Chapter 38

Coming back home was a mixed bag of emotions for me, especially considering the recent events. The sight of Anika and Nanash as I was ushered through the doors brought a sense of relief, but my mind and heart were at odds over how to process everything I’d discovered. Dominick’s role in the darkest chapter of my life was now confirmed, and to my dismay, I found out that Navine had a part in it too, albeit a passive one.

This revelation left me in a state of inner turmoil. I’d always held onto the belief that Navine would never stand by while harm came to anyone if he could prevent it. The thought that he knew about my sect being targeted and did nothing was a bitter pill to swallow.

However, I kept reminding myself that there had to be more to this story. Whether I liked it or not, I had to confront Navine to uncover the whole truth. The fear of losing my sanity if I didn’t was too real.

But the opportunity to do so hadn’t presented itself yet. Both Navine and I were badly injured and needed immediate medical attention. Anika and Emelio stepped in to help.

Emelio, thanks to his service to Lord Jekia, was adept at treating injuries, even ones as severe as Navine’s. As for me, Anika took charge of my care, with a little assistance from Nanash. My Snake was beside himself with worry when he saw my battered and bruised body.

His anxiety was already heightened from the time I was held captive by Dominick. He was all too aware of the danger I was in and feared the worst. Not that his fears were entirely unfounded. I had been tortured, albeit more mentally than physically.

I quickly reassured him that I was going to be okay now that I was home and Dominick was no longer a threat. My injuries were mostly superficial—glass cuts and deep bruises, the latter of which felt worse. The most severe injury was to my left leg.

A large shard of glass had lodged itself in my calf and was still there when I returned. Anika had to numb my leg, extract the shard, and then stitch me up.

“You need to be mindful of how much strain you put on this leg over the next few days. This cut was deep, and you don’t want to aggravate these stitches,” she advised as she finished up.

I was propped up against Nanash, seated on his coiled tail, and I simply nodded in response. My mind was elsewhere, replaying the events that transpired during my time with Dominick.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Raelina? You’ve been unusually quiet since you got back. It’s not like the Faerie I’ve grown to know,” Nanash observed.

His words snapped me out of my reverie.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry. I guess my mind keeps wandering,” I apologized.

“You don’t have to apologize. We understand that you’ve been through a lot recently. It’s going to take time for you to process everything,” Anika reassured me.

“Are you ready to talk about what happened? Did Dominick really force Navine to kill him?” Nanash asked.

“Yes,” I responded, aware of how emotionless my voice sounded. But I couldn’t help it—not when the memory of those final moments was still so vivid. “Lord Lyric was right. I don’t think Dominick would have ever accepted mercy. He was just too exhausted from living in his own madness.”

“Do you also believe that he had lost his mind?” Nanash sounded skeptical. I couldn’t blame him. Dominick was always so composed around others that it was hard to believe he was suffering as much as he was.

“He confessed as much to me. Just before everything went down, he admitted that his heart had turned as dark as night due to his jealousy of Navine. I still can’t fully comprehend it, but I believe him,” I explained.

Anika didn’t seem to question any of this. “Long ago, my father shared tales of discord among the Dragon clans during the early days,” she began, her eyes meeting mine as she sat across from me. “My papa, his father, and his grandfather were all wanderers, and I think some of the stories they passed down were seen firsthand by my great-grandfather.”

She continued, “They spoke of a fierce rivalry that had grown between several Dragon clans in the years before the Higher Ones appointed a ruler for our lands. The Ivory Dragons were always the most powerful clan, both respected and loathed by the others.”

“Some even dared to challenge them, trying to prove their superiority. From what I’ve heard, this led to a few civil wars among the Dragons.”

Nanash chimed in. “Is that why their numbers are so few? Because they were wiping each other out?”

“It’s a possibility, even if we can’t confirm it. I do know that their birthrates have dropped significantly over the last few centuries, though the reasons are unclear. There were still enough male and female Dragons within the Veil to keep their kind going,” Anika replied.

Nanash mused. “It’s hard to say. There could be more internal conflict than anyone outside knows about.”

“Maybe,” I agreed, trying to shake off my detached state. It wasn’t doing me any good to stay like that, especially when there were still matters I needed to address. Anika’s stories about her ancestors had piqued my interest. “Anika, did your father ever mention Dominick’s clan?”

Anika shook her head. “No. I knew of the Prism Dragons and Lord Dominick, but only vaguely. Honestly, I feel like I’ve learned more about all the Dragons since you met Lord Navine than I ever did when my father was alive.”

Nanash added, “They’ve always seemed like a secluded race, at least from what I’ve seen. I don’t remember seeing many of them around here before Raelina arrived. Navine, in particular, kept to himself, even from his own kind.”

Seclusion. That seemed to be a recurring theme in Navine’s life since Rosaline’s death. I wondered if it had anything to do with why he let my sect perish.

But I wouldn’t get any answers by just sitting here brooding about it. I might even drive myself mad. I needed to confront Navine about all this. Only then could I decide my next move.

“Anika, Nanash; would you mind if I had some private time to talk to Navine? I don’t mean to be rude, especially when you’ve both been so concerned about me, but there are some things we need to discuss,” I asked.

