Chapter 25

I never could have predicted the significance of my encounter with Navine that day. The idea that I was destined to meet him, let alone marry him, was beyond my wildest dreams. I couldn’t have fathomed that our paths had almost crossed centuries ago.

When people say life has a way of coming full circle, they’re not kidding. But in our case, that circle included a tragic past that left a deep imprint on my soul. Coupled with my childhood experiences, I questioned whether I could truly overcome it all.

Even if Emelio could prevent further damage, would I ever be the same Fae I once believed I was? It felt absurd to question my identity after fighting so hard to preserve it. Yet, there I was, pondering this under a willow tree in the courtyard.

I had sought solitude, but I knew Lady Lana was watching me from the palace. Lord Jekia and Navine were in a private discussion, likely about recent events. I had no doubt that these events were somehow linked to Dominick.

I was almost certain that Dominick was the cause of my current predicament. It was too convenient that all this happened to me. I suspected he had someone sneak those fruits into the palace, possibly with the weekly delivery. He stood to gain the most from my unraveling.

If he wanted to torment me, this was the perfect way to do it. I sighed quietly, leaning against the tree trunk. I was exhausted from the internal battle.

I longed for Emelio’s return with some answers. I barely registered the sound of approaching footsteps.

“How are you holding up, Raelina?” Navine’s voice broke the silence.

I opened my eyes to find him standing before me. Despite his neutral expression, I could see the concern in his eyes.

“I’m just tired, so I was resting. I think I’m doing okay otherwise,” I replied, not bothering to shift my position.

Navine sat next to me, wrapping an arm around me gently. “Emelio should be back soon, so just hang in there a little longer,” he whispered.

I shivered slightly as I leaned into him, fighting the urge to pull away. I hated feeling this way. I shouldn’t have been afraid of being close to Navine.

But then I remembered what he had told me about the past. Lord Jekia had mentioned it too, saying Navine shared the blame for what happened to Rosaline. Was that why part of me feared him? Because it blamed him too?

I knew in my heart that it was likely the truth, even if I would never admit it. Everyone makes mistakes, and I was sure that emotions had run high back then, leading to rash decisions.

“I don’t blame you, Navine,” I whispered, coming to terms with this.

He turned to look at me. “What do you mean?”

“About the past,” I clarified. “Even if you made mistakes, I know you never meant to hurt Rosaline. And I know you’d never want to hurt me. You’re not that kind of person.”

Navine was silent for a moment. “No, I’d never intentionally hurt you, or Rosaline. But I can’t deny that her loss taught me valuable lessons. I know I share the blame for her death. I was young and impulsive, and I didn’t know how to listen without letting my emotions cloud my judgment. My mistakes cost us everything, and I won’t let history repeat itself, even if I feel like I’m struggling now,” he finally said.

“You know that struggling doesn’t make you weak. None of us have all the answers,” I reminded him.

“Did Jekia teach you that?” Navine asked.

“Yes. He used to tell his children and me that all the time when we were growing up.”

“It seems you spent a lot of time here as a child. I assume Anika brought you to visit often.”

I gave a nod, a sense of contentment washing over me as I leaned into him. “Yes, she did. Rin, Rayne, Selenia and I were close, and she thought it was important for us to remain friends. Lord Jekia and Lady Lana felt the same. I think if circumstances were different, they might have adopted me, but with everything that was happening, Lord Jekia was concerned it might not be in my best interest to be away from other Fae.”

Navine nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. It’s usually better for the young ones to be raised by their own kind. Do you miss being with the Fae?”

I shook my head. “Not really. It’s different when they’re not your sect,” I replied, sitting up to face him. “And for the record, I don’t feel trapped in your palace. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, but you’ve helped me get out more. Plus, I have you and Nanash. You’ve even said Anika can visit whenever she wants, which I’m really looking forward to. So don’t let what Dominick said bother you.”

A soft chuckle escaped Navine as a resigned smile played on his lips. “Here I am trying to comfort you, and you’ve turned it around to comfort me.”

I returned his smile, feeling a bit lighter. “I prefer to think of it as a talent.”

“Could be,” Navine agreed, sitting up with me and surveying our surroundings. “It’s been a long time since I last visited this place. It doesn’t seem much different from Jekia’s original palace.”

