Chapter 399: Alone
"The time varies, but you took too long. At one point, I was sure I had somehow messed up," Zyren said, a rare vulnerability in his gaze that took Aira by surprise. Through their bond, she could feel the memory behind his words—the fear, the uncertainty, the quiet panic he had hidden while waiting for her to wake.
Just as the silence between them began to stretch, Aira spoke.
"I’m going. I want to see the baby," she said, walking toward the bed with a severe expression.
"I just... I just want to see the baby," she repeated more softly.
She wasn’t surprised when Zyren nodded.
"There’s going to be a celebration," he told her. "We’ll attend."
True to his word, they left the cell and returned to the castle.
Luckily, the sun had already set.
Aira went straight to her room to change into something appropriate. She chose a deep red gown—one of the many Zyren had commissioned for her. The fabric flowed smoothly over her frame, elegant without being overly ornate. She left her hair as it was, ignoring the human maid who offered to style it.
As far as she was concerned, she didn’t want anyone attending to her.
She had just stepped out when she saw Zyren waiting.
He looked immaculate. Black, as always, with gold detailing along the edges of his coat. The garment was heavier than usual, the cut making his broad frame appear even larger and more imposing.
His eyes moved over her, and there was concern in them.
Aira refused to acknowledge it.
They were going to see a newborn.
And she had lost her own.
The carriage ride to Lord Drehk’s villa was quick.
The celebration was already underway when they arrived. Music, conversation, and laughter filled the estate. Servants moved about with trays of food and drinks, and nobles bowed deeply as Zyren passed.
But Aira didn’t slow.
Her steps only quickened as she moved straight through the villa, asking for directions and heading immediately toward Rymora’s chambers.
She knocked once before being let inside.
Rymora had been prepared for the change, warned ahead of time by Zyren. Even so, she couldn’t fully hide the flicker of shock when she saw Aira’s red eyes.
But her control held.
Instead, she rushed forward and embraced her tightly, tears already gathering in her own eyes. Aira hugged her back just as fiercely, her composure breaking as her own tears slipped free.
They stayed like that for a long moment.
Eventually, Aira pulled back, her voice unsteady.
"The baby... is the baby healthy?"
Rymora nodded immediately.
"Yes. Come."
She led Aira into the adjoining room.
Lord Drehk stood near the window, the newborn cradled carefully in his massive arms. He was a giant of a man, broad and powerful, yet the way he held the child was careful—almost restrained, as though he feared using even a fraction too much strength.
Zyren followed behind Aira, silent and watchful.
Aira stepped closer, stopping just short of reaching out. She didn’t take the baby. She was newly turned, her strength unpredictable. It didn’t help that her recent struggles with Zyren had given her no real sense of her limits—he was far too strong to serve as a measure.
"The baby is beautiful," she whispered.
Tears blurred her vision as she tried to look more closely.
Lord Drehk shifted slightly, offering the child to her.
But Aira shook her head.
Her eyes were too full of tears to even tell whether the child was a boy or a girl.
Instead, she turned toward Zyren, who stood behind her like a shadow.
"Zyren should carry the baby," she said, her voice trembling.
Zyren frowned immediately and began to shake his head.
"I insist," Aira added quietly.
Lord Drehk didn’t hesitate. His loyalty and trust in Zyren were absolute. He carefully placed the newborn into Zyren’s arms.
Zyren’s frown deepened.
The child felt impossibly light.
He looked down at the tiny face, studying it, waiting for something—regret, guilt, loss. He knew what Aira wanted him to feel.
That it should have been their child.
That the life in his arms should have belonged to them.
But he felt nothing.
Nothing at all.
Until he looked up.
Aira was watching him, her eyes filling again, the grief so raw that it twisted something deep inside him.
Before he could speak, she turned and rushed out of the room.
With the baby still in his arms, he couldn’t immediately follow.
And a part of him wanted to believe she wouldn’t do anything reckless.
Not after everything.
—
Aira ran.
She didn’t stop to think or choose a direction. She simply ran, moving faster than any human ever could, her feet barely touching the ground as she pushed forward through the night.
Tears streamed down her face as she ran.
She didn’t know how long it had been when she finally slowed.
Only when she stopped did she realize where she was.
It was deep into the night. The streets were mostly empty, only a few distant figures moving through the darkness while the rest of the city had already retreated behind closed doors.
For a long time, she simply stood there in the middle of the street.
Her eyes lifted toward the city gates.
The first thought that came to her was to leave.
To go somewhere else. Another city. Another place where no one knew her. Where no memories followed her.
She thought about the dream she had once had of finding her sister.
That dream had never come true.
She stared at the gates, knowing she could walk through them and disappear without anyone stopping her.
The loneliness that hit her then was overwhelming.
Her hands curled into fists, nails digging into her palms hard enough to break the skin. Dark blood welled slowly before beginning to heal almost immediately.
She wiped the tears from her face and let out a quiet, unsteady laugh.
Standing alone in the middle of the empty street, she realized something bitter and strange.
Even as a vampire...
She still cried far too much.
