Chapter 524: To the City
His words sent a shiver down my spine, and for some reason, I felt a surge of determination to stay awake. But without moving, simply sitting and waiting, it was like trying to hold back a flood with a single finger. I managed to avoid outright falling asleep or leaning on his shoulder again, but I couldn’t fight off the drowsiness completely. I dozed off once or twice more, my head bobbing, before a gentle hand shook me awake, startling me into jerking upright.
The world snapped back into focus, and I found Jessia watching me with an amused smirk. Embarrassment warmed my cheeks, and I averted my gaze, suddenly fascinated by the intricate patterns of frost forming on the ground.
"Shall we get moving?" Luke asked, standing.
I tried to follow, but my body protested at being asked to give more than it had. Before I could say anything, Luke turned toward me, his hand slipping into mine, large and calloused against my delicate fingers. I stiffened, my tail twitching nervously, but allowed him to pull me to my feet.
Jessia watched our exchange with amusement, her eyes twinkling as she noted the way Luke’s hand lingered on mine a moment longer than necessary. But her expression quickly shifted, her playful smirk fading into suspicion. Her eyes narrowed at Luke, almost accusatory. I quickly pulled away, eying him warily.
Their eyes locked, and the atmosphere crackled with tension. After a long moment, Luke looked away, his expression conflicted. Jessia said nothing but continued to stare at him, her gaze sharp and unwavering, before wordlessly turning and walking away.
It wasn’t only their strange behavior that caused my caution. Beyond the physical exhaustion, a deeper concern gnawed at me. The abrupt awakening had nearly broken my tenuous hold on the bond with Haven. The realm was always there, lurking at the edges of my awareness, waiting for a chance to spill into Enusia. The longer I remained awake, the less strength and concentration I had, making it harder to suppress the encroaching darkness.
In all honesty, I had no idea why sleeping did anything to quell it, or how they didn’t escape when I wasn’t able to suppress them consciously. But it seemed to work, and I had to find a chance to rest or we would have far larger problems to worry about than a simple city’s defenses.
The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t help but recall the way Luke had inquired about my state during the war council or the Apostle’s strange behavior and reasoning behind his little trip. Surely, he couldn’t be intending—no, not Luke. He wouldn’t, right?