Chapter 56

The worry in the silver eyes that were a complete replica of his. He had always been told that he looked very much like his father. Same dark hair, same wings of snow, same royal silver eyes. 

Nuriel shifted in the bed. He wanted his father to turn and head back.. he wanted him to turn and head back. But he couldn't because he had convinced him to go on with his journey. 

Even when his father had abruptly stopped and clutched his hand to his chest. Even when he had said that he felt as if there was something wrong with his mating bond. Nuriel had told him to go on. 

They could have gone back and they could have saved her. They could have rescued his mother from the clutches of those heartless vipers, but instead, he asked his father to stop worrying. 

   **go back!! 

He fisted his hands in the covers of the bed. 

        go back!! 

He wanted to go back in time and do everything he did differently. He watched as he and his father flew towards the town. He watched as his father stopped yet again and looked back. And he watched with a pained heart as he placed his hand on his father's shoulder and told him to stop worrying. 

He watched as he sentenced his beloved mother to her own death. 

He could do nothing but simply watch....... 

                  ✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️

" Nuriel!... Nuriel wake up!! " 

Flame shook him in his sleep. She tapped him and she yelled. But he didn't wake up. Instead he kept shifting and turning restlessly. His breathing was rugged and his face contorted as if he was in pain. She felt helpless as she sat up on her knees next to him.

" go back... " he kept saying. Over and over as he waved his hands around in the air.

He was in obvious distress. 

And since she arrived there, that was the first time she had seen him in such a state. She had seen him look worried and stressed even fearful. She had seen him angry and sad. She had seen him happy and joyful. 

But she had never even once seen him look so fearful. 

She shook him, unable to stand it. She felt helpless and confused, and all she wanted was for him to open his eyes. 

" Nuriel!... angel please wake up! " 

He didn't. 

He just kept on reciting the words "go back " as he squeezed his eyes shut. And once she realised that yelling and shaking him wasn't working, she got off the bed and fisted her hands into her hair. Looking around desperately. Wondering if she perhaps ought to call for help. But she decided against that thought immediately. All she had to do was calm down and try to think. 

" Oh please angel, just wake up, " 

She went over to the bed again. Taking his hand and squeezing it as tightly as she could. Then she tapped his cheek gently while calling him. He seemed to return the hold on her hand. And he even looked as if he had calmed down a bit. So she let her instincts take over and she leaned in. Capturing his lips in a heartfelt kiss that she hoped would pull him out of whatever dreadful dream he seemed to be trapped in. 

At first, when she pulled away, she had feared that it didn't work. But then she looked up and watched as he slowly opened his eyes. His chest was still heaving and a trickle of sweat made his way down his temple, but other than that he looked okay. 

" M'eudail? " he asked unsurely as he sat up. 

" Hey, you had a bad dream and.... " she stopped talking and shook her head. Inching closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. 

" Are you okay? " she asked as she placed a kiss to the top of his head. He parted his lips to talk but then he closed them again and simply sat still. Everything was still fresh in his mind. The guilt and regret that he felt could not be explained by words. And it had only grown over the past three centuries, turning into a stream of poison that seemed to flow in his very veins. 

He lifted his hand and held onto Flame's arm. He could feel her worry and fear for him. He hated himself for putting her in such a situation. And as much as he wanted to stay there and accept the comfort that she was offering, he didn't think that he deserved it. And he felt as if the entire room was filled with tiny flecks of his memories. And all he wanted was to get as far away from there as he could. He wanted to go somewhere and clear his head. So he slowly unwrapped Flame's arms from around him and got off the bed. 

And after placing a kiss on her forehead, he headed for the entrance. 

" Do you want to talk about it? " he heard her ask. And the concern she held for him was clear in her tone. 

Stopping, he turned to her. She was staring at him, still in the same position she had been in. A confused and somehow broken look on her face. 

" No. " he curtly stated. Then to make sure that she didn't feel as if he was walking out, he looked her in the eye and added, " I love you m'eudail. You should go back to sleep, "

And then he left. His focus on the training room where he intended to spend the rest of the night.

                         💮🌼💮🌼💮🌼 

With all his might and every last bit of concentration that he had, Nuriel slashed the sword through the air. But today, his preferred method of meditation did not seem to be helping. 

And soon after, he threw the sword across the room and growled. His hands in his hair as he tried to push those cursed thoughts and memories away. 

Then he stood still and placed both hands on his waist. 

" Sire, " 

The voice was in his head. And he recognized it well. It was deep and cultured and for some reason, it always seemed to carry a melodious tune to it. . 

And immediately after the voice came the familiar and overwhelming scent. 

More overwhelming than that of any other angel. 

A raw, sparking surge of honeyed saffron, shattered glass and poison tipped daggers. 

It only belonged to one angelic being in the kingdom. 

" Bastian. " he sent back. Then less than two seconds later he saw someone emerge from the corner of the room. How long he had been there Nuriel had no clue. The angel had the ability to remain out of sight even while in the most crowded of rooms. 

" You're back, finally. " he said as he walked over to the shelved racks on one side and took a towel, using it to wipe his forehead. And for once he appreciated the angel's quiet and reserved nature. It meant that he wouldn't attempt to ask him what was wrong. 

" I apologize for the delay, but I had to do a thorough analysis of the kingdom before I thought it wise to return. "

" I understand, "

Nuriel looked at the raven winged angel standing a few feet away. His mass of dark hair framing his face and the bow and quiver of arrows still on his back. 

" And what exactly were your findings? " Nuriel asked as he crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed as he waited to hear the report. Al while noticing the remoteness and endless depth of Bastians eyes. 

An endless pit of tar they were. Not dark brown, but black. And his olive skin tone only added to the hidden appeal of the quiet angel. 

" I'm afraid that the witches have no partake in the murders. I spent hours on end observing them. I even listened in on some of their meetings. And although I know that they ARE up to something, I'm certain that it has nothing to do with Zalian. "

" Do you know what they are up to? "

Bastian's features didn't alter. He remained as he was. His long leather coat wide open to reveal the dark armor he had on underneath. Black was the only colour the angle knew. And it was understandable since he mostly only dwelt in the shadows. Away from sight. 

" Not in detail, but according to the pieces I managed to gather and assemble together, they're planning to take over Greyden. "

" Are you certain? " 

" Yes. "

Nuriel frowned. He had always known that the witches and wizards were selfish and power hungry but he had never considered them to be foolish. Because that was what this could be termed as. Pure foolishness. 

They might have been powerful but they had to be aware of how ruthless the beings of Greyden were. And they would never let such an act of atrocity go unpunished . If there was one thing Greyden was well known for, it was it's strive for vengeance.