章節 78: Mates And Demons

"I love you, son," Allicent whispered, her voice cracking up. Gabriel was now facing the other side as if battling with his emotions.

"I could have traded anything to spend a lifetime with you," she added, tears already collecting in the brim of her eyes.

"But you didn't," Gabriel intoned, his back to her. He caught his trembling lower lip between his teeth, his heart darkening with each passing second.

"I love you," he echoed the words. "I used to long for those words back when I was young. God, I was obsessed with them. You know those bedtime stories a mother reads to a child and plants a kiss on their forehead before bidding them good night?"

He finally turned to face her. She was crying now, but to Gabriel, these were crocodile tears. The words 'spare me the act' did cross his mind.

"I used to sneak out at night and watch the queen read these to Bran. Do you know how it felt back then? The void? The endless questions without answers?"