Chapter 176
RYKER’S POV
“What do you mean by she is ascending?” A low rumble escaped me, deep in my throat. My gaze turned back to Lyra.
“You know she is an Aethera, right?” Dimitri rushed to my opposite side and began rolling up his sleeves.
“Yes, but what does that have to do with her state right now?” I half barked, half shouted. He growled a deep, low sound and hissed.
“Then you do know she is a goddess and this is not her world.” He hissed, pulling down the neckline of the hospital gown the doctors had changed her into.
“She is my mate!” I growled, unable to wrap my head around the thought that she was ascending and the bond between us was probably going to be severed.
“She can’t die. I can’t lose her,” I chanted more to myself.
“Neither will I lose my daughter. Now, you’re going to bring her back.” Before I could process, he grabbed my hand and mumbled some words, then placed it on her chest. The contact jolted me from my core like I had been hit by an electric jolt. White lights glowed from within her and wrapped around my hands, travelling through my body.
“Find her, and make her come back.” Dimitri urged again, but his voice sounded so far away. My eyes were locked around the blinding light threatening to engulf me, and just like that, I found myself in a white voided space.
It looked familiar but not quite. Then her scent hit me; it was faint but enough to make me know she was here. Overwhelmed with the sudden realization, I picked up my pace and started running.
I don’t know how long I ran for, but every time I looked back, I couldn’t see the end, and when I looked ahead, I couldn’t see an end either. Around me were translucent white clouds like a wall of glass; I could barely see anything else.
“Lyra,” I screamed, but my voice thinned out into a void. “What the hell is this place?” Her face flashed before my mind, and energy surged within my bones. I had to find her.
I had to find my mate.
But the path was so long, I was losing strength, and my chest was feeling heavy as fire burned in my bones from exhaustion. It felt like I was running in circles.
“GODS!!! LYRAAAAA!!! YOU SAID YOU HAD FEELINGS FOR ME!!! WHY LEAVE NOW??!!!” I fell to my knees and broke down in tears.
“I need you,”
My eyes dimmed and closed against my will.
“What are you doing here?”
I heard a soft, familiar voice before I felt a presence hover over me. My eyes fluttered open slowly, and there she was, looking so ethereal. She had silver eyes that glittered and a smile so bright, it made my heart melt.
“Lyra,” My voice came out hoarse. She laughed slightly and looked at me. “You shouldn’t be here. This isn’t where the humans and other kind take in the afterlife.”
“Afterlife?” I frowned as I tried to sit up.
“Easy there. You look hurt. Here,” She leaned closer and placed a hand on my chest. “Let’s get you settled before sending you on your way.”
Slowly, we walked together with her supporting my back until we approached a shed. All through the walk, I kept glancing at her. She would turn to look at me and smile.
“You’re quite heavy.” She chuckled slightly. “It’s expected for a big man,” She added as we entered the shed. There was a small wooden bed at the corner of the room and a bucket by the door. It was exactly what it was. A simple shed with nothing of importance. We were lucky there was a bed.
As soon as she placed me on the bed, she turned to leave.
“No, Lyra, wait.”
She turned to look at me with a small smile on her face. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back. I need to get some water by the stream and fetch a little more wood for the fire. Just rest, big man, and I’ll be back.”
Confusion etched in my bones as I watched her retreating figure. The soft white fabric of her gown billowing slightly in the wind.
“Does she not know who I am? Where the hell are we?” Soon fatigue took over my bones, and I found myself succumbing to the claws of sleep.
A while later, the faint smell of food drifted to my nostrils, and I found myself hungry. Slowly, I opened my eyes and sat up in a rush. My eyes darted around frantically before resting on her startled face.
“You’re awake,” She rushed over, placing a hand on my neck before heaving a sigh of relief. “By the time I got back, you were burning up.” Her voice was soft as she spoke.
“Lyra,” I reached out to touch her face, and sparks flew through me. I watched her stiffen in shock. She felt it too.
“You keep calling me Lyra. Who is that?” Her voice was soft as she looked into my eyes like she was trying to find out if I was going to lie to her.
“You. You’re Lyra. I came here to find you.” I sounded earnest, but she frowned slightly. Then shook her head.
“I’m an Aethera. That’s what the moon goddess said. But I’m here to find my true self before going back to take over my kingdom.”
“So, you’re a goddess too.”
She nodded and smiled. Then touched my face, and the sparks between us came back to life. She gasped. “Here, I do not have my powers. What is that spark? I felt it when I supported you over to the shed, and now, it feels stronger.” She frowned again, trailing her finger across my face before looking back at my eyes.
“You don’t know?” I looked at her, surprised. She had lost her memories. She had forgotten me. I swallowed gently and held her hand that was resting on my face, and brought it to my chest. She gasped the moment her hand touched my skin.
“It signifies that I am yours. And you are mine.” I answered and placed my hand against her chest.