Chapter 192

"It's been three months, Neireda. Why is he still looking like his puppy died?" Bianca was sitting in their bedroom, staring down at Maren who was idly sitting on the shore.

From the night Blue left, no one has heard Maren speak or smile. He had become a shell of himself, alternating between swimming and walking until he looked super exhausted.

He barely ate, only eating something when he was forced by Nixxon.

Everyone had tried cheering him up, even Vernon, but nothing seemed to be working, his eyes just looked blank and lost.

"I wish I could tell what is wrong with the Prince, but I can't," Neireda sighed, glancing at Maren, who had risen to his feet, standing like a statue as he stared into the horizon.

Bianca narrowed his eyes, "What if... what if the bond ess never broken? What if he still misses Blue? What if he was slowly dying away just like Vernon did when Nixxon left him?" She asked slowly, strongly believing her theories.

Neireda shook her head, "Impossible. The ritual never fails. What he might be facing is his guilt. He feels guilty for being the reason why he lost his mate. As for Blue, there is no longer feeling left in Maren for his ex-mate."

Bianca frowned, "This whole thing sucks. I used to dram of Maren feeling exactly the way he was feeling, but, seeing him now, it feels so depressing to see a once powerful Prince turn to a shadow of himself... a shell." She spoke softly, looking away from Maren.

Neireda looked at Bianca, a soft smile playing at her lips, "It is not unusual for a mate to feel confused and lost a few months after severing a bond, but, I fear you might be right. It is definitely unusual to feel even the slightest string of mate bond after a severance ritual. Perhaps, it's time I speak to the Prince," She glanced at Maren again, standing from her chair.

"I'll come with," Bianca, said, hooking her arm around Neireda's.

She might have hated Maren for a while, but seeing him suffering like that, it hurt him just as my watching Blue suffer three months ago.

They left their room, heading down the stairs.

They stepped out of the house, and Bianca lifted her hand to point at Nixxon, who was already walking toward Maren. "Looks like someone is beating us to it," She said, smiling as she saw Nixxon placing his hand on Maren's shoulder.

Maren only glanced at him briefly before he resumed staring at the ocean, his face expressionless.

"Maybe he will talk to his brother," Neireda said.

Bianca shook her head, "It's not the first time Nixxon's meeting him, he never speaks a word." She murmured.

Neireda sighed, "Could the ritual actually have failed?" She muttered, frowning, "If so, then we have a bigger problem than we thought we did." She said.

"What do you mean?" Bianac questioned.

"This is dangerous. He'd spent three months living with the pain of a half-broken bond. A half-severed bond is even more painful than a completed one because, he gets to feel the loss from his other half while his soul still longs for what is no longer his." Neireda explained.

"Oh, no... poor Maren. I would have said good for him, but three months is a fucking long period to suffer such deep pain. We have to help him," she took Neireda's hand, staring into her eyes.

"How? How do you suppose I can help him? I believe you don't mean asking Blue to get back together –"

"Well... if that's possible... yeah? Look, I know this was an instigator to their separation –"

"Don't say that. They both made their choices, no one forced them. You were just being a supportive friend," Neireda touched Bianca's cheek, smiling.

"Right... you're right... still... is it possible to get Blue to connect with Maren again?" She asked slowly.

Neireda sighed, she knew Bianca was never letting this go until she heard what she wanted to hear.

"There is. But, Blue would never want to, he no longer feels the bond and I'm surrounded he hates Maren now," Neireda said, biting her lip.

Bianca frowned, "How? What do they need to do?" She questioned.

"Sleep together," Neireda stated simply.

Bianca paused, blinking slowly, "Oh..." she murmured, realising that Blue would rather drown in a bucket than let Maren touch his body again.

It was an impossible mission.

"Is there no other way?" Bianca looked concerned, pouting.

"That's the only way. If a miracle could just get them to sleep together, their souls will fall right in place, restoring the bond." Neireda stared at Maren, his body looking stiff even from a distance.

