For Me,There Is Only You |18+|

74. The Confrontation

The shift was jarring.

One moment, I was surrounded by the shimmering vortex, and the next, we were back in the room.

Familiar walls. The faint orange glow of the hearth. Everything looked exactly as it had before. The bed. The low flicker of firelight.

I saw myself lying on the bed, asleep, with Grandma resting beside me.

But just as quickly, like a brittle illusion cracking, the scene distorted.

The figures vanished, replaced in an instant by the imposing form of Lymeris.

The hoods of their white robes still hung low, hiding their faces, but Lymeris's cold silver eyes caught mine for a brief moment before Myrren lifted his hand again.

The portal reopened, swirling like liquid light.

Without a word, both Elders stepped through and disappeared into the void.

I stood there, frozen.

My fingers tightened around the rock Zephyra had given me. Its faint warmth pulsed against my palm like a quiet heartbeat. After a breathless moment, I slipped it into the pocket of my white dress.

Behind me, I felt Grandma shift, like she wanted to say something, her presence hesitant, but before either of us could speak, the door creaked open.

And there he was.

Ansel stood at the threshold, his chest rising and falling quickly. His sapphire-blue eyes locked on mine, flooded with anxious relief the moment he saw me.

"Neev—" He quickly stepped forward, his tone both worried and gently scolding.

"Why are you awake? You shouldn't be standing."

In seconds, he was in front of me, his hand reaching out, pressing gently against my forehead.

I almost flinched. Almost.

But I stayed still.

His brows furrowed as he felt my skin. "Your fever's down..." he whispered, mostly to himself. A soft sigh escaped him. "Thank God."

His gaze shifted, flicking between me and Grandma, sensing the heaviness in the room.

The tension.

The unsaid things.

"Why are you both standing here like this?"

My lips parted, but no words came.

How could I speak when my heart felt like it was splintering into a thousand fragile pieces?

The disbelief.

The ache.

The bitter taste of betrayal.

And yet... beneath it all, the worst pain was the one I felt for him.

He didn't know.

He didn't even know.

Ansel's eyes scanned the room for a fleeting second, like he was catching onto something invisible in the air, but then, he seemed to dismiss it.

Neither Grandma nor I said a word.

There was nothing to say.

A thousand thoughts crashed inside my head, fractured, tangled, too sharp to hold onto.

But on the outside, I felt hollow.

Empty.

Numb.

Then his voice slid into my mind, like a cold breath brushing against my ear.