Eighty Five

Chapter Eighty-Five

Lucianna's POV

I never thought I'd smell it in the air. It was a bit of sweet and woody, mixed with a hint of bitter bits. Hope.

It was too soon to conclude but the moment all of us settled inside Jacob's office, I knew something has changed. It wasn't just the atmosphere, it wasn't just the air or our aura's. Its something I couldn't explain.

"Okay, baby, anytime you're ready…" Ashira said again in a comforting voice but I know how she feels as hopeful as I was. Though hers were blended with a bit of concern and I understand why. Quillon is still a kid, despite his advanced state of development and power.

Quillon looked at us one by one. His innocent eyes made me feel guilty for having him shoulder such a huge responsibility. If only Fhoxia's time wasn't up before she got something that might help then I wouldn't had to ask Quillon for help.

"She told me that she discovered me but she didn't explain what she meant with that," he paused and pursed his lips. "I think she meant she found out about my power but she seems to be harmless." then he looked at Aiden as if what he said was a question he was afraid to ask.

"Yes, she was not a danger. Don't worry, you're doing a great job concealing it, son." Aiden said in a calm but assuring voice though I could hear the sudden gravity from it in a way that suggested Aiden didn't liked how Fhoxia found out about it.

Quillon nodded, his question probably answered. They got a great bond for keeping their conversations just between them but understanding each other.

"She said I have the power to heal and my blood will be used in the process. She instructed how to cure Uncle Jacob that we could try. This process, she only learned it in ancient research, so she was not sure if it will work."

"But then, its in the papers in their realm. Heaven's realm. That's where she came from." I interrupted. "If its in their archive then it must have worked before."

Quillon nodded his head, eyes suddenly glinting that someone was following what he was saying.

"Yeah, it could be." Aiden nodded slowly, eyes not leaving his son. "Is there more?"

Quillon playfully bit his lower lip as if contemplating if he should tell the next part to us. We all waited, exchanging curious look at each other. The boy sighed loud and his shoulder sagged.

"Fine. There's more and I don't want to say this but it won't do good keeping things." he looked at Ashira and she smiled at him proudly. I think she taught him that and he learned it well.

"She said she knew I was concealing my power somehow and doing the process will need a great amount of it. I have to unleash the power to be able to proceed with dispelling Uncle Jacob's curse. I can either cleanse it after, so future bloodline won't have to inherit the same curse or banish the gift from the bloodline completely. She said whatever I choose to do, it will still need my power to be release."

There was silence as we processed what he said. The kid was out of breath after saying all those words as fast as he could.

I was the one who talked first. "For me, it doesn't matter whether you cleanse it or banish it,"

"Yeah, we could focus on healing Jacob and figure out what to do to the shadow eye after." Aiden seconded.

I looked at Jacob who was silent the entire time. His face has no expression, like he was not the center of this conversation. Or maybe he just didn't like to be the center of it, given that he was the one who needed help. Though I was sure he was past the prideful 'I-don't-need-help' attitude.

Quillon was so happy, he was grinning from ear to ear. I smiled sweetly at him. There's no sign of unwillingness in him, just a great deal of excitement. This is a good thing, right?

So why was Jacob clenching his jaw and Ashira looked dumbfounded?

"I think you're missing something," Jacob said, his eyes were on Aiden. "Quillon said he had to unleash his concealed power." he repeated as if it's the most important part of what the kid said and like we didn't hear.

I don't get it. He must be cured and there's a way now. This is the help he was waiting to come to us. He should be happy!

"Jacob-"

"I can't believe you missed that, Aiden." Ashira said that cut me off. Okay, now I'm so confused I had to keep my mouth shut.

"I didn't," Aiden said with certainty. "I heard it, baby, loud and clear. And the good thing was Quillon can save Jacob from his deathbed."

"I couldn't believe you!" Ashira exclaimed, she was fuming mad and I slowly grasped what was happening.

Quillon's power. Exposed to the world. The Alpha King.

Those three things glued together and started making sense. Quillon needed to unveil the powers they concealed up to now, and that may help Jacob but that also meant the Alpha King will find out about Quillon.

He will know he failed to take the power and God knows what he might do.

"I'd rather lie on my deathbed than to watch the kid suffer." Jacob said through gritted teeth and though it pained me to imagine he was ready to accept death, I couldn't weigh if I could risk the danger awaiting Quillon and his parents or Jacob's doom.

Because he will come. The Alpha King wouldn't turn a blind eye from this. He wanted to get that power, he thought he had succeeded, he won't stop knowing he had failed.

Worse, he would realize that Aiden and Ashira had managed to keep it from the world—from him—and had done so successfully. If he was the prideful Alpha King everyone claimed he was, he wouldn't let such a blow to his ego pass without retaliation. He would act on it.

"I'm sorry, Lucianna, Jacob," Ashira said softly, stepping toward Quillon and positioning herself behind him. "We wanted to help… but I can't risk my son's life for this."

My eyes started to water but I do not deserve to cry. The people who needed help can't be pushy, picky or inconsiderate.

"W-We understand." Yes, we. I know Jacob. I could feel how much he was against this.

No one said a word after mine. We just stood there, frozen, each trapped in our own spiraling thoughts.

I felt my world begin to collapse again, just like it did the moment I learned about the Shadow Eye curse. That same crushing weight in my chest, that terrifying sense of finality. Like this was it—the end.

And what comes after wasn't peace or light. Just an endless stretch of darkness. A blank, soulless canvas pulling me in like a void, swallowing everything that I was.

"Let's take a break. Get a breather. We'll talk about this again once we've all calmed down," Aiden said, and I exhaled, only then realizing I'd been holding my breath.

We all agreed.

Jacob and I retreated to our room, while Ashira and her family headed to the guestroom.

Quillon lingered for a moment, stealing quiet, sorrowful glances at Jacob—and each one felt like a dagger to my chest.

In his young mind, he still managed to think of others before himself.

How could I be selfish, wanting to save Jacob at any cost, when a child was willing to risk nothing for himself?

It didn't feel right. It felt shameful.

"We're not doing it." Jacob said once we're both laying on our bed. I held his hand, wondering if this would be the last time I would have the chance of holding it.

"I know." I said in a whisper. Sniffing back the tears that threathened to fall, I chuckled. "Well, help did came. You were right about that part."

Jacob looked at me. His eyes were just the same I used to mesmerise about. Deep, alive, drowning.

I'd miss looking at those eyes.

I couldn't help the cry that left my throat. It was a guttural, soul-wrenching wail—raw and unrestrained—as if the grief itself clawed its way out of my chest.

It wasn't just a sound of sorrow; it was the kind of cry that tore through silence like a storm, born from the unbearable weight of watching the man I loved fade away. It held all the shattered dreams, the aching what-ifs, and the terrifying reality of facing a future without him.

I buried my face on Jacob's chest to muffled my cries, as he wrapped his arms around me. Tight. Not wanting to let go.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." Jacob kept whispering in my ears. He wanted to comfort me with those words and though it worked, it also tear my heart apart.

I didn't got the chance to say it back but my cries sent the message of how much I love him, too.