“I don’t think so either,” I concurred. “I’m surprised I haven’t seen any of Lord Jekia’s children. Rin and Rayne have their own homes nearby, and Selenia often visits the Matchmaking House in Jumal. I wonder if they’re unaware of all this.”

“Probably, and it might be for the best. No offense to them, but we shouldn’t complicate things further,” Navine advised.

“You’re right. It would probably complicate things if they were here. Rin and Rayne were always protective of me and Selenia growing up. I’m sure they’d be upset if they saw me like this,” I conceded.

“They saw you as a sibling, despite Anika taking you in, didn’t they?”

“They did.”

“That’s good. It’s always better not to grow up alone.”

A strange sensation coursed through me at his words. My mind flashed to Temple. It seemed like he and Navine had been close before everything happened. At least, that’s what I gathered from Rosaline’s memories.

“You miss your brother, don’t you?” I ventured.

“I do,” Navine admitted. “I can relate to what you went through as a child. I know what it’s like to lose your family and feel alone in the world. Even with the other Dragons, it wasn’t the same after Temple left and died. Even knowing Lyric is alive and maintaining a relationship with him hasn’t eased the pain much.”

“Maybe not, but at least we’re not completely alone. We have people who care about us, and we have each other,” I offered.

“Yes, we do.”

Our conversation was interrupted by a mist materializing near us. Emelio emerged from it, bowing politely. An irrational fear bubbled up within me, and I instinctively moved closer to Navine.

“I apologize for the interruption and for causing distress to your lady,” Emelio said, giving me a sympathetic look.

“Unfortunately, it’s to be expected,” Navine sighed, keeping an arm around me. “I assume you have information for us?”

“I do. If you two would please follow me, we can discuss what I’ve discovered,” Emelio responded.

I couldn’t say I was comfortable with any of this, especially with so much at stake. Either I could be cured and return to my old self, or I would remain as I was forever, a prospect I wasn’t sure I could handle.

We followed Emelio back into the palace, where he led us to the back parlor. It was a spacious, open room. Lord Jekia and Lady Lana were already there, waiting for us.

I took a seat in one of the chairs as Lord Jekia addressed Emelio. “Let’s not waste any more time. What have you found out?”

“Let’s start from the top,” Emelio suggested. He raised his hand, revealing a box of fruit.

“I had a long chat with Ramone and he helped me figure these out. Lord Navine was spot on—they’re Jubes, and we think they’re most likely from the mountains down south.”

“That helps us narrow down who could’ve gotten them. Not many can reach those heights,” Lord Jekia pointed out.

“True,” Navine agreed. He then turned to Emelio. “Did you figure out how to counteract their effects?”

“Well, usually there’s a simple solution, but this situation seems a bit more complex,” Emelio replied.

“What do you mean, more complex?” Navine questioned, his face showing skepticism.

The fruit rose from the box, floating around Emelio’s hand, glowing a bright blue.

“The problem is what else has been done here. I have to admit, whoever did this is pretty skilled. I didn’t even notice until Ramone started looking at them. These Jubes don’t just affect the soul—they’ve been enchanted to amplify the worst memories of whoever eats them,” he explained.

“So, that’s why Raelina’s been reacting so strongly to everything—because her soul is being affected by memories she doesn’t even have?” Lady Lana asked.

“It’s more like she’s recalling memories she shouldn’t be,” Emelio clarified.

“Most living beings are reincarnations, and usually, they don’t remember anything from their past lives, even if they carry traits from them. Even with the effects of this fruit, the damage might just result in some phobias or a sense of disillusionment.”

“But this spell intensifies the effects by using primal fear against her,” Lord Jekia hypothesized.

“Exactly,” Emelio confirmed.

“So, what’s the solution? Can we stop this?” Navine asked.

“Yes and no. Ramone gave me an antidote for the Jube’s effect, but he’s not sure it’ll be enough to counteract the additional spell. The worst-case scenario we came up with is that Raelina’s soul might split between her and Rosaline. Even though she’s had other lives since then, Rosaline’s life had the most impact on her soul. We think that’s why this spell was used—to tap into that,” Emelio explained.

