CHAPTER 460: I GOT YOU!

Geneva and Alex’s grand chamber was in chaos. The only servant allowed in there scurried in and out while the others’ hushed whispers were swallowed by the sharp voice that rang through the halls.

Of course, they knew what the issue was. It had been barely a few hours since Ian Thornston had been reported missing from the hospital. Aliya’s reaction had supposedly scared the shit out of the nurses on duty, as was reported in the news.

The workers of the Thornston estate were well aware of Aliya’s nature, but the public was not, and that had caught them by surprise, but at that moment, Aliya was not thinking of how people saw her... she just wanted one thing.... Ian!

In the chamber, Geneva was beside herself, "What do you mean my son is missing?"

Geneva’s voice trembled with a mixture of fury and disbelief, her knuckles white as she gripped the armrest of her ornate chair. She could not understand the words coming out of the phone that was on loudspeaker,

"How can a grown, comatose man simply vanish under the full glare of everyone?!"

Her sharp gaze bore into the trembling maid before her, who shifted uncomfortably, swallowing hard. The maid had nothing to do with this issue, and she felt wronged.

Just then, and as if the answer had been staring at her from the depths of her very person, she almost growled the words out. It was almost like a mother whose cub had been taken away from her.... deadly as could be!

"Don’t tell me that woman... that vile creature had a hand in this!"

The accusation dripped with venom, and Geneva did not need a name for them to know of whom she was referring to.

On the other side of the phone, Suzie hesitated, unwilling to confirm or deny, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. What could she say? The truth was, no one had seen what happened. One moment, Ian had been there. The next, he was gone—vanished without a trace.

A heavy silence filled the room, with only their heavy breaths being heard. Then, just as Geneva opened her mouth to issue another seething command-

"My dear," Alex called from the side, laying a warm hand on Geneva’s

"You know that you don’t need to worry about this..."

"Bu-"

"Have you forgotten what Currey had said?"

Geneva made to say another thing, but Alex engulfed her in a hug,

"Leave them. You know that this is not a fight that we can engage in, right?"

"I’m worried..."

"I am too, my dear, but know that our son is resilient and can beat the odds in everything... even if it’s a siren that feeds on men...."

Alex grimaced as if he had just taken in some bile.

’Trust the process? That was easier said than done!’ Geneva thought, but as the evening drew closer and she heard reports of Aliya, Geneva could not help but laugh at it. Her worry was still apparent, but at least she was able to relax, for if even Aliya did not know where Ian was, then it was the best sign that could be... The only problem was that they could not find Currey anywhere either!

***

Ian stood at the edge of the cliff, the same one from which Shelby had disappeared. It all felt like it had only happened minutes prior, but Ian knew that it was not. At least the calendar that he had flashed on told him otherwise.

A flash of pain whipped through him as realization struck like a searing blade.

’WHY!!!!!’

How much time had passed? Ian’s breath hitched, and his fists clenched.

’I left her to herself for all these months?’

Ian was still taking in all that had happened, but he knew that he had scaled his past predicament because of his father-in-law’s help. If not for him, Ian was unsure when and if he would have ever been able to escape the trap that Aliya had woven. She had hit him square in the chest for that. To Ian, this was still not an excuse.

The weight of the thought of his neglect pressed against his chest, suffocating. It didn’t matter that he had been in a coma, that he had been physically incapable of doing anything. That was just an excuse. The only thing that mattered and the only thought that ran through his mind, relentless and unforgiving .... was:

’I let her down.’

And that was unbearable.

He had lay there, motionless, his body nothing more than a shell, kept alive by the rhythmic hiss of the breathing tubes. Ian had been trapped - trapped in himself, in the suffocating weight of his own flesh. He could see what went on around him and hear, but he could do nothing.

At first, panic had clawed at his mind, a silent scream echoing within his prison of skin. Then Mr Monroe had stepped in and gave Ian a much-needed release, even though that came with a different price of its own.

But time .... how much had passed, days, weeks? He had not been sure, but that had dulled the edge of his fear, leaving only a cold awareness. Mr Monroe, Shelby’s father, had let Ian live the bitter truth of what he had done or not done for his daughter.

