Chapter 508: Elise
Elise remained quiet for a long time, her eyes distant and shimmering with sorrow. The silence grew heavy, suffocating. Feeling the weight of it, I reached out and gently took her hand. She flinched at my touch, but I drew her closer, pulling her to my side. She came reluctantly, still avoiding my gaze. I held her hand, my grip firm, and waited.
After what felt like an eternity, tears welled in her eyes and spilled over, tracing paths down her cheeks. Her grip tightened on mine, but she made no sound, the sobs trapped in her throat.
"It’s alright, Elise," I said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "Let it all out."
And she did. The dam broke, and the tears flowed freely, an endless stream of sorrow. I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her trembling form. I held her tight as her body shook with sobs, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words.
From what little I’d gathered, Elise had been awake for months, ever since the battle in Brithlite. Yet, her pain felt raw, as fresh as the day I’d healed her. I didn’t fully grasp our situation, but I knew we were likely alone, three souls adrift in a sea of demons. It couldn’t be easy to confront such trauma in this environment, surrounded by enemies and with no one to trust. No wonder her emotions were overflowing now.
Eventually, the sobs subsided into sniffles, the torrent of tears slowing to a trickle. I gently wiped her cheeks with my thumb, offering a final squeeze before easing back slightly. Still, I kept one arm around her, a comforting presence.
She leaned into me, mimicking Sari’s familiar gesture, shivering in the aftermath of her grief. She felt fragile, delicate as a porcelain doll, as if she might shatter at the slightest touch.
"I’m so sorry, Elise," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. I knew the horrors she had endured, the pain she carried. "I’m so sorry I wasn’t there, that I couldn’t protect you from that monster. No one should have to suffer what you did."
She shook her head, guilt replacing despair in her voice. "I wanted it. I begged him to hurt me, to let his men..."
Her voice broke with a sob.
"No, Elise," I said firmly. "That wasn’t you. Alverin twisted everything, his truth a web of lies."