CHAPTER 54: A FAMILIAR FACE [2]

The night had settled over the capital, and the moon hung in the dark sky. Aeron and Varek were given quarters in the high royal chambers, far more lavish than anything he had known.

Varek had stepped out earlier to meet with Devic, leaving Aeron alone. Aeron went to the window and stared at the palace and the capital stretched far. The view was quite beautiful to him, unexpectedly so.

Just then, he heard a sound at the door, a faint knock or perhaps the creak of a hinge. He turned quickly toward the door. Before he could reach it, the handle shifted, and a figure slipped inside.

"Hey," came a familiar voice.

It was Nyella.

Aeron blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here? You should be resting. And your wound."

Nyella waved a hand dismissively as she stepped further into the room. "I’m fine. It’s nothing."

"It was deep. I saw it myself," Aeron said, frowning.

She smirked. "Are you doubting the royal physician’s skill? They work wonders, Aeron. You don’t need to worry about me."

He hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Alright... if you say so." He turned back toward the window. "You’ve always told me stories about the palace," he said over his shoulder. "How hard it is here. How can it be... suffocating? But you didn’t tell me it could be this peaceful. Or this is beautiful."

Nyella walked over and joined him at the window. "It’s only like this at night," she said quietly. "Don’t let it fool you. Peace here is only on the surface. Inside... It’s different. You can be surrounded by beauty and still never feel peace."

Aeron glanced at her. "You mean since I met the council?"

She smiled faintly. "Something like that. They didn’t give you too much trouble, did they?"

Aeron gave a short laugh. "It was... difficult. A hall full of old men pressing down on you like they were about to devour you. If Varek hadn’t been there... I don’t know what would have happened."

Nyella’s smile softened. "I know you did well. You’re the Young Dragon, after all."

Their eyes met for a moment, and they both smiled. But Aeron’s gaze lingered, more serious now.

"Nyella," he said, his voice low, "thank you. Really. I’ve come this far, still standing, still holding on... because of you. If you hadn’t been there, I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d be doing."

She looked like she was about to speak, but he went on. "I know you blame yourself. I see it, even when you try to hide it. But I want you to know... you’ve only made my journey easier. You’ve shared the weight with me. You’ve never made it heavier."

Nyella gave a soft laugh, though there was something bittersweet in it. "And here you are, the savior of the kingdom, thanking me, when I’ve only ruined the little peace you once had in your quiet life." She shook her head slightly.

"You know," she continued, "back during the war... when the enemy almost overran us... I was terrified, Aeron. Truly terrified. I had faced battles before, but nothing like that. For the first time in my life, I thought... this is it. That I would cease to exist. That Ivarion itself would cease to exist. And yet..." She met his gaze again. "You sacrificed your own peace for us. For all of us. For me. I can never forget that. I am forever indebted to you, Aeron."

The words seemed to hang between them, drawing them closer without either of them realizing it at first.

They stepped toward each other, slow but certain, until the space between them was barely a breath. They could feel the warmth radiating from one another as they locked eyes with each other, their chests rising and falling in unison. Something deep ran through their spines, a deep affection.

Their faces inched closer. Aeron’s hand held hers, and she didn’t pull away. Just when they got too close and were about to kiss... The door opened.

They broke apart instantly and turned toward the sound.

It was the queen.

"There you are," Queen Serenya said, stepping inside with an arched brow. "Uhhh... did I just interrupt something?"

"Of course not," Nyella replied quickly, though her voice sounded shy. Aeron simply glanced away, as if he were suddenly interested in the floor.

The queen gazed between them, but she said nothing more on the matter. "Nyella, come with me, dear. I’ve been looking for you."

"Now, Mother?"

"Yes. Now."

Nyella frowned slightly but leaned close to Aeron and whispered, "I’ll be back," before following her mother out.

They walked through the corridors until they reached the queen’s private chambers. Inside, Nyella turned to her mother with a puzzled look.

"What is it? You dragged me halfway across the palace to get here, what for?"

Queen Serenya closed the door and faced her daughter. "I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer me truthfully."

Nyella folded her arms. "Alright..."

"This boy, what’s his name again?"

"Aeron."

"And his family name?"

Nyella shook her head. "He’s never told me. Why?"

The queen pressed on. "What about his parents? Do you know them?"

"No... only his mother. But why all these questions?"

"Answer first," the queen said firmly. "What was she like, his mother?"

Nyella thought for a moment. "She’s very beautiful, takes care of herself well. She carries herself with the manners of someone well-born, polite speech, and refined gestures. One could say she’s a lady. But..." She hesitated.

"But?" the queen prompted.

Nyella exhaled. "But she never liked me. I don’t know why. She was always against Aeron coming with me to the capital. She even called us evil people."

The change in the queen was immediate. Her face went pale, her lips parting in shock. She froze.

"Mother? What is it?" Nyella asked.

The queen’s voice was tight, almost trembling. "I just... hope it’s not who I think it is."

Nyella stepped closer. "Who? What do you mean?"

Serenya’s hands tightened at her sides. "I pray my speculations are wrong. Because if they’re not..." Her eyes darkened, and she whispered, almost to herself.

"Oh my... Dahlia."