Underneath His Cloak

Part 20 - And It Ends

I bring myself up and continue to move a few steps away from them, while the shard keeps following my every movement. But it's not what I'm concerned about.

Aamon...

His jaw is clenching tight, his body rigid, and a fist over his leg shows that he is seething in fury.

Heavy sorrow settles in as I stare at him checking Gusion's pulse. He's a good brother to him, even if he seems cold, but in truth he will do everything for Gusion and his siblings.

"Your Grace, I—"

"In cahoots with the elders, such a pity,"

I'm about to reason but Lixia interrupts. Her searing gaze fixes on me.

"Do you really think no one will catch you, when you're running around suspiciously..." She releases one of Eris's spies out of her grasp. Then suddenly she appears in front of me, fingers clutching my chin menacingly.

My breath hitches at her rude gesture, but when I find her eyes all I see is overwhelming fear and anger. Lixia has been living with those emotions her whole life.

Her rage seems to falter after a moment of locking eyes. Her grasp loosen then harshly pushes my face to the side.

"Trusting so easily will cause you, your brother's life, Your Grace." She shifts to walk on her heels towards Aamon.

"Why...Y/N?" He finally speaks, from crouching near Gusion. He doesn't look my way and his fist settles tightly on the ground.

I'm tired, I want to drop myself and sob it all out. There's a heavy weight inside me that I don't know how long will I be able to bear.

I can explain everything and I know he will listen and understand. We will move on and find a way to cure Gusion completely.

The future ahead, I want to experience it with him.

But it is a selfish thinking.

"The curse—is overpowering Gusion, and I don't...want one day you'll choose him over me. I'm not selfless, the way you see me, your grace. It's just a mask for you to keep me around." My quivering chin forces me to look away. "I almost, almost get what I want."

I fake a smile and return my gaze to where he is.

He finally stands at his full height, frowning. "Y/N, you don't need to lie in front of me!"

My shoulder jolts instinctively, startled by his sudden rise of voice. This is my first time hearing him that way and he only makes everything worse.

He needs to believe me!

I ball a fist after feeling a throbbing pain in my hand. I don't know how deep the cut of Gusion's dagger did to my palm but I'm starting to feel the ache intensely.

"Tell me the truth." He speaks again, in gritting teeth while he closes in, on his long steps.

My breath knocks back for a second after his shard also moves even closer cutting a little on my flesh. Sweat dotted my forehead and others drips down from my temple.

Another surge of tears is threatening to fall but I refuse to acknowledge it. As I trained my eyes on him with all the confidence that is left in me.

I'm scared, I'm scared knowing that I might not see him again. See a strand of his silver hair, grey eyes, his scar, hear his voice, be able to hold him, or just look at him from afar.

I'm then reminded of the time I saw him walking forward as the soldiers parted to make way for their Duke. A calm and collected person, who's aware of his authority, yet now all I see is the Aamon I fall in love with.