Chapter 71 AFTER THE BATTLE
Dahila’s POV
The quiet that followed the Lunas’ departure felt heavier than the battle itself. Every shadow in the room seemed sharper, every flicker of torchlight more sinister, as if the walls themselves were waiting for the next disaster.
My knees were still weak, my hands trembling, and yet I remained on my feet, unable to sit properly, unable to relax.
Dagnoth remained close, just a step away, his presence grounding me even as the echoes of the night continued to pulse through my mind.
I could feel the heat radiating off him, steady and controlled, the kind of heat that made me want to lean into it and never move again.
I was grateful to the moongodess that my pups were safe.
“You’re safe,” he said again, his voice low, almost a whisper this time.
Safe. The word felt impossible. The battle had ended, yes, but I wasn’t sure danger had really passed. My mind kept racing, imagining another wave of attacks, another roar, another fire erupting in the courtyard below.
My chest tightened with each imagined scenario, and I had to force myself to breathe and what Kael was planning.
“I… I was so scared,” I admitted, voice trembling despite my attempt at steadiness.
Dagnoth’s gaze softened slightly, though it remained intense. “I know,” he said. “And you shouldn’t ever be alone in a moment like that again.”
I swallowed, unsure if I wanted to argue or cry. “Even if… even if I put everyone at risk?”
“You are not a danger,” he said firmly, eyes locking onto mine. “Not to them. Not to me.”
I wanted to believe him, and part of me did, but a gnawing doubt lingered. “What if the next attack comes? What if I can’t protect them?”
He stepped closer, closing the space between us. His hand hovered near mine, brushing my fingers lightly, and the warmth of his touch was like a tether, pulling me back from the edge of panic. “Then I will be here,” he said. “Always.”
The word ‘always’ echoed in my chest. Could anyone really mean it so completely in a world like this? Could anyone stand between me and everything that wanted to destroy me?
I didn’t have time to dwell on it. A distant horn sounded from the courtyard, a sharp, metallic cry that made me shiver despite Dagnoth’s presence.
He stiffened immediately, moving toward the window to scan the darkness below. Even in the dim light, his posture was perfect: alert, controlled, every muscle ready to spring.
“Stay here,” he ordered softly, but with an edge that allowed no argument. “Do not move. No matter what you hear.”
I wanted to insist that I could help, that I could fight beside him, but something in his tone silenced me completely.
And I understood then. We were far from safe.
I sank to the floor against the wall, wrapping my arms around my knees. My mind refused to stop racing. The battle had left scars not just on the courtyard or the gates, but on my own sense of safety.
I could still feel the tremor of adrenaline in my veins, still hear the echoes of roars and clashing steel as if they had never ended.
“You did what you had to do,” Dagnoth said quietly, crouching beside me now. He didn’t touch me, only observed, a silent sentinel in a world full of shadows.
“I… I stayed safe,” I whispered. “But he... he was out there. Fighting. And I did nothing.”
“You were following my orders,” he said, calm, precise. “You stayed alive. That was not nothing.”
I closed my eyes, trying to believe him. The guilt pressed against my chest like a heavy weight. Every thought raced back to the Lunas’ words, her accusations echoing in my mind: She is cursed… She brings all of this upon us…
I glanced toward the small resting area where the pups slept, their breaths soft, unaware of the chaos outside. My chest tightened. I loved them, fiercely, desperately. And I couldn’t shake the fear that they were somehow in danger because of me.
“What if they’re right?” I whispered. “What if all of this… all of this chaos is because of me?”
Dagnoth’s hand rested lightly on my shoulder, anchoring me. “It is not,” he said firmly. “You are not the reason for this. You are not a curse, Dahila.”
I blinked rapidly, searching his face for any hint of doubt. There was none. Only certainty. Only protection. Only him.
“I—” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard. “I feel like… like I’m the cause of everything. The attacks, the unrest… even the battle tonight.”
“You are not,” he repeated, steady and unwavering. “Do not allow their fear or anger to become yours.”
His words sank into me slowly, like water into dry soil. But the fear didn’t leave entirely. Not yet. The horn, the smoke, the memories of battle—they lingered in my mind, shadows that would not fade.
I took a shaky breath. “What if it gets worse?” I asked softly, almost to myself. “What if something else happens?”
Dagnoth leaned closer, his eyes intense. “It will,” he said. “It will get worse. And when it does, I will still be here.”
I felt the weight of his promise, solid and unbreakable. It settled over me, a shield against the rising panic. “You… you mean that?”
“I mean it,” he said. His voice was softer now, but just as certain. “I gave you my word. And I do not break my promises.”
Silence fell. The only sounds were the soft crackle of the dying flames and the distant hum of the night outside. I could feel his presence, solid and steady, a beacon in the uncertainty.
Slowly, I let myself relax a fraction. My hands unclenched, my breathing slowed slightly. My heart still raced, but not as wildly as before. For the first time since the battle, I felt… safe.
Dagnoth didn’t move away. He stayed close, close enough for me to feel the warmth radiating from him. Not just a promise of protection, but a silent understanding that whatever came next, we would face it together.
“You’re safe here,” he murmured again. This time, it wasn’t an order. It was a truth, a promise, a tether holding me steady in a world that refused to be calm.
I looked at him, really looked at him, for the first time since the attack began. Exhaustion, blood, and raw strength all combined in him, making him seem almost untouchable. And yet… he was here, present, entirely mine in that moment, even if the dangers beyond these walls were closing in.
For the first time that night, I believed him.
Though fear still lingered, though uncertainty still clawed at the edges of my mind, I believed him.
Because for now, with him by my side, I was not alone.
And that, I realized, might be enough.