Under Crimson Rain (Book Two)

⋆˖☽ Chapter 16 ☾˖⋆

I rolled my injured shoulder back, wincing as a sharp pain pulled taut through the mending muscle. Manageable, I decided, breathing through the ache. I just still needed to be careful. A week isn't enough time.

Just as I settled onto the edge of the bed, a firm, polite knock rapped against the wood of my door.

"It's me," Mikaeus called, his voice muffled. "May I come in?"

"Yes," I answered, projecting just enough for him to hear.

The door gave a long, slow creak. He lingered in the frame for a moment before stepping inside and pulling it shut behind him. "I just wanted to let you know that we are going to be having a meeting today."

"Okay," I said. "Is Ondina invited?"

He shifted his weight, pausing before he spoke. "Yes. She will be joining us." He stepped further into the room, bringing with him that comforting, deeply familiar scent of aged parchment and sweet lemon. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. I can do what needs to be done."

He nodded, taking another measured step toward me before halting. He gestured to the empty expanse of the mattress beside me. "May I?"

I didn't answer right away, letting the quiet stretch between us before finally nodding. "That is fine."

He moved to the bed and sat. The mattress dipped under his weight, causing our shoulders to briefly brush. Instinctively, I shifted over, preserving a rigid boundary of safe distance between us.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.

Mikaeus let out a long breath, rubbing a tired hand down his face. He leaned forward, resting his forearms against his knees. "I am worried." His voice barely carried across the quiet space between us. He stared at the floor, his hands clasped together so tightly the joints stood out in sharp relief. "You continue to do things alone, Alanah. We need to trust each other."

"I will not continue to do things alone," I replied, forcing my voice to remain steady.

He sat up straight, turning his head so our eyes met. "You say that, but you almost died." His words fell away into the heavy quiet of the room. He shifted his weight, pressing his hand into the mattress as he turned his body fully to face me. His eyes fell to my resting hand, and as if drawn by an invisible tether, his own hand followed. It hovered just a fraction of an inch above mine.

"Please," his mouth moved, shaping the desperate plea, though no sound came out. The warmth of his skin barely brushed mine before he pulled away, clasping his hands tightly back together in his lap.

My brows creased. "What more do you want? I came back to Luminethra on my own."

"I want you to stop trying to shoulder everything alone." He leaned a fraction closer. "You do not always have to keep to yourself."

I turned my head away, unable to hold his earnest gaze. "I do not." My mouth pressed into a firm line.

He shifted, dipping his head slightly to try and catch my eye. "Alanah." The vulnerability in his whisper made my chest tighten. "Please let me in."

My fingers curled, crushing the fabric of the blanket into my palm. I can't.

"Why?" The word hung between us like winter frost. "Why do you want me to?"

"Because you remind me of someone else I know," he admitted. "That weight will bring you down if you continue to carry it like this."

I stiffened. "Who do I remind you of?"

"Asking for help does not make you weak, Alanah." His golden eyes held mine, carrying a terrifying amount of sincerity. "We are stronger together."

The air in the room suddenly felt too thin. "I know," I admitted, the words tasting bitter. "I know."

He's pushing far too hard. "Then let me—"

My head snapped toward him in sudden frustration, bringing our faces mere inches from each other. "Why do you think I came back?"

Yet, his golden gaze never turned angry. Instead, it softened even deeper, holding a profound mixture of sadness and worry all at the same time.

"I..." His breathing became shallow as he looked at me.

I pulled back. "Ondina..." I murmured. I sprang to my feet, taking another step away from him to clear my head. "I want to take her to see Aurenoxious now."

He looked over me, his expression unsure. Maybe it was pure worry, or maybe a heavy mix of both. "I can take you both."

"No. That is okay," I said quickly. "I think it is best I just take her."

He blinked, a rigid smile forming on his lips. "Very well. I will at least accompany you to her room."

I didn't answer. He stood up and pulled the bedroom door open for me. As I stepped through the threshold, silence followed us, sealed by the soft click of the door closing behind us. Our footsteps matched perfectly, the heavy sound echoing through the empty hall. From the corner of my eye, I saw his mouth open and close. He glanced over at me repeatedly, but never actually said a word.

We paused in front of Ondina's closed door. He looked over me again, his long fingers wrapped around the brass handle.

"Mikaeus."

His body went rigid. I turned to face him fully. "Alone, please... you agreed."

