad to know you’re able to joke about it now,” she sighed, although her smile was still in place. “It was a terribly terrifying moment, Prince Carden. I think your parents will agree with me wholeheartedly.”

His eyes softened, a somber look now appearing on his face. “I, too, thought I would not survive such fatal wounds,” he confessed. “It is all thanks to your prince that I am still alive.”

At the mention of Aven, her heart warmed in pride, lips stretching wider.

Something flashed in Prince Carden’s eyes as he dipped his head lower and said, “Please stay in Tryllin for a little longer, Lasa. I—“ His usual obnoxiousness was noticeably absent, replaced by genuine nervousness.

Alex’s heart fell to her feet at the hope shining in his blue eyes. “I’d really like to get to know you better,” he said.

It wasn’t an outright confession, but contrary to popular belief, Alex wasn’t completely obtuse with regard to matters of the heart. She had to stop herself from laughing at his face, recalling that she was in a similar situation just more than two months ago, that time with a different prince.

“Prince Carden,” she said, trying to be as gentle as possible. “Thank you for your kind words, but I miss my home.”

Her words were true, and Alex was surprised by how Meya now equated to ‘home’. ‘Well, when did that happen?’ she added in her thoughts.

While disappointment replaced the hope in Prince Carden’s eyes, he didn’t look surprised at all.

“I knew I would get soundly rejected, but I tried anyway,” he said, followed by a sad chuckle. “At least my mother will not admonish me for not trying.”

“I… I’m sorry, Carden,” she whispered.

“Don’t be, Lasa,” he sighed, shaking his head. “This is my entire fault for trying to hope when I knew I didn’t stand a chance against your prince right from the very start.”

She took a sharp intake of breath, eyes widening in horror. Was she really so terribly obvious?

Prince Carden gave her another smile before bringing her right knuckles against his lips. “It was my greatest pleasure to know you, Lasa Aeylia,” he said. Then, he completely relinquished his hold and walked away, leaving Alex helplessly staring at his retreating back on the dancefloor.

“I need a freaking drink,” Alex groaned under her breath as she strode towards the refreshments area.

She was greeted by guests she hadn’t met before, surprised to hear her name from their lips. Perhaps the gossip of the Meyarin abandoned by her parents as a babe to be raised by mortals was just as juicy for mortals as for the Meyarins.

She soon reached the refreshments area and sighed in relief upon seeing a familiar face.

“I hope that’s not glaeron,” she greeted Zain, who was dressed in full Zeltora regalia.

“Such a shame, really,” Zain said, grimacing at the goblet in his hand. “This tastes too much like sunshine and flowers.”

Alex laughed at his description. “My kind of drink,” she said, as she stole Zain’s goblet and gulped down the burgundy drink.

Zain wasn’t kidding; it did taste like sunshine and flowers. There was also a nice aftertaste that kind of reminded her of dillyberries.

“Careful, little princess,” the Zeltora said. “The taste is deceitful. If you drink more than you can handle, you can become like them.”

He tilted his head at a bunch of mortal guests, who were glassy-eyed and flushed, swaying a tad on their feet as they giggled silly over something she could not hear. They all were similarly holding goblets of the beverage she had just drunk.

“Thanks for the heads up,” she said, deciding not to get another glass as she remembered her unfortunate experience with dillyberries. “But Meyarin, remember? We don’t get drunk easily.”

Zain made a noncommittal sound and grabbed another goblet of the flowery wine. Alex decided to ignore his weird retort and instead looked around the banquet in search of Aven’s familiar blond head.

“The prince is outside, in the rose gardens,” Zain said, as if knowing who she was searching for. “I saw him leave just a few moments ago.”

She threw him a sheepish smile. “Tell me, Zain,” she sighed, “was I being too obvious?”

“Very, little princess,” he chuckled, his grin widening at the disgruntled look on her face at his nickname.

“I really wish you would stop calling me that,” she grumbled.

“Well, you certainly look the part,” he said, his eyes briefly flicking to her dress and her golden skin. “A Meyarin vaesprissa.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “So I’ve been told,” she said. “Anyway, I’ll be going now so…”

Zain lifted his goblet. “Good luck, Aeylia,” he said with a smile.

“Hey, you used my name!” she exclaimed. “And good luck for what?”

He shook his head, grin still in place, and strode away from the refreshments table.

Alex frowned at his back before searching for the nearest door to the rose gardens.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Niyx then appeared, grasping her arm. “You owe me a dance, kitten.”

“But Aven—“

“Aven can wait,” he pointed out, gently dragging Alex to the dance floor. “Judging from that weirdly determined look in your eyes, I believe he’ll have you for eternity from here on out.”

She gave him a glare as Niyx positioned them for a slow dance. “Don’t assume things, Raedon,” she muttered grumpily.

“I love it when you use my last name,” he teased. He then surprised Alex with a sudden dip. When he pulled her back into his arms, she was already laughing.

Niyx danced with her after two more songs and a very bruised right foot. Before Alex could completely escape the dance floor, King Aurum had already asked for one dance, which she couldn’t refuse. Two other Medorans had danced with her after—with one who was terribly handsy for his own good—before Alex completely broke out of the banquet hall and into the rose gardens.

Her feet were aching after a whirlwind of dances. She wasn’t used to wearing such heels, and Alex already longed to retire to her room and rest. But, she hadn’t seen or at least talked with Aven for the whole night. She was afraid that if she let the magic of tonight pass, her bravery would evaporate like Cinderella’s ball gown at midnight.

Bravery to do what exactly? Well… Alex still wasn’t sure. She just knew that she had to see Aven now, or things would be too late.

Thankfully, the Meyarin Prince was still in the rose gardens when she arrived. His back was to her, and he was standing in front of a lake, watching unseeingly as a small duck family glided over the clear waters.

“Fancy seeing you here,” she called before she chickened out and ran back to the castle.

She saw how Aven’s shoulders briefly tensed before he slowly looked back to look at her. “Aeylia,” he whispered. “You should go back inside.”

“My feet are killing me already,” she whined, striding purposefully towards him until she was standing beside him. “If I return inside, I’m sure Niyx will drag me to the dance floor once more and demand a dance.”

Aven’s lips quirked in a small smile, his eyes now back at looking at the lake.

“What are you doing out here, Aven?” she asked. “Why aren’t you inside? This celebration is in honor of what you did to the Medoran heir, you know.”

He slightly grimaced. “It’s… a little loud and overstimulating,” he explained.

“Already tired of being surrounded by mortals, vaespris?” she teased, addressing him with the Meyarin translation of ‘prince’.

Aven snorted and briefly glanced at Alex. “I can’t believe I survived a week surrounded by these humans,” he grumbled, an exaggerated sigh escaping from his lips.

“You make it sound like it was a terrible experience,” she shot back. “It wasn’t all bad. Admit it; this had been an eye-opening envoy for your snobby, immortal heart.”

“A definite eye-opener, yes,” he said, slowly nodding his head. A pensive look appeared on his face as he looked over the clear waters once more. “This week made me realize a lot of things.”

Alex smiled. “Such as?” she probed.

“Such as…” He blew a sigh and said, “My father was right. I did not really understand before why we continue to trade with humans even when they have nothing to give in return.”

Alex stayed silent, watching as he struggled with his thoughts internally. “When the Medoran Prince was fatally injured by the Sarnaph, I didn’t even think.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Laendra is one of Meya’s most prized possessions because of its miraculous effect. When we came to Tryllin, I didn’t even think of using it on a mortal, much less offer it as one of the things Meya can trade with Medora.”

“You plan to trade laendra?” she asked, surprised. As far as she knew, it wasn’t initially in the list of materials they planned to trade with the mortals.

“After saving the mortal, it got me thinking.” He looked at her eyes for the first time since she sought him out and smiled. “Mortals are weak, easily afflicted by insignificant microorganisms because of their vulnerable immune system.”

Alex made a face. “That sounds like an insult, Aven,” she pointed out.

“No, what I meant is, laendra could do wonders for the mortal race,” he continued. “Imagine the increase in their economic productivity if they are less sick… less tired. Then perhaps they can finally progress from their outdated customs and technology.”

Aven unseeingly glanced ahead. “And not just laendra, other Meyarin materials could greatly help them too,” he said. “I understand why my father now tries to teach me because, as you’ve previously pointed out, the draekons do the same with their Z’oh - their tears that forge Myrox that essentially powers our kingdom. Without the draekon, Meya might not survive. Without Meya, Medora might not survive either.”

Alex felt her heart flutter inside at how earnest Aven suddenly looked. “I was naive, so naive, to think that the relationship we’ve established with the mortals is useless,” he said. “When in fact, we are just paying forward what the draekon had been doing to us, a race that is vastly inferior to their greatness.”

“Noblesse oblige,” she whispered.

Aven blinked and glanced down at her. “I’m sorry?”

“Noblesse oblige. Nobility obliges,” she translated. “There’s this saying among mortals I heard while growing up with them.” She grew a little uncomfortable with Aven’s rapt attention. “Some philosophical crap about the responsibility of the privileged to the less fortunate. Some argue it perpetuates superiority and continues inequality, especially if the motive is selfish. Those kinds of stuff.”

She knew she was rambling, especially when Aven quirked an eyebrow.

Alex felt her cheeks heating and continued, “I mean, basically, it is a noble thing to help those who are in need, not expecting anything in return.” She lightly scratched her cheek and sheepishly grinned at Aven. “I think that was what King Astophe, and even Roka, was trying to let you understand.”

“And I do, I see it now,” he sighed, looking troubled once more. “At the same time, it made me guiltier that I tried to instigate a rebellion, all because of my selfish beliefs.”

“Do you still believe it then?” Alex slowly asked. “The one that the Garseth stands for?”

“Of course not,” he scoffed without skipping a beat. “I think I understand it now.”

Emotions clotted her throat because Aven looked honest-to-goodness genuine with his words and his current belief. The future evil version of him seemed like a figment of her imagination right now.

“And now I ruined the night talking about philosophies and my realizations in life,” he joked with a small chuckle, his eyes sparkling brightly under the night sky.

“Perfect timing, then,” Alex said, almost breathlessly, as the music from inside carried to the rose gardens. “You owe me a dance, Aven Dalmarta.”

“Do I really?” he asked, prompting Alex to glower at him. “If the lady wishes it, then.”

He offered his hand and waited for Alex to place hers on top. Then, Aven positioned them properly as he led the dance.

Alex mentally cursed herself for suggesting a dance when the music was a slow one and quite intimate. She just thanked the stars that it was mostly swaying without the other complicated movements Niyx had forced her to do. She wouldn’t be too embarrassed to step on Aven’s feet.

The downside, however, was how close Aven was. She was afraid his Meyarin senses could hear how loud her heart was despite how they were barely moving, arms wrapped around each other.

“You look beautiful tonight, Aeylia. Do you know that?” he whispered against her ear, gooseflesh erupting at her exposed skin from his warm breath and warm words.

“A-a few gentlemen had said so earlier, yes,” she said. She wanted to say that in jest, but her breathlessness and stammering had ruined her plan.

“Forgive me, I lied,” Aven then said, slowly pulling away just so he could directly look at her eyes.

“Lied about what?” she asked, unable to stop her eyes from glancing at his inviting lips. She was suddenly overwhelmed by the memory of how his lips had felt pressed against hers back in the Golden Cliffs.

When her eyes flickered back to his golden ones, she could see the knowing glint in them, as if Aven knew exactly what she was thinking.

“I had to get away from the banquet hall because I mainly can’t stop staring at you,” he confessed. “I had to excuse myself because I was afraid I couldn’t control myself from doing something stupid.”

Her heart now jumped to her throat. “Like… like what?” she asked, her voice husky from anticipation.

Aven pointedly looked at her lips, then to her eyes. Alex continued to look at him, wide-eyed and barely breathing.

Then, to her surprise, Aven expelled an almost pained laugh, his forehead dropping against hers.

“I’m sorry, Aeylia,” he said, as he slowly tried to pull away. “I need to… leave, lest I do something you might not like.”

Her breath stuttered, her hold on him tightening.

“Aeylia—“

“Blast it all,” she grumbled, before standing on her tiptoes and capturing Aven’s lips she’d been dying, quite frankly, to kiss ever since she’d laid her eyes on him tonight.

Aven immediately pulled away, chest heaving and eyes like molten gold from want. “If you will just tell me later this is a mistake,” he warned, looking like he was physically trying to restrain himself from kissing her again, “then, we’d rather not.”

“Less talking, less thinking,” she said with a glare. “Shut up, Aven.”

Then she grabbed him down once more to seal another kiss.

Alex felt like she was properly breathing again after drowning for so long. After all the denial she’d been doing for the past weeks, her heart had unraveled freely because she was finally true to herself. Her noisy, overthinking mind had effectively shut down, mind too focused on how Aven’s lips felt so good pressed against hers.

Aven pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, as if the minuscule space between them was still too big.

She had been kissed by a boy before in Freya, by a handsome football player she’d been crushing so hard. But not like this. Her first kiss paled in comparison to what Aven Dalmarta’s lips were doing to her right now. If she were given a choice, she’d stay like this forever. But curse her mortal lungs, they soon demanded to be fed, and Alex had no choice but to pull away to take deep, shuddering breaths.

It made her tingly all over to see that Aven was just as breathless as she was after that amazing kiss.

“Well, I certainly was not expecting my night to end like this,” he grinned too widely, looking like he’d won a battle or something.

She could already feel embarrassment pooling at the pit of her stomach, knowing it was she who had lost control. It was she who initiated the kiss.

“Stop looking like a norot,” she whined. “I just had a sudden life-changing revelation. Have mercy.”

Aven couldn’t stop smiling as he reached down and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear.

“Shut up,” she grumbled.

“I’m not even saying anything,” Aven laughed.

“You might not be saying it in words, but I can hear you loud and clear,” she shot back. “So shut up, Aven.”

He leaned down, a challenging glint in his eyes. “Make me, then,” he drawled.

Alex laughed and grabbed his cheeks, pulling him down just so she could properly kiss his lips once more.

He softly chuckled against her lips, hooking his arm around her waist just to anchor her to himself.

“Shut up,” she murmured with a smile as she met his hungry lips. “Or I’ll stab you with A’enara.”

Aven pulled away just to grin down at her. His thumb rubbed affectionately at her bottom lip. “This wicked mouth of yours will be the death of me,” he sighed. “Of this I’m certain.”

He leaned down again for another kiss. Alex couldn’t stop smiling against his magnificent lips.

The Medoran royal family was standing in the courtyard as their Meyarin guests prepared for their imminent departure.

After waking up from the best sleep she ever had, Alex allowed Mirin to fuss over her just to get her prepared. She didn’t even mind that Aven decided they’d leave by dawn. Her mood was too good for anything to dampen it.

“We thank you once more for welcoming us to your home,” Aven said, looking like the proper Meyarin prince. “I hope our visit has helped strengthen the relationship between our two kingdoms.”

“You and your kin are always welcome in Tryllin,” King Aurum claimed with a bright smile. “Safe travels to you all.”

Aven smiled and tilted his head. He then respectfully kissed Queen Esmeralda’s hand, who, in return, patted his cheek like he was her son. Then, once Aven reached the Medoran heir, Prince Carden surprised him by offering his hand.

“Thank you, Vaespris Aven, for saving my life,” he said. “The House of Cavelle will never forget the kindness you showed.”

The golden-haired prince grasped Carden’s hand for a firm handshake.

Aven then turned to the Meyarins and started giving last-minute orders for their journey. Alex didn’t realize she was staring at him all throughout, if Niyx hadn’t flicked her nose to get her attention.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked, blinking her distraction away.

“I said, you’re going to be with my group again in the Valispath,” Niyx repeated with a frown.

“Oh,” she said, shoulders slumping a bit, “Okay.”

Niyx snorted. “Well, don’t look so excited,” he drawled in sarcasm. When Alex glared at him, her cheeks flared pink, Niyx shook his head. “Honestly, I’m more worried about Aven causing an accident than your absentmindedness today.”

Alex glanced at him, wide-eyed. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Have you seen Aven?” he asked incredulously. “Stupid kregon looked like he just became the king of the world.” He narrowed his eyes at Alex. “I’m going to take a wild guess here that you both now sorted whatever this weird dance you’ve been having for many moons now, if not for the identical dopey grins on your face.”

It took monumental concentration from Alex just so she wouldn’t conjure the wonderful kisses she shared with Aven last night.

“Good job, kitten,” he nodded with approval, looking like he knew what she was trying to do. “It seems you’ve stopped yourself from showing me unnecessary images last night that could scar me forever.”

A laugh tumbled out of her lips despite her red cheeks.

“I’m not sure if I like you pining,” he continued, “or ridiculously giddy with love.” Niyx shook his head and fondly pinched her cheek, a smile on his face.

“Get your hands off me,” she complained, lightly pushing him away with a chuckle.

Alex then stiffened when she felt a gentle hand on her low back.

“Ready to go?” Aven asked both Alex and Niyx.

“I can’t wait to sleep on my own bed, so yes,” Niyx sighed.

Then, to Alex, Aven dipped his head down and peered at her eyes, “Feeling all right, Aeylia?”

She grew nervous at his proximity, eyes growing wide. “Y-yeah,” she stammered, then loudly cleared her throat.

The wicked smirk that appeared on Aven’s face prompted Alex’s eyes to narrow in annoyance. The stupid prince was enjoying this way too much. “Tease,” she grumbled, which only made him more amused.

Niyx suddenly coughed loudly, catching their attention. “Vaespris, Lasa, please have some respect for those around you,” he drawled, mock offense on his face. “By the light, we are in public.”

Aven loudly laughed while Alex pushed him away, an embarrassed scowl on her face. He snaked an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “See you on the other side,” he murmured, grinning down at her before completely pulling away.

“I hope for all our sakes you don’t get distracted and crash to your death, Aven,” Niyx called, shaking his head. “Dear Aeylia here will grow sorrowful with your demise.”

“You know what? I’m not going to ride with either of you,” she snapped with a light glare, stomping over to where Zain’s group was staying, leaving a laughing Niyx and Aven at her wake. She demanded that one of the Zeltora warriors swap with her, who was initially confused but followed her nonetheless.

“So, I think it that you truly are a little vaesprissa now?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow in amusement.

“Not a word, Erreaya,” she said, harrumphing and crossing her arms.

Zain merely grinned and activated the Valispath, now navigating his group back to Meya.

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten 

The days that followed their return to Meya were almost like a dream.

With her no longer in denial, she did not shy away from any affection Aven showed. In fact, she anticipated them, craved them even, and sometimes she had no self-control whatsoever by initiating brief kisses behind alcoves or small touches in the Dining Hall during meals.

They weren’t being discreet about it either, as the other members of the royal family could already notice the positive change in their relationship.

Queen Niida, in particular, looked like Kaldoras came early when she accidentally caught them mid-embrace, and had proceeded to drag both Alex and Aven for afternoon snacks in her beloved sunroom just so they could tell her how they became together in Medora. That had been an embarrassing experience, but Alex couldn’t stop laughing at the look of horror on Aven’s face.

Kyia was a great comfort, as she herself was experiencing the same thing with Roka, if not more worrisome, as Roka was the Crown Prince.

“He wishes for me to be his queen,” she had revealed to Alex one time as they forgone history lessons to talk about their exciting love lives. “I mean, how crazy is that, Aeylia?”

“See, I told you you were meant to be,” Alex said with a smile, gripping Kyia’s hand to give it a comforting squeeze. “I’m sure that’ll be far in the future, though, seeing as our king is alive and very much healthy.”

The pretty Meyarin squeezed Alex’s hand in return. “I know we are young, and your relationship with Aven has just started, but marriage doesn’t seem like a farfetched future for you both too.”

“Marriage!” Alex gasped, eyes widening in surprise.

Kyia was unfazed, her smile widening. “Didn’t I tell you Aven will gather all the stars above if you so wish for it?” she said. “Besides, I think the Queen has already been having imaginary wedding preparations for her two sons.”

All the talk about the future with Kyia plagued Alex as she strolled out of the library, absentmindedly walking back to her room.

Such was her distraction, her mortal senses weren’t able to catch that something was off until it was too late. In one blink, she was in the castle, and the next, she was back at the familiar mushroom circle in Raelia.

“You seriously need to warn me next time!” Alex exclaimed, dazed from the abrupt change in her location. She twirled around and saw Lady Mystique standing right behind her, unrepentant.

“Alexandra,” she greeted, a serene smile growing on her face. “It’s been a while.”

“And whose fault was that?” Alex asked with a stubborn frown. She recalled the time she tried to beg for Aes Daega’s help when Aven was at the brink of death from Sarnaph poisoning, but all she got was radio silence from the mystical lady. Admittedly, she was a bit hurt that she hadn’t answered her quiet prayers. “Honestly, you’ve caught me in a bad time, so if you’ll excuse me…”

Lady Mystique blinked at her. “You did not need to see me for the past days, child,” was her mere explanation.

Hurt clouded Alex’s eyes as she took a few steps closer to her. “Really? After calling you so fervently when Aven was dying, I needed you the most, Lady Mystique,” she whispered.

The old lady shook her head, her eyes softening in understanding. “You did not need me, Alexandra,” she insisted. “And Aven Dalmarta continues to live on.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” she spat. She cringed afterwards, realizing how petty she sounded, then glanced apologetically back at Lady Mystique. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. I’m really not in a great mood right now, Lady Mystique.”

She smiled kindly, not at all offended by Alex’s words. “I came to you again because of something else,” she gently said. When Alex continued to stare at her, she continued, “I believe you’ve overstayed your welcome here, child.”

Emotions clotted her throat, and the tingly sensation inside her nose started. Alex did not know what to answer; instead looked away from the honest gaze of the old lady.

“I see the youngest prince’s opinions regarding mortals had greatly changed, just as your relationship with him had done so,” Aes Daega said. “Wasn’t that your initial goal, Alexandra? To change his opinion about your race?”

It was a sobering reminder that she wasn’t a Meyarin, that she was a mortal, but Alex wasn’t ready to answer difficult questions today. “Lady Mystique,” she sighed, “perhaps we should continue this for another day.”

“When then? On the next full moon? The next season? When this world had completed its revolution around the sun?”

Tears had now filled Alex’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “It is too soon,” she said, her voice breaking as she recalled how things had just started to blossom with Aven, now that she’d completely stopped denying the truth from herself. “Too early. I have just stopped—” Her voice failed her then, as the lump of panic in her throat was too great to ignore.

Lady Mystique sighed, slowly grasping Alex’s hand for her to meet her gaze. “The more deeply the Rebel Prince loves you, the greater the betrayal he’ll feel once he knows the truth, child,” she said.

“He won’t know,” she stubbornly said, shaking her head. “I’ll be gone before he realizes that he loved a mortal.”

“Then, the longer you stayed here, the riskier it gets,” Lady Mystique plainly replied.

Alex grew angrier this time, pulling her hand away from Lady Mystique. “Does it really matter how long I stay?” she spat. “Regardless of when, he’d still feel betrayed by my absence and start destroying my race.”

“It is written in the stars.”

“No, stop it. Stop saying that,” Alex cried, unable to suppress her tears anymore. “I’m trying, Lady Mystique. Aven has completely changed his opinion about mortals. H-he… he loves me, as bizarre as that sounds. Why is it that despite everything I do, he’d still become the monster of my future?”

She still looked at Alex kindly despite her outburst. “I think you know already that Aven Dalmarta is capable of loving deeply,” Lady Mystique softly said. “Thus, he is also capable of hating just as deeply that could span several centuries.”

Alex was growing desperate now. “Is there really no other way?” she begged. “Is there no minuscule possibility in this grand universe that I can save him from his doom?”

“It is not your role to save the prince in whatever timeline, whatever universe you are in,” she reminded her once again. “Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself.”

“What does that even mean?” she demanded.

“You must leave soon, Alexandra,” Lady Mystique answered instead, as she lifted her hand and gently wiped away her tears. “Before it gets too hard for you to pull away. You do not belong here. Your friends and family are waiting for you to go home.”

Alex’s eyes fluttered closed in despair. The next time she opened them, she was back at the castle with Aes Daega nowhere to be found.

Lady Mystique’s visit had dampened whatever sheer bliss she was basking under after their return from Meya. These plaguing clouds had followed Alex, even after another training session with Niyx. The Raedon heir had brought her to Draekora to perfect her balance, but it was plain to see her mind was a million miles away. He had decided to cut their training short when Alex plummeted from the solid surface of the Sky Kingdom, Xira immediately swooping in to rescue her from a guaranteed death.

“Stars, kitten, what’s got you so distracted?” Niyx admonished, now that his panic had receded with Alex firmly back on the floating ground.

Alex sighed and flopped down on the bioluminescent wildflowers. Xira looked down at her in worry, as he could feel her inner turmoil due to their vaeliana bond.

“Don’t you think we should stop with this training and all that crap?” she asked, noting the deep frown that appeared on Niyx’s face.

“If you are exhausted, you should have told me so, Aeylia.”

Alex closed her eyes and lightly shook her head. “No, Niyx,” she mumbled. When Niyx continued to stay silent, she opened her eyes and looked up at her friend. “The reason why you started to train me was because you saw what the future would be if I didn’t stop Aven from wreaking havoc in Medora.”

She watched as Niyx’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “I don’t know where this conversation is going,” he truthfully said.

‘Better not delay the inevitable,’ she thought to herself.

After inhaling a deep breath, she said, “We should stop now because Aes Daega visited me a few days after we arrived back from Tryllin.” She pulled herself up to a sitting position to squarely look at Niyx’s eyes. “I… I think you know what she told me then.”

With how serious she looked and sounded, it didn’t surprise her that the dread appeared on Niyx’s face. “Actually, kitten, I don’t,” he stubbornly said, narrowing his eyes as he started to pull away. Alex latched onto his wrist tightly to keep him right where he was. “Let’s call it a day and go home, Aeylia.”

“Niyx,” she sighed. Her chest felt heavy with her emotions and the future, and she did not know what to do. Alex felt Xira’s warm breath of comfort blowing on the back of her head. She craned her neck to glance at her bonded draekon, who looked down at her with such kind eyes. He tilted his head encouragingly, because he knew what she was about to say, and he understood.

