Chapter 225 Chapter 224
"I'm not leaving permanently. This is just for a short period of time. Don't cry so much," he said, pressing kisses to her forehead. "Come on, go now. We're running out of time."
Morvan gently tugged her away from the king. "Your Highness, please, let's go. The journey to the end of the realm is quite far. We need to set out now," he urged.
It felt like someone had sunk a knife into Rayena's chest and left it there. She didn't want to leave him. Even in the face of danger, she didn't want to part with him. It addled her. How close had they gotten during this short time?
Was it because of the bond?
"Xenon, please... don't let them take me away!" she cried, struggling with Morvan as they went further.
He didn't move from where he stood, only watched as the gap widened, his face ashen. She caught the faint tremor of his body, but his face betrayed no other emotion—and that hurt. How long had he known this?
It didn't matter. This hurt more than she'll ever put into words.
"Xenon!" she cried as the door shut against him and broke down fully. Tremors went through her as Morvan continued to lead her along, tears streaming down her face. She hadn't even cried this hard when she was leaving her parents.
How could she breathe with this pain? It was all-consuming.
"Can't you convince him to make me stay? I don't want to leave!!" she cried, her teeth chattering.
"I'm sorry, but unfortunately, I can't. He's made his decision already," Morvan answered.
As they rounded another corridor, they heard footsteps approaching them.
"Rayena?" a female voice called out, and she turned around to see Soraya in plain clothing, dragging a bag in her hands. "What's going on?"
Rayena wriggled away from Morvan's hold, rushing to hug her friend. "I don't want to leave!"
Soraya hastily wrapped her hands around Rayena, glancing at Morvan, who stood meters away. The latter shrugged, attempting to pull Rayena back. "What are you doing here? We dismissed you all yesterday," he said in a brusque tone.
Soraya's heart skipped at those words.
"Yes, you did. But I wanted to see my friend, so I came back. What's happening? Why are you crying?" Soraya asked Rayena, holding her face before pausing, sniffing the air. Her eyes widened in surprise when they dropped to her belly.
"You're pregnant?!"
Rayena shakily nodded. "Yes, it's for the king. He suddenly wants me to leave," she cried, trying to move back. Soraya stopped the act.
"His Majesty is right, Rayena. It's best if you left now. Things don't look good in the realm."
"But I don't want to!!" More tears spilled from her eyes, and she slumped against Soraya. The latter glanced at Morvan. "Can I come too?" she asked.
"You want to join us?" Morvan asked, surprised.
Soraya cleared her throat, her cheeks heating up. She added in a whisper, only for Morvan's ears, "See, I think it would be beneficial if I joined. Rayena is pregnant and very emotional. She'll give you a hard time with her condition. If I follow you, I'll be able to comfort her, help her calm down."
Morvan seemed hesitant. "But what about your parents? Won't they be concerned you're not with them?"
Soraya almost snorted. "I already told them I was coming here. Besides, they are too preoccupied with what's happening right now to really care, and I don't feel so sure staying with them at a time like this. Let me tag along; I already packed my most important things."
Morvan stared at her a moment too long, making all the hair on her body stand on end, she looked away when she couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, if you insist. But we have to leave now. There's no time left."
Soraya nodded. Facing Rayena, she spoke, her voice low but firm. "I know you're hurting, but it's for your own good. His Majesty needs to be certain you're safe. He won't be able to concentrate on the crises at hand without it. Do this for him," she said, staring into her eyes.
At her words, Rayena managed to sober up. She cleaned her tears, taking several calming breaths. "Okay, let's go."
They started to hurry down the hallways but couldn't move quickly due to Rayena's condition. Morvan instantly swooped in to carry her.
Rayena shrieked, but Morvan only quickened his steps, leaving Soraya to catch up. The latter did with ease, being a shifter as well.
The hidden hallways dove underground, and though everywhere was pitch black, Rayena suspected they had to be seeing in the dark to navigate the path so easily. By the time they emerged out of the dark corridors, it was into a thick forest. The smell of fresh earth hit her nose and her ache worsened. A carriage with several soldiers was already waiting, and Rayena could spot a tiny trail, hidden between the trees.
Devastation crashed over her. This was really happening.
Morvan helped her into the carriage, and Soraya followed after, sitting next to her.
"I'll follow you to the outskirts of the realm, but after that, you'll be on your own," Morvan informed them as he stepped down.
Soraya froze. "You're not taking us all the way?"
"Unfortunately, I cannot leave the king alone. You should be able to handle things from there on out. Everything you could possibly need has been provided for. You only need to ask. Rayena's family has been contacted and will be waiting for you when you arrive. They know she's coming."
Soraya nodded. "It's okay, I understand. Let's go."
Their journey to the ends of the realm began, and all through it, Soraya held Rayena close, comforting her through the endless miles.
Rayena’s tears eventually ceased, but she felt hollow, like there was a vast hole where her heart should have been. Every emotion she’d had seemed to fade, leaving only numbness in its wake. Neither of them could tell how much time had passed before the carriage finally slowed near the edge of the borders.
Soraya’s heart began to pound as she stared at the towering walls that marked the end of the shifter’s realm. She had never been this far before and now, she was crossing it. She glanced at Rayena, but there was no trace of excitement on her face. Soraya’s heart clenched; there was nothing to be excited about, not with the way they were leaving.
The carriage rolled to a stop. Moments later, the door swung open and Morvan appeared. “Could I speak with you alone?” he asked, motioning for her to step out.
“I’ll be back,” Soraya murmured to Rayena before stepping down. Morvan closed the door softly behind her.
“Thank you for coming with us all the way here,” he said, his voice grave. “This is where we part ways.”