209

FOR A FEW seconds, neither of them said anything. Vaelora simply stared at the countless portraits covering the walls, slowly taking in what they meant.

"My mother," she whispered in astonishment, then looked at Nysera.

For the first time in days, Nysera smiled.

It was a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was something.

"For years, my brother didn't seem bothered about finding his Soulbound," Nysera began. "I always suspected it had something to do with the woman whose drawings filled this room." She paused. "So when I saw Amaren for the first time at Draekon's study weeks ago, even before my brother appeared, I quickly put the pieces together."

Tears filled her eyes, and her voice grew shaky as she turned toward Amaren, who seemed a little more conscious now.

"Merakkai didn't simply love you, Amaren." Nysera slowly shook her head. "I don't think what he felt for you could ever be put into words."

Vaelora replayed Nysera's words in her mind as she stared at the countless images of her mother. Goosebumps spread across her skin.

Her mother had been so lucky to have a man like Merakkai. And yet, somehow, it had all ended like this.

"For years, he kept drawing you. Again and again. Maybe he was afraid that one day, he'd forget what the woman he met when he was only nine looked like."

She paused, her eyes filling with more tears.

"He probably never understood why his heart couldn't let you go, even after all those years. Turns out, you were meant to be his all along."

A moment of silence passed before Nysera turned and held Amaren's hands in hers. She looked into the older woman's tired eyes and shook her vigorously.

"You have to get a hold of yourself," Nysera begged. "It would hurt his soul to know you're losing yourself."

The tears slid down Amaren's face uncontrollably.

"I..." Her hoarse voice cracked. "I can't..."

"You can!" Nysera insisted, shaking her. "You can, Amaren. For Merakkai. For your daughter. For me. Gods! I need you."

Amaren suddenly felt as though a thousand needles were piercing her heart. She immediately grabbed her chest in pain, a clipped whimper escaping her.

"Mother!" Vaelora panicked.

"Amaren!" Nysera called at the same time.

Amaren fell backward but before she could reach the floor, Nysera caught her.

"Please hold her!" Nysera rushed out and Vaelora quickly lowered herself to the floor, gathering her mother's body onto her thighs. She could feel Amaren's life essence thinning with each passing second.

The next few minutes passed in a blur.

Nysera returned with guards who carried Amaren back into the room and carefully laid her on Merakkai's bed.

Kaejon appeared moments later.

"Kaejon!" Nysera breathed, rushing toward him.

"A maid told me you were here." His gaze quickly swept across the room, taking in the situation. Clearly, he hadn't expected to find this.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"We need the High Priestess. Amaren is..." Nysera trailed off, glancing helplessly toward the bed.

Meanwhile, Vaelora was completely out of sorts, desperately chanting spells as she pressed two fingers against her mother's neck, struggling to keep her weakening pulse steady.

Kaejon quickly instructed two guards to go call the High Priestess, then turned to Nysera, wanting to let her know the most recent development already.

"Princess," he whispered.

Nysera's eyes met his, and something in his expression immediately made her heart sink.

Something was wrong.

"What is it...?" she asked.

Kaejon's lips pressed into a thin line before he released a low sigh.

"I was just with the High Priestess," he revealed. "Something unusual has happened."

Uncertainty filled Nysera's eyes instantly.

"Talk to me, Kaejon," she pressed.

"While performing the final rites, they discovered the lantern is still on."

A chilly silence followed as Nysera struggled to grasp his words.

"W-what lantern...?" she stuttered, already knowing the answer but afraid to let herself hope.

"Merakkai's lantern."

She froze.

Every DragonBorn royal had a lantern bearing their name, hung at the royal shrine. It was a literal representation of their life essence. The moment a royal-born died, the flame in their lantern went out.

So if Kaejon was saying this...

"That's not possible." Her lips quivered.

"What is not possible?" Vaelora asked.

They both turned toward her, suddenly unable to find the words.

*********

Half an hour later, the High Priestess placed some crushed herbal paste on Amaren's forehead before turning to Vaelora, Nysera, and Kaejon.

"We need to decide before he takes her completely."

Merakkai's soul still hovered around, caught between this world and Vilkran. The Ember Seal was so strong, it kept him tethered to Amaren even in death, unwilling to leave her behind and begin the journey to Vilkran.

"Unfortunately, the bond is now drawing from her life essence to sustain that connection. The longer Merakkai remains suspended, the weaker she becomes."

Vaelora's fingers trembled against her mother's neck.

"And if she ends up losing all her strength..." The High Priestess's expression darkened. "Then the Ember Seal may pull her soul across with his."

A terrible silence filled the room.

"But we can proceed with the funeral," she quickly continued. "The rites will sever the remaining tether and allow Merakkai's soul to cross into Vilkran."

Vaelora's heart sank.

"But... there is another way to save them both," the High Priestess suddenly said.

Vaelora's head snapped up. "What?"

"There is another way," she repeated. "But it is dangerous."

The others exchanged uncertain glances before Vaelora nodded for her to continue.

"We need a magical vessel," the High Priestess explained. "A person with enough magic in their core to lend Amaren the strength she needs."

Vaelora listened intently.

"But it cannot be just anyone. Amaren's soul must already know and trust this person. They will enter the connection with her, share their core energy with her, and accompany her to find Merakkai's soul."

"And once they find his soul?" Nysera asked.

"Amaren must pull him back herself," the Priestess answered. "The vessel can only lend her the power to do it."

She paused.

"But if their connection breaks before Merakkai is anchored back to his body, Amaren's soul could be lost between worlds. And the vessel's soul would be dragged down with hers."

The room fell silent once more.

A magical vessel. Someone Amaren knew and trusted.

There was only one person in the room who fit such requirements.

Nysera's eyes slowly settled on Vaelora who already had that familiar look of determination in her eyes.

No, no...

She couldn't let Vaelora risk her life like that. Not after promising Draekon she would return to Iron-Vale safely.