“Oh, Xira, how do I make this better?” she thought.

“You need to have this conversation, Alex,” Xiraxus said. “Be brave.”

Alex steeled her heart and slowly grasped Niyx’s hand. She allowed him to pull her back up on her feet, then tugged him closer until his amethyst eyes met hers. The look in his eyes just made the emotions inside her chest all the more unbearable. “She told me that I must leave soon, Niyx,” she explained.

“Must you really, Aeylia?” he asked, suddenly looking wild-eyed and desperate. “Didn’t Aes Daega say that your departure will be the trigger to Aven’s doom?”

“It is written in the stars,” she echoed Lady Mystique’s words with a snarl.

“Then, you just simply stay here,” Niyx stubbornly suggested. “Why do you need to leave?”

Alex shook her head. No matter how much she grew to love everything and everyone in this timeline, Lady Mystique was right. “You know I can’t stay here,” she whispered. “I-I don’t belong here.”

“That is not true,” he vehemently replied. “You belong here in Meya. With the royal family. With Xiraxus. With me, by the light.” He tightly gripped her hand. “With Aven, Aeylia.”

“Alex,” she shot back immediately, staring straight at Niyx’s devastated eyes through her forming tears. “My name is Alex, Niyx. ‘Aeylia’ is just a pretense.”

Niyx pulled away his hand from her grip, just so he could run his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I know you have to leave, kitten. I know. But do you really need to do it soon? Aven had just fully appreciated the relationship forged between Meya and Medora. He’d started to respect mortals, even when they had nothing to give in return. Why ruin that peace now?”

“My initial goal has been achieved,” she explained, echoing Lady Mystique’s words again. “Aven now understands humans, and not just agreeing to whatever I say just to appease me. You said it yourself – he respects mortals now. He is now the opposite of everything the future Aven I know. If that at least makes a difference.”

“You can make a home here, Aeylia,” he continued to insist, ignoring her earlier claim. “The royal family adores you. Aven loves you.”

She blinked her wide, teary eyes at Niyx. “Are we forgetting the small, insignificant fact that I am mortal? Or maybe that I’m a freaking time-traveler?” She wearily wiped away her tears and sighed. “Aes Daega was right. I-I can’t stay here any longer. I don’t belong here. My place is with my friends and family back home.”

“Alex is right,” Xira softly replied, speaking for the first time. Niyx looked at the draekon as if betrayed, but Xira just shook his head. “She is not of this timeline, and she is needed back home.”

“But what about us, Aeylia?” Niyx’s voice croaked with emotion, and Alex’s face crumpled. “We’re your family too.”

“Oh, Niyx,” she tearfully whispered, “of course, you are.”

Niyx’s face abruptly shuttered closed—so different from his usual open face, heart-on-his-sleeve demeanor. “Right, of course,” he said. “Of course.” He cleared his throat, muttered an apology about having to leave for another errand, before turning around and summoning Valispath.

Alex collapsed onto her knees once Niyx disappeared, staring at the place he’d just stood a while ago.

“That boy also loves you, Alex,” Xira sighed, nudging his muzzle for comfort at the back of her head. “Give him some time to process the inevitable too.”

“I… I don’t want to go, Xira,” she confessed, both terrified and relieved she was finally able to say it aloud.

“I know, Alex,” he continued. “Believe me, I truly do.”

She closed her eyes and leaned against Xiraxus’s comforting body. “But I don’t want to stay here too,” she said, a wet chuckle tumbling out of her lips. “I miss my friends – D.C., Bear, Jordan. Jordan.” She swallowed thickly and pressed her wet face against his scales. “Poor Jordan. I have to leave because I have to save him.”

Xira blew a warm, comforting breath against her wet cheeks.

“Why is it suddenly so hard to choose, Xira?” she asked miserably. “This should be a no-brainer for me.”

“Because Niyx was right, Alex,” the draekon said. “You found a family in this place, too.”

She sighed, her chest growing heavier as the dread of making a decision grew nearer. “You’re part of that family, Xira, just so you know,” she rasped out. He answered her by fondly nudging his muzzle against her cheek again.

“You must leave soon, Alex,” Xira said. “Before it gets too hard for you to pull away.”

In spite of her heavy feelings, Alex managed to crack a smile. “Lady Mystique said exactly the same thing,” she said as she slowly glanced up at her bonded draekon. “And I think that warning’s a bit too late now, Xiraxus.”

“Niyx? NIYX!”

“Go away, Aeylia. I’m busy.”

“Oh, look who finally snapped off his tantrum and decided to talk to me,” Alex goaded, smiling a little when she could practically see Niyx’s eye roll.

“What do you want, mortal?” he grumbled.

“Please don’t stay mad at me,” she thought. “I don’t know how long I’m staying here. Can’t we just… can’t we just continue hanging out or training?”

He answered her with silence first, and Alex thought he was done talking to her. And then, “Please leave me alone, kitten. I… I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

Alex swallowed her emotions and sighed. “Suit yourself,” she grumbled. Niyx did not grace her with another answer.

“Aeylia?”

She snapped out of her dejection and met Aven’s concerned eyes. “Sorry, sorry,” she said as she hooked her arm around his. “What were you saying?”

They were currently strolling from the town square back to the castle, now that the first hints of dusk painted the sky. Aven insisted it was already time to go home, as the darkness could be their enemy. He did not want a repeat of the Sarnaph poisoning. While the Valispath should be the choice by default, Aven suggested they take the very short walk back to the castle.

Aven’s lips lifted into a small smile, although the worry was still in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I think I’m boring you with all the Medoran trade updates,” he said. “Perhaps you want to talk about other things?”

Alex grew guilty. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered miserably. “I really want to hear about the Medoran trade updates. It’s just…” She tugged the ends of her hair in frustration. “I just have a lot of things in mind right now, Aven. I’m really sorry.”

He drew them to a halt. “What is the matter, my love?” he asked, as he worriedly peered at her brown eyes. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Despite all the misery she was feeling, Alex’s heart didn’t fail to flutter pleasantly at how Aven had addressed her. He’d started calling her as such after they got back from Tryllin, and Alex wasn’t strong enough to correct him anymore. Besides, the way he looked at her when he called her as such made her putty in his arms.

“I’ll tell you once we get back to the castle,” she said, managing to smile at him reassuringly. She glanced around them and grimaced. “It’s starting to get dark, and I don’t want random Garseth catching us unawares again.”

Wordlessly, Aven grabbed for her hand and summoned the Valispath. He then directed them back to the safety confines of the castle. Aven led them outside Alex’s room, before once again turning to look at her, expectation in his eyes.

“You know what, maybe we should just call it a day,” she said, not wanting to burden him further.

But Aven shook his head and pushed her door open, ushering her inside.

Alex sighed and lightly glared at the prince. “Really, it’s not that big of a deal,” she grumbled.

Aven quirked an eyebrow at her stubbornness before Alex finally relented and said, “Niyx and I got into a fight.”

She noted he was expecting that. Perhaps his best friend had already lamented their fight to him. Alex was careful to push away anything relating to her impending departure at the back of her mind, lest she completely break and confess everything to Aven. “Do I need to demand a duel to protect your honor, Lasa Aeylia?” he slowly drawled, his golden eyes dancing with mirth at how she scowled at his joke.

“It’s not funny, Aven,” she shot back with a frown. “Niyx continues to be so stubborn and refuses to talk to me!”

Aven smiled at her fondly. “As someone who grew up with him, he does like keeping grudges, especially to those he greatly cares for,” he explained. “I don’t know what you both fought about, but I’m sure he’ll get over it soon. Give him some time, Aeylia. ”

‘But I don’t have that anymore,’ she miserably added in her mind. ‘I don’t have time.’

The prince suddenly rubbed his thumb on her forehead, smoothing out her wrinkles. “I can go talk to him tomorrow, if you wish it,” Aven offered. “I know how his mind works.”

She shook her head. “You don’t need to do that,” she said. “I know you are busy with the Medoran trades and all that boring crap you royals must love to talk about.”

“Aha, so you were bored with that conversation!” he said. Alex hummed her protest, but when she saw the amusement in Aven’s eyes, she weakly slapped him on his chest.

“I like listening to you talk,” she grumbled in honesty, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “You can drone on and on about how Meya came to be, and I’ll listen to your voice. Maybe it should be you teaching me history, not Kyia.”

Aven grinned down at her. “Glad to know my voice steals your attention, Aeylia,” he said, his voice dropping an octave lower, that just made her tingly all over. He leaned closer as Alex closed her eyes, blood thrumming through her veins with anticipation.

He didn’t make her wait too long as he captured her lips for a kiss. Aven—she had to come realize after doing it for days—kissed with his whole heart. No matter how brief, how long, he claimed her lips, he always poured so much emotion into such a simple activity that made her disappointed once he broke away.

‘This, this,’ she thought in a haze, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him lower, ‘I’m going to miss this so much. I’m going to miss him so much.’

The thought of leaving again made her gently break the kiss. Aven, cheeky him, stole a few more pecks until Alex had to laughingly push him harder.

“Time for bed, Mister Vaespris,” she chuckled. “It’s been a long day for us both.”

His golden eyes were still molten from want, his lips a little swollen from how eager Alex kissed him back. “Perhaps, I can stay in your room for just a little longer…”

“Bad, bad idea, prince,” she breathlessly said, her heart fluttering madly inside her chest at the wide grin on his face.

Aven placed a hand against her cheek to give her another lingering kiss. “Sweet dreams, my love,” he whispered against her lips.

Alex smiled and mumbled her good night, watching as he soon left her room. Aven took all the happy feelings with him, and now Alex was left standing in the dark, remembering all the pressing problems she had had for the past days.

“Niyx?” she tried again, but the Raedon heir stayed stubbornly silent, and so Alex gave up and prepared for bed.

As Alex was about to slip under her covers, a soft knock resounded against her door. She shot a wary glance at her door before carefully walking closer. She wondered if it was Aven, who came back just to test her self-control with more of his amazing kisses. Or maybe it was Niyx as he finally stopped being such a stubborn kregon and decided to start talking to her again.

When she slowly opened her door, it was neither of them. Instead, Mirin stood outside with a small smile on her face, a steaming mug of what she could smell as hot chocolate held in her hands.

“Mirin!” she exclaimed, relaxing a bit. “What brings you here?”

“Lasa Aeylia,” she softly said, a tad shyly. “I… heard you were not feeling well for the past days, so I brought you some comfort.”

She lifted the hot chocolate, prompting Alex to smile widely.

“You truly are a lifesaver,” she sighed, accepting the hot beverage. “Honestly, I didn’t know I needed this until you delivered it right at my doorstep.”

She blew the steam away and took a hearty sip. “Thank you, Mirin,” she said. “You’re truly a great friend.”

Something flickered in the palace maid’s eyes. Alex’s smile faltered a bit when an expression akin to guilt slowly crept on Mirin’s face.

At the same time, Alex suddenly felt dizzy and she swayed on her feet. “Wh—” The mug of hot chocolate slid from her hands and fell on the floor with a loud crash.

Alex’s eyes widened in shock, realizing what was happening to her. “Did you just—” Another wave of dizziness came over her, and she moaned, feeling her consciousness slowly slipping away from her.

“I’m so, so sorry, Lasa Aeylia,” was the last thing she heard Mirin say until everything became black.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven

When Alex came to consciousness, two very loud voices were roaring inside her head.

“Alex? ALEX!” Xira roared, which worsened her headache. “Where are you? I can’t feel your presence. Alex, please, please talk to me if you can hear me.”

“Aeylia, please tell me you’re all right,” Niyx begged. “Kitten? Please, can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” she finally answered, directed to both of her bonded because she knew Xira and Niyx could not hear each other. There was identical gasps of relief when she spoke up, followed by Niyx’s flowery curse words and Xira’s never-ending questions.

“Please stop, both of you,” she groaned, as she lifted her hand and massaged her temples. “You’re both giving me a really bad headache right now.”

“Where in the blazing stars are you, Aeylia?” Niyx demanded at the same time Xira asked, “Alex, what happened? I suddenly… cannot feel you.”

Alex winced as another wave of pain crashed over her head. “Who said it was a good idea to get bonded to two beings at the same time?” she thought. “Three’s a freaking party in my head.”

“Seriously? You’re joking right now?” Niyx snapped, followed by another string of flowery curse words that did not help her headache.

“Please stop being so loud,” she groaned once more.

“Kitten, please, where are you?” Niyx insisted, more gently but just as urgently.

“I… I don’t know where I am,” she answered them both, finally realizing that her wrists and ankles were tied against the wall by Myrox-made cuffs. Her wrist was angled in such a way that even if she could summon A’enara, she would not be able to break the bonds.

Cold fear now replaced whatever pain she was feeling. She was in a cell lined with what she recognized as traesos. There was another shimmery glow coating the whole wall, which she had no name for.

“I think I’m in a prison cell,” she said.

“Taevarg?” Niyx demanded.

“No,” she said. “I’ve seen what Taevarg looks like. This one isn’t the same. There’s this weird glow that also coated the traesos in here, and I don’t recognize it.”

“Alex.” She could feel the fear in Xira’s voice. “What happened?”

Alex knitted her eyebrows and tried to recall the events that led to this abduction. The last thing she remembered was Aven kissing her goodnight.

‘No, wait,’ she thought, dread in her heart. ‘Mirin.’

The memory of the palace maid, carrying a steaming mug of hot chocolate, suddenly rushed into her mind. And then the wave of dizziness that came after taking a sip, Mirin’s guilty face hovered over her falling body.

Niyx swore loudly again, no doubt having seen the visuals that projected in her mind. Xira roared in anger, prompting her to flinch in surprise.

“How long was I gone?” Alex tentatively asked, the fear still tightly gripping her heart.

“You’ve been gone for a full day, Aeylia,” Niyx answered. She could loudly hear the panic in his voice, and Alex could imagine him pacing, too. “Last night, as I went to sleep, I had this sudden wave of dizziness. I dismissed it from all the glaeron I drank after our fight, but I didn’t realize… I-I didn’t realize…”

“That the dizziness was because of me,” she said. Tears sprang in her eyes as she continued, “Mirin was my friend. I don’t know why she did that.”

“The palace is in a frenzy once they discovered that you were gone from your room, and no one can answer where you are,” Niyx continued. “The Zeltora warriors are scouring the whole of Meya and its neighbors just to search for you, Aeylia. We’re coming to find you, I swear to the stars.”

“Aven?” she then asked. “Is he okay?”

“Stars, Aeylia! You ask about him when you are the one abducted?”

“Niyx…”

“He is not okay, Aeylia, what do you expect?” he sighed. “Aven believed he was the last one to see you before he went back to his room. He’d been blaming himself for all of this, Aeylia.”

A few tears slipped down her face. “It’s not his fault,” she whispered.

“Alex,” Xira then said, “can you further describe what you see? It can help us search for you.”

Her mental conversation was halted when the prison door jangled open, and the familiar face of Mirin greeted her. The palace maid timidly stepped inside, a bowl of kraemsah clutched in her hands.

“Here to sedate me again, Mirin?” she snarled, eyes narrowing into thin slits.

Mirin flinched at her words, but she continued to walk inside. “You need to eat, Lasa,” she softly said as she stepped closer until she was near Alex. She grabbed a spoonful of the delectable food Alex used to love and tried to feed the prisoner.

But Alex stubbornly looked away and pursed her lips, refusing to eat.

The palace maid sighed and did not persist. Instead, she took a step back to give some semblance of space for Alex. “I… I know you have questions,” Mirin quietly said.

“The hell that I do!” Alex snapped, glaring darkly at the Meyarin. Her lips wobbled as the pain of her betrayal pierced her right and true. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, Mirin, but I trusted you. You were my friend. H-how could you do this to me?”

Mirin’s eyes shone with tears she refused to shed. “I’m sorry, Lasa, but I had to do it,” she explained. “This is the only way.”

“Of what?”

“Of getting his attention.”

Alex took a sharp intake of breath as fear raced down her spine upon hearing the familiar voice. Too focused on Mirin, she wasn’t able to notice when several cloaked men gathered outside her prison cell. It was only when Skraegon made his presence known that Alex finally realized what this was all about.

“The Garseth?” she gasped, staring widely at Mirin once more. “You are part of it too?”

“She isn’t, Lasa. Not really. But her father is,” Skraegon answered for the silent maid, as he roughly pushed Mirin behind just so he could stride closer to Alex. “Hello, Aeylia. We meet again.”

“Niyx, it’s the Garseth,” she communicated through their bond. “Mirin is part of the Garseth.”

“Of course it’s them,” Niyx growled.

“It is futile to talk to your bonded draekon here, Lasa,” Skaegron said, mistaking her extended silence for talking to Xira. “This place is coated with vaeliosos. He cannot find you, no matter how much he tries.”

“Xira? Vaeliosos? Are you familiar with that?” Alex shook when Xira exclaimed the loudest roar she’d ever heard.

“I can’t find you, Alex. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” her draekon said, sounding inconsolable. “That nullifies any vaeliana bond. I can talk to you, but I cannot find you, Alex.”

“It’s okay, Xira,” she tearfully assured. “We’ll find another way.”

Her focus snapped back to Skraegon when he languidly closed the space between him and Alex. He grabbed her chin with his hand just so he could forcefully stare at her with his lecherous face. “I always knew you were a fine piece of work, Aeylia,” he drawled. Alex reeled back, catching the scent of the glaeron in his sour breath. “No wonder that prince had given up everything we’ve believed in just because he’s blinded by his love for you.”

“Get your fucking hands off me, norot,” she spat, thrashing against her chains just so she could pull away from him.

His eyes flashed at her insult, prompting him to tighten his hold on her chin until his fingernails dug into her skin. “If you just stay quiet like a pretty little princess, I promise I won’t hurt you,” he said.

Alex thrashed wildly once again. From his firm hold, she could already feel a sting on her cheek, no doubt already leaving small wounds on her face.

All of a sudden, Skraegon gasped and recoiled away in disgust. He stared in horror at her face, and then at his hand. Alex was initially confused by his sudden change of demeanor, but then she saw the red streaks under his fingernails, and she knew.

“You are human?” he asked in disbelief. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw how Mirin gasped at the revelation and took a step back.

Alex grimly stared at Skaegron’s face, silent. This seemed to ignite a fiery, burning hatred in the Meyarin’s eyes, for he pulled out a dagger from nowhere and plunged it into Alex’s side.

White, blinding pain shot out from the wound and crawled throughout her whole body. She heard Niyx’s shout of pain in her mind, knowing he was mirroring her wounds because of their Claiming Bond.

When Skraegon pulled out his dagger, Alex whimpered in pain. He glanced at his blade that was now coated with her very red, very mortal blood.

Alex flinched in disgust when Skraegon spat at her, his spittle landing on her right cheek. “Who knew the perfect little princess is actually a filth in disguise?” he growled. He lifted her chin using the tip of his bloody blade. “We initially planned to use you as leverage against Aven. I might have to hurt you a little just to motivate the prince. But this”—he waved his blade, her blood dripping down its sharp edge—“this here changes everything, mortal.”

He slid his dagger until it was pressed against her neck. “I’m going to have so much fun breaking you, filth,” he said with a malicious smile on his face. “Imagine the look on your beloved prince’s face when he finds you bloodied like a weak mortal.”

She shivered in terror because Skraegon’s dark eyes held promise.

A pained scream flew out of her mouth when he stabbed her right shoulder.

“Oh, Aeylia,” he drawled, “I am just beginning.”

Sometime during Skraegon's torture, Alex lost consciousness again.

The next time she was roused awake, Mirin was standing in front of her, a wooden cup in her hand. “Lasa, please, drink this,” she worriedly whispered.

Alex was too weak to fight her away. Her throat was scratchy and raw from all the screaming she did a while back. Mirin helped her tilt her head just so she could swallow the liquid she now realized was warm laendra.

It wasn’t enough to heal all the wounds she got from Skraegon’s brutal torture, but it helped assuage some of the pain. She closed her eyes tightly as the world tilted around her, before slowly opening her eyes again.

Mirin still stood opposite her, great worry on her face.

“W-why are you helping me?” she weakly asked.

Instead of answering her, Mirin started to rub some laendra extract on her larger wounds. Alex shuddered from the pain, unable to stop herself from crying softly that the torture had ended for now.

“Vassa rae,” she heard Mirin whisper ‘I’m sorry’ through her thick tears. “Vassa rae, Lasa. Vassa rae.”

“Why am I still alive?” Alex managed to ask as Mirin pulled back once more.

“The Garseth had some business to attend to,” she explained, slowly wiping away the tears on her face. “I-I can’t stop them, Lasa. Skraegon will be back again after, and I think—”

She let her words dangle, but Alex knew what would happen to her once he came back.

“Please don’t call me ‘Lasa’ anymore,” Alex whispered. She cracked a small, pained smile and said, “My name is Alex.”

“Alex,” Mirin echoed, her real name rolling awkwardly through her tongue. Her eyes met Alex’s gaze again, and more fresh tears tumbled down her face. “I’m sorry, Alex.”

“You did this for your father,” Alex said. When Mirin nodded her head, she continued, “It’s okay. I’ll do everything for my parents too.”

“A-aeylia?”

“Niyx!” she gasped, realizing she’d said his name aloud when Mirin glanced at her in surprise.

“Oh, thank the stars you are awake,” he sighed in relief, but Alex could hear the little, pained groans that escaped from her lips.

With horror, she glanced at her battered body and remembered their Claiming Bond. “Niyx, oh god, are you okay?” she tearfully asked.

“I passed out, but I’m awake and healing now,” he said.

“Does… does anyone know?” she asked.

“No, no, I hid from the others when the wounds started to increase in number,” Niyx reassured. There was a pause, and then, “Stars, Aeylia, are you okay?”

A sob tore out from her mouth. Now that she was fully awake and not delirious from pain, everything came crashing back to her. She could see through her thick tears how Mirin eyed her in worry.

“Aeylia, kitten, we’ll find you. I promise, I promise,” Niyx reassured.

“Niyx,” she quietly said in her mind. “Niyx, I’m so scared.”

“I know, kitten, you didn’t deserve that,” he answered. “But listen to me, Aeylia. You have to describe everything you are seeing right now. Xiraxus is with us right now, and he’s been of great help. Our search for you will be easier if you just tell us as much as you know.”

Alex took a deep breath, gasping a little at the muted pain in her chest from the broken ribs she got. She willed to calm herself down, because Niyx was right; if she had at least some hope of getting out here alive, she had to get her head straight and note all the facts.

“You already know that I’m staying in a cell with traesos and valiesos,” she said. Her eyes flicked at the prison gate, no doubt locked with the key kept close to Skraegon. Then, when her eyes landed on a still, silent Mirin, a plan started to formulate inside her mind.

“Mirin… if I ask for your help, will you grant me that?” she slowly said.

Fear struck the Meyarin’s eyes as she darted nervous glances over her shoulders.

“We’re going to protect you and your father, I promise,” Alex continued, desperation in her eyes. “Please, please Mirin. Help me get out of here.”

She still looked hesitant and took a few steps back. “Go to Niyx,” she persisted. “Go to Aven, Mirin. Tell them where I am and I swear to you, I’ll beg them to spare you and your father.” Tears once again welled in Alex’s eyes. “Please.”

They both tensed when voices from outside reached their ears. Mirin immediately scuttled out of the prison gate and firmly closed it again despite Alex’s protest. At the same time, Skraegon and a few of his lackeys entered the dungeons once more. The Garseth sneered upon seeing that Alex was conscious.

“Good, you’re awake,” he said, pulling out a key from his pocket.

Terror seized her whole body when Skraegon pulled the prison gate open and languidly stepped inside. Alex’s horrified eyes held Mirin’s gaze for a moment. ‘Please, Mirin,’ she begged through her eyes. ‘Go, please. Go!’

“Niyx?” Alex whispered. “Niyx, Skraegon is back. I-I’m sorry in advance.”

“No, Aeylia—”

“If by some miracle Mirin finds you or finds Aven, follow whatever she says. And please, protect her and her father,” Alex said, fearfully watching as Skraegon pulled out his dagger.

“Now, where were we, mortal?”

She wasn’t sure if Niyx replied anything in return, for all Alex could feel right now was sheer, blinding pain when Skraegon buried his dagger in her chest, barely missing her heart.

A scream tore out of her mouth when he pulled the dagger out.

She was delirious from the pain. She wasn’t sure how much she’d begged for Skraegon to just end her misery, but the Garseth hurt her again and again. He missed the vital parts, but made sure his strikes would hurt her so much.

She was too weak to scream now. She knew too much blood had drained from her body, and even her Meyarin heightened senses could do nothing to stave off her bleeding. Niyx and Xira were begging her to stay awake through it all, but Alex was too in pain to tell them that it was okay, that the hurt would pass soon.

Skraegon was growing annoyed because all the fight had left her body now.

‘Soon,’ she reassured herself. ‘Soon, it will be over, Alex.’

The next time she blinked, Niyx replaced Skraegon’s face. Tears filled her eyes at the sight of her friend, wondering if she was already hallucinating from the pain.

“Aeylia, Aeylia, please,” Niyx begged, gently patting her cheek to keep her awake. “Don’t you go dying on me now!”

A movement behind him caught her attention. Alex willed her eyes to stay open as they latched onto a familiar form, her gaze lifting slowly up until she met the horrified golden eyes she had come to love so much.

“Aven,” she sighed, as if relieved. If her mind was playing tricks on her now that she was on the brink of death, she was glad it would be his face she would be seeing for the very last time.

She watched through pained, groggy eyes as he slowly fell beside Niyx. Aven’s shaky hand touched the wound just beside her heart, and Alex’s eyes fluttered closed in pain.

When she opened her eyes once more, she saw how Aven was now staring at his pale hand stained with Alex’s red blood.

“No,” she moaned, her tears increasing. “No, no.”

Niyx lifted her in his arms, and, unable to fight it any longer, Alex welcomed the dark with open arms.