For a long moment, he stayed silent. His hand released the door handle, falling heavily to his side.

"Are you—"

"I am more than capable." I cut him off, already knowing exactly what he was going to ask. "And so is Ondina."

"Then, I will see you at the meeting." His gaze lingered on me for a second longer. He turned away, walking back down the long corridor. I listened to his steps receding, fading further and further away.

I do not understand him. I turned back to the wooden door. Why must he keep pushing? I pressed my forehead against the cool, hard wood for a fraction of a second, willing the lingering heat of my frustration to dissipate. Only when I was sure my expression was neutral did I reach for the handle.

I pushed open the door. The bitter scent of medicinal herbs wasn't nearly as overwhelming this time. Ondina was already out of bed, standing by the large window and staring out at the bright daylight. Hearing me enter, she whipped around.

"Alanah." A genuine, relieved smile formed on her lips.

I stepped fully into the room, letting the door shut behind me. "How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly well. And you are looking well yourself." She paused, tilting her head as she took in my stiff posture. "You also look irritated."

"It is nothing," I deflected smoothly.

She studied my face for a long moment before turning her gaze back to the open window. "I can't believe how they live here... it is more beautiful than I imagined."

I stepped up right next to her to look out. The sprawling town below was alive—citizens working side-by-side with massive, scaled dragons that walked freely through the streets.

"It is much different than the Underkeep," she stated softly, her voice thick with awe. "I never truly thought I would live to see such a sight." She trailed off, a heavy sadness washing over her features, and I already knew exactly what dark path her thoughts were taking. "But you have survived... we both have," she murmured.

"He cannot get you here," I reassured her.

"I know." She pressed her palm flat against the cold glass of the window. "I know I said I didn't want to face him again." Her hand dragged down the pane. "But you need me."

She looked back over her shoulder. When our eyes met, that familiar, stubborn glint of strength had finally returned to them. "We started this together... and I will see it through alongside you."

"But you need a bit more time."

She nodded. "Just a bit."

Good thing we still have it... at least some. Outside, a massive blue dragon soared past the window, its shadow briefly eclipsing the room and catching my attention. "There is another thing I would like to show you today, if you feel ready for it."

"Is it to see Aurenoxious?" It had been a week, after all. Genuine warmth, undercut by a spark of excitement, laced her voice.

"Yes," I offered a genuine, small smile. "We have enough time before the meeting."

She didn't hesitate. She was already moving toward the exit. There was a noticeable, stiff limp in her step from her healing wounds, but she pushed right through the pain and swung the wooden door wide open. A maid hurried past the open door, the wooden wheels of her food cart clattering rhythmically against the uneven flagstones. Our pace was slow and measured as we made our way down the long hall.

"Being here," Ondina murmured, pausing for a moment as if sifting through her mind for the exact right words. "It reminds me of the time I first told you about my home. Luminethra is beautiful, but Scryer... it is indescribable. At least, the way it remains in my memories."

We rounded the corner, looking over the carved balcony. Several men were gathered below, hoisting bundles of steel and leather armor.

"I hope to see it one day," I replied, a genuine warmth blossoming in my chest at the thought.

"Yes. But not now. It is not the time." Her voice trailed off into a wistful, aching silence.

"No, but for now you can see Aurenoxious," I said softly. "He has been waiting for you."

"Yes," she replied. As if consciously locking her sadness away in some dark corner of her mind, a faint hint of warmth returned to her tone. "I am thankful for him... and for you."

We began to descend the stairs. Ondina winced, her limp pronouncing itself with the treacherous downward grade.

She can do it. I held my tongue, allowing her to pour her entire focus into navigating each agonizing step. Once we reached the bottom landing, she gasped for air as if she had been holding it the entire way down, slowly uncurling her spine.

"We are almost there, just out this door," I said, nodding toward the entrance.

We walked side by side. As I pushed the door open, we were instantly struck by the bitter, biting chill of the winter afternoon.

It will snow soon. The winter air was already biting through my cloak and settling deep into my joints.

Ondina stood frozen at the threshold, her gaze fixed on the ground. Embedded crystals caught the hazy, pale daylight along the path, glittering like crushed glass beneath our boots. She turned toward me, a silent war raging behind her eyes. She stepped closer until her head fell exhaustedly onto my shoulder. I lifted a hand to comfort her, but froze just as my fingers brushed her cloak. The memory of the thick, bloodied bandages swathing her skin stopped me. I let my hand drop uselessly to my side, a dark, suffocating guilt pooling in the pit of my stomach.

