“Then–”
Before Reia could say anything that could possibly change her mind, Emerie cut her off. “I’m doing this to help all of you, but I’m also doing this for him. He wants Aleron back, and a safer world for him.” She stepped towards the white rift that looked frighteningly empty and cold. “If he wanted me to stay, he would have asked me to be his bride yesterday.”
With everything that had been shared between them, all the intimacy and touch, if he wanted her to be his bride, he would have made her his.
“Did you ask him about it?” Delora’s features twisted in sympathy. “If you gave him more time...”
“I didn’t need to,” she responded, giving her a dull look. “Plus, the whole point of doing this today was to not give him time.”
“What if he loves you, Emerie?” Delora pushed.
“He doesn’t,” Emerie stated firmly.
Why the hell is everyone trying to make me change my mind at the last freaking second? She clenched her hands into tight, shaking fists. Why were they trying to make this harder for her? This was already painful enough without them throwing more baggage on her.
“You don’t know that,” Reia argued, scratching at the side of her head. “I already told you of our story, and how Orpheus was... He was devastated the first time I died. Neither one of us knew if I would actually come back, if it was too late. If Ingram loves you as much as Orpheus did me back then... he may not get over it.”
Everything Mayumi had done to settle Emerie’s tears was made pointless by Delora and Reia.
“He doesn’t, okay?!” Emerie exclaimed while swiftly darting her face from them, her eyes shut tight and her teeth clenched. “I’ve been watching all of you, and it doesn’t take a genius to realise what colour their orbs turn when they feel love.”
“Emerie.” Mayumi said her name firmly, attempting to cut in and stop her spiralling emotions.
“I have spent almost every minute of every day with him for the past three weeks and not once have his orbs turned pink because of me.”
Somehow, Emerie had managed to stem the worst of her tears so that the remnants of them only dotted her eyelashes. She opened her eyes and gave them a weak and beseeching grin that likely just revealed her anguish more than anything. She hoped it was enough to make them leave her alone.
“But they have because of Aleron,” she continued. “No matter what he does feel for me, his kindred is the most important thing to him. I am replaceable. He is not. He will get over it, and I will have died knowing I did what was best for him, what will protect him.”
She knew Ingram felt something deep for her: tenderness, fondness, trust, and absolutely lust. He cared about Emerie and had made it obviously apparent. Anyone would be an idiot to deny that.
But it wasn’t enough, and she wasn’t going to give him time to figure it out or fall any deeper.
Not if she wanted to help him in the long run.
She wanted him to be happy, and to have the future he wanted.
He’d spoken many times about wanting to be back in Aleron’s wings. That had always been his true desire; it was why she’d come here in the first damn place.
And when faced with a choice between someone who was alive and who wasn’t, he’d chosen neither. She’d been sitting right in front of him, with a beating heart and working lungs, and he couldn’t choose between her and someone who no longer existed.
His love for his twin was too strong to allow Emerie in. Their bond transcended time, space, and existence.
My life has always been meaningless... She’d spent most of it mourning for herself. At least it will now have a meaningful end.
Although the last few weeks had been filled with pain, fear, and uncertainty, it’d also been the most fun, exciting, and sensual experience of her life. For a little while yesterday, she’d been truly... happy.
She’d found that contentment within the arms of a monster, after being thoroughly fucked by him. She’d even pretended their cuddle had radiated with love from both sides, rather than just her own.
That was more than she’d ever hoped for in her life, and she’d take that gift to the afterlife. She could tell Gideon all about it.
So, with a sniffle and renewed courage, she looked at Lindiwe. Her expression was one of sympathy, but Emerie gave the woman a thumbs up.
“Now, let’s go kill the king of Demons.”
Lindiwe grabbed her arm, giving her a stern, disapproving look when she tried to step through the portal. The woman took the lead, going first rather than Emerie – the human with the least protection.
With a heavy silence, everyone else followed swiftly.
Ingram stood in the sun at the edge of the Veil’s forest, staring into its mist and foreboding shade with a sense of... disquiet.
Something didn’t feel right.
Perhaps it was the ribbon bow he could feel flapping lightly against the side of his skull, or the sorrowful glint in Emerie’s icy-blue eyes when she’d given it to him, but dread nagged at the nape of his neck.
A soft gust of wind blew leaves resting around his feet towards the shade. The area was quiet. The world was at peace.
She was safe within Faunus’ yellow ward. She wasn’t alone; she had people to protect her.
So why did he feel like it was a mistake leaving her?
He wanted the elation he’d experienced just this very morning to return. He’d finally connected with Emerie and formed a physical bond with her, then thoroughly affirmed it over the course of the past day and a half.
Just the thought of it should make him shudder with satisfaction.
Instead, he was left cold as he searched for any sign of Faunus’ ward from a distance. It was too far and there was too much dense forest between them.
A large warm hand cupped the rounded joint of his shoulder. He glanced at it, the white protruding bones of the knuckles stark against dark-grey flesh, before he looked upon its owner.
“You will get used to the feeling,” Orpheus said, before removing his comforting touch. “It feels wrong to leave them, but it’s what we must do in order to provide for them.”
I am not alone in this feeling? He wanted that to ease him.
It didn’t.
“Come, we must move on. The sun is on our side.”
Orpheus turned, and Ingram looked towards Magnar. He nodded his fox skull in encouragement, and Ingram reluctantly followed.
At least this would teach him how to hunt for Emerie, rather than to slaughter in a mindless craze. It was the only reason he’d agreed to this.
Orpheus took the lead, and Ingram inspected the clothing he wore to hide his unique Mavka traits. Magnar too, wore pants and a shirt, but he’d chosen to forgo shoes.
Ingram was the only one naked, and he thought they both looked rather... ridiculous.