The next time she came to, Alex was wary.

She was somewhere dark, lying on something comfortable, and she felt very much alive.

‘I’m not dead?’ she tentatively asked, trying to wriggle her body to see if she was still corporeal. Pain lanced a few parts of her body, mostly at her chest, which was good proof that she hadn’t died from Skraegon’s torture.

“I’m alive,” she whispered in the dark, tears in her eyes, as she finally realized that she was back in her room in the Meyarin castle. ‘Thank you, Mirin,’ she thought.

Now that she was awake, her Meyarin senses were also starting to awaken. And that was when Alex sensed that she wasn’t alone in her room.

She jerked into a sitting position, A’enara now in her hand, ready to defend herself with all her being against the intruder.

But A’enara vanished into thin air as soon as she realized it was Aven with her, sitting on one of her chairs.

“Aven,” she softly called, emotions now clogging her throat at the sight of him. She was getting ready to lunge into his arms, so relieved that she was still alive for another day to see him, but then she stopped when Aven flinched away.

She grew confused and sat limply back down on her bed. Aven looked unkempt, his hair sticking in different directions like he’d been constantly running his fingers through it while she slept. His face was stark white like the pale moonlight spilling inside her dark room, his silvery scar from his Sarnaph poisoning standing out. She could see that he was trembling too, and when Alex’s eyes fell on his hand, she noted that there was already crusted blood.

Deep, rusty blood.

Her blood.

Alex gasped, remembering the events before she fell unconscious. She thought she had hallucinated Niyx and Aven from all the pain she was feeling. She remembered that Aven was speechless, unmoving, as he stared in horror at his red-stained hands from the blood gushing out of her chest.

“A-Aven,” she carefully said, tears now spilling from her eyes. “Aven, I can explain.”

“What is there left to explain, when it was plain to see you’ve been deceiving us from the very start?”

She shivered at how cold he sounded… how horrifyingly similar to his future, evil version who had tormented her and her loved ones since the day they’d met.

Aven suddenly bowed on his chair and tightly gripped his hair, breathing heavily through his nose.

“Aven—”

“Don’t.” He lifted his head and stared at her, his eyes wild and desperate, eyes dark and molten from deep betrayal. “Don’t say anything at all. I don’t care to hear any more words spilling out from that mortal mouth of yours, when surely, you’d be just spewing more lies.”

Stubborn her didn’t listen. “Just please—”

He stood abruptly, the chair toppling back from his sudden movement. “I fell for you!” he cried, golden eyes blazing from the hurt and anger and everything else in between. “I… I honestly thought—you were everything—” He broke off with a strangled sound. Hearing him like this was just as painful as the torture she had to endure under Skraegon’s hands.

Maybe even worse.

“Was everything a pretense then?” he brokenly whispered. “Is this some kind of sick joke, just to get back at me, for instigating a rebellion against humans?”

“No, no,” she opposed even before he finished talking. “My true race was the only thing I lied about. E-everything else was real. I—” She closed her eyes, unable to bear the pain swirling in Aven’s eyes. “I-I fell for you too. I…” She opened her eyes and held his gaze. “I love you, Aven. That is the truth.”

He took a step back as if she’d physically slapped him across his face. “Once you have your strength back, leave,” he spat. “Leave and don’t ever show your face again here, or I swear by the stars—”

“You swear what, Aven?” she bravely asked.

His face crumpled from sheer distress, tears now leaking from his golden eyes he had tried his best to stop. Then, without a word, he strode out of Alex’s room and left her alone.

A sob tore from her mouth once he was gone. Alex wept in her hands.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve

It took two more days of consuming laendra to feel its full magic. By then, all her wounds had healed, and she barely felt any pain upon movement. Skraegon had merely used an ordinary blade; hence, laendra was able to erase any scars that could remind her of what she had gone through.

Throughout her recuperation, the only one who visited her was Roka.

“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Alex greeted when the Crown Prince came inside the room.

Roka visibly relaxed when he saw Alex upright and smiling. But instead of returning her smile, he sighed.

Alex grimaced. “I take it practically everybody knows that I bleed red?” she softly asked.

Roka sat on the chair Aven had previously occupied. “Aeylia…”

“It’s Alex, actually,” she corrected. “I think let’s drop the ‘Aeylia’ crap now that the secret is out.”

It made her heart ache when Roka finally gave her a small, kind smile. “Alex,” he continued, “you can’t stay here.”

She nodded her head, not surprised. “I know, Roka,” she said.

He leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “I… I was able to plead for your cause, especially because the punishment for deceit is execution.” He pursed his lips when Alex flinched.

“So, it’s safe to say you succeeded and I’m not going to die by Meyarin standards?”

“No,” he assured, “but you are banished from Meya forevermore, Alex. The fact that you were brought to us by Aes Daega, whom our family greatly respects, helped reduce your punishment.”

She nodded again. She’d already anticipated this for the last two days after she woke up.

“Your parents—“ Her breath hitched at the sad look he gave her. “Tell them I’m sorry. And Kyia too, Roka.”

“Give them some time,” he said. “They did adore you, Alex.”

“Good thing you guys have an eternity for that,” she said, cracking a small smile, so as to make everything lighthearted.

Alex had yet to let go of Roka’s hand, her grip tightening as she braced herself to ask her next question. “And Aven?”

“I’m sorry,” he quietly replied, looking like he’d expected her question. “Aven’s been… away since you woke up. I haven’t had a chance to personally check on him, but he is unharmed, Alex. This I swear.”

At the mention of his name, tears clouded her eyes once more. Alex thought she had cried enough for the past days, but she still managed to feel a lot of overwhelming emotions just thinking about Aven. “I really hurt him, Roka,” she softly cried.

“He loved you the most,” he simply replied.

Her heart squeezed, not slipping her notice that Roka used the past tense. “I have to properly say goodbye to him before I leave.”

Roka was incessantly shaking his head. “I don’t think that is a good idea, Alex,” the prince said. “Aven is—he’s not—“ He blew out a breath, a troubled look on his face, and continued, “It is best if you stay away.”

“I have to,” she said. “I need to tell him everything.”

His eyes bugged out. “Are you sure? Truly?” He frowned in worry.

“I’m not sure of anything anymore,” she confessed softly.

Roka squeezed her hand once more. “You’ve broken my brother’s heart enough, Alex,” he said, not unkindly. “Spare him from any more pain.”

Alex could not, and she was sure Roka could see it in her eyes. There was this small part in her that was urging her to tell him everything, if only it could help in preventing Aven’s doom.

The Crown Prince finally sighed and stood up. “Please rest more,” he whispered. “Once you are well enough, I will ask someone to help you prepare for your departure.”

“Thank you, Roka,” she called. “For… for everything.”

He gave her another smile before completely leaving.

“Niyx?” she called through their bond.

“Aeylia, I’m here.” Hearing his voice, even in her mind, already brought great comfort for Alex.

“I need to talk to Aven,” she continued. “Will you help me?”

Niyx didn’t even need a minute to answer. “Of course, kitten,” he said. “Tell me what to do.”

Narsae de Trigon was still as filthy as she remembered. It brought her great comfort, however, that it was devoid of any patrons. She still nervously pulled her cloak tighter around her form to hide her glowing skin from her vaeliana bond.

The news that Lasa Aeylia was, in fact, not a Meyarin had spread like wildfire in all of Meya. The royal family tried their best to keep the news a secret, but the mass imprisonment of the Garseth had made it impossible to do so.

Skraegon was livid, spouting for anyone within a one-kilometer radius to hear that the perfect little princess of the royal family was a filthy mortal in disguise. While most of Meya do not share the deep hate the Garseth had for mortals, the news of the deceit still left a bad taste in their mouths. Alex could not leave the castle without getting dirty glares and insults, and Roka and Niyx believed she should show her face less frequently before her imminent departure.

The turmoil this news had caused also meant Alex had to leave soon. And so, with an equally disguised Niyx by her side, she knew that it was time to confront Aven to tell him everything.

The youngest prince had hidden himself in the disgusting inn, according to Niyx, who was able to coax it from Roka. The Crown Prince said Aven could not bear staying in the castle for very obvious reasons and had therefore holed himself up in Narsae de Trigon until Alex had to leave. Xira backed up his claim during one of his flight surveillance, spying the golden-haired prince getting in and out of The Scarlet Thief.

Zeltora warriors were commonly seen around the perimeter. With two instances of violence instigated by the Garseth, the king was not taking any chances, especially with how vulnerable Aven was right now.

Which was why, under the cloak of darkness, Alex finally insisted to Niyx to help her steal the prince away from the inn and bring him somewhere quiet, just so she could make him listen.

“This is essentially an abduction of a Meyarin prince, kitten,” he had told her a few hours ago. “Punished by certain death.”

“Great,” she sighed with a frown. “Another crime to add to my ever-growing list of transgressions. And I’m not even eighteen yet!”

Niyx thankfully did not protest too much, noting the determined glint in Alex’s eyes. But he suggested that they must be as discreet about it as possible to avoid any potential duels.

“Good luck, kitten,” Niyx whispered in her mind as they split up. Niyx went straight to the barman, Tohro, to strike up a conversation.

While Tohro was distracted, Alex quietly slipped up the stairs and waited in the corridor for Niyx’s report. Nervous energy thrummed through her veins. Alex already felt sick in the stomach and prayed that her dinner wouldn’t make an appearance right now.

Everything in her screamed to run away, to just leave with Xira back to her timeline, but there was this niggling voice at the back of her head that forced her to follow through with her plan.

“He’s in room 12,” Niyx finally said. “Go, Aeylia!”

It wasn’t too hard to find the room. The wooden doors were identical in appearance, their hinges rusty from overuse and exposure to the elements. The only thing that distinguished them from each other was the equally rusty brass numbers embossed on the upper part of the wooden door.

After slowly meandering through the corridor, making sure to avoid any creaky floorboards, Alex now came face-to-face with a door that bore the number 12.

Alex took a deep, shuddering breath to calm her nerves. Then, with urgency, she knocked and called out, “Room service!”

Her heart thudded inside her chest, wondering if Aven was awake. To her relief, she heard shuffling footsteps from inside before the door was pulled open.

She swallowed a gasp, willing herself not to cry, as she beheld Aven. He looked, simply put, terrible. He was definitely more unkempt the last time she saw him. His clothes were rumpled, his hair impossibly disheveled, and he looked paler and weary. The scar on his right cheek looked more pronounced, given his ashen face.

His golden eyes, however, were narrowed in suspicion as he looked at her.

“Room service?” he echoed. “What in the blazing stars are you—“

His words died down as he expelled a shaky breath. He’d seen her face underneath her hood by then, and he slowly took a step back.

“I’m so sorry for this, Aven,” she whispered. Before he could shout or run away, Alex blew seros to his face. Aven wasn’t quick enough to dodge the black, sedative powder, and had inhaled a copious amount. In just a few seconds, he slumped on the ground, unconscious.

“I’ve got him!” Alex called to Niyx in her mind.

“Go, Aeylia!” Niyx urged. “I’ll see you there.”

Alex quickly held onto Aven and activated the Valispath.

__________

“Are you sure tying him to a tree is a good idea?” Alex asked, warily eyeing Niyx as he secured his unconscious best friend at one of the silver trees in Raelia.

“Trust me, kitten, this is necessary,” he said, securing the last Myrox-laced cuff to the branch. “Knowing Aven, he’ll put up one heck of a fight once he wakes up.”

For extra measure, Xira was a few paces beside Aven, his warm breath blowing against his cheek as a warning that he could breathe fire if the situation called for it.

“Stars, he’s going to hate me more for this,” she murmured miserably. Her chest hadn’t loosened ever since they stole Aven and brought him to Raelia. Just seeing him like this brought such a terrible ache in her heart. It was taking all of her self-control not to touch Aven, to hold him one last time before she left for her timeline.

Niyx, as if sensing her distress, tightly held her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Do what you have to do, Aeylia,” he said. “Make him listen to you. Whatever it takes. I’ll be right behind you, but this revelation should come from you.”

She nodded her head in understanding. They waited with bated breath until Aven started to stir awake. He blearily opened his eyes, then slowly looked around in confusion.

When he saw Alex standing in front of him, his face briefly crumpled with devastation, before terrifying anger replaced his expression.

“Release me!” he roared, violently thrashing against his binds. “Holding me against my will is punishable by death, mortal!”

She flinched at his rage, but Alex didn’t back down. “I’m sorry, but this is the only way to make you listen,” she pleaded, trying to make him see reason.

“What more can you possibly say?” he snarled with blazing eyes. “I already know everything. I don’t want to hear more lies from your mouth.”

She was vigorously shaking her head. “Not everything, Aven,” she said. “You have to hear the whole truth for you to understand why I… why I had to pretend.”

Aven continued to thrash around, and Alex could see that his silver blood was now dripping from his wrist.

“Stop, please, you’re hurting yourself,” she sighed. Her hand had unconsciously tried to reach for his chaffed skin, but she realized what she was doing when Aven darkly glared at her approach. Alex’s hand helplessly fell back to her side.

“Let me go!” he growled again. “Wasn’t your betrayal enough?”

“I didn’t betray anyone,” she snapped back. “Least of all you.”

“I don’t care about the semantics.” Aven was growing more desperate, his eyes wild with distress and anger, and Alex just wanted to reach out to him, to pull him into her arms, just so she could soothe his hurt away. But she knew he wouldn’t appreciate any physical contact from her.

“Aven, please, just—“

“I said, let me go!”

“If you could just—“

“No! Release me!”

“Please, lis—“

“LET ME GO!”

“NO!” she screamed just as loud, her voice echoing throughout Raelia. Aven was heaving deep breaths, his face still contorted in such a terrible look that made him look so much like his future self. “No, I will tell you everything and you will listen to me.”

“I don’t need to do anything you want!” he cried, his voice cracking from raw emotion. “After everything, what is left to—I lov—“ He clammed up, his golden eyes a tad shiny as he stared at Alex. He then took a deep, fortifying breath to calm himself down and continued in a more level-headed manner, “I already said what I wanted to say last time, and I told you to leave, immediately, once you got your strength back.”

“I am leaving,” she revealed, all the fight leaving her when she watched Aven shake with her revelation. “Tomorrow. As you wish, Aven. But I can’t leave yet, not until you hear me out.”

He was incessantly shaking his head, and Alex had no choice but to step more closely. Aven took a shuddering breath and recoiled, and it made all the more painful for Alex.

“Why are you doing this to me, Aeylia?” he whispered, sounding choked up. “Isn’t it enough that you broke my heart?”

“Because I love you and I want you to understand,” she rasped out. “Everything, Aven.”

He looked away at her words, but he had thankfully stopped his wild thrashing.

Alex dared to take a few more steps closer. “My name is Alexandra Jennings,” she started after a few calming breaths, “and I am a mortal human from the future.”

He squeezed his eyes shut in pain and refused to look at her.

“Four full moons ago, I was accidentally sent in the past by my draekon, Xira, because we were trying to escape a Meyarin who was determined to hurt Xira. Hurt me too, if he found me,” she continued. “Aes Daega had sought me out, told me that this accident was meant to happen because it was written in the stars. Xira needed to recuperate for a full month before he could send me back to the future.”

Her lips wobbled, and she paused to catch a breath. “My last day was supposed to be at the end-of-the-summer festival. Xira was ready to leave.”

Aven took a soft intake of breath, eyes slowly opening to gaze at Alex once more. He was undoubtedly remembering that that was the day when he’d confessed to her about how he truly felt for her. “Then why did you stay?”

“Because of you,” she whispered gently. She swallowed at the wary suspicion on his face. “The Meyarin who wanted to hurt Xira, hurt me, who’d tormented my life and my loved ones since we met, that was… that was you, Aven. Your future self.”

His suspicion morphed to surprise at her revelation. Alex let him ruminate over her words for now, as his eyes darted furiously around her face just to see if she was lying.

Alex slowly showed him the silvery scar on her palm when words still failed him. “I didn’t get this because of an infected wound from a Sarnaph poisoning,” she continued. “I-I got this from you, from your future self, who tried to Claim me but failed because I have a strong willpower as my gift. Menada dae Loransa does not work on me.”

“No, that’s not—“

“It is true,” she insisted, now more confident because she knew she had Aven’s attention. “And so, I stayed, because you became my friend, Aven. Staying here in the past was more bearable because of you and everyone else. I got to know you so well during my stay, and I cannot… I cannot just walk away, knowing that my departure could trigger your doom.”

“Stop, I don’t want to hear more of your lies,” he said, almost pleading. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I refuse to believe you cannot be saved,” she answered. “Because, despite what your future self did to me, to the people I love, I have to come to love you just as much. And I hope, even after I left, that this wouldn’t consume you whole. That you’ll move on. That you’ll live happily with your immortality, surrounded by all the love that you deserve and not blinded by hate.”

Tears now sprang in her eyes because she knew this was it.

This was goodbye.

“I’m so, so sorry for hurting you, Aven,” she said. “I’m not asking to be forgiven now, but I do not regret my decision of staying for a little while longer because I got to know… you.” She lifted her hand to wipe away her tears. “The next time we probably see each other might be at opposite sides of an impending war. But I just… I still hope—“

She took a calming breath. “It doesn’t matter because Aes Daega will make you all forget me,” she continued. “I’ll just be this hazy, insignificant memory of a Meyarin who was abandoned as a babe to be taken care of by mortals. I—” She steadfastly held his gaze through her blurry eyes. “You might not remember me. All you will remember is your broken heart that might consume you so much it will translate into hatred for my kind.”

She had taken more steps toward Aven until she was barely a hairsbreadth away. “For what it’s worth,” she said, “I just want to say that I love you, Aven. I really do. So much, and I have half of my mind to stay here in the past to spend all of my mortal days making it up to you, but I also left people that I love in my own timeline. I can’t just leave them.”

No words escaped Aven’s mouth at that point as an indescribable look appeared on his face.

Quietly then, Alex summoned A’enara and wordlessly cut off all his Myrox cuffs.

Aven stumbled back on his feet, his shoulders tense and his jaw tight as he warily looked back at Alex.

“Aes Daega said whatever I did is futile, because you’ll become the monster I’ve always known,” she lowly said. “If you still choose the path that will lead to the hurt of everyone I love, I will not hesitate to fight you, Aven.”

His golden eyes hardened with swirling emotion Alex could not decipher. Without saying another word, he summoned the Valispath and left without looking back.

The adrenaline of her conversation with Aven had left her completely by the time he was gone. Alex felt exhausted, and if it weren’t for Niyx, who was immediately beside her for support, she would have collapsed on the ground.

“You did well, Alex,” he soothed as she slowly turned around to bury her wet cheeks against his neck. “You did everything you could do.”

“And now,” Xira somberly added, “we hope for the best.”

It was the morning of Alex’s return to her timeline. She had spoken a short, sad goodbye to Roka the night before. She was planning to slip away quietly without anyone knowing except Niyx and Xira. She desperately wanted to say goodbye to the king and queen, who had shown her nothing but kindness during her stay, but she knew from Roka that they would not appreciate her presence at all. He’d assured her that although Kyia did not want to see her, she did not hate her at all.

Their planned meeting was nearing, and Alex had finished tidying up her room. She had nothing to bring, only wearing the clothes she had last worn during her varrungard before Xira brought her to the past.

‘Goodbye,’ she thought as she looked at her room. ‘We had a good run.’

As Alex was about to walk out of her room, there was a knock on her door.

She looked at her door in confusion as she was not expecting anyone. Niyx said he’d meet her at Raelia at their agreed time, and Roka had already said his goodbyes this morning.

The knock became more incessant. Curiosity got the best of Alex as she slowly opened her door.

“Lasa.”

Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the palace maid. “Mirin!” she greeted. “What are you doing here?”

Unwittingly, she took a step back. The last time the Meyarin maid visited her in her quarters, she was brought to Skraegon’s hands to be tortured.

Mirin lifted her empty hands in peace. “I-I’m unarmed,” she stammered, looking ashamed because she knew what Alex was currently thinking. “I… I just came here because I heard you are leaving today, Lasa.”

“Alex, please. I’m not that person anymore,” she sighed.

To her utmost surprise, Mirin’s eyes filled with tears as she reached out to hold both of her hands. “Vassa rae, Alex,” she tearfully mumbled, “I feel like this was all my fault.”

“Mirin…”

“If I didn’t deceive you, if you weren’t abducted, if you weren’t tortured by Skraegon… your secret will still be safe and you won’t be forced to leave,” she tearfully continued.

“Oh, Mirin, please don’t cry because I seriously think I’m going to start crying soon. I’m tired of crying,” Alex mumbled, feeling the telltale sting in her nose. A wobbly smile appeared on her face when Mirin expelled a soft, short laugh despite her tears. “And this isn’t your fault, Mirin. It was only mine for hiding such a huge secret from all of you. Besides, I know you just did that to protect your father.”

Mirin miserably wiped her tears away and nodded.

“I hope everything’s well with you and your father?” Alex softly asked.

“They’re interrogating him for more Garseth-related information,” Mirin answered. “But they’re not hurting him. For this, I thank you, Alex.”

Alex, with a relieved smile, drew Mirin into a hug, much to her surprise. “Thank you so much for being kind to me, Mirin,” she whispered. “Even now. Even when you discovered I’m not immortal like you.”

“You are kind to me, too, Lasa,” Mirin said, patting Alex’s back. “I’m really sorry that you have to leave.”

“I have to in the end, anyway,” Alex sighed, pulling back. “Be safe always, Mirin, okay?”

The Meyarin reached for Alex’s hand again and gave it a squeeze. “Find me again in the future, Alex,” she said. “If you need help, I’ll gladly offer it to you.”

Alex’s smile slightly wavered, wondering the extent of Mirin’s knowledge of her deceit. Did she know about her time-traveler status also? But then again, maybe she was just hopeful they’d see each other again in the future.

“Thank you, Mirin,” she said, squeezing her hand in return. “I’ll hold you to that when the time comes.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen

When Alex arrived at Raelia, Xira was already there waiting for her.

“Are you ready, Alex?” he gently asked.

At the look she gave him, he sighed. “I don’t really know how to answer your question, Xira,” she said, approaching the draekon until she could press her face against his scaly neck. Xira bent down just so he could muzzle his snout against her head for comfort.

Alex turned around when she heard footsteps behind her. Niyx had finally arrived, a guarded look in his eyes.

She mutely held his gaze. Alex was already an expert in saying goodbyes. Back when she was in Freya, her parents’ work always required them to move all over the continent. She had said one too many goodbyes with the brief friends she made in school, until her parents finally decided it was practical for them all if they could just homeschool Alex in the end.

And so, this should be easy for Alex. She could just pretend her time was up in whatever dig site her parents had dragged for their adventure of the quarter, and it was time to go away to explore other worlds.

But looking at Niyx, and Xira too, Alex couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

Niyx might have seen something on her face, for in three big strides, he came to her and pulled her in a big, tight hug. Alex melted against his warmth, tears springing in her eyes as she hugged him back just as tight.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Niyx,” she whispered, smiling sadly when he kissed the top of her head.

“I’m not really great at saying goodbyes,” he gruffly said, prompting a chuckle out of her mouth.

“I’m normally good at this, but I-I just suddenly can’t,” she said, pulling away from Niyx to stare at his sad, glassy eyes.

She took a deep breath and stepped back completely. “I’m going to uphold the end of our bargain and release you from the Claiming Bond now,” she said, summoning A’enara.

Alex was about to create a wound on her palm, but to her surprise, Niyx grabbed hold of her wrist, making sure to avoid the burning, starfire of her blade. “Maybe it is best if you keep our bond intact,” he lowly said with seriousness in his eyes. “If what Aes Daega said was true, if Aven will still continue down the path of darkness, then you will be needing all the help that you can get.”

She was already shaking her head, even before he finished. “No, Niyx—”

“Think about it, Alex,” he said, and it was so unfair of him to use her real name. “You said before that Aes Daega will make us all forget about you. I don’t want to forget, kitten. I want to help you in whatever I can, just like how you’d help me.”

“Oh, Niyx,” she said, willing A’enara to disappear once more just so she could throw her arms around him. “I don’t want to bind you forever to me. You deserve to have your freewill back. Nobody deserves to be robbed of that, no matter what justifications you tell me.”

He pulled away from her, a determined glint in his eyes. “There is a way,” he insisted, “for you to give my freewill back. But our bond will still hold true. It may help me maintain my memory of you once Aes Daega uses her power to make us all forget.”

Her eyebrows knitted together, confused. “I haven’t read that anywhere,” she said.

“Because there are a few texts about Menada dae Loransa, kitten,” he continued. “Most of its knowledge is passed down by mouth, to select families. It just so happens the House of Raedon is one of the important houses of the Meyarin Court.”

Alex helplessly looked at Xira to get his opinion, but the draekon could only give her a smile. “It is your decision, Alex,” he said. “No one else’s.”

“All right,” she slowly said, looking back at Niyx. “Pretend I do agree to such a preposterous suggestion, how will we do this?”

“You continue with the releasing chant,” Niyx said. “The only difference is I won’t be accepting the release.” When Alex looked at him in confusion, he continued, “For Menada dae Loransa to be successfully dissolved, both parties should mutually agree. If I didn’t accept your release, your Claim over my free will will be gone, but our mental connection will continue to hold.”

Alex was still hesitant. The fact that she had Claimed someone, even out of desperation to save a life, left a bad taste in her mouth. She was eager to release such a vile bond with Niyx, but he was making it difficult for her.

“Alex,” he said, reaching out for her hand, “I’m not suggesting you do this. I want you to do this. This is a request. Regardless, if you do say the releasing words, I won’t accept it. I’m just giving you a heads up, just in case you still hear me through your thoughts when we see each other in the future.”

“Niyx…” When he squeezed her hand tightly, she finally relented. “Fine,” she sighed, pulling her hand away to summon A’enara again. Before she could change her mind, she slashed her palm until her red blood dripped out of her small gash. She did the same with Niyx, and once his silver blood flowed out, she slapped her wound against his and said, “Trae Gaverran sae.”

