Chapter 23
"My n-na—"
Before Elyra could finish her introduction, a pair of tight, desperate arms whipped around her waist.
Eldern yanking her backward into an unyielding, protective hug.
The silver-haired boy glared directly across the table at Ryker, his green eyes burning with sudden, unadulterated hostility.
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Ryker's extended hand remained frozen midair, trembling slightly under the icy glare.
Elyra blinked, entirely bewildered. What is he doing?
Eldern only tightened his hold, his fierce gaze never breaking away from the terrified orange-haired boy for a single second. The oppressive weight in the room grew suffocating.
Ryker swallowed hard. For some inexplicable reason, Eldern's terrifying stare made him feel as though he had just committed a capital offense. His lips trembled, his chest hitched, and his eyes rapidly welled with hot tears.
A heartbeat later—
"W-Waaaahhh!"
Ryker suddenly burst into loud, heartbroken tears. The piercing wail echoed off the golden chandeliers, rattling the crystal decor.
Elyra froze. ...Huh?
She stared blankly at the crying toddler, panic instantly seizing her internal machinery. Oh, gods. What on earth am I supposed to do now?
She had dealt with treacherous assassins. She had outmaneuvered cutthroat political schemes. She had faced down life-and-death executions in her past life without missing a beat. But comforting a bawling three-year-old? That was entirely outside her operational parameters.
Elyra awkwardly shifted between Ryker and Eldern, squirming slightly against her brother's vice-grip.
"Eldern..." she muttered, her voice laced with genuine confusion. "It'th otay. Why you acting wike dis?"
After a tense, agonizing moment, Eldern reluctantly loosened his arms. The instant she was freed, Elyra toddled over to Ryker. The crying boy quickly scrubbed his fists against his streaming eyes, though fresh tears continued to leak down his flushed cheeks.
Elyra hesitated, then awkwardly reached out to pat his fluffy orange hair. "My name is Ewywa Sowv," she said softly, her tongue struggling slightly with the complex consonants.
Ryker sniffled, looking up. His tear-filled eyes widened a fraction.
Nearby, Eldern stood completely frozen. Watching.
The sight of Elyra consoling another boy sent a sharp, agonizing pang straight through his chest. It burned. Deeply.
What is this strange feeling...?
His thoughts raced in panic. For some reason, it felt as though something infinitely precious was slowly, inevitably slipping through his fingers, drifting further and further away. The Elyra who always smiled exclusively at him. The Elyra who only conversed with him. The solitary person who belonged right by his side.
The mere thought made his ribs constrict with a terrifying, physical ache.
Meanwhile, completely oblivious to her brother's emotional crisis, Elyra continued her awkward rescue mission. Honestly... what on earth was I expecting from toddlers? she sighed inwardly.
"A-Awe you otay now?"
Ryker sniffled one last time, rallying his remaining courage as he looked directly into her sapphire eyes. "C-Can I caww you Ewywa?"
The question caught her off guard. Elyra blinked once, then offered a small, awkward nod. "O-Of couwse."
Ryker's face instantly lit up, the tears drying as if by magic. A tiny, timid smile bloomed on Elyra's face as well.
"Gud." She extended her tiny hand toward him. "Let's be fwiends, Wyker."
For a breathless second, Ryker simply stared at the proffered hand. Then, a violent blush rushed up his neck, and he reached out to give it a clumsy, firm shake.
Elyra nodded in profound satisfaction. Phase one complete. Future asset secured.
Then, she turned and pointed an authoritative finger at Eldern. "Now you too."
Both boys stiffened like statues. Eldern stared at her, then glared at Ryker, and then flicked his gaze back to Elyra. The message was blindingly crystal clear: she expected them to shake hands and make peace.
Eldern stood rooted to the floor, refusing to budge an inch. Ryker broke out into a fresh sweat of pure anxiety.
Just as the silence threatened to collapse into open warfare, the heavy oak doors of the private dining hall swung open with a smooth click.
"Are you children alright?"
Derrick's booming voice echoed across the room. Damnern stepped in right beside him, the two fathers having abruptly cut their balcony conversation short.
Derrick surveyed the chaotic tableau: Ryker sniffling while wiping away tear tracks, Elyra standing beside him with an air of diplomatic accomplishment, and Eldern radiating enough dark aura to kill the flora in the room.
"...What on earth happened here?" Derrick asked, blinking in bemusement.
Before anyone could formulate an explanation, a pair of soft footsteps heralded the return of the women.
"Oh?" Cecilia and Elina stepped into the hall, a warm, matching pair of smiles on their faces. Cecilia beamed as she looked at her son. "Did you all become fast friends already?"
Ryker ducked his head, turning a violent shade of magenta.
Elina, however, immediately drifted her focus toward Eldern. Her sharp maternal instincts flared. The boy looked far too quiet, his shoulders tense and his eyes stubbornly glued to the floor. When Eldern caught her observing him, he instantly whipped his head away.
