Ark and Per walked down the hallway. Per glanced at Ark, noting his silence.
She clung to his arm. "What should we do?" she murmured, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"We can't refuse. But at least we know she can't harm him," Ark replied.
"But what if-" she started to say but was cut off.
"Enough of that. Zach knew this day would come," he interrupted.
She sighed deeply. "I'm scared... for them," she admitted tearfully.
"Don't cry now. You need to talk to him. You're better at this," he reassured her.
She wiped away her tears with her fingers and composed herself.
When they reached Zach's room, Per knocked gently. "It's me. May I come in?"
Zach opened the door wider. "Yeah, sure," he replied casually.
Per entered the room, taking a few steps before turning to face him. "Someone wants to see you."
Zach looked surprised. "Um, who?"
She hesitated, meeting his gaze for a moment, which he understood. He sighed silently.
"She's waiting outside, by the Magnolia trees," she informed him quietly.
Despite her attempt to conceal it, he discerned a trace of sadness in her eyes. "Okay, I'll go to her."
He slipped on his coat and walked alongside Per in the hallway.
"If she asks about your relationship with Clair, you don't have to say anything," Per said, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"Don't worry, Per. Honestly, I'm nervous... but I've prepared myself for this," he replied. "Any news about Clair?" he asked.
Per glanced down. "I haven't heard anything," she murmured softly.
He sighed but maintained his composure.
As they reached the front door, Per paused. "I can't come with you. You'll have to go alone from here," she said anxiously.
He smiled and nodded. He then descended the stairs and turned right. Upon reaching the mansion's right-side yard, he spotted a woman clad in an opulent white robe with gold embellishments, gently caressing the trunk of the Magnolia tree as though in deep conversation with it. Zach approached her cautiously through the snow, then he stopped, just a few steps away. She lowered her hand and turned to face him. She was remarkably beautiful, with long, white hair that cascaded straight down. Despite appearing to be in her fifties, she radiated a well-cared-for grace.
"Per said you wanted to see me," he said gently, maintaining a calm state. "Could you please tell me who you are?"
"Let's just say I'm Claireth's guardian," she replied calmly. "I heard your name is Zach."
"Yes," he confirmed. "Please, go ahead. Tell me what you need to say," he said, unflinching.
She sighed softly. "Firstly, I must ask: do you love her?"
"Yes, I do," he answered firmly.
"How much?" she pressed.
He gazed at her for a moment before responding. "Why should I tell you? None of you would understand, anyway," he said.
"Hm... Is that what she taught you? ...I know you're scared, Zach. It's all right. Your life will be better if you just let her go. I promise," she replied gently.
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Trapped Memories (Book2)
Fantasy(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach woke up with an addled mind and empty heart a few days after his surgery. He seemed to feel that his life had begun again. As he continued with what he thought was his normal life, fragments of his lost past slowly b...
