Chapter 263 Chapter 262
Rayena returned with a light pat on her shoulders. She groaned, her body feeling like soaked cotton, heavy and limp. The air was filled with the scent of sex and something familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
She tried moving her limbs, but they stayed unresponsive. Her eyelids refused to part, so she just gave up, deciding to continue sleeping.
"Rayena, wake up..." A deep voice filtered through, a warm caress that sent a ripple of awareness through her body. She stiffened, her insides turning cold. That voice... It's familiar. Too familiar. And it didn't seem to be coming from her dreams.
"Raye..." It growled again. That nickname... She cracked her eyes open, willing the fog in her gaze to clear. The room swam into focus, and her gaze landed on a pair of beautiful cerulean eyes, filled with a warmth that made her heart skip a beat.
Xenon's face, tired but oh... so beautiful, filled her vision. A face she thought she would never see again. His chiseled features were etched with exhaustion, but his eyes, those beautiful eyes, sparkled with a hint of amusement. He gave her a tiny smile, his lips curving upward.
Rayena lost her ability to breath.
"Welcome back to earth," he whispered, his voice low and husky. Rayena's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a rush of emotions, a mix of shock, joy, and relief. She gasped, her lungs expanding with a sudden intake of breath.
"Xenon?!" The name escaped her lips in a whisper, as if she couldn't quite believe it was really him. Xenon's smile widened, and he leaned in closer, his warm breath whispering against her ear.
"Hello, Raye..."
Rayena just kept on staring, her heart pounding louder and louder till it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She blinked rapidly, certain she was hallucinating.
"This is a dream..." She muttered under her breath, slowly shaking her head. "Xenon isn't..." She started, but he cut her short.
"I'm here, honey. I'm real. You brought me back." He muttered, his voice scratchy. "I don't know how, but you did." A full-body shudder overtook her. No matter how much she tried to force air into her lungs, it just wouldn't accept it.
She rushed to sit up, her sore muscles protesting against the act. She winced, doubling over, and Xenon instantly reached out to steady her.
"Easy there... We don't want you to hurt yourself." He groaned, his voice tender.
She stared at him again, her breathing rapid. "You're here... Here... You're here...!" Her voice crumbled, sobs racking against her throat. She brought up shaky fingers, holding his face, drowning in the sight of him. He moved closer, wrapping his hands around her body, his face buried against her shoulders.
"I missed you." He murmured against her skin, slipping his eyes closed. Her hands stayed frozen, the heat from his body seeping into her skin. "You're back... You came back!" She finally cried, her voice echoing in the room.
Xenon slowly pulled back to look at her, bewildered at her reactions. "Xenon is back! The king is back!!" She screamed even louder, scrambling for some clothes to cover their nakedness.
They heard footsteps approaching and instantly turned to the door. It swung open, and a soldier burst in, his eyes scanning the room like a searchlight. He froze at the doorway, eyes widening as they settled on the king.
"Y-your majesty?" He stammered, face pale as a ghost. Xenon tilted his head to the side, a corner of his lips quirked up. "Hello there."
He groaned and the soldier gasped, eyes growing even wider. Rayena's excitement wouldn't let her stay still.
"Go and call Morvan! The king is here. He's back!" She cried, and he instantly turned around, running out of the room like his life depended on it.
Alone again, she turned to Xenon and threw herself into a hug, which Xenon quickly reciprocated. The tears she'd kept at bay filled her eyes, and she didn't know when she began sobbing into his shoulders. "You came back... You came back... You..." She cut herself off, basking in his warmth. Xenon's grip tightened on her, and she shook, sobbing even harder.
"You brought me here." He croaked, his voice clogged with emotion. "Your scent, your voice... It all led me here. I'm here because you kept calling for me."
Rayena wept.
She lost awareness of everything, collapsing into his hold, the sound of his voice soothing and scalding at the same time. More tears flowed, and she let them fall, clinging to him. Her eyes hurt, her chest burned from the force of her sobs.
The door burst open then, and Morvan tumbled into the room, Soraya just meters away, holding blankets. His clothes were rumpled against his body, like he'd hastily thrown them on, his hair rumpled in a daze.
"Your majesty..." He choked out, taking a haggard step forward. "Heavens, it's not a lie. You're here. You came back."
His eyes were huge, etched in disbelief.
"Morvan..." Xenon groaned, giving a wry chuckle. He rose to his feet, closed the distance between them, and pulled the big man into a bear hug. "It's been a while." Morvan's hands hung limply at his sides, before he slowly wrapped his arms around him. Slowly, then tightly.
"You reverted." He muttered in a whisper.
"I did." Xenon groaned.
Morvan's face crumpled then, and Rayena watched as he cried silently into Xenon's shoulders. He shut his eyes tight, hiding his face in Xenon's neck. "Thank the gods... Thank the gods..." He muttered over and over again.
Soraya quickly slipped past them, handing Rayena a blanket to cover herself. Rayena quickly wrapped it around herself, and Soraya helped her to her feet.
More people began to gather, shocked at the sight of the king they had once believed was lost to madness.
"The king is back! Long live the king!!" They chanted, jumping and dancing around the tiny halls, unable to contain their joy. Shouts and songs of happiness rang out, and all Rayena did was stand and stare, a permanent smile on her face. She was so happy to see the people happy. Even Xenon had a pleased smile on his face as he looked around him. A few others did a full-body bow, and others burst into tears, their eyes shining with happiness and relief.
Xenon couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome. But he was still so tired. Morvan caught the expression and immediately made to dismiss them. "Thank you all for your warm welcome, but the king needs his rest. I'm sure he will address us once he's recovered fully." Morvan said, sending them away. Most of them hesitated, still lingering.
Xenon let out a sigh, his lips pressed thin. "Morvan is right. I do need to rest. I appreciate all your love and prayers. Your joy as well for seeing me back. But nothing will compare to the mate who fought tirelessly for this to happen."