章節 32: Victoria’s New Form

When Seina sat down next to Keiran, a brief, awkward silence settled between them. The cold night wind blew across the ship's deck. Keiran gave a quick glance at the young woman who had just joined him, then turned his gaze back to the dark waters of the sea.

Seina didn't know how to start a conversation with him. Her heart was pounding, and her throat felt tight. She tried to think of something to say, but before she could gather her words, Keiran broke the silence.

"You must be someone pretty important," he said, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

Seina turned to him, a little surprised. "What do you mean?"

Keiran continued with a slight smile at the corner of his lips. "You were there when the Vex-gifted were gathered. So you must have a Vex gift too—you're not just anybody," he said, his eyes scanning her clothing. "And what you're wearing… it's quite luxurious."

Seina was taken aback by his sharp observational skills. She looked away for a moment, letting the wind toss her hair as she tried to gather her thoughts. This man is more perceptive than I thought, she mused to herself.

"Well… yes, you're very observant," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Keiran tilted his head, a faint smile still lingering. "So, why did you want to talk to me? You must have a reason."

Seina's cheeks flushed, and she struggled to find her words. "Well… um… I…"

Just then, her phone rang, its sound slicing through the quiet like an alarm. The caller was Nathaniel. Taking a deep breath, Seina said, "It's someone important—I need to take this," and quickly got up. Walking away briskly, she answered the call.

"Hello, what do you want?" Her voice was slightly tense.

Nathaniel's mocking tone came through the line. "I see you've gathered the courage to talk to Keiran. But we have more pressing matters right now. Get here quickly."

Seina hung up and turned back to Keiran. "I have something urgent to take care of, but… maybe we could grab a drink sometime?"

Keiran smiled slightly and nodded. "Sure, why not?"

As Seina hurried off with her heart racing, Keiran turned back to the sea, lost in thought.

---

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Aren paced around the room anxiously. With every passing minute, the worry gnawing at his heart grew stronger. Bending down to peer under the bed, he whispered, "Victoria, are you alright?" But there was no response. The silence grated on his nerves, and finally, his patience snapped—he shoved the bed aside with a single motion.

Before his eyes, a massive cocoon appeared. The sight brought a memory rushing back to him; it looked exactly like the cocoon that had formed when his Vex gift had first awakened. Aren held his breath, a mix of fear and excitement rising within him. At that moment, the surface of the cocoon began to crack.

"Crack… crack… crack…" Fine lines spread across the cocoon like a spiderweb. Aren watched, unblinking, as the extraordinary moment unfolded before him. In a matter of seconds, the cocoon shattered, and a figure slowly emerged from within.

The woman before him was short, with straight black hair that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were the deepest shade of darkness, gleaming with an intensity that seemed to absorb all light. Her pale skin and bare body looked delicate and fragile in the moonlight.

The woman rose slowly, fixing her gaze on Aren. They stood silently, staring at each other, their rapid breathing the only sound in the room. Aren felt his heart pounding—like it was about to leap out of his chest. The presence of the figure before him wrapped around him with an inexplicable pull.

Victoria parted her lips slightly, breaking the silence with a low voice. "H-husband…"

Her voice echoed in Aren's mind. He looked into Victoria's face. She tried to stand on her trembling legs, but suddenly lost her balance. Reflexively, Aren lunged forward and caught her before she could fall, his fingers brushing against her cold skin.

Victoria lay half-conscious in his arms, her eyes fluttering closed before opening again. The intensity of the moment left Aren breathless. As he held her naked and fragile body, he couldn't take his eyes off her.