Chapter 217 Chapter 216
"We're almost done with the bowl. I'm sure you can take some more," Xenon encouraged, waving it around her face.
"Anymore and I'll throw up," she murmured, rubbing her face against his clothes.
"You won't. Just finish the bowl... please?"
Her lips trembled like she was about to cry, but she sniffed and accepted the spoon from him.
"That's my good girl," he praised, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. "No need to rush, take your time."
Rayena sighed, even as her heart fluttered at his sweet words. They continued that way till she finished the bowl and he set it down.
"You did great. I'm so proud of you," Xenon muttered, tucking her hair behind her ears. He studied her expression. "Are you feeling queasy already?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. I think I'll just sit for a bit," she answered.
"Then I'll be here with you," he muttered, pulling her closer. They sat cuddled together, and Rayena finally felt well enough to move around.
"Xenon, can we go on a walk?" she muttered, and the fingers that were unconsciously threading through her hair stopped.
"Do you want that?"
"Yes, it's been a while since we've walked in the gardens," she whispered, fiddling with her fingers.
"Well, you need the fresh air," he concluded. He stood to his feet, pulling her along. "You can walk, right?"
Rayena nodded, and Xenon's hold tightened on her. "Let's go then."
They ambled out of the chambers, out of the palace, and into the gardens.
The weather was bright and sunny, with the sweet-smelling fragrances from the flowers permeating the air. Rayena felt the tangled nerves in her body untangling as she walked through the shaded path Xenon had picked out for them. She also noticed the uptick in guards patrolling the area as well, and though she wanted to ask about it, she ultimately decided to let it go.
Just then, a wave of dizziness slammed over her, and she stumbled over her steps. Xenon caught her just in time. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Felt dizzy all of a sudden," she murmured, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. This walk wasn’t going the way she expected it to; she was feeling too tired.
Xenon placed a hand on her forehead. "You're starting to burn up again. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Rayena nodded vehemently, but her stomach began churning, her body temperature suddenly fluctuating. "I think I'm going to throw up..." The words had barely left her lips when she doubled over and retched all over the ground, the rancid smell of her vomit assaulting her nose and making her squirm. Xenon held her to steady her while she kept vomiting.
"Your nausea is really bad," Xenon noted as he brought out a handkerchief to clean her mouth. "Are the medicines Ladrian dropped not working anymore?"
Rayena slumped against him, her breathing ragged. "I don't think they are anymore," she complained, the corners of her eyes already stinging with tears.
"I haven't slept properly in days now. My body doesn't even feel like mine anymore, and I'm only four months into this pregnancy. What would happen by the end of it?" she asked in a shaky voice and soon burst into tears, sobs racking her throat.
Xenon just watched her, unsure of what to do to ease her suffering. She'd grown more irritable and emotional these past months, crying over the smallest things. It was bewildering at first, and even now, he couldn’t get used to it.
Still, he kept trying. "If we had been properly mated, I would have helped you take some of the symptoms," he blurted.
Rayena's tears ceased instantly as she stared at him. "Really? One could share symptoms through the mate bond?"
He nodded, gently guiding her to a seat. "Yes. If we had been completely bonded, I would have helped to share some of the pain. It would have made things easier for you," he said, helping her to the chair.
"Then why haven’t we mated yet?" she cried, peeved. Xenon tensed.
"The council is still rejecting my union with you."
Rayena's heart dropped at his words, and fresh tears built in her eyes. Xenon glanced at her. "Every time I bring it up, they revolt so hard, I end up having to break up fights. I don't want to attract more problems to the realm apart from the ones I already have."
It took teardrops falling on her hands for Rayena to realize she was crying. What Xenon had just told her was beyond devastating, and it had been that way for months. Even if he clearly loved her and wanted to deepen what they had, his duties deterred him from doing so. And now they were both suffering as a result.
"Why is the world so unfair?" she cried, hiding her face in her hands. "This is turning out to be more than I can handle," she added, and Xenon reached for her, gently prying her face from her hands.
"Hey, don't say such. I'm sure I'll find a way to garner their approval. Just bear with me for now. My utmost priority now is making sure you go through this pregnancy unscathed and deliver safely, even without us being mated. After that, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure you're mine and no one else. Do you understand?"
Rayena sniffed, shakily nodding her head. "Okay..." she muttered in a shaky voice.
"Hang on just a little bit, alright?" he pleaded, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. Bringing out another handkerchief, he softly cleaned off the tears that had pooled on her face, only stopping when there were no tear streaks. "Now tell me, how do you truly feel right now?"
"Hot," Rayena answered, taking several steadying breaths. "I also feel very full too. Like every vein in my body feels like it's about to burst."
Xenon's gaze narrowed. He'd read about that symptom. "Maybe I can do something to help," he murmured, grabbing a hand and pulling it close. "Do you let me?"
She nodded, curious about what he wanted to do. Xenon lowered his head, grew out a canine, and sank it into her flesh, gently sipping her blood.
Rayena winced at the sharp pain that cut through her, but it soon dulled to a hum, a strange sensation dispersing through her instead. Her breathing evened out, and she even felt relief. A while later, he retracted the tooth and licked her wound closed. "Did it work?"