She could feel power flowing through her words. Something had changed in her mind, as if a cord had been snapped, but the pressing but comfortable presence she had come to recognize as Niyx had continued to stay. “Did it work?” she mentally asked.

“You could try ordering me around, kitten,” Niyx immediately answered. She hated to show it to him, but she was relieved to know that he still stayed in her head.

“Jump around, Niyx,” she then said out loud. “I order you.”

Niyx’s expression remained calm, a smile growing on his face. “It worked,” he sighed, pulling Alex again to himself to envelop her in a big hug. “Thank you, Alex.”

“I didn’t know you were so keen on having a teenager in your head, Niyx,” she lightly joked in spite of the somber atmosphere in Raelia. Niyx fondly chuckled and hugged her tighter.

“Alex,” Xira called, a tad regretful. “It is time.”

Niyx reluctantly relinquished his hold and took a step back. His amethyst eyes shone with sadness and tenderness combined as he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Go wreak havoc, Alexandra Jennings,” he said. “I will find you in the future.”

A few tears escaped from her eyes as she gave him a wobbly grin. “This isn’t a goodbye then,” she softly said.

“No, not a goodbye,” he assured her.

She nodded her head and gave him another brief hug. Then, she turned to Xira and said, “Okay, Xiraxus. Please take me home.”

“WAIT!”

Her heart leapt up to her throat as she heard a familiar voice. Alex glanced at Niyx, wide-eyed, wondering if she had imagined such a sound, but judging by the astonishment on his face, he’d heard it too.

A gasp shuddered out from her lips when Aven jumped out of the Valispath, looking breathless and disheveled, but very much here. “Aven?” she tentatively asked, “What—”

“I’m coming with you,” he plainly said, purposefully striding forward.

“What?” Her eyes bugged out in surprise.

Aven’s eyes looked the clearest she had seen since he discovered that she was mortal. He still looked slightly unkempt, as if he’d stayed up all night and hadn’t rested at all. “I’m coming with you,” he continued again, his voice steady and sure.

Alex didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to feel either, as she slowly walked towards Aven. “Are you out of your mind?” she asked him with incredulity.

“Blast it all, I most definitely am,” he loudly claimed, face crumpling with a myriad of emotions Alex couldn’t keep up with. “I… After the information dumping you did to me when you abducted me, I did a lot of thinking.”

“Well, clearly it wasn’t enough!” Alex shot back, bordering on hysterical.

It made her heart hurt when a laugh boomed out of him. She thought she wouldn’t hear that laugh anymore. “I will follow you wherever you go, Alexandra Jennings,” he vowed. She took a sharp intake of breath, hearing her name—her real name—from his lips. “I swear by the stars. Of that you have my word.”

Tears streamed down her face as she looked at a grinning Niyx. “I’m not… I’m not dreaming, am I?” she sputtered out.

“I love you both a lot, but this still kind of grosses me out, you know,” Niyx teased, his grin stretching wider.

“I-I don’t know what to think,” she said, eyes landing back on Aven.

“Less talking, less thinking, Aeylia,” Aven reminded her.

“Alex,” she automatically corrected, “I am Alex to the people who love me.”

She held her breath as Aven took the remaining steps forward until he was cupping her cheek. “Alex,” he whispered, dipping his head just so he could press a tender kiss against her lips. “Alex.”

A watery chuckle flew out of her mouth. “B-but, I don’t understand,” she said, lightly pushing him away just so she could properly look at his eyes. “How did this happen? Why did you suddenly decide to do this? I thought… I thought…” She swallowed a lump of emotions as more tears sprang from her eyes. “I thought you hated me, Aven, after everything I did.”

“That was the problem,” he pointed, leaning his forehead against hers, “no matter how much I tried, I love you too much to resent you, Alex.”

“You’re not angry?” she whispered.

“Oh, I’m very angry,” he said, and Alex almost snorted because he looked anything but. He threw a quick glare at Niyx before looking back at her. “Especially when I found out that even my best friend knew about your true identity.”

“Hey, don’t blame me,” Niyx said, lifting his hand, “she Claimed me, so I had no choice.”

Aven’s eyes widened in horror. “What?” he looked at Alex.

“Not helping, Raedon,” she hissed inside her mind.

“He has to know, one way or another,” Niyx replied as he gave her a shrug.

“She did it to save my life,” Niyx then said, snagging Aven’s attention again. “A few moons ago, I was attacked by a Sarnaph. I was dying. She did what was best at that moment to save me, Aven.”

Aven’s face had significantly paled more with Niyx’s revelation. “But… you’ve released him now,” he stated, more matter-of-factly than a question.

“Yes, she did,” Niyx answered for him. He showed him his palm, revealing the Claiming wound that started to heal.

Niyx caught Alex’s eyes. “Better omit the fact that I didn’t accept the release,” he said through their mental bond. “For now.”

Alex winced, knowing Niyx was right. “He’s going to hate me for this,” she miserably thought.

“No, he won’t,” he continued. “The man is besotted, kitten. It is I he will kill if he found out another man is in his beloved’s mind.”

“You make it sound so gross,” she said, wrinkling her nose. Niyx merely smirked in his reply.

“How are we going to go back to your timeline?” Aven then asked, breaking their mental communication.

“I haven’t agreed to your outrageous suggestion, Aven,” Alex replied with a frown.

“But it is possible,” he insisted. His golden eyes landed on the silent draekon. “Right?”

Alex didn’t dare hope, because it was honestly an almost impossible suggestion to consider. She looked at Xira to support her claim. To her surprise, however, he looked contemplative and was actually considering Aven’s proposition.

“Well, it is not impossible, I think,” Xira slowly said. “Our vaeliana bond protects you from certain death, Alex, once I pull you through the abrassa. As for a Meyarin… well, as an immortal, I’m sure he will survive the journey despite not being bonded with me.”

Aven nodded, as if he’d thought about this too, but Alex was shaking her head.

“No, no,” she protested. “How about the fact that once I do bring you back to the future, then what happens to this evil, psychopathic version of you? I don’t think it is possible.”

“It is not impossible, child.”

Alex gasped in surprise, twirling around to see Lady Mystique standing just a few paces away from them. “Why are you all suddenly appearing out of nowhere?” Alex exclaimed as the two Meyarins bowed their head in reverence at the sight of her.

Aes Daega ignored her. Instead, she held Aven’s gaze. “Is this what you want, Vaespris?” she calmly asked.

“Yes,” Aven answered determinedly. “Yes, I do.”

“Very well then,” Lady Mystique said as she smiled at a confused Alex.

“Wait, no,” Alex protested again. “Will this not cause some weird time rift or paradoxes in the universe if there are two versions of Aven Dalmarta in my timeline? Isn’t that disastrous? An end-of-the-world kind of thing?”

Aes Daega softly chuckled, much to Alex’s surprise. “I believe you’ve watched too much science fiction to believe those things, Alexandra,” she simply said. Alex’s jaw dropped, because how could she know such a thing that might not yet have been invented in the medieval ages, much less in Medora?

When Alex continued to stare at her, the wizened lady sighed and said, “You are, however, correct to point out that two versions of him cannot exist in your timeline.”

“Okay, suppose this Aven comes back with me,” Alex said. “What happens then? You said the present was already ‘written in the stars’. That no matter what I do, nothing will change. My departure will still trigger Aven’s doom.”

“Nothing will change, no matter what you do, Alexandra, yes,” Aes Daega confirmed. Her eyes landed on Aven and smiled. “But he can. Change something, that is.”

Alex took a sharp intake of breath. “Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself,” she echoed, eyes growing wider. When Lady Mystique nodded her head, Alex frowned. “I still don’t understand. If past Aven comes with me, won’t that have any repercussions for the memories of the Meyarins? For example, from what D.C. told me, evil Aven was banished by the royal family because of the murder of the humans in the end-of-the-summer festival.”—“What?” Aven cried out— “This is the memory the royal family has of him. If this Aven comes to the future, won’t that change at all? What will happen with their memory of the evil, future Aven?”

“Quite a conundrum, don’t you think?” Aes Daega said with a serene smile.

Alex lightly scowled in return.

“Let me start by explaining that Time itself is not a line, child,” Lady Mystique said. “Nor is it a closed loop. In fact, it can be likened to a tree, with infinite branches and infinite roots.”

“You mean, like a multiverse,” Alex supplemented. To the Meyarins who had blank looks on their faces, she explained, “Alternate universes.”

“Yes,” Aes Daega agreed. “There are certain universes that are fixed and cannot be changed. Written in the stars. Your path leading to Aven’s doom is one such. From when you came from, Alexandra, the Meyarins, and even future Aven Dalmarta have a different set of memories of how he was banished.”

“If this Aven comes with you,” she continued, gaze meeting the prince’s golden eyes, “then this specific branch in the multiverse will completely erase Aven Dalmarta to avoid any conflicting memories of the immortals. What the future Meyarins in your timeline will continue to remember is the Aven who massacred the humans in front of the castle after he found out that Aeylia he had come to love, is in fact Alexandra Jennings, a mortal human.”

“I will be forgotten,” Aven simply said. “I will cease to exist. In this universe, anyway.”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Aes Daega confirmed, her smile sad and kind. “The future Meyarins in Alexandra’s timeline will not remember the prince who almost died after defending Aeylia from the Garseth. They will not remember the prince who saved the Medoran heir, because their future version didn’t even meet him at all. So I ask you again, Aven Dalmarta – is this what you want?”

His gaze was steely as he looked back at Alex. “Yes,” he said, nodding his head. “I still do.”

“But Aven—”

“I will follow you wherever you go, Alex,” he repeated unwaveringly.

“You will be forgotten,” she insisted as tears sprang in her eyes once more. She looked at his pensive best friend. “And yet, you still want to come with me?”

He gently wiped away the tears on her face. “But you will not,” he said, “and that’s all that really matters to me, my love.”

Her lips quivered at how he’d called her. She pulled away to look at Aes Daega once more through blurry eyes. “What will happen to the two Avens once we are back?”

“Both will be temporarily frozen in time, child,” Lady Mystique answered. “One can only awaken once the other is disposed.”

She nodded her head as this one made the most sense in what the old lady had said.

“But be warned, for Time can be unpredictable, especially to him,” she continued, tilting her head at Aven. “You must quickly dispose of the other version of him. Time will soon recognize that there are two versions of him in one timeline. As the one who isn’t from the original timeline, Time will remedy by slowly taking away his existence.”

“You mean there’s a chance he’ll die in the future if evil Aven continues to live?” Alex gasped, dread pooling in her heart.

“That is the rule, yes,” Lady Mystique said. “Thus, you must make haste, Alexandra.”

“How long do we have then?”

“That, I do not know,” Aes Daega replied.

“That is not reassuring at all,” Alex groaned, prompting Aven to reach for her hand for comfort.

“Kitten, please, you’ve trained for this,” Niyx said, speaking for the first time after being silent throughout the whole multiverse mumbo jumbo. “I trust that you’ll do whatever it takes to let him live.”

Alex tightly squeezed Aven’s hand. “Is this what you really want?” she asked.

“What more do you want me to say to convince you?” the prince asked.

She sighed. “You are incorrigible,” she pointed out.

“And annoying, and so clingy, yes. Yes, I know,” he grinned. “But I’m very much in love with you. I can’t just let you go, Alex.”

She softly snorted and shook her head. “Fine,” she finally agreed.

“Safe travels then, child,” Aes Daega said. “I will be seeing you again. Soon, I believe.”

Before Alex could ask her further what she meant, Lady Mystique disappeared in a blinding flash of golden light. “Always so dramatic,” she sighed.

“Are we ready to go now?” Xira piped in, having stayed silent during the revelation too.

“Wait, I’m going to say goodbye first!” Niyx said, throwing his arms over Aven’s and Alex’s shoulders. “So, from what I’ve gleaned from this headache-inducing conversation, I’m going to forget you both.” At the look on Alex’s face, he cracked a wobbly smile. “In this universe, anyway.”

Niyx pulled away and grinned at them both. “Give this evil, psychopathic version of him hell, Alexandra Jennings,” he seriously said.

She matched his grin then laced her fingers through Aven’s.

“Ready?” she asked him.

Her heart swelled with hope at the bright, lovely smile he shot her back.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Fourteen

“Alex. Alex, wake up.”

“Alex! You have to wake up!”

“WAKE UP, ALEX!”

“Not so loud, Xira,” she groaned as she came to, her eyelids fluttering open. It took some time for her senses to adjust, but Alex recognized that they were back at the Golden Cliffs right before Xira brought her through the abrassa. Alex's journey back to the present was blurry, having passed out halfway through, and she wasn’t sure if it had been a success.

Then, with a gasp, she remembered she hadn’t been brought here alone.

Aven was slumped on Xira’s back, held tight by the Myrox bindings. “Aven!” she cried, reaching for him to wake him up. She tried to shake him, but Aven stayed unconscious. With terror seizing her whole, she placed her hand against his chest, only to calm down when she felt his strong heartbeat under her palm.

“We have to hurry, Alex,” Xira urged. “I can hear the Garseth. They are near.”

She glanced helplessly at Aven, who she knew would be too heavy for her to lift back to the castle.

“Do you suppose you can fly us over to the Meyarin castle?” she asked.

“Hurry, hurry,” Xira said, nodding furiously. “I only have a few minutes left before I have to return to my timeline.”

Alex hastily clambered on Xira’s back.

“Hold on!” the draekon roared as he opened his massive wings and shot up into the sky. Alex tightly held onto Aven to keep him in place, her heart thudding loudly inside her chest with adrenaline.

It didn’t take too long for Xira to arrive at the palace entrance. As Xira brought them back to the ground with a thud, Alex could see the Zeltora warriors gathering around, several weapons poised for an attack. Alex held up her hand to show she was unarmed and slowly slid down Xiraxus’s back.

Instead of backing down, the Zeltora continued to hold their positions. It was only then that Alex realized they were not pointing their weapons at her, but at the unconscious Rebel Prince slumped over Xira’s back.

“Hold your fire!” she cried, summoning A’enara.

“Get out of the way, mortal,” one of the Zeltora warriors hissed in Meyarin. Alex immediately recognized her as Vaera, the one who talked with the human traders in the past.

“No,” Alex said, cautiously approaching Aven. She sliced off his cuffs, and once he was free, he slid down Xira’s back unceremoniously. She flinched at his loud thump, offering a silent apology for the possible pain he could have felt. It was a small relief that Aes Daega’s warning held true; Aven continued to be unconscious—frozen in time—despite the ruckus that was already erupting around them.

“Alex, I must leave,” Xira said through their mental bond.

With her heart still thudding loudly from adrenaline, afraid that the warriors would shoot and injure Aven, Alex slowly turned around to look at Xira with shining eyes.

“Thank you for everything, Xiraxus,” she earnestly replied. “Thank you for saving my life.” She silently placed her hand against his scaly foreleg. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

“We will meet again, Alex,” Xira said. “For now, don’t die too early.”

A soft sound that was a mix of a sob and a chuckle flew out of her mouth. “I’m going to try my best,” she said, leaning her forehead against his body. Xira bent down and placed his head on top of hers.

“Both here and there, Alex,” he thought. “Forever and always.”

She sniffed and gave him a warm smile. Without warning, Xiraxus spread his wings wide. The Zeltora warriors nearest him cursed as they were knocked down from their positions. Xira gave one last look at Alex before he took off and disappeared in a black cloud of darkness.

Once the draekon had gone, the Meyarion warriors went back to their previous positions, their weapons once again pointed at Aven.

“What in the blazing stars is happening here?”

Alex deflated in relief, recognizing Roka’s voice. She watched as the Crown Prince meandered through the ring of warriors, his fiancée, Kyia, and the Zeltora Head, Zain, closely following him behind.

“Alex?” Kyia tentatively asked. “What happened? One moment we were monitoring your progress with the varrunguard near the Golden Cliffs, but then the next—”

Kyia was cut off when Roka gasped and took a step back. Alex watched as her friends finally saw the unconscious Aven on the ground, right beside her. Kyia and Zain instinctively pulled out their weapons and pointed them at the Rebel Prince, while Roka continued staring open-mouthed at Alex, too dumbstruck to move.

“Actually, my friends, funny story…”

__________

Alex wore the carpet down in her room in the castle, pacing to and fro as she waited for some news.

After Roka had snapped off his initial shock of seeing his unconscious, but still very much disinherited brother, he went full Crown Prince and ordered the Zeltora warriors to seize him. Alex panicked and begged for them to listen to her, but she was outnumbered by the Meyarins. She was dragged by Zain and Kyia to her room and has been locked inside since.

That had been several hours from now. Worst-case scenarios had been plaguing her in her temporary solitude, refusing to believe that the royal family would immediately order an execution as punishment for the Rebel Prince.

Her head whipped towards her door when it burst open. Her shoulders slumped in relief when Roka strode inside her room, an indescribable look on his face.

“Roka, thank g—”

“What have you done to my brother?”

Alex flinched and fell silent. Despite the mask of pure calm on Roka’s face, she could detect his simmering anger from the tone of his voice. “Where is Aven?” she demanded instead.

“His whereabouts do not concern you,” Roka continued. “I’m going to ask you again, Alex. What have you done to my brother?”

“Oh, his whereabouts definitely concern me!” she cried, refusing to answer his question again. “If you would just listen to me—”

“Alex,” Roka breathed out. She clammed up once again, watching as he turned beseeching. “It’s been centuries since my brother was able to successfully return to Meya after his banishment. The whole court is in an uproar because you seemingly brought him back to our home. The king is currently doing everything in his power to keep his return a secret from the citizens, fearing of instigating unnecessary panic. So please, please, I am asking you kindly to answer my questions just so I can understand why in all the blazing stars did you bring him to our home, when we did our best to bar him from doing so?”

All the fight had left Alex’s system. Her worry for Aven had remained, but there was now guilt blooming in her heart. She had to remind herself that this Roka, and all these Meyarins for that matter, did not know she had disappeared for four months in the past, only to return with the past Aven with her.

“I’m going to answer your questions,” she slowly started. “All of them, Roka. But I think it is best if I tell everything with all the important Meyarins present.”

“The king and queen are busy—”

“Please,” she whispered. “Roka, I promise you, I will explain everything. Why I have Aven with me. Why Aven is unconscious. Everything. So please, I’m sure even your parents would like to demand an explanation from me.”

Conflicting emotions danced across the Crown Prince’s face. Alex kept quiet and allowed him to think until finally, he sighed. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said, much to her relief.

“Thank you, Roka.”

“In the meantime, wait here and do not go anywhere,” he ordered, a hard glance at her way. “You'd better have a decent explanation for everything, Alexandra Jennings.”

She watched as Roka went out of her room and activated the Valispath. Once he was gone, Alex fell on her bed and started gathering her thoughts.

It was going to be a long day.

__________

It was Zain who came to her a few more hours after her conversation with Roka. The sun had already set, and Alex was famished, but she bit her tongue from saying any complaints because Zain refused to greet her or at least talk to her.

“Why do I feel like I’m being treated like a criminal here?” she softly asked when Zain had summoned the Eternal Path to bring her to the Throne Room.

“You brought the Rebel Prince back to Meya, Alex,” he gravely said. “That can be equated to treason.”

She almost missed his stupid nickname for her. Looking at Zain’s face, she wondered if she had placed herself in a difficult situation she could not escape from. The only thing that kept her resolve intact was knowing that somewhere, her Aven was hidden and still very much alive. If they killed the Rebel Prince, Alex was sure they would have told her already.

By the time they reached the doors outside the Throne Room, Alex was slightly lightheaded from nervousness and fatigue combined. Zain did not give her enough time to compose herself, for he opened the doors and ushered her inside.

Alex slightly faltered, seeing that the grave faces of the royal family were staring right back at her. The normal warmth in King Astophe’s eyes was gone, replaced by a hard glint that suggested he would be unforgiving if the situation called for it. Queen Niida had always hated her, remembering the visit she made one night just to tell her she wasn’t welcome in Meya. And so, it somehow surprised her that the hate was replaced more by curiosity.

“Alexandra Jennings,” King Astophe boomed. “You asked for an audience with the royal family. Speak.”

Her heart trembled at how cold his words were. But Alex knew she shouldn’t hesitate now. Aven’s life depended on her, and by extension, all the mortal races. She had to take heart to tell her story.

“Thank you for granting me an audience,” she said, dipping into a respectful curtsy. King Astophe impatiently waved his hand, urging her to start speaking. “Your Highnesses, during my varrunguard, a draekon from the past was pulled into our timeline by Aven for sinister reasons.”

She told the story of how she formed a vaeliana bond with the Heir of the Sky Kingdom, gesturing at her glowing skin, which the Meyarins could now see. She told them of how Aes Daega informed her that returning to the past had always been written in the stars, and no matter what she did, she could not change anything.

And then, she told them of how she’d met the past Aven, who was still kind and not a murderer. She told them of how he’d grown to be her friend, and Alex refused to believe that she could not do anything to save him from his doom. She told the story of how Aven almost died from Sarnaph poisoning. She recounted how Aven led a special envoy to Tryllin to talk strategies and trade with the human royal family, and how he subsequently saved the Medoran heir from certain death. She spoke of how the Garseth had grown restless with Aven’s refusal to continue leading them in their rebel cause, which led to Alex’s abduction and torture by Skraegon’s hands. And once they all discovered she bled dark, red blood, she was banished from Meya herself.

“Aven…” she continued, throat already raw and scratchy from her lengthy tale. “When Aven initially found out about my pretense, he was understandably furious.” Her eyes slowly landed on Roka, who betrayed no emotion on his face as he listened silently to Alex’s bizarre tale. “I told him everything about what is happening now. I told him of how he’ll become a monster because of my deceit. And in the end, despite it all, he made a big decision to come with me to the future—the now—and that is why you found him with me. The one you saw with me is not the evil prince you had banished. No, the one with me is Aven from the past.”

Her eyes then turned beseeching as she looked at the King. “I-I know it is unbelievable,” she continued. “I know it sounds impossible. But you have to believe me, Your Highness. The one you are detaining right now hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“How do we know you are not lying to us, mortal?”

It was Queen Niida who spoke first, her gaze not leaving Alex’s form since the start of her tale.

“Before Xira brought me to the past, Aven—the evil one—was closing in on us, keen to get his hands on Xira,” Alex calmly explained despite the dark gaze on the Queen’s face. “If you send some of your Zeltora warriors to scour the perimeter outside Meya, you’d know that he, too, had fallen into a coma-like sleep. If his Claimed victims had not removed him yet.”

At the corner of her eyes, she saw King Astophe nod at someone behind Alex. She breathed a little sigh when she heard the door closing behind her, relieved that they had followed her suggestion.

“Suppose we believe what you said is true,” Roka started, bringing Alex’s gaze to him, “what exactly do you want to achieve with this preposterous plan, Alex?”

Alex took a deep breath, willing her frenzied heart to rest easy. “Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself,” she answered. “That was what Aes Daega told me when I made the decision to stay longer in the past, just to see if I could try to stop Aven from descending to darkness. As I’ve been telling you, my being brought to the past was written in the stars. Whatever I did, my return will always be Aven’s trigger point. In whatever scenario, Aven will always, always become the banished prince who reigned with terror over the mortal world. Except, if—”

“—past Aven comes with you, then there is a chance for him to save himself.” It was Roka who spoke.

“Exactly,” Alex whispered.

Silence met her claim. Alex watched as the royal family ruminated on her words, various expressions crossing their faces.

Confusion. Disbelief. Sadness. Fear.

Hope.

“I know you have different memories of the prince,” she softly continued. “Aes Daega said this current version of him is already doomed. That nothing can save him anymore. The one I brought saw reason. It was his decision to come here to try to save himself. Not me. And so, I am asking for your help. Think of the time when Aven was still part of your family.”

“Why are you doing this?” King Astophe said. His golden eyes were steely as they bore down on her. “Why are you so adamant to plead his case?”

Alex was rendered speechless. What was she to answer the king? All the memories she had with this version of Aven flashed before her mind, and she tried to form the proper words to answer them.

“Because you love him,” Queen Niida surprisingly answered. “You love him, mortal.”

Tears filled her eyes at her claim, a shaky grin appearing on her face. “I still cannot believe it, but yes,” she confessed. “Yes, I do. Very much, if I may add.”

With everything she had revealed, Alex felt like this revelation was the one that surprised them the most.

“I-I know that you fear this version of him will become the monster you have come to know,” Alex continued. “Believe me, I worry about that too. But this Aven… this one had dined with mortals, had saved their heir from certain death without asking anything in return. This Aven was devastated when I told him of his banishment because he loves his family very, very much. This Aven refused to believe that in whatever universe he is in, he will always be the villain. So please. Please, I beg you. If you want to get your son, your brother back, then the only choice we have is to give this Aven a chance.”

No one had spoken after her speech. Alex tried to decipher their emotions again, but the royal family did not betray any expressions on their faces.

“Leave us, Alexandra,” King Astophe finally said

Alex’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting that. “But—”

“Leave,” he ordered, finality in his tone.

Alex slumped, dejected. She wanted to stay here for as long as needed just to let them see reason, but from the light glare the King was giving her, she knew she had no choice but to leave them to discuss the information she had just massively dumped on them.

“Fine,” she sighed in defeat. “But before I leave, may I know where you are holding Aven, Your Highness?”

The king and his son exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. It seemed that whatever they were talking about, Roka had won. “He is at the Taevarg,” he simply said.

“Taevarg?” Alex gasped. “You imprisoned him?”

Roka quirked an eyebrow, as if telling her that it was the obvious choice. Alex glowered in return and said, “Release him. Please. He had done nothing wrong.”

“That is for us to decide, Alexandra,” King Astophe snapped.

Alex knew further protestations would lead her nowhere. “I’d like to visit him then,” she said, stubbornly lifting her chin to show that she would not take no for an answer.

Roka sighed, as if he knew she would request it. Then, to Kyia, he turned and said, “Bring Alex to him, my love.”

Kyia, who had stayed silent throughout her revelation, nodded her head. She then gestured for Alex to follow her out of the Throne Room.