Ian had accepted anything thrown his way for a chance to meet his Elfin once again, especially when he found out that she was still alive. In fact, Ian would have let himself go and succumbed to all that was happening around him without Shelby. A life without her was very hard to imagine and thought of that was enough to crumble any will that he had left. He could not help it... he just had no will!

And then came the worst part.

He saw them. The person who stood by his bedside. The ones who whispered false prayers and wept with dry eyes in front of people. The one who waited. Waited for that chance to devour him whole. The two-faced person. It was surprising that he was even surprised.

He had never known how sharp betrayal could feel until now, but Ian was numb to it, for at the back of his mind, he knew! But had still been surprised at Aliya.

The barely hidden greed, the rotten lust, the disgusting features and some things that he preferred not to remember. Mr Monroe had stood by and ensured that Ian experienced every bit of it while ensuring that Ian did not die. No one could understand the feeling of being sucked dry of your living essence and being held back to life.

Now, thinking back to the time he had locked himself back in his room, in distress for their vile creature, Ian could only laugh at himself for his stupidity.

’I deserve every bit of what she did... I am the biggest fool that ever lived!’

And then there were those who truly grieved for him in his state. It was those whose sorrow clung to the air like an unseen fog. He wanted to reach out, to tell them he was still here. That he had not left them, but his lips did not move. His fingers did not twitch.

Ian had been a spectator in his own tragedy. A ghost inside his own body.

And the worst part? He had no idea if he would ever wake up.

"Currey."

He called out, and it only took a quick second for Currey to appear right beside him. Currey had been pulled through the fog of time involuntarily. Currey blinked rapidly, taking in his surroundings. Then, his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Then, with absolutely no shame, he let out a high-pitched sniffle.

"Your majesty is really awake! Oh My! You are!"

For a second, he debated whether to fling himself at Ian in a dramatic embrace, but common sense barely won out. Instead, he wiped his tears with the back of his sleeve, straightened his clothes, and cleared his throat, trying to sound professional.

"Y-you called, Boss?" His voice cracked.

Ian raised a brow. "Were you... about to cry?"

"Absolutely not." Currey sniffed again.

"Let’s go!"

With no questions asked, Currey nodded vigorously.

"The mistress... she..."

"I know!"

Currey paused and noticed that Ian had changed yet again, but he was not sure what was different. Ian was still in his hospital pyjamas and was even in bedroom shoes, but his tall, majestic frame did not look awkward at all...

At that moment, Currey could not help but think that the pyjamas could be sold out if the masses saw Ian in them.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty!"

Ian looked at Currey calmly for a while and then turned.

The sea stretched before him, its surface unnaturally still. The sun shined brightly off the water like liquid silver, but beneath that beauty, something stirred. Something unseen.

He disappeared and reappeared on one of the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff, with Currey following closely. A whisper rippled through the air .... not of the wind, but of something calling to him. Beckoning.

Currey opened his eyes wide when he understood what Ian was about to do...

"... now we just have to wait for the moonlight to cr-"

Currey frowned as he saw Ian take a deep breath and plunged in. The water was cool, almost soothing, but the moment Ian was fully submerged, the current turned violent. It wrapped around him like invisible hands, pulling, twisting, dragging him under. Currey wasted no time and also dived in.

Ian didn’t fight it. Somehow, he knew this was the way.

For a moment, everything was darkness. The weight of the water crushed against his chest. His chest burned as if it was the end.... and then .... light. A sudden burst, like breaking through the surface, but instead of air, he emerged into something else entirely.

The sea was gone.

He instead stood on a mirrored lake, its surface solid beneath his feet, yet it rippled with every step. The sky above was no longer the one he knew. It stretched endlessly, swirling with deep purples, reds, and weird colours.

The air was thick with energy, alive with something ancient. It was foreign but still felt like home to Ian.

He had crossed over. He knew that there was no turning back.... But then, when he looked into the distant skies, he saw her and Ian’s anger shot up!

___

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