Navine didn’t seem surprised. “Of course. This pretty much confirms who’s behind this.”

“I agree, but we still don’t have solid evidence,” Emelio said, letting the fruits fall back into the box and crossing his arms.

“I went through the records with Ramone before coming back here because I wanted to know who was behind this and why, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find anything concrete linking the Prism Dragon to it.”

“That’s not surprising. He knows we’d suspect him, so he’d make sure to keep his distance. That’s his M.O.,” Navine scoffed.

Lord Jekia agreed. “I had little doubt. The connection to Rosaline’s soul is enough for me. But putting that aside, do you think the antidote will help Raelina now?”

“I think it will. We’ll just have to wait and see,” Emelio replied.

I wasn’t exactly thrilled about taking the vial he handed me. The fear of drinking it was almost paralyzing, and it took all my strength to overcome it and take a sip.

There was an immediate burning sensation deep within me, and before I knew it, I blacked out.

Time seemed to stand still as I floated in a chilling darkness that I was sure was my own mind. But slowly, a tiny speck of light appeared in the distance.

It grew brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding, forcing me to shut my eyes. When I opened them again, I was surrounded by warm air.

I realized I was standing outside. “Where am I?” I wondered, looking around.

A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I took in the familiar surroundings. It had been more than ten years, but I would recognize the village my sect had built anywhere.

I spun around, realizing I was standing behind what used to be my home. The afternoon sun bathed everything in a warm, vibrant glow, almost bringing tears to my eyes.

God, how I missed this place, even though I was certain I’d never see it again.

The creak of a door opening snapped me out of my reverie. I glanced to my right and saw the back door of my old house swinging open.

A little girl stepped out, shutting the door behind her before she started skipping across the yard. Her blonde curls bobbed behind her and she was dressed in a cute green sundress.

“Wait, that’s me!” I realized with a start.

I looked about five years old, just as I remembered from my reflection before the attack. But where was I headed? I didn’t remember venturing toward the woods alone.

My parents had always warned me about the dangers lurking there.

I quickly followed my younger self, curious to remember where I was going. I had this nagging feeling that I was eager to meet someone, but I couldn’t remember who.

My past self ventured into the woods, stopping about ten feet in. “Are you here?” I called out, my tiny voice echoing through the trees.

A strange yet familiar sound followed by a familiar voice made me look around.

“Shh, my dear. We wouldn’t want to attract unwanted attention,” the voice cautioned.

The Snake slithered down from the trees. I ran to him, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly. He hugged me back, a pleased expression on his face.

“Nanash?” I whispered, disbelief clouding my thoughts. Was this a dream, a desperate attempt to let him know I was okay?

No, this felt too real, like a long-forgotten memory resurfacing.

“I’m so happy you came to see me again!” my younger self exclaimed.

She reached into her pocket when he set her down and pulled out a pink and black stone. “I found this and wanted to give it to you.”

Nanash accepted the stone. “What a beautiful stone.”

“Mommy said it’s a Rhondonite stone. I found it on our way back from Bergan. She said it’s special, it helps heal our soul. You said your family hurt you a lot, so this can help you feel better,” my younger self explained.

“How thoughtful,” Nanash murmured, his eyes reflecting a mix of joy and regret as he examined the stone. “Thank you, little one. I will cherish it.”

“Will you stay here? I think Mommy and Daddy would like you because you’re my friend,” my younger self asked.

Nanash shook his head. “No, I can’t let them see me. And I doubt they’d be happy knowing you’re talking to me. Sadly, this might be our last meeting.”

“Why?” I asked, confused.

He leaned in closer, his voice barely a whisper.

“Be brave, little one. No matter what happens, know that I’ll protect you as much as I can, even if it costs me my life.”

His words echoed in my mind as the scene faded away.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a bed. I sat up slowly, rubbing my head and looking around.

The room looked like one of the guest rooms in Lord Jekia’s palace. They must have brought me here after I fainted.

But waking up alone in a strange room didn’t worry me.

Instead, I was consumed by the dream, or rather, the memory that had just resurfaced.

It was real, I was sure of it.

Nanash had known me before, and he had warned me about the impending doom of my sect.