Chapter 57: Reconciliation

Chapter 57: Reconciliation
By nightfall the noise in the house had died down, with Aura and Parker opting to take Theo’s advice and booking into a hotel. We’d all agreed that the announcement would be made, both of the marriage and the abolishment of the servitude rule.

“Are you sure getting married is the solution?” Kiyan asked. We stood outside, enjoying the cool breeze of the night air.

I shrugged and sighed.

“Getting married is the cherry on top. I want to unite both sides and to do that, we need to completely destroy those systems that divide us. If we get rid of that, we get rid of Dante’s ‘cause’. All he’ll have left is vengeance.”

Kiyan chuckled and then shook his head.

“So, the marriage is a fuck you to Dante?”

I scrunched my brows and gently punched him on the shoulder.

“Of course it’s not. Though now that you say it, I suppose it would infuriate him too.”

Kiyan paused for a moment and then cast his eyes down to his shoes. A contemplative look appeared on his face. I was curious about what had him so deep in thought and once I’d asked, he looked up at me, uncertain. He waited a moment more before overcoming the clear conflict in his mind and then finally asked, “Do you… love him?”

It came out of his mouth like a slap to the face- unexpected and unwarranted. Did I love him? I had no idea. I did have strong feelings for him but whether I could call it love was beyond me. So much had happened between us to the point where I’d never really thought too hard about loving him.

“I… I don’t know.” I said.

Kiyan’s mouth gaped open, and he shook his head.

“So, you’re marrying a guy you don’t even know if you love? That’s a little crazy don’t you think? Do you even have feelings for him at all?” He asked.

Suddenly I became very defensive and folded my arms in front of my chest before saying, “Oh you’re one to talk. Pining over Theo who you decided to have a one-night stand with! Do you even know the consequences of having sex with him?”

Kiyan’s eyes suddenly softened, and to my surprise he nodded.

“I live for as long as he does… he explained it to me already.”

A moment of silence fell between the both of us, with me being the first one to break it.

“Look,” I began, “I may not know whether or not I truly love Nicholas yet. But what I do know is that I care for him, more than I’ve cared for anyone else in that way. He makes me feel comfortable and safe. And even though he’s made many mistakes in the past, he’s always tried to rectify them immediately. Being with him makes me feel… like I’m living. Not just surviving and resolving myself to the safety and comfort of what I know but actually living. I never thought I’d be able to feel that way again…”

Kiyan looked up at me, his eyes searching mine, making sure I was being honest with him. And once he was happy with my answer, he sighed to himself and said, “I know the feeling.”

I stayed silent as I watched his thoughts swirl around in his eyes, eager to hear him give them a voice.

“That’s how I felt when I finally left home. Free. Don’t get me wrong, living with Ophelia was nothing short of a daydream. But it felt as though each day were some sort of façade of a life I’d grown complacent in. When I left it was hard, and I had a lot of hatred in my heart. But now, I realise that some of that hatred was misplaced. Perhaps in the end… I just wanted a sense of purpose, and in finding it I hurt a lot of people.”

Although I was sure he partly meant me and Ophelia, I could tell most of his regret was targeted towards Theo. And so, it was my turn to ask, “Do you have feelings for Theo?”

There was a sense of hesitation before Kiyan eventually nodded.

“I… I think I fucked up really badly,” he sighed and placed his head in his hands, remorse in his voice.

I reached out towards him, placing my hand against his back in reassurance.

“I’m not going to lie; you really did fuck up. But you can try to make up for it. Show him what you feel for him and try to ask for his forgiveness. Do better.”

I heard him sniffle and that’s when a lump formed in my throat. I always felt like crying when he cried. I don’t know why but it always broke my heart to see my brother crying, especially when it was such a rare occurrence. Even when we were younger, he chose to laugh more than cry.

“But it’s not just Theo… I fucked up my relationship with Ophelia. I…”

“You didn’t,” said a voice from behind us. And there stood Ophelia, tears streaming down her face too.

Kiyan didn’t hesitate at all when he walked up to her and embraced her in a hug. They were both crying now and holding each other for dear life. And as I watched the pair reconcile, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.