Before the doors completely closed, Alex looked over her shoulder to see that a heated conversation had started among the royal family. She activated her Meyarin hearing just to eavesdrop, but their voices inside her were muffled, much to her disappointment.

“The Throne Room is also lined with traesos, Alex,” Kyia spoke, even without turning her head around. “Do not bother.”

Alex sighed and glumly followed and hopped inside the Valispath Kyia had summoned.

__________

The journey to Taevarg was a silent one. Even without talking, Alex could feel that Kyia wasn’t in the mood to entertain her, and Alex didn’t want to irritate her further. Kyia had stubbornly stared straight ahead, too, even when Alex desperately wanted to catch her eyes.

They finally arrived at Taevarg, and it was just the same as the last time she was here. While initially indifferent, seeing it right now made her falter in her steps. The memories of her torture under Skraegon’s hands appeared in her mind without preamble, and Alex had to tightly close her eyes just to chase those nightmares away.

When she blinked open, Kyia was bent over in front of her, worry now present on her beautiful face.

“S-sorry,” Alex stammered as she pulled herself together. She wiped the sweat that clung to her hairline and weakly smiled at Kyia. “Prisons and I don’t mix well together.”

She could see that there was a question right in Kyia’s eyes, no doubt recalling her brief anecdote regarding her abduction in the past, but her Meyarin friend was still too bewildered and angry with the turn of events. Alex was just thankful Kyia swallowed her inquisition. She wasn’t ready to answer those kinds of questions for now.

Kyia didn’t bring her far. In fact, as soon as they descended the steps, the first cell already contained Aven. Alex’s heart thudded in fear, seeing his unconscious body inside. She figured he was the most dangerous Meyarin imprisoned in Taevarg right now; of course, the first prison cell would be his, just so eyes could immediately survey his room in case he planned to escape.

‘As if he could escape,’ she scoffed, balling her hands into fists at her side to stop herself from lashing out at Kyia and demanding to release him.

“Do not attempt anything, Alex,” Kyia warned as she pulled out the familiar stylus-like engraved Myrox key from her pocket and slotted it into the small indent in the metal. The words ‘The only power greater than darkness is light’ were etched into the metal key. Roka had brought her here once, and while that was only a few days ago in actual time, that was months ago for Alex.

The prison door opened, and Kyia gestured her inside. “I’ll be waiting upstairs,” she stiffly said. “Just in case.”

“Just in case I make a run for it, miraculously carrying an unconscious prince, who might I add, weighs almost twice my current weight?” Alex dryly offered.

When Kyia threw her a dark glare, Alex sighed. “For the record, I’m really sorry, Kyia,” she mumbled, tired to the bone. All Alex wanted was to crawl to her bed after that exhausting journey through the abrassas.

Her glare disappeared, and Kyia almost looked sympathetic. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Alex,” she said, before turning around and leaving her alone.

Alex frowned at her retreating back. She’d think about her Meyarin friends later, after making sure Aven was okay.

The prince was still frozen in time, his unconscious body lying on the small bed with a starchy blanket draped up to his chest. At this angle, he truly looked like he was just sleeping—like a male version of Snow White, waiting to be kissed by true love to awaken.

“If only it were that easy,” Alex whispered, reaching out for his warm hand to place against her cheek. “Hello, my love.”

He didn’t stir with her voice, and it made her heart ache more. She wondered if he could hear her voice. They said comatose patients could hear everything that was happening around them, despite being unable to open their eyes. Maybe even if frozen in time, that was the same case with Aven.

And so, she recounted what had transpired the moment they arrived from the past up to her curt dismissal from the Throne Room.

“I don’t know what to do, Aven,” she tearfully whispered. “I don’t know how to convince them.”

She brought his knuckles to her lips to give a sweet kiss. If what Aes Daega said was true, Aven could die just by doing nothing, and the evil Aven would awaken and continue his crusade. Alex did not have the luxury to wait.

“A few centuries have passed, and you’re still hopeless, kitten.”

A gasp flew out of her mouth, eyes growing wide as she looked around. No one was inside Aven’s prison cell except the two of them.

It took her a minute to realize that words were spoken in her mind. Besides Xira, only one person had the ability to do that.

Her eyes filled with tears once more as she walked out of Aven’s prison cell. So many things had happened in a span of a day, and she had forgotten that in this prison, another person she loved with her whole heart was imprisoned inside.

She carefully strode towards the cell, which she remembered held Niyx Raedon. Once she reached it, the handsome Meyarin was already standing in front of his bars, seemingly waiting for her. He still looked scruffy like the last time she saw him, when Roka brought her here. His amethyst eyes looked clear and happy, though, as he held her gaze.

“I was starting to think you’ve forgotten about me,” he said, a slow smile growing on his face. His eyes flickered to her glowing skin from the vaeliana bond, back to her blurry eyes. “Is it safe to assume that you just came back?”

A sob tore out of her mouth. “Niyx,” she cried. “Oh… oh god, I’m so sorry.”

His eyes softened. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he placated. “You didn’t know me yet when Roka brought you here.”

She haphazardly wiped her tears and snot as she glanced at his prison door. A similar lock held him inside, and Alex knew Roka carried the only key. She doubted the key Kyia had would fit this lock; regardless of whether she had it or not, Alex knew Kyia wouldn’t open it for her.

She inspected the thick lock that was impenetrable to any kind of steel. Alex remembered Roka’s words when he said that the only thing powerful enough to destroy traesos was pure light energy from beyond the stars.

‘Lucky for me, I have it in command,’ she said as she summoned A’enara.

“Aeylia,” Niyx slowly said, “what do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting you out here,” she answered. “And by the way, it is Alex.”

“No, wait—”

His protests fell on deaf ears as Alex determinedly slashed his lock away with The Sword of the Stars. It was terribly easy to destroy, like paper cut by a sharp object. The lock melted upon contact with the starfire, and then the door opened without any more resistance.

Alex threw the bars open and flew into Niyx’s awaiting arms.

“Hello to you too, Alex,” he warmly greeted, a soft chuckle escaping from his lips when Alex’s arms tightened around him. “Glad to know you remembered I was imprisoned in Taevarg, too.”

Her cheeks flushed red as she pulled away, an apology already sitting at the tip of her tongue. But upon seeing Niyx’s teasing gaze, she faltered.

“I missed you, kitten,” he confessed. “It had been too long for me.”

But not for you, she knew he implied. Just a few hours ago, he was hugging her goodbye. Alex could not imagine how long he’d waited just to see her again. While the Meyarins were fair, he was still branded as a Garseth and a traitor to the crown. She could deduce the wait was a long and arduous one.

“I take it you were successful in bringing Aven to the present?”

Her eyes widened in surprise as she fully pulled herself away from him. “W-what do you mean?” she asked. As far as she knew, Aes Daega said all immortals who had met Aeylia in the past would hold different memories. She even bet the royal family here could not remember that she was Aeylia, the poor Meyarin they took in and cared for. “How did you…”

She knew the answer before even finishing her question. “The Claiming Bond,” she simply said.

“Yes,” Niyx nodded. “Before you were sent in the past, I already knew who you are—were, Alex. I think your strong willpower had protected me from whatever spell Aes Daega cast over the whole of Meya, just so they would not remember that Aeylia was you.”

“But when you asked about Aven...”

Niyx grimaced and placed a hand against his temple. “Just a few hours ago, I had the worst headache ever,” he continued. “And with that headache, visions of memories I sure as hell knew I hadn’t encountered before started to enter my mind. When the Zeltora warriors brought in an unconscious Aven and were quite loudly whispering about your weird appearance with the prince and a draekon, I realized that those memories were yours.”

“At least there’s one less Meyarin to convince about the truth,” she chuckled through her tears.

Niyx nervously glanced out. “So, it’s really true then?” he softly asked. “You’ve brought a past version of Aven just so he could be saved from a possible path to doom?”

“You want to see him? You’re next-door neighbors right now, you know.”

The joke was lost to Niyx, as he was too conflicted with the new memories that were rushing into his mind. Wordlessly, Alex gestured for him to follow her. She didn’t wait as she walked out of his prison cell back to Aven’s. The prince, as predicted, slept through the little reunion that happened between them.

“I-I can’t believe it.”

Alex looked over her shoulder to see a wide-eyed Niyx beholding his best friend. His amethyst eyes were glassy from emotion, as he shifted his gaze back to Alex.

“It’s really him, Niyx,” she assured. “Just frozen in time.”

“And the present Aven?”

“Just as frozen,” she confirmed with a nod. “The only thing that could awaken either of them is if the other is disposed.”

Niyx slowly approached the unconscious Meyarin, an indescribable look now on his face. “How long do you have?” he asked. When Alex shrugged, he added, “What will happen if you don’t dispose of the present one?”

The look she gave him already spoke a thousand words. Niyx swallowed and looked back at Aven. “The present one, the evil one… he was communicating with me while I was imprisoned here. He was getting ready to break me out of Taevarg, Alex.” A pained look appeared on his face, eyes still latched onto his best friend. “I was planning to run to him, you know. I figured you’d be back from the past before I escaped. Then, once you finally remember me, I’d act as your eyes for Aven and his Garseth, just so I could help you defeat him however I can.”

“No,” Alex snapped. Niyx’s wide, glassy eyes flew back to her form. “No, I won’t let you, Niyx. The present Aven is unconscious, and I’m sure the Garseth are in a frenzy. It is dangerous for you. So you just stay right here, by my side. Do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” he said, cracking a handsome smile. He held his hand out and waited until Alex could clutch it. “I missed you so much, Alex. Did I already say that?”

“Yes, just a while ago,” she said as more tears filled her eyes.

He squeezed her hand as they both looked at Aven’s unconscious form. “What happens now?” he asked.

Before Alex could answer, a loud gasp was heard just outside Aven’s prison cell. Both of their gazes landed on a shocked Kyia, who was now holding a sword in her hand.

“Wait, Kyia, I can ex—”

“Step away from him, Alex,” Kyia growled. “Now!”

Alex flinched but stayed right where she was. Kyia grew confused, but then she noticed they were holding hands, which morphed her face to anger.

“This isn’t what it looks like, Kyia,” Alex appeased.

“Well, actually, this is exactly what it looks like,” Niyx unhelpfully offered.

“Shut up, Niyx! You’re making it worse!” she cried internally.

“Hands where I can see them,” Kyia angrily said.

“Kyia—”

“Just do what she says, kitten,” Niyx said.

Alex’s eyes never left Kyia’s furious ones.

“Don’t even think of summoning A’enara, mortal,” she snarled. Alex flinched at the betrayal on Kyia’s face, and she knew the only thing that could smooth everything out was to be compliant.

She then slowly lifted her hand. Niyx mirrored her stance. Kyia then immediately grabbed Myrox-lined cuffs from her pocket and tied them around Niyx’s hands. She did the same to Alex, then ushered them out of Aven’s cell, the pointy end of her blade inches from their spine.

Kyia locked Aven’s door and then ordered them to move forward. Alex heard Kyia’s curse when she noted the destroyed lock from Niyx’s cell.

She probed them further until they reached an empty cell. Kyia threw Niyx inside and locked him in.

“Kyia—”

“Move.”

Alex swallowed her protests upon seeing the warning glance Niyx threw her way. She obediently followed instead and did not resist when Kyia threw her in the cell beside Niyx’s and locked her again.

Kyia quickly left without another word.

“So, what’s the grand plan now, Alexandra Jennings?”

Despite the thick, impenetrable walls made of traesos, Alex swore she heard his soft snickers at their current situation.

“Shut up, Raedon.”

"I really love it when you call me by my last name." 

Chapter Text

Chapter Fifteen

She spent the night in Taevarg, huddled against the wall on her bed with the thin blanket draped over her form. It was unbearably cold in the prison cell. It was dark too, except for a sliver of light that came from a small slit up above the wall, which could only fit her hand. She figured it barred any prisoner from escaping through other means but through the heavily guarded entrance.

No one had visited her since Kyia imprisoned her, except for a servant to bring her some stale bread and tepid water. She suggested getting some warm meal instead, but the Meyarin merely gave her a scathing glare and left.

Alex was thankful Niyx was near to keep her company. She spent the rest of the night telling him about what transpired during her time-travel and compared it with what the present Meyarins recalled.

Niyx confirmed in their version that it was during the end-of-summer festival when Aven discovered her secret and massacred the human traders in retaliation for her betrayal. “Good job keeping your cool, kitten,” he said, as the Aeylia he remembered was so frazzled by Aven’s confession that it took a simple branch to scrape her face for all hell to break loose.

Sometimes, it was difficult for her to articulate the answer to his questions. And so, Alex sometimes conjured images of her memories instead. Niyx was especially curious about how this Aven-Alex relationship came to be, and while embarrassed and insisting it wasn’t that big a deal, Alex still wasn’t well-versed in stopping herself from remembering the sweet moments she had with Aven.

“It’s so weird, seeing all these memories you give me,” he sleepily told her, when she was spent from all the storytelling. “I see myself in your memories too, and I do things and witness things that have never happened before. Like Skraegon…”

Alex flinched, a phantom pain blooming on her chest where the Garseth’s blade had been buried.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Alex,” Niyx's comforting voice broke through her memories.

“Yeah, he was a freaking kraegon,” she sleepily grumbled. Niyx sadly laughed in her mind. “I was sorry to you too, Niyx. Or to this other version of you. Because you, well he, had to endure the torture too.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mind,” he assured. “If it meant you wouldn’t be alone in enduring the pain.”

Alex’s eyes watered in the dark. “I miss him, you know,” she confessed. “This Niyx.”

“Yeah, I figured. Great guy.”

She snorted despite her tears.

“But he’s still me, Alex,” he said. “Just a slightly different version of myself, with a different set of memories, just because you had a split-second decision of not completely hurting Aven and stayed in Meya for a few more moons.”

“This whole multiverse mumbo jumbo still hurts my head,” she shot back. “No wonder Roka and his family have a hard time believing me. I, myself, cannot believe that it happened to me too.”

“Rest now, kitten,” Niyx soothed. “It had been a long day for you.”

Alex hummed in reply, grasping for her thin blanket to pull up to her chin. “Goodnight, Niyx,” she said, eyes already growing heavy from exhaustion. “Don’t you dare disappear while I sleep.”

She heard his fond chuckle in her mind. “I’m right here, Alex,” he replied. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Alex was jerked awake when her prison cell clattered open. At first, fear clouded her mind, anticipating Skraegon’s heavy footfalls and lecherous face. But, after clearing the fear and sleep from her mind, Alex met the stoic gaze of the Meyarin Crown Prince.

“Here to bail me out, Roka?” she whispered, voice still a little raspy from sleep.

Roka did not answer her inquiry as he gently grabbed her bound hands and unlocked the Myrox cuffs. Alex rubbed her chaffed skin, which was not unnoticed by Roka. A frown broke out from his indifferent mask, and Alex sighed. “You didn’t expect me to just stay put, right?” she said. “Darn Kyia for putting the cuffs as precaution. I could have easily broken out of here with A’enara at hand.”

She saw the glimmer of guilt in Roka’s eyes, which marginally simmered her brewing annoyance.

“Follow me,” he softly ordered, before turning around and walking out of her prison cell.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, increasing her pace to keep up with Roka. Her gaze landed on Niyx when they passed his cell. He was already standing near the prison bars, a cautious expression on his face.

“No, wait, you have to release—”

Her words fell when Roka abruptly halted. He looked over his shoulder and darkly glared at Alex. “Follow me, Alex,” he sternly said.

“Well, you don’t have to be such an ass about it,” she grumbled, not missing the heavy, exhausted sigh escaping from the prince’s mouth.

“Alex, please,” was all Roka could say.

“I’ll come with you if you release Niyx,” she said, standing her ground. “And Aven. They do not deserve to be imprisoned here.”

Roka fully turned around, his gaze turning wary. “This… Aven who you say came from the past, I’d understand if you keep on insisting on his freedom. Him, on the other hand…” He did not need to continue his words for Alex to deduce what he wanted to say. His eyes were latched onto Niyx’s amethyst ones, suspicion and confusion mingling on his face.

“I’ll be fine, Aeylia,” Niyx assured, breaking Roka’s gaze just to offer Alex a small smile. “I’ve been here for centuries. I can wait for another day or two.”

Guilt crept into her heart because she knew Niyx had endured those years of imprisonment for her. She was about to plead to Roka to release him, but the prince wore a baffled expression on his face.

“What?” Alex asked.

“What did he just call you?” Roka asked, sounding almost breathless. When Alex slowly frowned, he whispered, “Aeylia?”

Niyx and Alex exchanged glances, meaning in their gazes. When Alex recounted to the royal family yesterday about her time-travel, she did not reveal the name she had used.

“That’s me,” she slowly said. “Was me, Roka. I used that name as an alias when Xira brought me back to the past.”

A deeply disturbed look appeared on Roka’s face as he started to massage his temples. “I’m having… blurry memories of this Meyarin, who was brought to us by Aes Daega. I know you said you interacted with us in the past, but…” He faltered and sighed, letting his hand fall back to his sides. “It seems like I’m just getting more questions instead of answers.”

She looked at Niyx once more, who merely shrugged, at a loss of what to do also.

Roka then snapped out of his stupor and straightened his back. “Follow me, Alex,” he repeated once more. “And, by the stars, please just do what I say.”

Alex held her tongue from pointing out that she was technically not a Meyarin, so he did not rule over her. But Roka looked so confused and weary, she did not want to burden him more.

She finally nodded her head, and Roka resumed his walk.

“I’ll bring you out, Niyx, I promise,” she thought.

“Don’t worry about me for now, kitten,” he replied. “It’s you I worry about.”

This brought out a small smile on her face. “Despite how amazingly stubborn they are right now, Roka and the others are still my friends,” she assured.

“But they’re not mine,” he replied. “Well, not anymore.”

“I’ll be fine,” she placated once more. “Be right back.”

__________

Roka brought her to his private study. Alex wasn’t surprised that inside, Kyia and Zain were already waiting for their arrival.

She eyed the other Meyarins warily. Although she assured Niyx they were still her friends, they were Meyarins first and foremost – loyal to the king and Meya. Alex couldn’t help but feel like she was outnumbered here, inside Roka’s room, and she could only rely on A’enara to defend herself if the need arose.

“Sit,” Roka said, pointing to the chair opposite his desk. The prince slipped down on his own upholstered chair. Kyia sat down on one of its armrests and placed a comforting hand on Roka’s arm. Zain kept standing near the door, effectively blocking Alex’s only means of exit.

Despite feeling caged, Alex relented and plopped down on the chair. It was comfortable compared to the rickety bed she slept in last night. Alex lightly scowled at how comforted and safe she felt, cocooned by the fluffy chair.

“Firstly, I’d like to apologize for imprisoning you for the night, Alex,” Roka started.

“I’m not,” Kyia bluntly said, her gaze unforgiving. Alex grimaced, noting it was Kyia who distrusted her the most right now. “She broke out a prisoner with high-security status. A night in Taevarg is not enough for her treason.”

“Kyia,” Roka gently warned.

Alex sighed, seeing the guarded look in all their gazes. “Is it safe to say that you don’t believe me at all?” she asked, her shoulders slumping. “That you all think I’m crazy? Because, fine, I am crazy for thinking up this bizarre plan, but I am telling the truth.”

Silence met her claim. Alex held Roka’s gaze, his golden eyes indecipherable. He had the same eyes as Aven’s, but Roka’s were a shade lighter than his younger brother’s.

“Aven—” Roka paused and swallowed, disbelief now shining in his eyes. “I mean, the Aven with the Garseth… you were right. One of our spies claimed he saw my brother being kept inside one of his lackey’s mansions. Unconscious, like he was frozen in time. The Garseth has been in a disarray ever since, because their leader just mysteriously collapsed.”

Alex merely blinked, suspecting as much.

When she didn’t answer, Roka slowly frowned and said, “This is the part where you tell us ‘I told you so’, Alex.”

Despite how tense she felt, a surprised laugh flew out of her mouth. “I figured I already have a long list of transgressions against you guys,” she said. “I don’t want to add ‘irritatingly smug’ to my stellar characteristics.”

“Too late for that, little human,” Zain shot back.

A wide smile grew on Alex’s face, her heart warming at the fact that the Zeltora warrior had addressed her with his annoying nickname.

Hearing her laugh had slightly calmed down Roka, who offered her a brief smile in return. “Alex, what you told us yesterday was too impossible to believe,” he continued. “The king is still undecided on what to do to you. But, seeing that we have two Avens currently existing, I… I’m inclined to believe you.”

“I can’t fault you either because it is an unbelievable tale,” she said with a sympathetic nod. “The fact that I even time-travelled just to meet your younger selves still blows my mind.”

“About that… this Aeylia…”

She saw how Kyia frowned at the mention of her pseudonym. Zain was behind her, but she could feel his gaze bore on the back of her head.

“You can’t remember me, I know,” Alex confirmed. “Aes Daega said she had to put a spell on you after I left, just to make things less complicated.

“I have hazy memories of this unnamed Meyarin,” Roka confessed, his eyebrows knitting in the middle, his eyes staring away from Alex’s gaze. “Just… there, woven with my memories of my brother in the past. I guess I got too distracted with the whole banishment to properly dwell on your presence.”

Alex sighed. “It doesn’t even matter because your memories are all… wrong,” she said. At the miffed expression on Roka’s face, she corrected, “I mean, different. Like I said, this boils down to the multiverse crap I still have difficulty grasping. Don’t make me explain this again because it makes me even more confused. I haven’t slept well for days, and I need a freaking nap, Roka.”

Roka chuckled, his suspicion completely shattered by her exclamation. Alex sighed in relief internally because Kyia had softened too, seeing how Roka had already calmed down.

‘Better to hit while the iron is still hot,’ she thought. “About Niyx,” she started. Predictably, the smiles on their faces disappeared. “You have to believe me too when I say that he is innocent.

“Impossible, Alex.” It was Zain who protested, striding away from the door just so he could stand on the other side of Roka and look at her. “I was there when the human traders were massacred. He was running away from us when Aven fled the scene.”

“He just made it so that you’ll suspect him and imprison him,” she calmly explained. “He did that to keep an eye on Aven and Meya while I returned to my timeline. He did that for me. To wait for me until I’ve returned and remember who he is.”

“How can you be so sure he is innocent, Alex?” Kyia warily asked.

Alex sighed and closed her eyes. “Niyx, I’m sorry, but I have to tell them everything,” she said through her mental bond. “The Sarnaph. The Claiming Bond. Everything.”

“Alex, are you sure?” he cautiously asked. “Need I remind you that Menada dae Loransa is forbidden?”

“Why? Will I get locked up in Taevarg if they found out?” she asked.

Niyx heard her slight teasing, and she could almost see his eye roll. “Hilarious, mortal,” he thought.

With a slight smile on her face, Alex opened her eyes and recounted the story of how Niyx was Claimed by her. Alex wasn’t deterred by the identical looks of horror on their faces when she mentioned that she was able to successfully do the spell, but unsuccessfully sever the bond between them because Niyx refused to accept the release.

“So, in summary, Niyx is in my head and has been tormenting me since,” she said. She held Roka’s stare, unwilling to back down. “I can loudly vouch for his innocence because he cannot lie or hide anything from me, given our connection.”

“That’s… forbidden,” Kyia whispered.

Alex couldn’t stop a laugh from her mouth. “Yeah, put that on your list of ‘Alexandra Jennings’s Crimes’,” she suggested. “Maybe it’ll be enough to put me to death this time by Meyarin standards.”

“This isn’t a joke, Alex,” Roka gravelly said. “The Claiming Bond is forbidden for a reason.”

“Roka, I know,” she sighed. “Niyx had chattered my ear off when he discovered I had to Claim his will just so I could share my life with me. But what was I to do? He was dying, right before my eyes, and no amount of laendra could stop his bleeding. I had… I had to do it. I had no choice.”

Zain frowned. “You always have a choice, Alex,” he shot back.

“So, the other choice is to let him die a slow, painful death?” she snapped back with a glare. “If you haven’t figured it out, I may or may not be suffering from a savior complex that may or may not have placed me in very dangerous situations in the past. I will not be me if I do not do what is best, given how dire, how futile, the situation is.”

“It’s… annoying how I cannot dispute what you said,” Kyia said. “Especially the ‘savior complex’ thing.”

Alex slightly gaped at her before bursting into a loud laugh that came from her belly. Zain had matched her laugh, and Roka thankfully cracked a wide smile. Kyia giggled as she held her fiancé’s hand. Alex’s heart felt lighter, feeling like she was laughing with her friends once more.

“I really hate it when you’re suspicious of me,” she said, after calming down. “I know you are confused, but I want you to trust me.”

Roka sighed, smiling slightly when Kyia squeezed his hand for comfort. “You have to know a lot is at stake, Alex,” he said. “I have a kingdom to protect. You are my friend, Alexandra Jennings, but my people always come first.”

She smiled, nodding her head in understanding. “I know, which makes you a great heir to the throne, Roka,” Alex replied. “But really, trust me on this. About Niyx. About Aven. Things are tumultuous right now because of Aven—the evil one—and his growing army of Claimed ones with dangerous gifts. If we want to save your kingdom and the mortals, then we must keep trusting each other.”

The three Meyarins exchanged glances, a silent conversation through their gazes as they ruminated over Alex’s claim.

“My parents… they are still hesitant to fully trust your story, Alex,” Roka warned. “Especially the king. He’d already lost a son to hatred. You are offering an alternative, igniting the hope he’d long quashed.”

“A solution,” she corrected. “The one you’ve imprisoned in Taevarg is still Aven, Roka. He may have done things in the past you do not recall, but he is still your brother. Your parents’ son. If we’ve successfully destroyed this evil, murderous version of him, there is still hope for Aven to be saved.”

Roka grew wearier as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. And then, to Zain, he said, “Release Aven and Niyx.” Then, to his beloved, he added, “Prepare their rooms. No one besides the four of us and my parents should know about this. Am I making myself clear?”

“You don’t have to go full Crown Prince on them,” Alex teased. When Roka rolled his eyes, this only made her smile. “Thank you, Roka.”