Elina narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, though she kept her silence for the time being.
A short time later, the evening drew to a close.
Outside Restaurant Neltan, the Berwyn family stood clustered by the curb under the warm glow of the street lanterns, bidding farewell as the Solv family's carriage was prepped for departure.
Derrick leaned down, nudging his son with a playful elbow. "You really are a hopeless romantic, you know that?"
Ryker blinked, his face still stained with dried tears. "Huh?"
Derrick lowered his voice to a booming whisper. "You actually bawled your eyes out in front of the girl you've got a crush on."
Ryker's entire face detonated into a brilliant, atomic red. "F-Fawther!" he shrieked in absolute mortification.
Derrick threw his head back and laughed until his ribs ached. "I enjoyed every single second of it!"
"Dear!" Cecilia immediately landed a vicious, echoing smack against his biceps. "People are trying to sleep in the surrounding manors! Stop shouting at the top of your lungs!"
Nearby, Elina offered Cecilia a warm, gentle smile. "Thank you for a wonderful night, Cecilia. It was a true pleasure."
"The feeling is mutual, Elina. We must meet again soon," Cecilia replied gracefully, pulling her into a brief embrace.
A few paces away, Eldern remained swallowed by his own dark cloud. Damnern noticed the boy's strange stillness without a word; simply scooping Eldern up in one arm, he carried him straight into the carriage and set him on the bench. Eldern offered no resistance, staring blankly at his boots.
Before Damnern could reach down to lift Elyra aboard—
"Wyker!"
Elyra called out, turning to face the orange-haired boy one last time. She offered a small, conspiratorial smile. "Don' fowget me, otay?"
Her voice sounded genuinely cheerful. Naturally, the true motivation behind her parting words remained deeply hidden beneath layers of calculating strategy. One day, I'll return to this city. And when that day arrives, I expect you to have accumulated a mountain of useful intelligence for me.
Ryker's face burned like a furnace. He nodded frantically, clutching his chest. "I-I won't!"
Sitting inside the dark interior of the carriage, Eldern caught every single syllable. The hollow ache in his chest twisted into something sharp and painful. His green eyes stung, and a solitary, hot tear slipped down his cheek before he violently scrubbed it away with his sleeve, praying desperately that nobody had noticed.
Moments later, Damnern lifted Elyra into the cabin, followed closely by Elina.
As the family settled into their seats, Derrick stood by the roadside, watching the carriage wheels with a quiet, lingering gaze. At least look in my direction once before you leave, you stubborn bastard, he thought.
Almost as if reading the telepathic plea—
Damnern's hand pulled back the velvet carriage curtain. Their eyes locked across the space.
Then, to Derrick's utter shock, Damnern offered a single, solemn, respectful nod.
Derrick froze, his breath catching.
Before he could process the gesture, Damnern let the curtain fall, and the carriage lurched forward, the horses' hooves clattering rhythmically against the stone paving.
Derrick watched the vehicle dissolve into the misty distance. A soft, deeply nostalgic smile touched his weathered features. "That kid really grew up..."
For a fleeting second, his mind cast back twelve years to the lonely, hollow fourteen-year-old boy standing like a ghost in the Valcreat palace gardens. Back then, Damnern had looked like a walking corpse, completely detached from humanity. Now, he was carrying a wife, two children, and a future.
Cecilia looked sideways at her husband, raising an eyebrow. "What are you grinning about? Are you his father or something?"
Derrick immediately shot her a defensive glare.
The following morning, the golden sun clawed its way over the towering spires of Valdwess City.
Ten elite royal guards stood in crisp formation surrounding the Solv family carriage, their mounts snorting plumes of white mist into the chilly morning air. Near the heavy iron city gates, Damnern stood conferring quietly with the one of the guard—the man's shoulder still heavily wrapped in white bandages from the previous day's clash with the raiders remnants.
After a final, concise exchange, Damnern gave a curt nod. The preparations were complete.
Inside the carriage, Elina glanced with quiet worry toward Eldern. The boy had barely uttered a single syllable since the night before, retreating entirely into a shell of brooding silence.
"Time to go home, sweetie," she offered with a gentle, encouraging smile, hoping to lift the heavy atmosphere.
It had almost zero effect. Eldern merely gave a dull, mechanical nod, keeping his eyes glued to the plush upholstery.
Across from him, Elyra covertly monitored his erratic behavior with her sharp sapphire eyes. Why is Eldern acting so strangely? She couldn't synthesize the logic behind it. Ever since last night, he had transformed into a ghost. Had something happened while she was distracted?
With a low groan of wooden axles, the carriage finally lurched into motion.
Flanked by the ten royal guards on horseback, the vehicle rolled past the towering ramparts. Leaving Valdwess City behind in the morning mist, the family began their long, arduous trek back toward the quiet safety of the Willowess Region.
To be Continued...