She could tell he'd endured so much just to give Blue what he asked for: freedom.

"If that's the only way... then –"

"Nixxon are you okay?" Maren's panicking voice suddenly asked, eating the women.

It was the first time hearing him speak in three months and his voice sounded so rough like he cried himself to sleep every night, laden with panic, he sounded horrible.

They snapped their heads up to find Maren holding Nixxon up in his arms, Nixxon's eyes switching from blue to gold, his scales slowly appearing on his legs and his face contorting in pain.

"Oh, by the gods, he needs to go home, now." Neireda moved, running towards Nixxon.

"Call Vernon!" Neireda shouted as she went over to help take Nixxon closer to the water.

"I'm here," Vernon rushed out, having felt his mate's sudden pain.

He ran straight to Nixxxon, his eyes lowering to Nixxon's swollen stomach.

"I'm right here, love. You're doing just fine," He whispered calmly into Nixxon's ear even though he was panicking like crazy within him.

He was supposed to let Nixxon go underwater a month ago, but he'd delayed, wanting to stay with him until the very moment, he never expected the moment to feel so scary and urgent.

He had been warned that the baby must be born under water, as Nixxon can't biological birth as a man, but as a merman, they had a way.

Nixxon wrapped his arm around Vernon's neck, leaning his head on his shoulder as they slowly walked deeper into the water.

"It should have been you, it fucking hurts," Nixxon whispered back to Vernon, causing his mate to bark out sudden laughter, but his nervousness immediately overshadowed his amusement.

"I'm sorry. I love you," Vernon said, taking Nixxon deeper and deeper into the ocean.

"You've got this, Nix!" Bianca shouted from the shore, her eyes tearing up quickly as she stared at her brother and his mate about to welcome their princess into the world/water.

Nixxon waved gently, managing a glance at his best friend.

Bianca didn't miss a single moment, recording every second for memory... and for Blue.

He promised to come by when the baby was born, right? Now is the perfect time to summon him.

She watched in excitement and a little nervousness as Nixxon, Vernon, Maren and Neireda all sank into the ocean. Her camera never lowered, she caught a glimpse of their tails until there was nothing but still water.

"We'll be waiting, Nixxon. Bring our princess home," She murmured, wiping away her tears.

"Ny princess," Dante suddenly appeared in front of Bianca, "don't forget I'm the favourite uncle," He smiled proudly.

"I don't have time for this –"

"It's good you don't. My princess doesn't need any of you as her favourite anything," Armani gently spoke behind her.

Bianca snapped her head at him, frowning, "Really? How long have you two been standing here?" She questioned.

"Since Vernon ran out like a madman?" Dante replied.

Bianca sighed, "Well, like I said, I don't have time for this." She said and walked away from them, heading toward the house.

"Mother? Isolde?" Bianca called as the women walked out of the house.

"You don't expect us to stay here while our granddaughter is surrounded by lame men... especially her grandfather," Isolde said, holding Naomi's hand as they walked down the stairs.

Bianca smiled, "Of course, Mamas, go get our princess," She waved at them as they rushed toward the ocean.

"My Princess!" Dante corrected.

"Oh, God... I feel a headache coming," Bianca mumbled and walked into the house.

She lowered herself on a sofa and quickly sent the video to Blue, a slow smirk curling her lips as she already thought of ways to bring him and Maren back together.

"Who's picking Blue?" Damon asked as he emerged from the hallway, Dane beside him.

"You two, of course. You're responsible for whatever has to do with Blue's transportation," Dante replied, walking back into the house with Armani.

Dane sighed, "I feel like we shouldn't. Last time we brought him here... we all saw what happened." He spoke seriously for the first time.

"Trust me, this time will be different," Bianca smiled, drumming her fingers on her lap.

"How different?" Armanin asked.

"Just trust me. Wait till morning before you go. Maybe Nixxon would have returned," she smirked and crossed her legs, leaving the guys wondering what was going on in her head.