“A lot is at stake here, Alex,” the prince reminded her again, but his voice was gentler. “Do not break my trust.”

Supper that night was an awkward event.

Alex, surprisingly, was invited to dine with the royal family. She concluded the king and queen had long quelled their suspicion of her, since she was allowed to grace their presence once more.

What surprised her the most, however, was that Niyx was also invited to dine with them.

They were at the Dining Hall already, with Niyx sitting down beside her. Her friend was already eating, quite enthusiastically in fact, after being deprived of warm, scrumptious meals from his long imprisonment. He seemed oblivious to the wary glances thrown his way. Or, he was simply ignoring their stares, too focused on filling his stomach.

“Gosh, slow down,” she admonished through their bond.

“Well, can you blame me?” he asked, gulping a gobletful of wine. “I haven’t eaten a feast in centuries, kitten. Cut me some slack.”

Alex rolled her eyes and silently continued her meal.

No one had dared to break the silence. Alex could see how stiffly the king held himself, as if he was trying to hold himself back from blowing up. Queen Niida looked relatively calmer than her husband, but there were still some worry lines on her forehead.

Throughout her meal, Alex could not help but wonder what their next step would be. With her Aven safely resting in his own room and Niyx released from imprisonment, the most logical step now was to dispose of evil Aven. ‘How?’ she had wondered. While also frozen in time, he was still supported by his powerful Garseth. Getting to him would be a difficult task.

With these worries swirling inside her mind, Alex finally spoke up, “I’m sorry for interrupting, but what do you plan to do with evil Aven now?”

The royal family ceased moving, all eyes staring intently at Alex. She grew hot under their scrutiny and was about to apologize for interrupting when King Astophe ordered all the guards to leave the Dining Hall. All that was left inside were the royal family, Alex, Niyx, Kyia, and Zain.

“Probably not the best time and place to talk about psychopaths, Alex,” Niyx mumbled under his breath. This just burned her cheeks brighter.

“I’m sorry, please ignore what I said,” she hastily replied.

To her surprise, King Astophe cracked a small smile and looked at his son. “Roka has been updating me about certain events.” He pointedly glanced at Niyx. “While things had certainly changed because of our current circumstances, I’m afraid we are still at a loss on how to deal with Aven.”

“We’re really talking about it now? Over dinner?” Alex asked, wide-eyed.

Roka snorted. “You ruined the mood, Alex,” he said, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Might as well.”

She sheepishly glanced at him, then to the king. “If I may speak, Your Highness?” she asked.

“You never asked for permission to speak,” Niyx pointed out, which prompted amused chuckles from the other Meyarins.

Alex lightly glared at King Astophe, who dismissively waved his hand for permission.

“From what I understand, evil Aven cannot be killed because it means all the ones he Claimed will also die,” she slowly said. She thickly swallowed, briefly despaired when she remembered poor Jordan, still under the Claiming Bond. “So, we have to find a way to release them first before we, you know, dispose of this psychopathic version.”

“I think we’ve already established that, Alex,” Roka said with a firm frown.

Alex nodded her head. “Yes, I know,” she said. “As far as I know, I’m the only one who’d successfully broken free from Menada dae Loransa because of my strong will.”

“We’ve also established that already,” Niyx piped in

Alex’s gaze swept from one Meyarin to another before she said, “Then, I have a plan. You might not like it. But it is a solid plan.”

“Another one of your ‘savior complex’ thing?” Kyia asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Alex grinned. “You know me so well,” she said.

Beside her, Niyx sighed wearily, throwing her a small glare

King Astophe leaned back on his seat, his golden eyes not leaving Alex’s form. “Let’s hear it then, Alexandra Jennings.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Sixteen

It had been almost a week after she came back from the past, and it was a whirlwind of plotting and strategizing with the Meyarins. They initially refused to even consider her plan. Niyx unsurprisingly protested the loudest, but Alex insisted it was the best plan at the moment. Maybe even their only plan.

Amidst all of these, past Aven continued to stay asleep. Seeing that there were two Avens in the present, Alex had insisted that they all call the current, murderous one as ‘evil Aven’ while the past one as simply ‘Aven’. She secretly addressed him as ‘my Aven’ in her mind, but they really did not need to know that.

Now that Niyx was a free man, he insisted that they should continue their rigorous training. “Strength of body means strength of mind, kitten,” he had said despite her protests. “Better to be prepared.”

Seeing that it was still not common knowledge that Aven Dalmarta’s best friend was an innocent man, they’d decided to spend their sparring sessions inside the castle grounds. Niyx was dismayed, as he’d missed going out and seeing modern Meya, but he knew in the end it was for the best.

Years imprisoned in Taevarg were unkind to Niyx, as his skills were initially rusty. Alex grimaced every time she would hit him, knowing that the younger version of himself would easily block it as easily as breathing. But Niyx persisted, and Alex knew he was doing this just as much for himself. It didn’t take long for him to get back on his own two feet. Zain would sometimes join their sparring sessions, and the Head of Zeltora proved to be a mighty opponent.

They had just finished one of their sessions, with both Meyarins more unforgiving tonight. Alex could feel aches all over her body despite gulping warm laendra. She very much wanted to crawl into her bed and sleep the pain away, but she still needed to do one last task before retiring for the night.

Aven’s room was heavily guarded, with rotating Zeltora standing outside his room 24/7 to keep out any nosy servants. His presence was kept more as a secret by the royal family, lest they have a traitor in their midst and report to the increasingly restless Garseth.

Only a few people were granted access, and Alex was thankful she was granted this privilege to come and go as she pleased.

She greeted the on-duty Zeltora with a smile before pushing open Aven’s door and striding inside.

To her surprise, Aven wasn’t alone in his room. Roka was already sitting on the chair she always sat on every time she visited the comatose prince.

“What are you doing here?”

“Can’t I visit my brother, Alex?” Roka asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Alex sheepishly smiled and drew nearer. She peered down at Aven, who’d looked just as she’d last seen him. She grasped his hand and held it tight. “Hello, my love,” she whispered. Although he was out of the Taevarg and sleeping on his comfortable bed, seeing him like this still wasn’t easy for her.

Roka softly cleared his throat, reminding Alex of his presence.

“Sorry,” she said, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I always visit him at night, so I’m not used to other visitors.”

The prince was looking at her with a weird expression on his face.

“What?”

“Honestly, Alex?” Roka said, watching as she lowered herself down and sat on the other chair opposite him. “Out of all the weird things you’ve told since you came back, this is the weirdest of them all.” He was gesturing towards her and Aven, then to their clasped hands.

She smiled. “Why? Is this breaking some obscure Meyarin law I’ve never heard of?” she asked. “Immortals and mortals cannot fall in love and all the shebang?”

Roka snorted in amusement. “Alex, we’ve been hidden from mortal eyes for centuries,” he reminded her. “No mortal had ever set foot in Meya until you. My father and his court were too distracted about Aven’s banishment and betrayal to even think of such a law.”

“So… for the record, this” —she gestured between her and Aven— “is perfectly legal?”

“And weird,” he added. “But perfectly legal, yes.”

She laughed at the grimace on his face. “I can only imagine your confusion over this Aven,” she said, fondly smiling down at the sleeping prince. “No, scratch that. I know that confusion. You should have seen my face when, upon waking up in the past in this castle, it was Aven’s face who greeted me. And he wasn’t evil yet! That took me out and confused the heck out of me. I even fell from my balcony because of shock.”

“You what?” Roka gasped.

Alex continued grinning and nodded her head. “Yep,” she said. “Tumbled right out of the balcony and almost plummeted to my death. Thank the stars for my vaeliana bond. Xira was there to literally swoop in and save the day.”

There was mild amusement in Roka’s eyes. “I hope I was there to witness that,” he wistfully replied.

“You were there,” Alex said. “You just don’t remember it, Roka.”

His smile fell as a troubled look appeared on his face. “It’s so weird knowing we’ve encountered each other in the past.” He started massaging his right temple, as if pained. “Every time I try to recall something about you, there’s this haze that blankets my brain until I have no choice but to stop just to clear my mind.”

“That’s Aes Daega’s handiwork,” she shot back.

“Shame,” Roka sighed. “I’m sure I would have fond memories of you.”

They fell silent as their eyes unconsciously drifted to Aven. Alex rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, comforted upon witnessing the unmistakable rise and fall of his chest. It was difficult to see him like this, but at least he was still alive. It troubled her how much time her Aven had before Time claimed him. She just hoped that her plan would be set into motion soon, just so she could see his smile again.

“Alex?”

“Hmm?” she asked, blinking sleep away as she focused back on Roka.

“When the time comes for you to face evil Aven,” he slowly started, “will you have the courage to end his life?”

Alex grew more alert with his question. Roka wore a wary expression on his face now.

“I…” She bit her bottom lip and thought hard. She had stabbed and sliced and punched and maimed before. But she never killed anyone. Just thinking about it already brought shivers done her spine. “I-I don’t know, Roka. I’m not… I’m not a killer.”

She held his gaze for a moment, then asked, “Will you, Roka? Have the courage to kill your brother once the time comes.”

It brought her comfort seeing him just as conflicted as he was. “In spite of everything, he is still my brother,” he simply said. “I don’t know if I have the strength to do that.”

Alex didn’t know how to reply, because she felt the same. Evil Aven had been her nemesis ever since she set foot in Medora. There were so many instances when he had tormented her and her friends. Stealing Jordan from her friends was the lowest blow so far, and it brought severely dark emotions out of Alex’s heart. But killing him when given the opportunity? Well, she could, if her loved ones’ lives were threatened. But she was a hundred percent sure she would hesitate.

“What was he like?” Roka suddenly asked, breaking through her troublesome thoughts. “Your Aven?”

Her heart skipped a beat at how he addressed the sleeping Meyarin. “You know him,” she replied with a smile. “You grew up with him. This Aven is still your brother.”

A bittersweet smile appeared on Roka’s face. “The last thing I remembered about my brother was when he tried to kill our father and me,” he shot back. “From what I’ve gathered from your story, that never happened at all in this different universe you’ve inevitably created. I’m just curious how my brother was after completely turning his back on the Garseth.”

She looked fondly down at Aven, her grip on his hand tightening. “Still as unbelievably stubborn as ever,” she said. “Incorrigible, most of the time. Don’t even get me started on how he was when he was hanging out with Niyx.”

When Roka snorted in amusement, Alex’s smile widened. “Sounds like my brother, all right,” he said.

“He was always trying his best, though, bless his heart,” she continued, her eyes locking with Roka’s golden ones. “He felt nothing but guilt for his naivete, for being so blinded by his prejudices against mortals that he initially wanted to instigate a rebellion.” Her smile turned wobbly, her emotions resurging now that she was talking about him once more. “You should have seen him when he saved the Medoran heir. He didn’t think about the consequences. He didn’t even think about how mortals now know the weakness of all Meyarins, nor how they could possibly exploit laendra now that they’d discovered its miraculous properties. He just helped him, Roka, even if he was a human, because Aven knew it was the right thing to do.”

Alex sighed, brushing away a lone tear that escaped from her eyes. When she smiled at Roka, she noted that his golden eyes were shinier too. “I miss him so much, Roka,” she confessed. “I just want him to wake up now and see that his sacrifice isn’t in vain.”

“I miss my brother too,” he whispered in return. Roka reached out for her other hand, which Alex gladly offered. “Thank you for bringing him back to us, Alex.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Oh, that wasn’t me. Stubborn him insisted that I must bring him with me,” she corrected. “Only Aven Dalmarta can save himself, remember?”

“That is true,” he agreed. “But I’d like to believe that this thought only crossed his mind because he was thinking of you, Alex. If you didn’t persevere, if you yourself weren’t just as stubborn as he—even more, I’m sure—Aven would not have the chance to save himself from his doom.”

Alex sniffed. “When can we put my plan into action?” she asked him. “I want to kick some evil Meyarin butt.”

Roka laughed. “Soon, Alex,” he assured. “Very soon.”

Things had become hectic now that Alex’s plan was finally being set into motion. With the possible danger looming over their heads, Niyx had grown rigorous. Alex had barely any time to complain because her dear friend would slash and stab and punch and push her until Alex’s humanness would put a stop to his barrage of assaults.

“Have mercy on me, please,” she had begged, bent over and gasping for breath. Blood was trickling down from the gaping wound Niyx had decorated her right arm, and Alex was too tired to press her hand against it to staunch the bleeding.

“None of the Garseth will show mercy on you, you know,” Niyx bluntly pointed out. There was gentleness in his tone, tough, as he urged her to gulp down warm leandra from a thermos until Alex’s wounds started to slowly stitch together.

“I won’t even be in the heat of battle,” she groaned, plopping down on the dirty floor of the training ground in the castle. “I don’t understand why we have to continue doing this.”

Niyx sighed and crouched down, just so his eyes would level with hers. “Strength of body, strength of mind, kitten,” he reminded, already rubbing laendra extract on her cuts to speed the healing. “And, it won’t hurt to be prepared. We don’t know what to expect, Alex.”

Her heart wildly fluttered in dread. Roka declared that in a day or two, they would put Alex’s plan into action. He and the trusted Zeltora warriors were already preparing for battle. She knew from their brief talks that the Meyarin prince was also communicating with the people from Akarnae. This reminded her she had yet to reach out to her friends to ask them how they were. Alex had taken a mental note to speak with D.C. and Bear through her ComTCD after her training session.

“Go rest,” Niyx said, fondly flicking her nose, much to her disgruntlement. “It looks like you need it, kitten.”

“And whose fault is that?” she grumbled. Niyx merely grinned as he stood up and helped Alex back on her feet.

“Sweet dreams, Alex,” he said, tugging her close for a hug. “Go back to your bedroom.”

“I have to visit Aven first,” she sighed, dragging her hand over her face in exhaustion.

His smile turned a little sad. “How is he doing?” he softly asked.

“You will know if you visit him more often, you know,” she said, not unkindly. When Niyx grimaced, Alex smiled in understanding. She knew it was still difficult for the Meyarins to accept that the Aven sleeping inside the castle wouldn’t murder them in their sleep. Although Niyx already had Alex’s memories, he was still wary and conflicted.

“He’s… the same,” she answered in the end. “Maybe paler? I don’t know.” A frown now tugged her lips down, and Alex tried to imagine how Aven had looked yesterday when she visited. It had been a few days, and there was a momentary fear in her heart every time she visited him, wondering if it would be the last. There was still no sign of Time ‘erasing’ him in this timeline. Aes Daega still had not visited since Alex came back to the present. She didn’t have anyone to ask, and Alex doubted the vast tomes in the palace library would hold the answers to her numerous inquiries.

“I’ll visit soon,” he slowly said, a troubled expression now clouding his features.

Alex merely smiled and murmured her goodbye.

It didn’t take long for her to arrive at Aven’s room. She held her breath as she pulled the door open, only releasing it in relief when she saw that her Aven was still breathing.

Upon closer inspection, he did look paler, the scar on his right cheek now more noticeable. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” she whispered, gently brushing his fringe away from his forehead.

Alex stayed a while longer just to recount her day with him. She made sure she told him about every detail of their imminent attack against the Garseth. Aven continued to stay unconscious, but Alex couldn’t complain, knowing that he was still alive for another day.

She kissed his forehead goodnight when her eyes started to feel heavy. Alex strode out of his room and said goodnight to the Zeltora soldier, who was also guarding Aven’s room for the night.

Alex sleepily walked through the corridors back to her room. She had to briefly stop as a huge yawn broke out from her lips, a few paces away from her bedroom.

“Well, that was a delightful thing to see.”

She took a sharp intake of breath, recognizing the voice. Alex gaped as D.C. and Bear were standing just outside her room, identical grins of amusement on their faces. “Wha—” She gasped once more, this time as tears instantly filled her eyes, and closed whatever space she had between her friends to throw her arms around them.

“It’s good to see you too, Alex,” D.C. said, a watery chuckle escaping from her lips.

“What are you doing here?” she cried, pulling away to completely look at her friends. Although there were genuine smiles on their faces, Alex could clearly see the dark bags under their eyes; D.C.’s were worst. Her tears increased, knowing that they too had a rough summer with the knowledge that Jordan was out there with the Garseth, his will not his own.

“Roka arranged for us to stay the remaining days before the plan after we’d begged him to,” Bear explained. “Seeing as our best friend conveniently forgot to contact us with her ComTCD.”

D.C. lightly slapped Alex’s arm, tears also in her green eyes. “You could have reached out sooner, Jennings!” she exclaimed. “We were worried sick, especially after we heard from Bear’s father about what’s currently happening.”

Alex made a face. “I’m sorry,” she sighed, pulling them into a hug once more. “Things were just so crazy for the past days and with all the planning and the training…” She closed her eyes in misery and buried her wet face against their shoulders. “I’m a crappy friend. I should have talked with you both sooner.”

“Apology accepted,” Bear said without missing a beat. “We have important matters to discuss now that the gang’s complete!” Bear paused. “I mean, almost…”

D.C. lightly glared at Bear, who sheepishly smiled back in return. “Dix—”

“I’m fine, Alex,” she sighed, although the sad tears in her eyes said otherwise. “Bear is right, though – we have more important matters to discuss now. Like, for example, your time-travelling shenanigan.”

“How much do you know?” Alex carefully asked.

“Why not invite us to your room and tell us your story? Then, we’ll compare notes,” Bear suggested.

Alex softly chuckled and pushed her door open. She ushered her friends inside, and the three huddled on top of Alex’s bed.

She recounted her adventure for the nth time. While knackered from a full day of training with Niyx, Alex knew she owed it to her friends to tell them what had been happening to her, especially if it would give a context as to why they were preparing to do Alex’s plan.

When they got to past Aven’s part, of him deciding to accompany Alex to the future to at least try to change his fixed destiny, Alex got nervous. D.C. and Bear were both looking at her with neutral expressions on their faces. When she had gently revealed that she was, in fact, very much in love with this version of him, her friends did not make any reaction at all.

“This is seriously weirding me out,” Alex lightly joked, if only it could lighten the heavy silence from her friends. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Reacting to my confession?”

D.C. and Bear exchanged a look, and it was then that Alex realized they had talked about this without her before.

“It’s honestly a surprise, Alex,” D.C. carefully said. Alex peered at her green eyes, trying to see any emotions there, but it was too indescribable for her to name. “Roka did brief us before that you have this certain… relationship with the past Aven Dalmarta. Hearing it straight from you doesn’t make it less of a surprise.”

She looked from Bear to D.C., her heart jumping to her throat. “You don’t approve?” she asked.

“Does our opinion even matter?” Bear shot back, quirking an eyebrow. “Whatever Alex Jennings wants, Alex Jennings does.”

“Of course, your opinions matter to me!” she cried back, glaring lightly at her best friends. “I didn’t want you to think less of me just because I’ve unknowingly placed my heart in the hands of the younger version of the very monster we are trying to defeat.”

To her relief, D.C. gave her a gentle smile. It was a tad sad too, and it made Alex’s heart ache a bit. “We don’t think less of you just because you fell in love, Alex. We trust your heart. If this version of Aven is worthy of your love, then he is instantly good in my eyes,” she reassured, reaching out to grasp Alex’s hands. “You can’t help it if you fall in love with someone. I know that, Alex. Trust me.”

Alex’s eyes filled with tears once more, a mixture of relief and sadness. “Oh, Dix,” she said, drawing the redhead to her arms. “We’ll bring Jordan back to us. I promise that to you.”

The princess sniffed and hugged her back just as tight. “I miss him so much,” she confessed. At the corner of Alex’s eyes, she saw how Bear’s eyes shone with unshed tears too. “I worry about him all the time.” She pulled away and looked intently at Alex’s eyes. “And so, I understand what you are feeling, Alex. If it means whatever we’re doing will bring back those we love to us, then I sure as hell will die fighting if the situation calls for it.”

“No, no, no one’s going to die,” Alex vehemently said. “Not on my watch.”

Bear slung his arms over their shoulders. “Then we’ll give them one heck of a fight instead,” he added. “We’ll fight to stay alive.”

'Always dawn,’ she thought, glaring at the dark skies with barely any hint of the imminent sun. ‘Always, always freaking dawn.’ She sighed, watching as Roka and the other Meyarins were gathered outside the Meyarin castle. Everyone was dressed for battle, with identical stoic looks on their faces as they listened to Prince Roka’s speech to uplift their spirits.

“Are Meyarins this melodramatic?” D.C. joked under her breath.

Alex softly laughed, a weird sound to hear in this somber atmosphere. She welcomed D.C.’s humor, however. Her heart had been in a frenzy from terror ever since she walked out of her room, a million worst-case scenarios running through her head.

Her focus was brought back to the present when multiple Valispath landed on the ground, bringing familiar faces of her teachers from Akarnae. Alex’s heart swelled upon meeting Darius’s eyes, his gaze such a comfort amidst the tumultuous thoughts in her head. She relaxed a bit seeing Hunter, Karter, Varin, Mayla and Caspar, all dressed in different ensembles of battle clothes as they wait for instructions from Roka. A grin broke out on her face when she met Fletcher’s eyes.

“Are you okay?” he mouthed, his clinical eyes already roaming all over Alex’s body to check for any signs of injury and maladies.

Alex nodded her head, which marginally relieved him.

She felt D.C. and Bear holding each of her hands as they waited for Roka to finish his last-minute speech. Alex saw the King and Queen both looking at the battle-ready warriors, worry on their faces. It actually surprised her that when Queen Niida caught her eyes, there was only genuine worry in her gaze.

“Alex, are you ready?” she heard Niyx in her mind. The Raedon heir just strode out of the castle after finishing some errands for the prince. “Remember to always activate your Meyarin senses or else—”

She curiously looked at Niyx when he abruptly stopped. He wore an astonished expression on his face, jaw dropped and eyes widened. She followed his line of vision only to see that he was looking at her Archery teacher, Mayla, who wore an equally shocked expression on her face. Now that she was beholding her teacher properly, Alex could see that she looked suspiciously like a Meyarin. In fact, the amethyst eyes and black hair were suspiciously familiar.

“Niyx?” she asked, a shocking conclusion already forming in her head.

Alex wasn’t able to wait for Niyx’s reply as the Crown Prince now stood right in front of her. She mentally promised herself she would ask Niyx about it later.

“Alex, are you ready?” Roka gravelly asked, echoing the question Niyx had asked her just a few moments ago.

“Will it matter if I say that I’m not?” she softly shot back.

In spite of himself, Roka grinned. “Indeed,” he said. “Just remember, no ‘hero complex’ thing while on the battlefield, Alex. Do you hear me?”

She glowered.

“I’d rather my brother wakes up from his sleep with you alive and waiting for him,” he quickly added with a smile.

Alex matched his smile. “Let’s now go kick some evil Meyarin butt, prince.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Seventeen

It was pandemonium.

Alex stood rooted on the spot, her heart hammering wildly inside her chest as she gasped for breath. Her eyes swept through the fray, but her vision was severely hindered by the dense fog one of the Claimed had summoned. The haze blurred everything, making it even harder to identify allies from enemies. Even with her heightened Meyarin senses giving her some advantage, the fog drained her energy as she struggled to focus and see if her friends were okay.

The surprise attack on Chateau Shondelle started well. Cloaked under a dark sky streaked with meager sunlight, their side had infiltrated the mansion where the evil Aven Dalmarta was protected. Alex fought through the shocked, angry Claimed—dodging heavy fists and sharp weapons—all while trying to gain entrance to the mansion.

Soon, far too soon, it became obvious her side was at a disadvantage. Evil Aven had collected countless powerful Claimed, Meyarin and Medoran alike. Former friends and even those she'd interacted with kindly now stood against her. The Rebel Prince's will remained intact—even in his coma—and his army of powerful Claimed still obeyed, their loyalty unwavering, even without their master awake to control them.

“Alex!”

She was shoved back into the present when a flurry of red hair and green eyes knocked her to the side. At the same moment, a whizzing fireball passed Alex where she had just been standing a while ago.

Bile rose to her throat, knowing that if D.C. hadn’t intervened, she would have been burnt to crisp.

“What the heck are you still doing here?” her best friend yelled above the noise. She was slashing wildly with a sword Hunter had given to her before their attack. The princess did not have the same training as Alex, but from the way D.C. wielded the sword, Alex could see that she knew what she was doing.

“I… I can’t leave,” Alex stuttered, slowly getting up on her feet. “Not yet.”

D.C. knocked down a Claimed Meyarin with a shout, before whirling around Alex with a glare on her grimy face. “We’re going to be fine, Jennings!” she exclaimed, pushing Alex towards the entrance of the Sparker mansion. “Just do what you have to do and everything will end.”

The princess surprised her by pulling her into a fierce hug. “Make Aven Dalmarta pay for what he did to Jordan,” she hissed. With all her might, D.C. pushed Alex closer to the entrance before disappearing among the fighting crowd.

‘Focus, Alex,’ she thought, taking a deep breath as she ducked under a fighting Zeltora and a Claimed Medoran. Her best friend was right; she had a task to do. As much as she wanted to stay and help hold them off, her friends trusted her to do her part. The least she could do was to do it as quickly as possible and end this once and for all.

It took a while for her to reach the entrance finally. At first, it was heavily guarded by the most powerful Claimed, but because of the fight her side was putting, the guards had no choice but to join the battle. Alex was just grateful she didn’t have to spend a lot of energy just to slip inside. She knew she had to have all the energy she could store just to face evil Aven.

According to their intel, Aven’s unconscious body was hidden at the topmost floor of the mansion. Alex bet it was heavily guarded too and kept herself vigilant for any sudden attacks.

Jordan’s childhood home boasted three floors, with opulent decorations that almost rivaled D.C.’s home. It still paled in comparison with the Meyarin castle. Still, it disoriented her knowing that this was where her goofy and kind best friend grew up.

She didn’t waste any more time and summoned the Valispath. Seeing that they were out of Meya, it gave her great relief that she could wield the Eternal Path once more. It didn’t take long for her to reach the top floor; walking would have taken more time and energy she could not afford to waste.

