Chapter 613: Betrayal
The corridors of the keep blurred around me as we pushed toward R’lissea. My heart pounded in my chest, hot and jittery with trepidation. Every breath caught in my throat, and the sound of my swishing tail rose between footfalls. No matter how hard I gripped my staff, my hands trembled.
Borealis nuzzled my cheek, his eyes glittering with worry. I swallowed the lump in my throat for what felt like the fifth time and petted his neck.
"S-sorry," I stammered, chewing on my lip. "It’s just...what if she really does hate me? What if—" I shook my head, exhaling sharply. "Agh, I know. I need to calm down. It’s just...I’ve never felt like this before. My chest feels so...tight. It was so much easier not to believe and–"
My voice caught as we passed an ornate door branching from the corridor. I turned slowly to face it, and a shudder coursed down my spine and tail. R’lissea’s aura pulsed just beyond it. Muted voices drifted through the door, accompanied by the clink of dining ware.
"No matter what happens, please, don’t leave me," I whimpered softly, searching Borealis’s eyes. A wave of affirmation filled the Nexus, and the pressure in my chest eased slightly.
"Here it goes," I whispered, pushing open the door. "Please, R’lissea. Please."
I stepped into the room and froze. A dozen eyes turned toward me, but I hardly noticed. There she was, beside Verity, just as in my vision. She turned, her eyes widening in shock.
"Xiviyah?" she gasped. Shock, excitement, and then fear flickered across her face/ "What are you—"
One of the seventh-level inquisitors surged to his feet, a blade materializing in his hand. "Filthblood! Where is Lord Evlon!"
His words didn’t even register, and I took an unconscious step toward R’lissea. Time seemed to slow, all of my anxiety and trepidation falling away. The only thing that mattered was her.
"Verity said you...you..." Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back.