Chapter 771 Devon's Voice
Amon stayed wide awake as he simply gazed at Bella, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. He found it funny that she was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world while he was trying his best to also sleep beside her, yet was failing to do so.
He smiled as he lovingly tucked a few strands of stray hair that covered her face. He had never felt emotions this strong before. He was actually starting to question if it was only pure lust or something more. It was hard to discern as he had no recollection of Bella or their time together in the past. However, his heart seemed to unmistakably recognize his feelings towards her, assuring him that it was more than just lust. And he was excited to explore these feelings he had for her.
"This won't do," he whispered with a sigh. Carefully, he extracted himself away from her and got up from the bed. He put his clothes back on and planted a loving kiss on her forehead before slipping out of the room.
He needed some fresh air to clear his head, otherwise, he would end up waking Bella who was already tired enough, and ruin her much-needed rest. He wanted her to have enough energy for tomorrow's event. It was essentially equivalent to a marriage ceremony in their customs.
He was well aware of the customs of Cordon and somehow the Ritual of Marking was something he seemed familiar with already. Probably because it was already a part of his past. In that ritual, Bella would mark him with her fangs, that was how werewolves sealed their union legally in Cordon. Once Bella marked him, the two of them would form that mate bond. He knew how Bella and him would be connected through this bond and feel each other's emotions.
Yet, he was a part demon so he had the power to block Bella from his thoughts and emotions whenever he wanted. Or maybe he wouldn't do it unless necessary.
Amon could see the hustle and bustle of everyone who were busy decorating the spacious yard of the manor, where he believed the Ritual of Marking would take place. It would be his first time experiencing such an event, although given his memory loss, he couldn't be certain whether he had witnessed one before.
Amon, who heard footsteps behind him, turned and exchanged a curt nod with Bartos who approached him. The two of them stood beside each other while looking at the busy people around.
"This will be the second time such an event has taken place in our manor. The first was the Ritual of Marking I had with Jayra. Too bad you didn't witness it happening because you had an important task you had to complete from His Majesty during that time," Bartos broke the silence between them.
"Was I in a relationship with Lady Bella then?" Amon curiously asked.
Bartos chuckled and said, "Nope, you weren't. Bella was still quite infatuated with Calypso at that time. In fact, the two of you hadn't even crossed paths yet. The first time you guys met was when Mother invited you here. She was deadset on matching Bella with you. Mother liked you despite the age gap between you and Bella because she believes that only someone like you can handle her."
Amon found himself engrossed and keen about finding out more but he was too embarrassed to ask, especially about Calypso who was Bella's first love. He wondered what happened to that man now.
"This Calypso… he must have been blind to turn down Lady Bella," he commented wryly. Bartos chuckled and said, "Perhaps it was for the best. One can even say it was fate. Calypso was among the fortunate ones to feel the Mate Pull and had found his mate. If he had accepted Bella, then things could have become chaotic considering that Bella also felt the Mate Pull with you being her mate."
"So you're saying that this Calypso is already married?" Amon asked, trying his best to act calm and collected. He was even suppressing a sly and triumphant smile on his face.
"Yes, he is. So, there's no need to be wary of him. He's about to become a father as well. Actually, you'll meet him and the rest tomorrow. You should know that you and Calypso used to banter and bicker a lot, but the two of you actually had a good relationship. Oh, and before I forget, you need to be prepared for when Gideon sees you. That man won't care about acting civil in front of others so be ready for his drama…" Bartos snorted.
"I haven't informed them about you yet because I didn't want those close to you to come here tonight and bug you. I plan on breaking the news about you tomorrow while they're on their way here. I've also invited all your men, especially those close to you while you were still the Great Admiral. Your crew deserves to know that you're alive. They should know so they can stop mourning your death. I've briefed them on the situation, but I can't guarantee they'll be able to contain their emotions. But I'm sure they won't pester you like Gideon undoubtedly will," Bartos lengthily added.
"That's perfectly fine with me. I'm just glad they'll be happy to see me. I suppose I should prepare a short speech for them," Amon commented. The people who knew him and cared for him deserved to know that he was alive and well.
"Well, they will surely want to hear some words from you. But they are already aware of your situation. So they know that you don't remember them yet," Bartos reiterated.
"Thank you for the support, Lord Bartos," Amon said with a smile.
"Why are you being so formal with me now? You should start practicing calling me brother-in-law or even just Bartos or Brother if brother-in-law is too much for you," Bartos suggested with a kind smile.
"I heard I'm older than you, so you should also call me 'Big Brother' from now on don't you think?" Amon humorously said.
Bartos chortled. "That's more like it. You should loosen up a bit, just like how you used to when you were around us, Brother. We really miss the old Osman, but we understand the drastic change in you. Being a King is no easy feat, after all. I guess it's hard to play around and be easy-going, especially when you're ruling Helion. Damn, that Devon caused so much trouble for everyone!"
Suddenly, Amon felt a sharp, painful sensation in his body, causing him to cringe in pain.
'You… You won't be able to escape me…'
Amon's eyes widened at the familiar voice inside of his head. Devon!
"What is wrong? Your face turned pale. Are you alright?"
Amon blinked at Bartos, trying to compose himself and said, "I am fine. Just a bit tired, probably. I think I should excuse myself first."
"Right, you go ahead and rest… You and Bella have a long day tomorrow," Bartos uttered. Amon nodded with a half-smile and quickly turned to walk away.
As he walked, Amon couldn't shake off the strange feeling that had come over him. 'What was that?' he wondered. His body was shaking in shock, Devon's voice leaving him feeling deeply unsettled.
'What was the meaning of it? Was it a fragment of his lost memories?' But it felt different. It was as if Devon were speaking to him right now, in the present. Which was impossible as Devon was dead. King Ezekiel had made sure to eliminate all traces of him.
On his way back up to his chambers, Amon decided to check on his mother. He walked to the bedchamber the servant led him to.
"Mother," Amon called as he knocked gently.
"Come in, Son," his mother answered. Amon opened the door and entered the room.
Casimir, the royal physician, was also inside, checking on his Mother. Amon couldn't help but worry.
"How is she?" he inquired.
"She's stable for now. But she must not exhaust herself or get too stressed," Casimir reminded, emphasizing the need for her to take care of herself to which Amon nodded. After administering her medicine, Casimir excused himself and left the bedchamber.
His mother darted her eyes outside the balcony as Amon sat opposite her.
"Something is bothering you," his mother commented. Amon turned and saw her eyes still fixed on the view beyond the balcony.
He didn't want to worry her so he chose not to mention him hearing Devon's voice. He would start his session with Lady Jayra soon after anyway, maybe it was best to consult Lady Jayra about his concern instead.
"Oh, it's nothing, Mother. I just feel overwhelmed by Bella's family. Brother Bartos informed me that people who knew me would come to witness my union with Bella. For some reason, I feel nervous…" he answered.
"I see. I'm sure they will all be delighted to see you alive, Son. Don't worry too much, they know you for who you are," his mother reassured him. Amon rose from his chair and walked towards his mother. He hugged her from behind and placed a kiss on her head.
"You should rest now Mother. I just came to check up on you. From now on, you should focus on making yourself healthy so you'll be able to take care of your future grandchildren," Amon joked.
Queen Mother Mona chuckled and then said, "I should be feeling guilty for pushing you into this, right? But for some reason, I don't, Son. It's because I can see how your eyes glow with care and love for Bella. I believe this is a blessing in disguise because my situation paved the way for you to be with the woman you wanted." Her voice held a note of contentment, knowing that her son had found happiness.
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