It wasn’t hard to locate where Aven’s body was hidden. The room was right at the very middle of the floor, with two Claimed Meyarins standing guard. Alex recognize one Meyarin as Loro Gaiel, one of King Astophe’s council members. She did not have fond memories over the lord, but Alex bet he’d willingly allowed Aven to Claim him, if only he could serve a master who aligned more with his interests.

Alex hid behind a wall, brown eyes occasionally peering just to see if they would leave or not.

Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when Marcus Sparker’s familiar form strode purposefully towards the guards.

“What the hell are you still doing here?” he loudly barked, prompting Alex to flinch in surprise. “The mansion needs defending downstairs!”

Gaiel’s lips twisted in disdain. “We are under strict orders to guard the prince, mortal,” he spat, as if physically disgusted that a mere human dared to shout over him.

Marcus’s eyes glinted dangerously, as a deceptive mask of calm appeared on his face. He slowly stalked closer until he was inches away from the defiant Meyarin. Although Gaiel held himself proud and tall, Marcus Sparker easily towered over him.

“Aven will not like it if the mansion is breached,” he lowly said, his face considerably darkening at the glare now on Gaiel’s face. “Get your fucking asses out of here and defend the mansion.”

“We don’t take orders from you, mortal,” Gaiel hissed.

Marcus didn’t back down. In fact, his gaze did not stray from the Meyarin’s defiant one. And then, to Alex’s surprise, a confused look appeared on Gaiel’s face before he blinked rapidly. Then, to his companion, he said, “Let us go. We have an order.”

The other Meyarin was wary of Jordan’s father, but he did not voice out any complaints and hopped on the Valispath Gaiel had summoned. Soon, they zoomed out of Chateau Shondelle, leaving a terrified Alex hidden away from Jordan’s dangerous father. She silently prayed he’d just go and not investigate the floors for any possible intruders.

“You can come out now.”

Alex’s blood ran cold. Her terror increased tenfold as she unconsciously summoned A’enara in her hand. The blue starfire engulfed her whole hand, but Alex did not feel the burn the others complained about when they touched it. Somehow, it brought comfort to her, like a hand holding her as an assurance of safety.

“I don’t bite, Alex, you know.”

Her eyebrows slowly knitted together, wondering why Marcus Sparker’s voice suddenly changed. In fact, the teasing lilt she heard loud and clear was something she’d been acquainted to for the past years, after sparing with him a lot during their Combat classes.

Alex steeled herself and took a peek, only to gasp loudly in surprise. Instead of the terrifying Sparker patriarch, handsome Kaiden James with too blue eyes stood outside Aven’s room, a cheeky smile on his face.

“Kaiden?” she softly asked, pushing herself away from her hiding place to fully look at him. She still held A’enara in her hand, just in case this was all a ruse and she was being lured into a trap. “How did you…” Her words died down as he quirked an eyebrow. Alex admittedly had a stupid crush on him before Aven happened, and she was constantly curious what his gift was. “You disguised yourself as Marcus Sparker?”

“Yes,” he simply said, his smile still in place.

“But… Skyla…” She swallowed thickly, the dead face of her previous classmate in Stealth and Subterfuge flashed before her eyes. “T-that was Skyla’s gift. Turning into somebody else.”

Kaiden nodded. “Yes,” he replied once again.

It was rare for two Medorans to share the same gift, as she recalled during one of her first lectures in Akarnae. Like a thumbprint, the gift was unique and no other individual could have same gift as another. Gifts could be similar, though, like how one could change the weather while another could only wield a thunderstorm. But never the same.

“I’m a conduit,” he finally explained. When Alex still stared at him in confusion, he added, “I can use the gift of others, just as long as I had briefly touched them beforehand.”

Alex’s jaw dropped. “Whoa,” she breathlessly exclaimed. “That’s some powerful shit.”

He snorted and nodded his head. “Tell me about it.”

“So, what you did to Loro Gaiel…?”

“I used Marcus Sparker’s gift on him, yes,” he confirmed. “It’s not too difficult to contort his memories just so I could get them out of here while you do your thing.”

“I… thank you, Kaiden,” she replied, her heart calming down a bit now that the final obstacle from evil Aven was gone. “I owe you one.”

“How about coffee some time?” he offered. He still looked handsome with his wide smile, but Alex could notice the pinkness on his cheeks. “I mean, you know, if we got out of here both alive.”

Once upon a time she would have been flattered, but stars, she was already hopeless for another. “I’m sorry—”

“Really? Getting rejected while there’s a literal war outside the mansion?” he teased, his hands comically pressed against his chest. “You’re breaking my heart here, Alexandra Jennings.”

“Who the freak said you can invite me over a date when there’s a literal war outside the mansion?” she shot back, cheeks reddening in a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. “I’m sorry, Kaiden, I really am. I’m flattered too, honestly. But I’m… well, I’m already with someone.”

His blue eyes widened in shock. “Seriously?” he dubiously asked.

Alex firmly nodded her head. “Seriously,” she echoed.

“Damn it, I was slow!” he exclaimed, and while he looked endearingly crestfallen, Alex couldn’t help but to chuckle.

“Better luck next time, James,” she said, an apologetic smile on her face.

Kaiden sighed, suddenly looking weary and dejected. “Go save the world, Alexandra Jennings,” he finally said, a sad smile growing on his face. “And if your heart is broken by whomever you’re seeing, come find me and I’ll take good care of you.”

Her cheeks flared redder with his declaration. Kaiden gave her a wink before turning around and running out of the mansion. He never looked back.

‘Did that just freaking happen?’ she internally asked.

“Focus, Alex!” she hissed to herself. Alex shook her head to rid herself of unimportant things for now.

“Alex?” Niyx asked in her mind. “Where are you? I can’t find you!”

“Niyx, I’m okay,” she appeased, hearing the worry in his voice. “I’m finally inside. I’m going to Aven right now.”

“Stars, kitten, please be careful,” he begged. “I’d rather you come out of here alive, your Aven be damned.”

Alex snorted. “I’m not going to leave here until my Aven is safe,” she vehemently replied. She heard Niyx’s defeated sigh, before whispering his good luck.

“I love you, kitten, you know that right?” he tenderly said. “You are one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

Her heart quivered at his honesty, eyes filling with tears as the gravity of the situation finally dawned. “I love you too, you norot,” she replied, hearing Niyx’s chuckle in her mind. “If you die out there, I’m going to drag you from the netherworld just so I can kill you myself. You hear me?”

“Expect that I’ll do the same if you die, Alexandra Jennings,” he firmly said. He whispered his good luck once more before it was radio silence once again.

Alex wanted to continue communicating with Niyx as she slowly approached Aven’s room, but she knew the Raedon heir needed to focus on the fight outside if there was any hope of him they’d come out of all this debacle alive.

She stood for a few moments outside the door, taking deep, calming breaths to will her heart to rest easy. Then, with a final deep, shuddering breath, Alex pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It was underwhelming, to say the least. She was honestly expecting that there would be more security or booby traps to keep intruders away. But maybe Aven’s lackeys were too confident that no one would ever breach the mansion just to reach their master. Too bad for them they underestimated Alex’s stubbornness.

The enemy was lying on top of a magnificent king-size bed. Alex wondered if this was the master bedroom, her lips curling in disgust realizing that Jordan’s parents were fanatics enough to offer their room to their evil, psychopathic master.

Aven looked like he was only sleeping. There was the unmistakable rise and fall of his chest, oblivious that she was hovering over him, ready to strike him down. Alex could easily plunge A’enara into his heart, but she knew defeating Aven wasn’t that simple. Jordan and those who were unwillingly Claimed also depended on her to stop his hold on them. Alex couldn't afford to let them down.

“Hello, Aven,” she whispered, bending lower just to peer closely at the sleeping prince. Her heart ached, noting that he looked exactly like the prince she loved back at Meya. While her Aven looked like he was peacefully sleeping, his older counterpart’s face was twisted as if he was having a nightmare. His eyebrows were knitted together at the middle, his lips curled in a snarl. While he did not bear the scar his younger, alternate self had on his cheek, there were noticeable dark bags under this Aven’s face. No matter how handsome he still looked, evil marred whatever redeeming features he had on his face.

Alex pressed A’enara against her left palm, then slashed it enough to produce a small gash. Her red blood dripped down on the floor and on the bedsheets, but she didn’t mind as she held Aven’s hand and created a similar wound. Silver blood gushed out of the laceration.

She joined their wounds together, red mingling with silver, then whispered, “Trae Menada sae.”

__________

Alex had only Claimed one person before, and so she wasn’t prepared by the sudden onslaught to her senses. When she Claimed Niyx, he was on the brink of death, his mind blanketed in darkness as his swiftly fading thoughts greeted her with open arms.

Aven’s mind was different.

Screams of agony and indignation combined welcomed her. Alex’s eyes fluttered closed in pain, trying to block away the high-pitched noise dead set on rupturing her eardrums. A searing headache bloomed on her temples and it took great effort to keep her nausea at bay. It took a while for Alex to realize that this was Aven’s will, trying to resist her intrusion with as much strength as he could.

Alex steeled herself and grew more focused, ignoring the pain that enveloped her whole until she finally pierced through an invisible barrier. She fell on her knees as the pain subsided, great pants of breath escaping from her lips.

The screams didn’t stop, though, and as Alex blinked her eyes open and slowly stood up from the floor, she recognized that she was back at the Meyarin palace ballroom overlooking numerous bodies on the ground. The screams came from them, begging to be heard, and with a sinking stomach, Alex noted that these were the people Aven Dalmarta had Claimed along the years.

“What have you done to me?”

Alex gasped and twirled around, her eyes landing on the steely golden eyes of her enemy. Her gaze distractedly saw that there were Myrox-bound cages behind him. With a jolt, she saw Jordan in one of the prisons, but her best friend’s face was twisted with turmoil and did not notice Alex’s arrival.

“What have you done to me?” he repeated, ensnaring Alex’s attention back to him. Aven took a step forward and Alex unconsciously took a step back, wordlessly summoning A’enara to ready to defend herself.

Aven’s eyes flickered on the glowing blade in her hand and sneered. “Get out of my head, Alexandra,” he hissed. He stepped closer and it took sheer force of will to keep her standing in place. Alex could already feel herself trembling in fear and anticipation, but she stood her ground. Aven looked like he was a panther ready to pounce on his prey. One wrong move and it could be disastrous for Alex.

“You know I can’t do that, Aven,” she softly replied. “I’m not going to leave until you release all of them.”

He grimaced and Alex knew he could feel the power struggle between them. There was a pressure behind her eyelids, but it was bearable enough for Alex to power through. Her willpower was strong; she’d trained for months with Niyx to strengthen her mind. She could not back down now.

“No one can stop me,” he snarled. “Least of all a disgusting mortal like you.”

She knew this wasn’t her Aven. She knew this wasn’t the Meyarin who’d told her he loved her with bright, shiny eyes. Still, seeing that dark look on the face he shared with the one she loved was enough to slightly shaken her resolve.

Aven’s eyes widened in shock, noticing this too. He took a few more steps forward, but stopped when Alex raised A’enara between them again. “If you take another step toward me, I swear to the stars, Aven,” she threatened.

She held her breath as Aven latched onto her wrist and slowly pressed A’enara just at the spot where his heart lay. He ignored the forming blister on his skin because of the burning starfire, golden eyes intently staring at Alex’s brown ones. “You hesitate, Alexandra,” he murmured. “I can feel it. Why?”

Unbidden images of her time travel appeared in her mind. At the same time, Aven gasped and threw her wrist away.

Alex blinked, noticing the horror plainly written on Aven’s face. “What was that?” he demanded. “What did you just show me?”

“You saw them too?” she asked, surprised. Judging from his pale face and horrified expression, Alex concluded Aven was able to see the memories she conjured in her mind. Maybe it was because she was technically inside his head. Aes Daega’s memory spell could easily be overridden by Alex. The Tia Anuran may be powerful, but Alex’s willpower was just as strong.

She recalled her experiences in past Meya once more, this time making sure to remember every single detail just so Aven could witness them all. His jaw dropped, frozen on the spot, as Alex’s memories ran through his mind. She made sure to emphasize past Aven’s interactions with the Medorans, how he saved their heir and championed for a safe trade between their kingdoms.

“STOP!” Aven roared, clutching his temples in agony. “STOP!”

For some strange reason, she was breathing hard like she had ran a marathon. Alex eased her memories and stared at Aven, who was brought to his knees as he watched Alex’s memories like a movie.

“What have you done to me?” he moaned, lifting his head as he stared at Alex again. His golden eyes were clouded with a myriad of emotions, with confusion the clearest of them all. “Aeylia. You—Aeylia is you and—” He thickly swallowed, then a dark look appeared on his face. He scrambled back on his feet and lunged towards Alex.

She lifted A’enara and Aven hissed as the blade managed to nick his arm.

“No, no, stop playing tricks on me, Alexandra,” he spat, a dangerous glint now in his eyes.

“I’m not playing tricks on you, Aven,” she calmly said to placate him. “What you saw was the truth.”

He hissed, a pained expression coloring his features. He clutched his head once and Alex grasped onto the budding pressure between the two of them and tugged. A pained groan drew out from Aven’s lips.

“Release them,” she commanded once more. “You know you can’t win against me, Aven.”

He slowly lifted his head, his steely eyes latching onto her. Alex softly held her breath, brief terror lancing through her heart with the thought that this version could have happened with her Aven if she didn’t persevere. She comforted herself by noting that the small scar was not present on evil Aven’s face. While a flaw by Meyarin standards, that single scar was what drew them apart. Enough for Alex to grasp tighter on the invisible bond and tugged once more.

Aven started panting in pain, beads of sweat now forming on his forehead as he struggled to stand up. But Alex held firmer, pulling more determinedly every time Aven struggled.

“Release them,” she exclaimed.

With one, last mighty pull, Aven crashed on the ground. He rolled on the floor until he was supine, great gasps of breath billowing out of his lips. Alex hovered over his form and said, “Stop fighting, Aven. It’s over.”

“Aeylia,” he choked in between pained gasps. “Aeylia, haven’t you done enough to me?”

It was strangely reminiscent of the time Aven just discovered of her betrayal. Tears filled Alex’s eyes, but she held firm and shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “You did this to yourself. And also…” She swallowed and took a deep breath. “My name is Alex.”

She tugged harder until Aven was screaming in pain just as loud as the beings he Claimed. Soon, he didn’t have a choice and shouted, “Trae Gaverran sae!”

Instantly, the screaming was gone. Everyone, including Jordan, disappeared in Aven’s mind until it was only the two of them alone. Aven was still slumped on the ground with Alex towering over him.

Alex waited with bated breath, watching as the Rebel Prince slowly lifted his head, his haunted and defeated golden eyes meeting her gaze.

Before she could say anything, she felt herself getting dragged back to her body. Alex gasped when she felt corporeal once more, and she would have crashed on the floor if not for Roka’s sudden support.

“Easy, Alex,” he murmured, pulling her closer until she was leaning her full weight against his body.

“Aven, he’s—” Her shining eyes met Roka’s bright, clear one. Judging from the small, relieved smile on his face, Alex deduced she was able to successfully release all the Claimed individuals.

“You did it,” the prince said, pulling her into a tight hug. “You actually did it.”

She chuckled through her tears. “Don’t act so surprised,” she softly teased. “I told you this could work.”

“As insanely as it sounded, you are absolutely right,” he sighed.

Roka pulled away from Alex, then glanced at the unconscious form of his brother. Alex followed his gaze and grimly noted that the tormented expression on Aven’s face was already smoothed out. He looked just as peaceful as the Aven back at the Meyarin castle.

Slowly then, she summoned A’enara once again and strode closer to Aven’s bed.

“No,” Roka said, stopping her. He determinedly looked at Alex and added, “You’ve done enough for my family. I don’t want you to burden this one, too.”

Alex’s tightened her grip on the hilt. “Roka… he’s still your brother,” she whispered.

But Roka was shaking his head. “My brother has long been gone, Alex,” he said. “Hatred had stolen him away from our family.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, although secretly relieved that the final burden of disposing evil Aven didn’t fall onto her hands.

The Crown Prince stubbornly nodded his head. Alex, already too exhausted from the battle of wills she did with Aven, wordlessly offered A’enara to Roka. He grimaced as the hilt was too hot for him to handle, but Roka did not relinquish his hold.

Roka silently pointed the tip of the blade over Aven’s heart. Alex noted how he was badly trembling, tears gathering in his eyes, but Roka firmly kept his hold.

She silently grasped Roka’s free hand for comfort, knowing that this was still difficult for him despite everything Aven had caused in the past.

“You can leave now, Alex,” he murmured, ignoring the tears that slipped down his face.

Alex’s eyes had filled with tears too but she stubbornly shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “No, I’ll stay here with you.”

Roka did not say anything in reply, but based on how tightly he’d gripped Alex’s hand, she knew he was grateful that he wasn’t alone for this.

Slowly, then, Roka pressed the tip against Aven’s heart before completely plunging it inside.

__________

The pandemonium had ended when Roka and Alex, still hand in hand, returned outside.

The Medoran military and Zeltora warriors alike were rounding up the traitors who weren’t Claimed, placing handcuffs on their wrists to bring them to prison. Most of the awakened were running to their loved ones, flinging their arms around each other as they cried loud, happy sobs at being reunited.

“ALEX!”

Her eyes filled with tears as she laughed and opened her arms, catching Jordan just in time. He also loudly laughed as he slightly lifted Alex and twirled her around a few times. He placed her feet firmly back on the ground, then grinned down at her, his blue eyes also shining with happy tears.

“Jordan,” she sobbed, pulling him closer to bury her face against his shirt. “Jordan, y-you’re back.”

“Alexandra freaking Jennings does it again, ladies and gentlemen,” he fondly teased, placing his cheek against the top of her head.

Two more sets of arms joined their hug. D.C. was crying the loudest, which prompted Jordan to peel her away from himself. Without any preamble, he bent down and finally, finally gave her the kiss she’d been waiting for ages.

“Gross,” Bear said, making a face. It was replaced immediately by a smile, his eyes also shining with tears of joy.

Alex was pulled into a crushing hug by Niyx next, who fussed over her and searched for any open wounds. “I had the worst, splitting headache during the battle, Alex,” he said, pulling her into a hug once more when did not see any mortal wounds. “And it was all your fault.”

She chuckled and hugged him just as tight. “I’m glad you’re alive too, Niyx,” she whispered.

He peered down at her and asked, “Does this mean that Aven—”

“AVEN!” she cried, pulling away from him completely. Before anyone could stop her, Alex activated the Valispath and zoomed away from the happy reunions.

Such was her anticipation she did not realize she could already use the Valispath in Meya. She didn’t dwell on this new revelation too much, dead set on seeing her Aven in the flesh. If what Aes Daega said held true, then she would want to be beside Aven when he finally woke up from his long slumber.

She jumped down from the Valispath once she arrived outside his room and pulled open Aven’s door.

Her heart sank to her feet when she noticed that Aven was still fast asleep. ‘Okay, calm down,’ she told herself, gingerly approaching Aven’s side.

He still looked the same. Nothing had changed. Fear struck her heart as she touched Aven’s cheek. His eyes did not flutter open. He didn’t even react with her simple touch. Was she too late? Did she dawdle too much that Time had finally detected that he was technically an anomaly in a universe where he should not exist?

“Give him some time.”

Alex gasped, A’enara in hand, as she whirled around, ready to defend herself and Aven.

Aes Daega stood right outside the threshold, a small, amused smile on her face. “I hope that you won’t be using that on me, child,” she softly teased.

“Lady Mystique!” she greeted. She was so exhausted with everything that had happened today she did not even think when she threw her arms around Aes Daega. Her hug was tight and relieved, and it brought fresh tears in her eyes when the old lady hugged her in return.

“I didn’t fail to save him, did I?” she feebly asked, darting a worried glance at Aven’s sleeping form.

“This isn’t an ordinary sleep, Alexandra,” Lady Mystique reminded. “Allow his body time to adjust to his new environment.”

She deflated in relief, all tension leaving her body. “Aven, the evil one, he’s… dead.” Aes Daega nodded her head in confirmation. “What happens next, Lady Mystique?”

There was a twinkle in her eyes as she fondly looked at Alex. “Whatever it is you want, child,” she said. “You are the only one who can decide what your destiny will be.”

“What? It’s not ‘written in the stars’?” she joked, which only prompted Aes Daega’s smile to widen more.

Instead of answering, the old lady tenderly patted Alex’s cheeks. “Never lose your spark, Alexandra Jennings,” she said. “It will get you through the darkest days.”

Without any warning, she disappeared with a blinding flash of light.

“Always so melodramatic,” Alex sighed and shook her head with a smile.

She then looked back at Aven and strode closer to his bed. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” she whispered, gently grasping his hand to squeeze it. “I just helped save the freaking world.”

Aven did not stir, even with the sound of her voice. She expelled a soft sigh and wondered how long it would take for him to fully recover. Now that she was properly looking at him, he looked less pallid than the last time she saw him. She took it as a good sign that Aven was in fact awakening and not being claimed by Time.

Now that the excitement of the battle and her confrontation with evil Aven had concluded, Alex felt nothing but sheer exhaustion. Her eyelids felt heavy as she slowly plopped down beside the sleeping Aven.

It didn’t take long for sleep to claim her.

“Alex.”

“Hmm?”

“Alex, wake up.”

She stirred on the very comfortable bed but refused to open her eyes. “Hmmm ‘ive mor’ mins,” she grumbled, burying her face against a warm, but solid pillow. A contented sigh flew out of her mouth as she slung her arms around her comfortable pillow.

She slightly frowned when it rumbled. “Long day?” a voice asked her.

Alex softly snorted. “Try a long year,” she rasped out.

Her pillow rumbled once more, which deepened her frown. “Then rest well, my love. You, of all people, deserve it.”

It took Alex a few moments before realizing that the pillow she was sleeping on was in fact a very solid body. And that body was Aven, his golden eyes shining with mirth as he peered down at her, his lips stretched into a small smile.

Alex froze in his arms, wondering if she was still dreaming. The last thing she remembered was Aes Daega quickly dropping by, then everything was hazy thereafter due to her exhausted mind.

She slowly blinked and glanced down, noticing that she was using Aven’s chest as her pillow—a decidedly comfortable one, the best pillow she ever had—and had inevitably slept her tiredness away.

Then, she realized Aven was awake, and he was talking to her and looking at her with such fondness. Tears flooded her eyes, her gaze briefly landing on the scar under his right cheek, before looking back at his tender gaze. “Y-you’re awake,” she sobbed, clinging to him tightly as if afraid he’d suddenly disappear.

“No thanks to you,” he teased, prompting a wet chuckle from her lips. He gently brushed her tears away. “How long was I asleep?”

“More than a week,” she with a sniff. Then, without meaning to, she lightly slapped his chest. “You scared the absolute crap out of me when you didn’t wake up immediately after we disposed your evil, future self.” More tears tumbled down as she pressed her face against his neck. “Stupid, incorrigible prince. I-I thought I was too late.”

He gently pulled her face away just he could peer down at her. “You did well,” he murmured, pressing his lips against hers. “You did so well, my love.”

She could not stop her tears from flowing, even when Aven continued to murmur his reassurance that he was, in fact, very much awake. He pressed kisses all over her face until Alex had cried herself to sleep, face once again buried against his chest.

That was how Roka found them that afternoon, eyes widening in surprise upon seeing that his brother was already awake.

“Av—”

He paused when Aven placed a finger against his lips, then gestured at the sleeping heroine against his chest. Roka smiled in understanding, noiselessly stepping out of the room to let Alexandra Jennings finally get the nap she definitely deserved.

Chapter Text

Epilogue

Two weeks had passed since The Epic Battle at Chateau Shondelle—fondly coined by Jordan Sparker himself—and things had been quite normal.

Alex already started her fourth year in Akarnae a week ago. The battle was mostly contained in the Sparker mansion, and while it had brought such a buzz throughout Medora, the structural rebuilding didn’t take too much work. With Marcus and Natasha Sparker imprisoned for siding with the enemy, Jordan now inherited the humongous house. The seventeen-year-old directed most of the fixing, but Alex suspected he had too much fun flipping his childhood home. Besides the destroyed infrastructure, Jordan started tearing down some pristine rooms and even the disgusting dungeon hidden underneath his house to make the place livable.

The buzz had settled down now, and Alex desperately wanted to ditch the first few days of school to sleep more. Darius, however, refused to grant her such clemency and made sure she was back on time when the school year started.

It was disorienting for Alex, to say the least, because after experiencing a lot of things just the summer before, she was now forced to sit down during lectures while Caspar droned on and on about the history of the Nightwalkers and the Dayriders.

“We’ll be having PE with Finn bright and early tomorrow. Great,” Jordan grumbled, making a face. They were all hanging out in Bear and Jordan’s room, with Alex lying down on Bear’s bed while Jordan and D.C. were cuddled on the other bed. Bear was languidly twirling on his swiveling chair, a wide yawn tearing out from his lips.

“It’s probably best if we retire for the day,” Bear suggested as he stood up from his chair and luxuriously stretched. He then pointedly glanced at the couple and said, “No sleepovers.”

“Aww, come on, I was a puppet just a week ago!” Jordan complained while D.C.’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Who’s going to hold me when I wake up with nightmares? You, Barnold?”

Bear grasped one of his pillows on his bed and threw it at his laughing best friend. It warmed Alex’s heart to see Jordan heartily laughing, but it still did not escape her notice how he had been a little paler for the past days, dark bags prominent under his eyes.

While the two rowdy boys horsed around, Alex exchanged glances with D.C. The princess had recently confided to her that Jordan was truly experiencing nightmares, and since they respected Bear’s space, they usually cuddled in front of the lake to catch some sleep. Jordan slept more easily with his girlfriend pressed against his side.

“Suppose we go now,” D.C. suggested, rolling her eyes after dodging a hurtling pillow. “Reserve your energies for Finn tomorrow.”

Bear and Jordan comically had identical grimaces on their faces.

“Goodnight then,” Jordan said, unabashedly pulling D.C. closer to kiss her.