Nanash saw right through me. “There’s something else going on between you and Navine, isn’t there?” he guessed.

I decided to be honest with them. They deserved that much, especially if things went south between Navine and me.

“There is,” I admitted, shifting slightly and wincing as pain shot through my leg. “During their fight, Dominick claimed that Navine knew the Sun Fae were being targeted by the lycans, and that he chose not to intervene. Navine didn’t deny it. He just said he had to live with those regrets.”

Anika looked taken aback, her gaze darting to Nanash. “Did you know anything about that?”

“I didn’t. I only sent word to Lord Jekia when I heard about it, and that was just a few hours before the attack,” he replied.

“That’s odd,” I pondered. “Navine didn’t deny it, so who warned him?”

“Maybe you should ask him that. If what you’re saying is true, he owes you an explanation,” Anika suggested.

“He does, and I’d like to hear it too, once you two sort things out,” Nanash added. He helped me to my feet. “I don’t think Lord Jekia would mind us checking on things now. I suspect the worst is over, so let’s go see Navine.”

Nanash was clearly troubled by this revelation. If it was true, it meant Navine had ignored his pleas for help as well.

As we left the room, I couldn’t help but wonder about the circumstances. If it wasn’t Nanash who had warned Navine, then who was it? Who else knew what was happening back then?

Nanash ended up being my knight in shining armor, carrying me back to the room I shared with Navine. Anika was about to knock on the slightly ajar door, but she paused when we heard Lord Jekia’s voice from inside.

“You do realize the gravity of your actions, don’t you? If I hadn’t arrived at that village when I did, Raelina wouldn’t be here,” he was saying.

“I know that, and it was never my intention to disregard them. I just didn’t see the threat as significant, and that was my mistake for not verifying it,” Navine replied in a hushed tone.

“I can’t say I understand that either,” Emelio chimed in. “The only one who tried to intervene was the Snake, and he reached out to us. There’s no record of anyone else trying to intervene days before.”

“I don’t know who tried to warn me. The letters I got were anonymous, and I haven’t been able to trace the sender,” Navine admitted.

“Then you should’ve given them to me to investigate instead of trying to cover your tracks,” Lord Jekia pointed out.

“I won’t deny that,” Navine conceded. “Dominick was right about their blood being on my hands, as have many others during the time I isolated myself. Even my own brother’s.”

“Is that why you were so keen on Lyric becoming the ruler? Don’t think I didn’t notice your trips to the Eastern Lands during those years to train him. Even if I never told the others, I wasn’t oblivious,” Lord Jekia revealed.

I was taken aback. Navine had always spoken highly of Lyric, but he’d never mentioned being the one who trained him to fight against Jusei. It stung a little. He went to help Lyric but didn’t help my sect.

“My reasons are my own, and I won’t deny my guilt over what happened to Raelina and her family. If she chooses to hate me for it, she has every right to, and I’ll have to live with it,” Navine said solemnly.

I’d heard enough. I decided to knock and enter, not waiting for a response. “You don’t need to make assumptions, Navine. I’ll make up my mind after we’ve talked everything through,” I declared.

Navine was reclining on the bed, propped up against the headboard with pillows. His shirt was off, revealing bandages around his side and chest. Emelio was nearby, packing away medical supplies into a black bag.

Lord Jekia was standing close by, not looking the least bit surprised by my sudden appearance. “I see you’re doing better. That’s a relief,” he said, giving me that familiar kind smile.

I returned his smile and nodded. “I am. Thank you for all your help. Are the other girls okay?” I asked.

“They’re fine. Lorelei is looking after them for now. We’ll discuss their future in the next few days. That should give them enough time to think about their options,” Lord Jekia replied.

Options. I guess they did have a lot to consider, including returning to their families.

Families. I probably shouldn’t have thought about that word given the current situation.

“That being said,” Lord Jekia continued, “I assume you wanted to speak privately with Navine. I imagine there’s a lot you two need to discuss.”

“There is, but I don’t want to kick you out or anything,” I assured him.

“I don’t see it that way. Navine is taken care of and just needs to rest now. Emelio and I can handle the details of the next few days so we can arrange a formal meeting to address the unresolved issues.”

“Unresolved issues? Are you referring to the void left by Lord Dominick’s death?” Anika asked.

“I am,” Lord Jekia confirmed.

Emelio explained, “Without going into too much detail right now, this will cause a ripple effect in the Northern Lands. While Lord Jekia is the ruler and has the final say, the Dragons have been long-standing allies in maintaining order under him. Losing one will undoubtedly shake things up—not to mention the problems that Dragon caused in the first place.”

Navine didn’t say a word, his gaze fixed somewhere other than us. Jekia picked up on it too and decided to give us some space.

“Everything seems to be in order here, so Emelio and I will head out. Anika, would you and Nanash mind showing us out?”

“Of course not,” Anika replied.

As he passed by me, Lord Jekia gently touched my shoulder, pausing to share a few quiet words. “Try not to jump to conclusions. Listening to each other and being honest about our feelings is the best way to sort things out.”

“Thank you,” I murmured. “For everything.”

