Chapter 59

DEVON

After staring at those green eyes like two freshly cut emeralds, I found myself trapped in that face, and trapped in Lianna at that moment. Because from the moment she blushed, or smiled so genuinely, as if she were a child seeing the best things in life, I was completely absorbed in thoughts.

Absorbed in thoughts of how beautiful she looked while laughing - at me or anything else - or even while she played with my face and ate those candies as if they were the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.

And yes, those candies were really good - especially because the chef who had come on board with the Black clan was extremely renowned - but still, I never even felt the desire to eat anything that they said he had prepared or was selling, because it never seemed like anything special in my eyes; at least, until she ate it with such enthusiasm, and with a smile on her lips that could only be described as unfair.

Because after that, I even tried one of the candies she had put in my mouth, and just by being with her and eating them, those candies seemed better than they... would be if I were without her.

I sighed with pure frustration.

I was once again having those thoughts about Lianna, and once again, I found myself smiling like a complete idiot who thinks about his beloved day and night.

But again, that wasn't our situation, and I couldn't allow it to be the same, at least... not really. Because one thing was to let Lianna believe something might happen, but truly surrender myself? I didn't know if that could be possible.

"For the goddess... I'm sounding like a virgin maiden questioning whether she should give herself to her betrothed or not." I ended up mocking myself at that moment, as I laid a towel on that sandy floor to lie down and enjoy that night where the moon was bright and in all its splendor.

Of course, the stars also had their charm, and in my mind, I even thought about inviting Lianna to see that with me someday. She would probably find it cute, and who knows, maybe it would be a kind of date.

By the stars in the sky...

This was somewhat... confusing for some reason.

"Could you tell me what I should do?" I placed the stone that I had wrapped around my wrist in front of the moon, and on it were written the words: the goddess will guide you on the right path.

I ended up laughing at that.

Not because I was mocking the goddess, or doubting her power and her plans, but... I had to admit, I was tired.

Exhausted.

Wanting to throw myself wherever I could.

Because in the end, I didn't know where the goddess would guide me (if she even sent me a signal), and if she did guide me... how could I know it was something coming from her? Everything was too confusing in my head, and my roots that came from my clan seemed to be dying more and more within me, as if my connection was fading more and more from my veins, from my soul.

I was feeling completely lost and desolate, like the lost child I once was, like the child who... found this necklace after all... that massacre.

FLASHBACK

I returned as soon as I managed to make that horse stop and obey me, but as soon as I arrived and saw all those houses on fire, all those lifeless people on the ground... I found myself crying, crying uncontrollably, as if my eyes were two waterfalls.

I started running in that place that had been brought down to find my family, I shouted the names of my siblings like a complete idiot to see if any of them would respond to me, and when I didn't get a response, I knelt on that bloody ground and started praying to the goddess, for her to hear my prayers, for her... to make at least one of them alive.

"Oh moon goddess who knows and sees everything, please..." I spoke between sobs with my hands clasped together, my eyes focused on that moon that was in its waning state, "please, I promise I will never fight with any of them again if they are alive, and I will never... complain if they steal my food, or... try to take one of my swords..." my crying became more and more desperate, "so, my goddess... help this desperate soul... so be it."

I stood up after finishing that prayer, because something inside me told me I should search more, and that it was worth looking around (so much so that I even thought it would be a good sign), but... I didn't find anything.

There was not even a trace of my family in that place, the one that I once called home.

At least... until I found my father's body lying there, right where I had last seen him, completely... lifeless.

"No, no, NO!" I shouted and more tears fell down my cheeks, "father... father... please wake up..." I shook his body that was already pale, without a pulse, without... breath, "father, please... I need you, I... I am alone, I didn't find anyone."

But... just as my prayer had not been heard before, it was also not heard in that moment.

My father would not come back from the dead just because... I wished for it.

And it was in that moment of pure hopelessness and despair that I took the necklace from my father's neck and wrapped it around my wrist, since at that time... that necklace reached my navel because it was one of those longer ones.

And I screamed.

I screamed as I squeezed the stone that had the same color as my eyes, because now anger took over my body, one that I didn't even know if it fit inside me.

"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" I shouted with all that I had in my lungs, "I WILL MAKE THEM REGRET EVERYTHING, I WILL... KILL THEM ALL!"

END OF FLASHBACK