“Gross,” Bear and Alex complained together, which prompted soft chuckles from their best friends.

“Come, Jennings,” D.C. said as she completely pulled away from Jordan to hold Alex’s hand. “Let’s get out of this smelly boy’s room.”

Bear protested while Jordan laughed. Alex, however, slowly pulled her hand away, an apologetic smile on her face. “Actually… I have to go somewhere.” She didn’t elaborate, her eyes unconsciously landing on Jordan. She was to meet Aven tonight, the Meyarin prince insisting persistently to come with her during her due visit to her parents.

“I want to meet the parents of the, well, mortal I’m courting,” he told her when she demanded a reason.

Alex snorted. “Courting? Just say we’re freaking dating like normal people,” she pointed out, rolling her eyes at Aven’s grin.

“Technically, I’m not a person, so I’m not sure if that counts,” he corrected her. Alex called him an ‘incorrigible norot’, which brought out a lovely laugh from his lips that prompted Alex to kiss him senselessly until she could barely breathe.

“Where are you going?” the princess suspiciously asked, snapping Alex from her brief daydreaming. Her cheeks flared, wondering if she was wearing a dopey look on her face Niyx always pointed out every time she was thinking about his best friend.

“Umm…” She nervously looked at Jordan again, unsure how to answer.

To her surprise, Jordan rolled his eyes. “Just say you’re meeting your boyfriend, Alex,” he said. “I’m not going to burst into tears or something.”

She sheepishly smiled, eyes darting all over Jordan’s face. While Bear and D.C. took her relationship with this alternate version of Aven Dalmarta in stride, Alex wasn’t sure how Jordan fully felt about this. The object of his nightmares was evil Aven and the disgusting things he made Jordan do. It was unsurprising to Alex when Jordan initially did not have a good reaction when he found out that she was dating the Meyarin Prince.

“That’s…” She thickly swallowed, annoyed that her heart was hammering inside her chest in nervousness. Her affections for Aven hadn’t ceased—increased even, given the circumstances she had to endure just to save his sleepy ass—but she loved her friends a lot too. Alex desperately wanted them to like Aven, or at least tolerate him, because she sure as hell knew she wouldn’t be ending this relationship anytime soon. “That’s okay with you, right?”

She noted the nervous glance both D.C. and Bear shared, but Alex kept her gaze locked on Jordan. Her anxiety increased tenfold when he had yet to answer her. Admittedly sad, but understanding his hesitation still, Alex nodded her head and said, “Look, it’s—”

Her words died down when Jordan stood up from his bed. In three big strides, he was in front of Alex, pulling her into a big hug. “It’s more than okay, Alex,” he assured, brushing his lips on the crown of her head. “I’ve never seen you this happy. Even before the whole… you know.”

Tears prickled her eyes. ‘Great, I’m crying again,’ she thought. But who could fault her when her best friend was holding her tight like this?

“I’m… still surprised with your choice of boyfriend, though,” he added. “But please give me some time to separate evil Aven from your Aven, Alex. I’m working through stuff right now, but don’t hold or hide your happiness on my account. You deserve to be happy, too, after everything you went through.”

She was unable to suppress her tears any longer, burying her wet cheeks against his chest. “Stop making me cry,” she softly sobbed. “I’ve cried enough to last me a lifetime already!”

Jordan laughed and pulled away. Alex’s tears increased when she noticed that his eyes were glassy too. He fondly brushed her tears away. “Why don’t you invite him over for a quick lunch with your besties, huh? Sometime next week? Or maybe next month? Maybe even Kaldoras with the Ronnigans, ha! That’ll depend on the progress of my ongoing therapy.”

“I’d like that,” she said with a bright smile. “I’d like that very much.”

“That’s settled then,” Jordan said, clapping his hands to seal the plan. Then, waving his hand dismissively, he shooed the two girls out of their room.

Before leaving, D.C. glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll see you?” Alex saw her mouth, green eyes latched onto her boyfriend.

Jordan tenderly smiled and nodded.

D.C. blushed when she saw Alex’s quirked eyebrow. “He definitely needs it,” she quietly replied as she closed the door behind them.

“How is he, Dix?” Alex whispered, smiling slightly when D.C. linked arms with her. “Truly?”

The princess paused for a while as she thought over Alex’s question. “Managing, I believe,” she slowly said. “His nightmares are really awful, Alex. Jordan can only sleep better if I’m there with him.”

She didn’t miss the shine in D.C.’s eyes. “I’m glad he’s got you,” Alex confessed, prompting D.C. to smile. “After everything… I don’t know how to make it better for him.” She awkwardly scratched her cheek and looked away. “And now with Aven—”

“No, stop,” her best friend cut her off. Alex looked at her in surprise, noting the light glare on the princess’s face. “Jordan’s right, Alex; you can’t hold or hide your happiness for his sake. Or ours.”

“Please don’t make me cry too,” Alex grumbled as she felt the telltale prickling in her nose.

D.C. pulled them to a stop. She grabbed both of Alex’s shoulders and turned her fully to face her. “Do whatever makes you happy, Alexandra Jennings,” she sternly said. “Let me deal with Jordan. The last thing he needs is for everyone to walk on eggshells around him. He’d hate you for that if you continue coddling him.” She tightly squeezed Alex’s shoulders and continued, “Heaven knows you’ve been traumatized for the past months, too. If this version of Aven Dalmarta brings out the happiest smile I’d ever seen you wear, I promise you, Alex, we’re going to make this arrangement work. Weird arrangement, mind you. But yes, we’ll make it work.”

Alex chuckled and pulled D.C. into a hug. “Duly noted, Dix,” she said.

“Now that’s settled, I think I have to go back to our room first,” the princess said, her green eyes focused somewhere behind Alex’s. “Your other Meyarin friend’s been weirdly trying to get your attention.”

Alex whirled around, quirking a surprised eyebrow when she saw Niyx standing a few paces away from them, a hesitant smile on his face.

“Princess Delucia,” he greeted, respectfully tilting his head, “Alex.”

“Shhh!” D.C. exclaimed, wide-eyed as she searched the corridors. “Nobody knows.”

“Right, right,” Niyx said, an apologetic smile on his face.

Alex looked at her friend with suspicion. “What are you doing here, Niyx?”

The Meyarin merely shrugged. D.C. took that as a sign to scamper away, bidding them both goodnight.

Once she was out of earshot, Nixy immediately took D.C.’s place. Alex smiled when Nixy grasped her hand and placed it at the crook of his arm.

“Finally,” he sighed, “I was beginning to think you lot would have a sleepover tonight.”

“How long did you wait?” she asked, surprised. When Niyx gave her another sheepish smile, she snorted, “You could have told me, you know. Claiming Bond? Remember?”

Niyx made a face. “Didn’t we agree to keep our mental conversations to a minimum, now that Aven found out about our connection?” he asked. Niyx massaged his jaw, his grimace deepening. “I’d rather not be the receiving end of Aven’s fist again, kitten. The vaespris packs a mean punch.”

A laugh burst out of her mouth, remembering the look of horror that crossed Aven’s face when he found out that Niyx refused to accept the severing of their Claiming Bond. Niyx Raedon was probably one of the mightiest fighters she’d ever known, and so it was comical to see him accepting the sucker punch his best friend had thrown his way.

“We really should do something about this bond,” she pointed out. “Now that the bane of our existence is defeated, there’s really no reason for us to keep communicating through our mental bond.”

“You wound me, kitten,” he sighed, mock frown on his face as he placed his free hand against his heart. “I didn’t know you were so keen to get rid of me.”

Alex rolled her eyes and bumped against his shoulder. “Idiot,” she snorted, “Much as I love you, Niyx, I think I’d like to have some peace and quiet in my mind now that evil Aven is defeated.”

“I think it’s a good idea, anyway.” A disgusted look appeared on his face, glaring lightly at Alex. “I’d rather not get random snippets of your dates with Aven anymore. Stars, please spare me. You both are truly grossing me out.”

Her cheeks flared in embarrassment, shoving him away from her despite his protests. “Eww,” she complained.

“Right?” he wholly agreed, his lips twitching already with barely suppressed laughter. “I don’t want to be scarred for life. The amount of kissing, by the light. And the tou—”

“Okay, all right, stop right there,” she snapped, her cheeks now blazing red. “I’ll ask for help from Kyia to research how to sever this connection completely as soon as possible.”

“Good plan, good plan,” he said, fondly patting her hand on his arm.

It took Alex a minute to realize that Niyx was directing them towards the Library. “You know where I’m going?” she asked.

“Aven told me in passing a few days ago,” he answered. “Right after I cleared my things from the Meyarin castle and completely moved into Akarnae.”

Her eyes lit up in delight. “So, it’s true then?” she asked, grinning widely up at him. “You really accepted the position as Karter’s assistant in our Combat classes?”

He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “You mortals need to be properly shaped up for battle,” he drawled, a smirk growing on his face when Alex rolled her eyes. “While Karter is a respectable warrior, I think you and your classmates will benefit from having a Meyarin to train you for Combat. Besides, Mayra is here so…”

Alex smiled upon seeing the excitement in Niyx’s eyes. Imagine her surprise when she found out that Maggie, their Archery professor, was in fact a Meyarin and Niyx Raedon’s older sister. Once this was revealed to her, Alex finally noticed that her Archery professor was too flawless to pass as a human. To add to her surprise, she had posed as Aeylia, hired by Aes Daega herself, just in case some Meyarins from the past wondered too much about what happened to Aeylia and searched for her.

The reunion between the Raedon siblings was fantastic, because Maggie—Mayra—was initially enraged with Niyx and refused to talk to him. Apparently, she thought he really went to the dark side and corrupted their bond, but after Alex vouched loudly that Nixy had always been on their side, that he had been the one to train her and care for her in the past, this mollified Mayra and made an effort to rebuild the relationship between them. Alex had an inkling that the reason why Niyx readily agreed to take up the position as an assistant professor in Combat was mainly because he could be nearer to his sister.

“Now, Alex, don’t think because I love you I’ll go easy on you,” Niyx said, breaking through her thoughts. “In fact, I’ll be extra strict on you, given the Meyarin blood coursing through your veins. Am I making myself clear?”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Crystal, kraegon,” she grumbled as the phantom pains of his rigorous training flared throughout her body.

“Now, Miss Jennings, that is not how you speak to your professor,” he teased.

“Ugh, you are so going to be annoying with all this professor thing,” she whined.

Niyx merely laughed as they finally reached the doors of the Library.

“Well, then, I must bid you goodnight, vaesprissa,” he said, complete with a reverent bow.

She lightly scowled, her cheeks turning red once more. “Don’t call me that,” she snapped.

Niyx quirked an eyebrow. “Alex, my dear, you should start getting used to it now,” he said, fondly shaking his head as he tapped her red cheek. “The whole of Meya already knows of your relationship with their youngest prince. I don’t know about you, but I think Aven’s not planning on letting you go any time soon, so you should brace yourself, especially if you are to become a Meyarin vaesprissa officially.”

Alex glared, words of protest at the tip of her tongue, but Niyx did not allow her to and pulled her into a hug. “Be a good student and return to your room before curfew, kitten,” he said, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. “Or I’ll be forced to give you detention.”

“I’m going to report you to Darius for abusing your power,” she warned, which only made him laugh before bidding him goodnight.

Alex sighed at his retreating back, a small smile appearing on her face. Once Niyx had turned the corner, she opened the Library doors and strode inside.

She was relieved that the Librarian wasn’t there behind her usual desk. Alex wouldn’t want to be the receiving end of another menial task that would derail her plans for tonight.

Her eyes, however, instantly latched onto Aven, who was staring intently at one of the paintings displayed. Alex strode closer and stood beside him, curious about the painting that had caught his attention. To his surprise, it was the replica of the Meyarin palace, in all its Myrox glory.

“That’s… disturbing,” Aven said, frowning deeply as he briefly glanced at Alex. “It looks exactly like my home.”

“You want to know what’s even more disturbing?” she asked. When he tore his gaze away from the painting to look at her, questioning, she grinned and added, “We can totally go into the painting. I’m sure even the tiniest details will be exactly like your home.”

Aven lightly shivered, his frown growing on his face. “Maybe next time,” he said, already snaking his arm around her waist to pull her close. “We have a different agenda for tonight, after all.”

Alex’s lips magnetized into a small frown. Aven grinned in return, bending down to briefly bestow a kiss on her lips. “Are you sure about this?” she asked, placing a hand on his chest to stop him from distracting her further with his amazing kisses. “I mean, these are my parents, Aven. We can arrange for a different date if you are so keen to meet them.”

“Don’t worry, my love, I’ll be on my best behavior,” he promised, complete with a handsome grin.

She snorted and shook her head. “Oh, I know you’ll be a dear,” she pointed out. “It’s my parents I am worried about.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Well, now I’m more intrigued to meet them,” he said.

Alex sighed, knowing it was futile to protest further. “Fine, let’s get this over and done with,” she said, grasping onto Aven’s hand and directing him down the winding staircases. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My parents are… something.”

“I’m sure,” he chuckled, “especially if they have you as their daughter.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” she cried, swatting his chest. She petulantly glared at him, even when he laughed and placed a kiss on her lips as his apology.

They finally reached the pyramid room where her parents had been staying since they moved to Medora. It didn’t escape her notice how Aven’s jaw slightly dropped at the vast desert inside the room, with towering pyramids that she bet rivaled the pyramids in Egypt back in Freya.

“Come on,” she said, tightening her hold on his hand as they meandered through the sandy floor.

It wasn’t too hard to find her parents. They were inside one of the pyramids, hunched over an open tomb, rifling through the buried treasures by some mummified pharaoh the Library was gracious enough to conjure for them.

“—y darling, I think these are real amethysts. Look at how—”

“Rachel, look at its brilliance! This is a purple sapphire, which you know is more brilliant than an amethyst. And look! It’s birefringent!”

“Jack—”

Alex cleared her throat to make their presence known. Her parents started in surprise, lifting their heads to beam at their daughter.

“Alex!” her mother exclaimed, jumping to her feet to hug her.

Jack pulled her away from her mother to engulf her in a hug too. “Daughter, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“Can’t I visit my parents?” she asked, an exasperating smile on her face. After everything she had gone through over the past months, she realized she had craved her parents’ warmth and innocence so much. She was glad they were isolated from the battle that happened outside Akarnae. She didn’t want to give them any cause for worry, especially with how important her role had been in protecting the peace in Medora.

“And who might this handsome man be?” her mother cooed, finally noticing the silent Meyarin behind her. Alex’s cheeks burned in embarrassment, surreptitiously glancing over her shoulder at Aven. To her relief, he looked more amused and curious than dreadful. Was that also nervousness she detected? She wasn’t too sure, as her mother surprisingly gripped Aven’s face to pull him down. “And my, what beautiful eyes you have. Look, Jack! They’re golden! Like a leopard.”

“Hello, Alex’s parents,” Aven softly greeted, a small smile stretching on his face as he gently pulled Rachel’s hands away from his face. “My name is Aven Dalmarta.”

Rachel gasped, wide-eyed as she stared back at her daughter. “Aven?” she asked. “Aven Dalmarta? Why does his name sound familiar?”

Jack snapped his fingers and pointed at Aven. “The elf problem!” he exclaimed. He looked at Alex, waiting for her confirmation. “He is, isn’t he, Alex? Your elf problem?”

“Elf?” Aven echoed, confused.

“How many times do I have to tell you the Meyarins aren’t elves?” Alex sighed, cheeks burning brighter at the amused look that Aven threw her way. “I-I mean, okay fine, I may have thrown that metaphor to better explain their race, but they’re not elves.”

“Oh, honey, he looks far more handsome than Legolas,” her mother sighed, much to her embarrassment. “How come you never told us that the thorn in your side has a face like that!”

A slow grin appeared on Aven’s face. “You told them about me?” he asked, and Alex was half-tempted to smack away that handsome smirk from his too handsome face.

“All the time!” her father answered. “Every time she visits, it’s always about ‘Aven this’ and ‘Aven that’ and ‘You can’t come out yet because of Aven!’ Come to think of it, I always deduced you were the bad guy.” Jack’s face crumpled into confusion as he exchanged a glance with his wife. “But now that you’re here, I take it you’re really not?”

Alex awkwardly scratched her cheek, while Aven shook his head. “I’m really not,” he assured. “Well, technically, this version of me is not.”

“Hmm… well, that’s just confusing,” her mother answered. “Then, what brings you here, handsome not-Legolas?”

“Mom!”

“I’m sorry, my darling, I just cannot stop thinking about how he looks more handsome than Legolas,” her mother laughed. “Jack, please, back me up here!”

Alex had to stop herself from hiding her face behind her hands in embarrassment. The smarmy Meyarin was actually preening with her mother’s praises.

“Do you want me to tell them or do you want to do the honors?” Aven whispered, sidling closer to Alex to put his hand at the small of her back.

Of course, his actions were not left unnoticed by her parents, who both gasped simultaneously and stared at their daughter with wide, shocked eyes.

Alex sighed, marginally comforted when Aven gave her hip a slight squeeze. “Um…” she said, unable to meet her parents’ gaze. “How should I put this? We’re…”

Mortifyingly, her mother squealed and threw her arms around her husband. “Oh, Jack, do you see what I see?” she exclaimed. “Our Alex is growing up! And snagging a handsome not-elf at that! I think I taught her so well.”

“Of course you did, my dear,” her father answered with an indulgent smile. “After all, you managed to snag this not-elf.” He grinned when Rachel giggled, bending down to give her a kiss.

“Okay, parents, gross,” Alex said, making a face. Beside her, Aven was trying his very best to bite down his laughter.

Rachel pulled away from Jack and held both of Aven’s hands. “Tell me, Aven Dalmarta,” she seriously said. “This is purely out of curiosity. As a woman of science, I am inclined to seek answers to my pressing questions.”

“I don’t like where this conversation is going,” Alex slowly said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Her mother ignored her and continued, “Suppose a human and a—what is it you call your species again?”

“Meyarin, Lasa,” Aven answered.

“Ooh, Lasa? What does that mean?”

Alex sighed. “It means ‘Lady’ in Meyarin, Mom,” she pointed out.

“Sweet boy, I’m not a lady,” Rachel said, gently patting Aven’s cheek, much to his amusement. “Okay, so back to my question. Suppose a human and a Meyarin date for a very long time, then get married in the end, how does procreation work?”

Alex expelled a rattled breath, horrified. “MOM!”

“I mean, given that you belong to a different species, I am curious if procreation is even possible,” her mother continued, ignoring her sputtering daughter still. “My husband and I would like grandchildren, of course. Alex’s happiness still trumps our wishes, but a woman can dream.”

Alex was gaping at her mother, throwing a light glare at her father, who reverently nodded his head to concur with his wife.

Aven, bless the freaking kraegon, looked more amused than horrified, unlike Alex. “Great question, Lasa—”

“—just call me Rachel, my dear.”

“Rachel,” Aven continued. “A very valid one at that.” He grinned when Alex now glared at him. “Rest assured that offsprings are possible between a human and a Meyarin, but I must confess the last known being born from the union of the two was centuries ago.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Jack sighed, hand over his heart. “In that case, welcome to the family.” He eagerly ambled closer to shake Aven’s hand.

“I deeply regret visiting today,” Alex cried, hiding her red face behind her hands.

“If you don’t mind me asking again,” Rachel piped in. “How old are you?”

A lovely laugh escaped from Aven’s mouth. Alex, although still embarrassed, peeked through her fingers to look at him. Despite dating him for a while, she was surprised to realize she did not know the answer to that question. She just knew that this Aven was relatively young by Meyarin standards. Exactly how old, well, she had no idea.

“We have a different concept of age, seeing that we are immortal,” Aven started. “But by human equivalent, I believe I am nineteen years old.”

“I guess I didn’t have to worry for a weird age gap then, eh?” her father joked, prompting Alex to groan in protest.

“I think we’ve overstayed our welcome,” Alex petulantly said, pushing Aven away from her mother’s grasp.

“But honey, you just got here!” Rachel claimed. “We haven’t seen you in a while, and we were worried sick.” At Alex’s astonished glance, her mother glared. “Yes, my darling, we know all about these adventures you’d been having outside while you trapped us here to protect us. Darius was gracious enough to tell us what was really happening outside, given how involved our daughter was.”

Alex grimaced, mentally promising to confront Darius for a brief reprimand, his status be damned. “Mom…”

“Alex,” Jack cut her off, “tell us the truth. Is everything okay now? Seeing that your elf problem is here with you, and introducing him as your boyfriend, I’m going to assume that everything’s fine. But I want to hear it from you directly, my dear.”

Guilt bubbled at the pit of her stomach at the identical looks of worry on her parents’ faces. She knew she hadn’t been truthful with them, always glossing over the danger she was really in for the past months.

“Everything is okay,” Aven assured, much to Alex’s surprise. Her parents gazed at the somber Meyarin. “Your daughter had been very brave. Very reckless too, if I may add. But the imminent danger has been disposed of. You have nothing to worry about now, Alex’s parents. If danger comes her way, I promise you this. They must get through me first.”

Rachel’s hands were against her heart as her glossy eyes met her husband’s warm gaze. Then, to Alex, she added, “It’s a yes, Alex.”

“What?” she asked, confused.

“It’s a yes for me, too, I agree,” Jack wholeheartedly claimed.

“I don’t know what’s happening right now.”

“Isn’t the reason why you brought him here to get our blessings?” her mother asked. She grasped for Aven’s hand again and smiled. “Because you have our full support.”

Aven returned her smile and tilted his head. “Thank you. It is my great honor to receive such a blessing from my beloved’s parents,” he cordially said.

“Ooh, and so formal too!” Rachel giggled.

Alex sighed, a small smile tugging on her lips. “We really should go,” she said, pulling Aven away from her mother’s grasp. “It’s almost curfew, and I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Wait, before we leave, I have a proposition to make,” Aven declared. Three sets of eyes landed on him. “Alex told me all about you and since both of you are explorers—”

“—We prefer archaeologists,” Jack corrected.

“Right, archaeologists,” Aven echoed, nodding his head. “I’d like to invite you to stay at Meya for the meantime. I’ve already asked permission from my father—the king, actually—and he agrees to house you as guests at our palace for as long as you like.”

“A… prince?” her mother breathlessly asked, her eyes bugging out.

“Did we forget to say that?” Alex said with a chuckle. Then, to Aven, “Are you sure? We didn’t talk about this.”

He smiled at her, looking very proud of himself. “It’s a surprise,” he said. “I figured your parents had been cooped up in this room for too long because of my evil, alternate self. I thought a change of scenery would suit them. I’m sure they will find Meya most agreeable.”

Her heart swelled at the kindness in his eyes. “You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered, but Aven merely smiled, reaching forward to grasp her hand.

“It isn’t a big deal, Alex,” he said. “My mother has been asking me to meet your parents ever since I woke up from my slumber.”

Alex flinched. There was no doubt Queen Niida had ulterior motives in insisting on meeting her parents. Judging from Aven’s grin, she knew he also had an inkling of why his mother wanted to meet the parents of the girl he was dating.

“We’d love to visit your home,” Alex’s dad answered. “We have scoured this place and it’s starting to get a little boring in here.”

“Give us a day and we’ll pack our things,” Rachel added. “Does tomorrow sound okay?”

“Of course,” Aven said. “I’ll send some Meyarins to assist you with your travel.”

Rachel gazed at her daughter with stars in her eyes. “A prince,” she dreamily repeated.

“We really have to go,” Alex sighed. She pulled both of her parents into a hug. “Good bye and I love you both, even if you make it a point to embarrass me so much.”

Jack boisterously laughed. “Alex, we are your parents,” he stated matter-of-factly. “It is our job to embarrass you in front of your boyfriend.”

Alex rolled her eyes, unable to suppress her fond smile. Before she could pull away, Rachel yanked Aven to join in their group hug. The Meyarin prince softly chuckled and obliged her mother. As the tallest of the group, he was able to easily encircle his arms around the Jenningses.

They soon left, and Aven insisted on escorting Alex back to her room.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she pointed out once more. “You’ve seen my parents. They are a handful, Aven. I love them both to death, but they might drive your parents mad.”

Aven snorted. “Have you met my mother, Alex?” he asked. Alex recalled all the morning breakfasts she shared with Queen Niida and the little, knowing smile on her face every time Alex interacted with her youngest son. When she made a face, Aven laughed. “Exactly. Besides, the change in scenery will be good for your parents too. They can’t be locked in the Library forever, especially if they do plan to stay in Medora indefinitely.”

Alex sighed. “I don’t wish to be a burden,” she continued, but Aven shook his head.

“It is not a burden, my love,” he said. “My parents are quite excited with this too, you know.”

She scrunched her nose and glared at him. “Fine, you win this time,” she said.

They finally reached her room. A part of her was reluctant to let Aven leave, but she knew he had matters to attend to back in Meya and she was still a student in Akarnae. Ever since he woke up from his magical sleep, Aven had been reintegrating himself into this new timeline. It was understandable how the Meyarins were hesitant to accept this version of him at first, memories of the murderous Rebel Prince still plaguing their mind. But Aven persevered. It didn’t take long for his family to accept him and keep him updated with all the changes in Meya and their neighboring countries.

Aven smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes. “I’ll be back again tomorrow when we come and fetch your parents,” he promised, pulling Alex into his arms.

She nodded and nuzzled against his neck. “See you tomorrow then,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his skin.

Alex still hadn’t let him go.

“Perhaps,” he whispered, peering down at her sleepy face, “you want to take a quick stroll at the Golden Cliffs?”

Her eyes brightened at his suggestion. “I have PE first thing in the morning. Finn will be merciless I’m sure,” she said. When Aven quirked an eyebrow, she grinned, “Darius will have my head if he finds out I went out of the school premises with you.”

“Since when does Alexandra Jennings shy away from an adventure?” he teased.

She chuckled. “Since never,” she answered. “Bring me back to school before midnight like a proper gentleman, Vaespris.”

Aven grinned and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Then, he summoned the Valispath and brought them to the Golden Cliffs.

 Fin