Capítulo 23: The bird and the wolf(2).

Three weeks passed and Nila grew restless as the days went by. There was no news of Cyrus, last week Nila used all her courage to write a letter to him, she wondered if it even reached him because there was no reply yet.

In these three weeks, she had visited the outskirts of Selene, the kingdom maintained harmony between werewolves and humans which was surprising, humans and werewolves were regarded alike in status but there was an obvious difference in the nobles and commoners like anywhere else.

Nila grew friendly to the maids in the mansion particularly Violet who was a half-werewolf, she was a chatterbox and her behaviour sometimes reminded her of Laila.

Violet helped Nila understand a lot about werewolves, their culture and Selene in general when Nila asked her about Cyrus the only reply she had was,

''Forgive me Your Majesty, but the king rarely appears here, he stays in the main palace, this place is only used for banquets and parties. The previous Queen used to stay here before she passed away, I heard that the King and his brother spent their childhood here before returning to the main palace for training,''

It seemed that Violet joined for work recently and didn't have much information regarding Sol or his family or childhood.

Another day passed as Nila spent her entire day lazily in bed, she had almost finished all the romance books she could find in the mansion's library which was only six. The library mostly occupied books about politics, war strategies and other boring topics which Nila was least interested in.

After a boring, lonely dinner Nila couldn't stay awake any longer, her eyes slowly closed, her mind drifting towards blissful sleep but just as she entered her deep sleep loud trumpets interrupted her.

Nila woke up gasping in surprise as she stared out the window she could see a few banners but couldn't make out what was happening.

She ran downstairs her curls bouncing, ''What is happening?'' she asked spotting a maid.

''Oh! Your Majesty I thought you were asleep, the King has returned successfully after defeating and conquering the eastern kingdom,'' The maid's face bloomed with pride as she spoke.

Nila felt overwhelmed, something unexplainable gushing through her veins without a second thought she ran outside, barefooted to find Darius standing there, his face looked glum against the victorious atmosphere.

''Where's Sol?'' Nila asked her heart shuddering.

Darius sighed, frustrated he ran a hand through his locks, ''Nila, I want you to listen carefully and it's not that serious,''

Hearing Darius speak that way made Nila even more anxious, she shook her head, breath heavy, ''What do you mean? Don't beat around the bush Raul!''

Darius flinched at Nila's tone, ''Cyrus is injured, he has been unconscious for 3 days but he is getting the best treatment from our physicians and doctors so you don't have to worry, I just felt like you had to know,''

Nila's heart rate dropped, her mind becoming hazier not able to take in the information, a lump formed in her throat, ''Where...where is he now?''

Darius stared at her for a moment drawing a deep breath he replied, ''The main palace,''

''Take me there,'' Nila spoke without hesitation, her voice firm.

Darius was taken aback, ''Are you sure?'' he asked.

''Yes, I want to go now!''

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Darius gave a single nod and gestured toward his chariot, guiding her to it.

The main palace loomed ahead as they arrived. Grand and imposing, it was built of gleaming stone, its towers stretching toward the sky like a fortress of strength and majesty. The pathway leading to the palace was lined with tall torches that flickered against the darkened sky, casting an ethereal glow over the grounds.

But as they stepped into the main hall, Nila couldn't help noticing the sideways glances cast her way. Her appearance was far from royal at the moment, her hair was tousled from sleep, falling in loose, untamed curls around her face, and her feet were bare, mud-streaked from her hurried run. Her nightgown and robe clung to her in the cool night air, a stark contrast to the finely dressed nobility surrounding her.

Still, she barely noticed, her gaze fixated straight ahead. The bustling servants and murmuring nobles parted as she passed, whispering among themselves, yet she walked with her chin held high, resolute.

Finally, Darius led her to a set of tall doors at the far end of the hall. As they swung open, her heart skipped a beat. There, lying on the massive bed, was Cyrus. His skin was pale, his torso wrapped in thick, white bandages that hinted at the brutal injuries beneath. His face looked peaceful, almost as if he were simply sleeping, but his stillness filled her with dread.

Darius gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll leave you two alone," he murmured, dismissing the guards at the door. Then he quietly slipped out, leaving Nila alone with Cyrus.

For a moment, she simply stood there, her eyes drinking in the sight of him. She felt her chest tighten as a wave of emotion surged through her, worry, relief, and something deeper, something she could no longer deny.

Slowly, she crossed the room and sat beside him, her trembling hand reaching out to cover his. His fingers were cool beneath her touch, and she gently interlaced them with her own. Tears filled her eyes as she looked down at their entwined hands, her chest heaving with unspoken feelings.

"Sol," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You… you have to wake up. Please."

Her thumb brushed over his knuckles as she bowed her head, the words she'd kept buried for so long finally spilling out. "I never thought I'd care for a man as much as I do for you. You frustrate me and infuriate me, but somehow… I love you. I love you, Cyrus."

She blinked back her tears, the room silent but for her quiet sobs. "You have to come back to me. I can't lose you."

As if drawn by the sound of her voice, Cyrus's eyelids fluttered, and his fingers twitched beneath hers. Nila froze, barely daring to hope. Then, slowly, his eyes opened, the deep, dark gaze that she had missed so desperately meeting hers. He looked at her, dazed but aware, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"You're here… in my dreams again?" His fingers tightened slightly around hers as if testing to see if she was real.

A smile broke across her face, laughter mingling with her tears as she shook her head. "No, Sol. It's not a dream. I'm really here."

Cyrus's gaze softened as he reached up to brush a stray tear from her cheek, his hand warm and comforting. "I must be luckier than I thought," he murmured, his thumb tracing gentle circles against her skin. "To wake up… and see you."

She leaned into his touch, her heart swelling with joy and relief. "You've scared me, you know," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."

His lips quirked into a faint smile, though his strength was clearly limited. "You'd have to do far more than that to get rid of me."

She chuckled, her eyes shining as she gazed at him, a sense of peace settling over her for the first time in weeks. With all the tenderness and courage in her heart, she leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

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