115: Allies on her side (final)

Allies on her side (final)

3"Mate..." she repeated, her eyes lingering on Egon's suddenly rigid expression.<ins id="1067137" data-width="308" data-height="298"

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Rauul frowned and turned to Egon. "You yourself confirmed that Lady Larissa de Lanark is undoubtedly his mate. Why is Lady Adelaide unaware of something so crucial?"

Egon clenched his teeth and spoke through them. "Rauul..."

Adela looked away from Egon. "I understand and respect your hesitation to share your family's secrets... I also respect my sister's privacy, and I won't pry into their affairs."

I should have asked her directly. She thought with remorse. Learning such private information about her sister from someone else's mouth was not something she desired.

"My Lady, feel free to ask me anything. I am here to serve you," Rauul offered, casting a sharp glance in Egon's direction.

"It's too late. The guards are approaching," Egon interjected, glancing at Rauul. "Go back the way you came. I will accompany her to her chambers."

Rauul narrowed his eyes at Egon before redirecting his attention to Adela, urgency in his voice. "My Lady, inform the Archduke that the Duke's son has pledged his loyalty to you in Latora. It will facilitate matters for both of us,"

Adela reached out and firmly grasped Rauul's hand, surprising both men.

"I need to uncover the truth... My sister... Emoria cannot be dragged into a war with Kolhis!" Her words spilled out in a jumbled and unintelligible manner, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

Last thing she heard were Egon's grumbles, followed by what felt like a sudden collision with a wall. Then came the sensation of being pushed and pulled in a disorienting flurry of movement. Amidst the chaos, the familiar scent of Egon filled her lungs, providing a comforting anchor. She could feel the warmth of his skin against hers, assuring her of his presence.

"You can open your eyes now," his strained voice reached her ears.

Adela blinked and found herself standing in her own room, supported by Egon's arm. Her gaze was immediately drawn to a deep scratch on his face, the sight of the bleeding wound worrying her.

"You're injured!" she exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch his face and assess the wound. She breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing that it was just a shallow cut.

Egon wore a weary smile as he spoke. "One of the tree branches didn't take kindly to our passage," he remarked, nodding towards the pine tree outside her window, a glimmer of mirth danced in his eyes.

"We climbed the tree?!" she half gasped, half marveled.

He chuckled. "More like bounced between the tree and the wall. I can't fly, you know."

Adela observed the pulsating vein on his neck, his heavy breaths, and the additional scratches on his face. It was as if in that moment, he appeared more human than she had ever witnessed before.

"...Of course, you can't," she murmured, realizing the extent of his fatigue.

He appeared to shed a decade from his age as he laughed without a care, his delight evident in his expression. She found it disconcerting... How a simple act of genuine care could bring him such joy as if he had been starved of it for far too long.

A wince of pain flickered across his face, and his hand instinctively sought out the scar on his abdomen. It was at that instant that Adela's understanding crystallized.

Frantically, she reached for the brooch, determined to remove it. However, Egon's hands intercepted hers.

"Don't," he pleaded with a desolate tone as his mood swiftly shifted.

"I must remove it!" she insisted.

"No," a sorrowful smile played on his lips. "Wait until I am no longer by your side, then you may remove it if you wish."

Adela was repulsed by the notion of him enduring unnecessary pain when she had the power to alleviate it.

"I overheard everything that woman said while I was in the room with the pearl-shaped bed... I know your scars bring you suffering!" 

"Do they?" he murmured softly, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

She resumed her attempts to remove the brooch, but this time he grabbed her elbows and pulled her closer, resting his head on her shoulder.

They stood there, breathing heavily, locked in an intimate embrace.

"...You shouldn't have heard that part," he whispered, his voice filled with sorrow.

"And you shouldn't join the ranks of those who keep things hidden from me," she countered.

His head, pressed against her shoulder, shook twice. "Never. I will always endeavor to be honest with you," he vowed.

"...What a sorry excuse for a promise."

Egon showed no urgency in changing their posture, continuing to bear the weight of his head. Yet, what weighed heavily on Adela at that moment was their peculiar fates.

"Why did you give me the Empress's Heart?" Her words escaped with a sigh.

"...It is an Emorian tradition,"

"Is this how you endeavor to be honest with me?"

He chuckled softly, then straightened up. "Blame it on Rauul, he can be quite bothersome..." his voice trailed off, his gaze fixed on the window as if lost in his own thoughts again.

"I didn't get a chance to say goodbye..."

"You don't have to,"

He rubbed his face, clearly bothered by the scratch left by the branch.

"...Why do you willingly inflict pain on yourself?" 

"I don't," his eyes reflected sincerity. "I was... testing something. And with your powers growing, the brooch may come in handy... You can't go around healing everyone you encounter, or else they would start worshiping you,"

Adela nodded, her understanding of the true implications of being a Healer starting to sink in. She could now comprehend why they would choose to conceal their identities.

They gazed at each other in silence, neither wanting to part ways.

"...I should leave," Egon reluctantly said.

She stared at him, unable to find the words to keep him there.

"I will bring you news about Larissa soon," his expression changed. "Don't reach out to anyone else about it."

Her mind flashed to Claude, and she bit her lip.

"Do you have so little faith in me?" he asked with a pained voice.

"I'll give you one day," she relented, already compromising more than she intended.

Egon's hardened expression was the last thing she saw before he disappeared from before her eyes.

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