Chapter 351: The Black Sect Has Reawakened

Zethar;

That hurts badly. And I can’t sit back and pretend like I’m fine and it’s all good. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

I don’t know how to hide my emotions.

It’s a matter of time before they all realise how pointless I feel my presence here is.

"I won’t stay long. I’ll come back as soon as everything feels okay." I reply, trying to play on words, and not lie... but it’s a lie nonetheless.

"I’ll be back before you have the chance to miss me too much," I add jokingly, but he doesn’t smile.

Neither does he relax.

He just looks at me. And for a moment... I feel it.

That pull.

Not like the bond he shares with Koda or Zephan. They’ve both properly marked him.

Both marks outweigh my measly, temporary mark...

But it’s still there... Quieter.

My whispering connection to him... and the baby...

It simply... exists. And most times, I don’t know if it’s a mockery or a gift.

"Promise?" Elian asks, and my heart skips.

He holds out his pinky to me, and my brows crease.

"You won’t stay long...?" He insists, and I smile.

"I won’t," I reply, as I awkwardly hold out my pinky, and I watch as he locks his pinky with mine.

"I’ll choose to trust you." He says as he then lets go, and I force a smile back.

I nod, step back before my expression betrays me.

I look up and find Zephan watching me carefully.

Too carefully.

Yes, I told him I want to leave, but I didn’t give him the details.

I didn’t tell him why. I just told him that I miss the capital, and now... well, now I fear he just might see through my bullshit.

I don’t want him, or anyone else, giving me a pep talk on why I should stay and how I may have misunderstood things.

I am not a baby. I know what I’m feeling, and exactly how things are.

Koda is Elian’s husband by law and tradition, and Zephan has officially marked Elian. And me??

I’m just... an insignificant member of the household.

"Zethar," Zephan says slowly, and I look up at him.

"If this is about Father, then we can all—" He begins, but I cut him off immediately.

"No."

The word comes out sharper than I intended, and I immediately scramble to soften it.

"Lioran sent for me. There’s no need to make it more serious than it is, and... besides, Father hasn’t ordered our return to the capital yet. We know he likes his thing a certain way. We can’t just turn back to the capital without his permission. I’ll go alone. That’s the best option." I add, and Koda studies me.

His arms are crossed, and it irks me to see that he’s studying me in that silence he usually takes when he’s deciphering something.

Aunt Selthía says nothing as well, which is worse...

Because her silence is never empty.

It’s observant. Knowing.

"I’ll prepare some gifts for you to take along. But you leave through the portals in the morning," She then says after a moment, and I pause.

She’s... letting me go?

"Hmm..." I hum, trying to understand what could be going on in her mind, and she smiles.

Elián walks back to Koda’s side, but he doesn’t sit or speak.

He just stands there, watching me like he’s waiting for me to change my mind.

I won’t. I can’t.

Because if I stay...

If I stay and watch Koda take his place beside him so naturally, so easily...

If I stay and keep seeing how little I am needed here...

Then I might start to resent something I have no right to resent. And I refuse to let it get that far.

"I’ll send word... constantly," I add, more for Elián than anyone else, and I see his eyes light up a bit.

"I’ll let you know how things are progressing," I add, and Aunt Selthía finally moves.

She walks closer to me, with her gaze settling on me with quiet intensity.

"Take care of yourself," she says, and I blink at her.

It’s not a command or a warning.

It is something softer.

"I will," I reply, and she studies me for a moment longer, like she’s deciding whether to say more.

She doesn’t. But I can tell... She sees through me.

She’s just... simply chooses not to stop me.

She hugs me and then whispers to me.

"When you get back to the capital, tell your Father that the Black Sect has reawakened. You must deliver this message to him verbally. There mustn’t be a single written record of it. He will understand what it means, and what to do." She says, and my brows crease.

I watch in confusion as she pulls back and silently walks out of the hall with her dress following behind her.

The... the black sect??

What... what is that? What does it...

I look back at my brothers, and I find them both staring at me curiously. They know Aunt Selthis told me something, but I don’t think it’s something to bother them with.

If she wanted them to know, she wouldn’t have whispered it, and well... They have a pregnant Omega to tend to. I don’t need to add to the workload.

I stare at Elian. The Omega, I never thought I would feel this way about. I flah him one forced, bright smile, before turning my back on them.

As I get to the doors, and the guards pull them open, Elian’s voice causes me to stop.

"Zethar." He calls. And I turn around.

"Come back," he whispers like he can tell I’m running, and I force a smile.

A smile, I’m sure, isn’t fooling anyone.

"I will," I say the final lie, and turn away again.

I don’t look back as I leave, because if I do...

That look in his eyes might make this harder than it already is.

And I don’t have the luxury of that. Not anymore.

The path ahead is clear.

The capital waits. My brother waits.

My father... needs me. And now, I have a message I have to pass to him.

But yes... A new question has arisen.

What is the Black sect?? And why do I have to pass the message verbally??

What is Aunt Selthia... hiding?