CHAPTER 154: TEARS & EMBRACE

• ELOISE •

The last thing I remember was pain, alongside several emotions that weren’t mine. Twisted desire, regret, and loneliness, unlike anything I had ever felt, and then nothing.

How long has it been? How long have I felt nothing?

Did I die? Was this what death felt like? Just existing in a space with all your senses shut down, praying you would be pulled out of the endless darkness?

There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and I found my way out if the abyss.

I opened my eyes, my vision blurring for a second before it got better. I pushed to sit, lingering in that position for five minutes before turning to my side.

Diana.

Her head rested on the bed, and her hand was tightly intertwined with mine. A slow smile curled on my lips, and I brushed my hand on her hair gently.

I shifted my unfocused gaze to the balcony doors, where the strong wind was flowing through, carrying snow along with it.

I moved, too slow, but I was able to stand on my feet, each step I took was a motivation for me.

I wobbled, the wind almost carrying me along with it, but I was determined, not stopping until I got to him.

My bare feet crunched against the snow-covered floor, but the cold didn’t bother me. I couldn’t take my eyes off Drevon as I desperately tried to close the distance between us.

The wind got heavy, fluttering our clothes with every swirl. As the wind caressed him, I glimpsed how his dark hair had grown out, almost reaching shoulder length, and when he threw a look over his shoulder, the world disappeared.

I stopped breathing when he faced me. Drevon smiled at me, but it was the saddest I have ever seen, a tear sliding down his face.

I walked... no, I ran, and before my body gave up, I threw myself at him, and he caught me. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck as I wept.

~•~

I stroked Drevon’s cheek, feeling the rough edges of a coming beard. His eyes were dull, tired. My heart broke seeing him like this, and I didn’t need to ask; I hadn’t said a word to him, nor did he.

I preferred it this way, because words couldn’t describe this moment. I thought I’d never see him again, and now he was lying next to me; it felt unreal.

I brushed some of his inky strands to the side. Drevon didn’t break eye contact with me, just silently watching me.

My lips parted when I found my voice. "You can rest now..."

Upon my request, Drevon closed his eyes, the fatigue taking over him completely.

A soft knock came from the door before opening, and Diana stepped in holding a tray. When she saw Drevon sleeping beside me, she smiled and neared the table.

"It feels like a dream, seeing him finally closing his eyes."

"H-How long?"

"It’s been two months."

My heart constricted. He hasn’t slept the entire time?

"He hasn’t left your side, he hasn’t spoken to anyone either. I came to watch you today, hoping he would rest, but he didn’t."

I swallowed hard and forced myself to sit while Diana mixed something into a cup.

"Diana..."

"Hmm?"

"What... happened?"

"You still need rest, you sound like a dying goat." She walked back to me and handed me the cup. "All you need to focus on is getting back your strength. Drink, it’s a brew."

I drank without hesitation, but at the first taste, I almost coughed it up. Diana held the cup to ensure I finished.

I swallowed hard, using the back of my hand to wipe my lips, and I suddenly got dizzy.

"Go back to sleep." Diana helped tuck me in and pulled the covers over us.

~•~

When I awoke, Drevon was no longer beside me. I panicked and sat up too quickly that my head spun. My eyes roamed the room until they landed on the bright lights coming from the candelabras on the table.

Drevon stood there, shiftless, pouring wine into the goblet before chugging it.

I pulled the covers off my body and crawled out of bed. When Drevon heard me, he turned, eyes a bit unfocused.

"Little wife..." he purred.

My knees almost buckled when I heard the delicious sound of his deep, masculine voice.

"A-Are you alright?" I asked worriedly, because I have never seen him like this.

"Don’t worry about me, I need you to focus on only you, alright?"

I came to him in a heartbeat, my steps better than it was compared to earlier.

He dropped the goblet to cup my cheeks, searching for any distress. "How do you feel? Does anywhere ache? Are you cold? Hot?"

"How are you?"

"You shouldn’t worry about me."

"Drevon," I began.

"You weren’t breathing for months," he interjected, emotions drowning his eyes. "The Fates said you will get better, but you were..." he exhaled, pulling me into a hug.

I wrapped my arms around him too, appreciating the warmth exuding from his body.

"I’m not going anywhere."

He parted from me so that he could see my face, pushing some of my curls behind my ear. Eyes moving to mine, then my nose and lips, staying there for a while before going back to my eyes once again.

"Is there something on my face?"

He smiled. "No. You’re just so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off you." He stroked my cheek. "There’s color to your cheeks. I can finally see your gorgeous eyes. You’re breathing, and your lips are moving."

Every word rode in emotion. It made me wonder how the months had been for him.

Watching me on the bed motionless, hanging on to a belief that I’d wake up, but that wasn’t enough, was it? I could clearly see how much toil it took on him.

His gaze was as if he still couldn’t believe I was standing in front of him. I was a dream to him.