Transmigrated Into a Cannon Fodder Phoenix, Stuck With the Ice Dragon-Chapter 123: You Are My Everything

Lucian’s eyes widened, and I could see irritation flash through them. I didn’t even know why it made my chest burn, maybe because I had just cracked something he never wanted pried open?

"What did you just say?" he asked. His voice dropped low, rough and wounded at the same time.

I scoffed.

"I’m just saying it, aren’t I?" I snapped. "It’s a logical thought. Wouldn’t you think the same if you were me?"

"No. I wouldn’t," he shot back without hesitation.

I laughed, short and mocking. "Yeah, you wouldn’t."

Then I kept going anyway because that’s what I do when I’m mad.

"But you can’t change the fact that the very first reason you came to me was because you thought I was useful." My voice sharpened. "You believed I was some miraculous bird who could heal even someone lying on their deathbed!"

I saw it in his eyes the moment he snapped.

He rushed forward.

Fast.

I barely had time to breathe before his hands were on my face and his mouth crushed onto mine in a kiss.

It wasn’t gentle.

It wasn’t careful.

It was rough and frantic, filled with everything he refused to say out loud.

I froze for half a second.

Then I shoved at his shoulder but he didn’t move.

He kissed me like he wanted to consume me, like the world was burning and I was all that was left of it.

Then he suddenly bit my lip.

Pain burst sharp and sudden.

I pushed him hard.

"It hurts!" I shouted, wiping at my mouth.

Blood... Of course.

I glared at him. This damn dragon.

I stared at him as rage and shock tangled in my chest.

"What’s wrong with you?" I snapped. "Do you think you can just kiss me into silence?"

His chest rose and fell hard.

And for the first time since this started... I saw his eyes redden. His lips trembled, his breathing uneven.

He dragged in a harsh breath and covered his face, "Seraphina..."

My name sounded wounded in his mouth this time.

"I love you," he said, his voice breaking. "I fucking love you. So please... Can you stop doubting me?"

The words hit harder than his bite ever had.

I didn’t answer right away.

My fingers were still stained with red.

My heartbeat still wasn’t steady.

"You say that like... love is supposed to make fear disappear," I whispered.

His brows knitted, he clearly didn’t like what he was hearing.

"Then what do you want?" he demanded. "Earlier, you told me you wanted me to say it. So here I am, standing in front of you, begging and telling you that I fucking love you!" His voice cracked. "I love you so much I’d go mad if I lost you. Isn’t that enough to make you believe in me?"

I watched him spill all of his frustration into the silence between us.

Slowly, I shook my head. "It’s not that I don’t hear you—"

"Then?" He cut me off before I could finish. Frustration edged his voice raw.

I took a breath. "Then it sounds the same."

Lucian froze.

"The way you talk about loving me," I said quietly. "It sounds exactly like the way you talked about her."

I smiled, the kind that hurt.

"That’s why I told you... we’ll only know the truth when she wakes up."

"Hah!" He let out a sharp breath and turned away, dragging a hand through his hair in frustration. "So, Seraphina... what do you want me to do to prove that you’re my everything?"

I pressed my lips together, meeting his eyes.

But nothing came out. Not even after a few seconds.

Because there was no answer.

There was no gesture big enough. No word loud enough. No promise that could outshine a ghost.

I looked away first.

"I don’t know," I admitted.

Lucian’s shoulders slumped a little.

And somehow, that hurt more than his anger.

"I just know," I whispered, "that if loving me feels the same as loving her..."

My throat tightened.

"Then I don’t know where I end... and where she begins."

The room went quiet again.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, the words barely forming. "I’m just... scared."

My throat burned as I forced myself to keep going. "You’re the only one I have right now."

The truth hit me harder than I expected.

My legs gave out. I sank to the floor like something inside me had finally gone hollow.

"You know... I started my life with nothing," I choked. "Nothing at all."

My breath trembled as I forced the words out. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Then when I finally touched a little happiness, I lost my best friend... my world... my body... and even my unborn child."

My breathing hitched violently.

"What if, after you swear you only love me, I lose you too?" I whispered.

"What if after everything you just told me... you betray me? Realize you love her more than me?"

My voice cracked completely.

"Because right now... you’re the only one I have and losing you too would be the biggest fear I have at this moment."

Tears spilled before I could stop them.

Lucian rushed to me.

He dropped to his knees and pulled me into his arms without a second thought, wrapping me so tightly against his chest that I could barely breathe and somehow, that was the only thing grounding me.

"Hey... hey..." he murmured, his voice breaking against my hair. "It’s okay, I’m here with you."

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a broken sound that didn’t resemble words at all.

His arms tightened.

"No matter what," he said hoarsely. "I’m here. I swear I am."

My tears soaked into his shirt.

I clutched at him like he was the last solid thing in the world.

"Please don’t leave me," I cried. "I don’t have anyone—"

"You have me," he interrupted immediately.

Firm.

"You have me," he said again.

He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath uneven and warm.

"I’m not going anywhere," he whispered. "Not to her. Not away from you. Not out of this world."

My shoulders shook harder.

"And if I ever walk the wrong way..." his voice cracked, "then may the world burn me alive before it ever takes you from me."

He drew me closer.

"If you fall," he whispered, "then I fall with you."