Chapter 159: Unstoppable Tears
"That was quite a carnage," Naveen said as she took a seat beside Rhaegar in the dimly lit meeting room.
The single candle placed in the center of the wide wooden desk flickered feebly, casting long, ominous shadows on the walls behind them. Both the witch and the king appeared like specters, their silhouettes dark and menacing in the wavering light.
Rhaegar looked exhausted. His usually vibrant amber eyes, once sharp and commanding, were now dulled and almost lifeless. The effort of eradicating the remaining purists while simultaneously hunting those still in hiding had taken a visible toll on him.
Even the unshakable confidence that had so often compelled others to follow him without question seemed to have all but disappeared.
"I heard the warriors are ready to leave," Naveen said again, her voice breaking the heavy silence. She hoped to prompt some kind of response from him. "I still think you’re rushing things."
At last, Rhaegar shifted his weary gaze to her, his tone cold and resolute. "I’ve waited long enough already. Whatever happens... I will go and get her."
"But you don’t understand!" Naveen’s voice rose, her composure slipping as agitation flickered across her face. "Unless she’s able to break the queen’s spell herself, any intrusion into her consciousness will destroy her mind! What’s the point of bringing her back if she won’t even recognize you—or believe anything you say?"
Rhaegar’s brows furrowed, and he exhaled sharply, a signal of his growing frustration. Ever since losing his wife, his patience had worn dangerously thin. The witch’s warnings, however well-meaning, grated against his already frayed nerves.
For once, he didn’t want caution or resistance. No matter how reckless or foolish, he just wanted to hear something—anything—that gave him hope.