Once they were gone, a wave of anxiety washed over me. The silence in the room was almost deafening. Navine was still staring out the distant window. I wondered if he was avoiding looking at me because he knew how difficult our upcoming conversation would be.

I took a deep, calming breath and moved to the side of the bed. “Can I sit?” I asked.

“You don’t need to ask. You know I’d never stop you,” Navine replied, still not meeting my gaze.

His avoidance was starting to get under my skin as I sat down next to him. “Won’t you even look at me? Am I that upsetting to you?”

“Absolutely not!” Navine retorted. Though it was clear he had to force himself to do so, he continued, “Why would you think I’d be upset to see you when I’ve been so worried about your safety?”

“Because you know what we need to discuss,” I shot back. I gathered all my courage to stay composed as I continued, “I’m not here to accuse you or anything. I just want to know the truth about what Dominick said, and I want to hear it from you.”

Navine took a long, strained breath, resigning himself to the conversation.

“What do you want me to say? I thought you heard enough, and I won’t deny it.”

“Tell me why. Why did you let my sect die? Was it because you didn’t want to help anyone?”

“Not at all. I just didn’t believe those letters, so I ignored them.”

“But why didn’t you investigate further? You had so many contacts; you could’ve at least uncovered Lila’s involvement.”

“Because I was weak-minded!” Navine burst out. His sudden outburst startled me, making me jump a little. He winced as he sat up abruptly, clutching his bandaged chest. “I hadn’t involved myself in anything in these lands for centuries after Rosaline’s death, and I couldn’t believe anyone would want me to handle that kind of situation, so I dismissed it, and they died because of it!”

His emotional pain was palpable. I couldn’t deny that, even if my instinct was to react.

“Then stop dismissing things!” I demanded. Navine stiffened at my words, looking shocked as I faced him with all the defiance I could muster. “Why do you think all of this happened?! You knew Dominick was dangerous, and so did everyone else, yet you all kept letting it slide and making excuses! You couldn’t even kill him unless he forced you to! Why?!”

Navine lowered his gaze, his response barely audible.

“Because I’m so tired of death.”

“What?” I whispered.

He slowly sat up, his golden eyes filled with pain as he elaborated.

“From the day I was born, all I’ve known is fighting and power struggles. True allies didn’t come until Jekia became the ruler of these lands, and even then, maintaining relationships was a struggle because of the burden of my birthright. Regardless of my feelings for others, whether I admired them or wanted to be close to them, I had no choice but to fulfill the duties my father instilled in me. I watched him and my mother die, then most of my siblings—all victims of the relentless struggle for power.”

“But when I met Rosaline, it felt like a ray of light had finally reached me. Temple also stood by me, not as a rival, but as a brother. I even managed to form bonds with the other rising Alpha Dragons, and I thought the worst was behind me.”

“Is that why you couldn’t accept what Dominick did to her and how she died?” I asked him.

“Accepting it would mean admitting I’ve failed at everything I set out to do,” Navine confessed. His fingers gently brushed my cheek. “Dominick was right. In many ways, I’m no better than him. I let my grief and regret consume me, and I convinced myself I wasn’t worthy of being an alpha, let alone a king. You have every right to be angry with me, to despise me for what happened to you and your family. If I had been stronger, I could’ve protected you.”

Tears streamed down my face. The pain was unbearable, but there was a sense of closure in it too. It was as if opening up this vault of regrets was finally setting them free.

“I could never hate you, Navine. I believe you,” I managed to say. “You may have kept things from me, but you’ve never lied.”

“And I never will. I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” he vowed.

I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, trying to regain my composure.

“Then do that. Stop blaming yourself and confront your past. You’ve been running from it, and you’ll never find happiness that way. Trust me, I know,” I told him.

“You really don’t hate me for all this?”

“What good would that do? It won’t change the past, and I love you too much to hate you. You didn’t command those lycans to kill my sect, even if you didn’t prevent it. If you stand up now and ensure it never happens again, I can forgive you. I believe they would too.”

“Maybe you can forgive me, but I’m not sure I can forgive myself,” Navine confessed.

“Maybe you can’t. There are things I don’t think I’ll ever fully let go of either, but I’m tired of them ruling my life.” I moved closer, wrapping my arms around him gently to avoid causing him any pain. “I meant what I said. I love you, Navine. I want you to make things right by being the king everyone believes you can be.”

Navine’s arms tightened around me.

“You’re something else, Raelina. No one has ever reached me the way you have,” he whispered.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” I asked, looking up at him.

“It is.” Navine kissed my forehead gently. “I won’t repeat my past mistakes. I am the Dragon King, and I’ll prove that I’m worthy of that title, for you and for everyone else.”

“I know you will. You’ve been through so much, Navine. I know you’ve felt trapped in darkness, but we can get through it and move forward.”

“And we will, no matter how long it takes.”

I wasn’t sure if my family and sect would’ve agreed with my decision to forgive Navine for not saving them, but it was what I needed to do to move on. I couldn’t deny my love for him, and I knew he would forever regret his actions. The only thing left was to move forward and make amends in any way we could, starting with him living up to his title.