"I just need a moment," she whispered, her long blonde braid slipping over my arm.

"Take your time," I murmured, leaning into her to offer what little support I could.

She took a sharp, trembling inhale, pulling the frigid winter air deep into her lungs as if using it to forge her remaining strength. My eyes searched her features, tracking the tide of fleeting, complex emotions that continued to wash over her face.

"I..." Her voice cracked, shattering. She bit down on her lower lip, closing her eyes to gather whatever resolve she had left. When she spoke again, the words trembled. "I am ready."

My heart ached for her. I nodded, knowing there was no comfort I could offer that would ease the overwhelming weight of this moment.

We rounded the final corner of the estate. There, resting in the open courtyard, was a single dragon: Aurenoxious. His vast expanse of obsidian scales seemed to drink in the hazy winter light. He was wound tightly into a coil, looking exactly as if he had held that vigil the entire time. It was as if he truly believed Ondina would return—that I would keep the desperate promise I had made to him.

Ondina stood rooted to the earth. Her bottom lip began to quiver. She didn't move a muscle. She didn't make a single sound.

"Aurenoxious," I called out.

My voice barely carried over the frosted grass, but it was enough. A low groan of curiosity escaped his throat. He lifted his immense head, and our eyes met. He tilted his snout before his gaze drifted away from me, landing on Ondina. He blinked. Then blinked again, as if processing an absolute impossibility.

A deep rumble ignited inside his chest, the resonance so powerful it reverberated against my own ribs. Beside me, Ondina's hands began to shake. Her breathing turned jagged and erratic. As if the frayed string holding her upright had snapped, she collapsed to the ground. She heaved for air, her fingers digging into the cold, unyielding dirt.

A new tremor shifted right through the soles of my boots. Aurenoxious's eyes remained locked on Ondina as he began to rise, his colossal body shifting upward and sending a violent shudder through the surrounding pines. He moved one deliberate, ground-shaking step at a time until he loomed directly over her. His golden eyes looked as if they were glossed over with unshed tears. He seemed almost terrified to break her as he quietly took her in. He lowered his bulk to sit, his great tail swooping around her in a protective circle. It never actually touched her, but it formed an impenetrable barrier, just enough to block out the rest of the world.

"I—" she choked out, her voice entirely stripped bare. "I... you..."

She tilted her head back, heavy streams of tears tracking down her face. Her mouth fell open as she let out a devastating, breathless sob. My stomach twisted at her pain, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of what she had carried alone for so long. A single, enormous tear formed at the corner of Aurenoxious's eye. It fell to the earth, splashing up against the frostbitten ground. His massive head leaned in closer to her. The air exhaling from his nostrils was warm, the gentle rush of it making both of our hair dance.

Her head fell forward against his snout. "Aure..." she sobbed. Her hands wrapped around his scaled face, her fingers digging in as she buried herself against him. The rest of her words were muffled by the dragon's flesh.

I took a slow step back. A continuous, low thrum vibrated deep within Aurenoxious, humming through the ground beneath my feet. I took another step back. I shouldn't be here.

I lingered for a heartbeat, taking in the raw, beautiful devastation of the scene before I turned away, heading back toward the estate. They need their time. I paused just before rounding the corner. The deep vibration in the earth was now just a faint shudder, and I knew that soon, I would feel nothing at all.

I kept my promise. Ondina is safe. But as the phantom vibration of Aurenoxious’s grief faded into the stone beneath my boots, the word 'safe' felt hollow. I walked blindly through the halls, numb to the winding corridors. Every time my mind drifted back to the sight of Ondina’s tears, I focused on the rhythmic clack-clack of my heels on the floor. I walked until my legs burned and the ambient chill of the estate vanished.

It wasn't until the winter draft at my back gave way to an oppressive heat that I snapped back to reality. I stopped, blinking against the gloom. The air here felt thick and stagnant, yet deeply familiar. I had wandered somewhere else entirely. I took a few hesitant steps, the temperature rising with each one, until I halted in front of a massive door.

A warm honey glow bled from the arched doorway. The thick, intoxicating smell of incense seeped from beneath the wood—sandalwood mixed with something incredibly ancient, like untouched earth. My breath hitched, the thick, incense-laden air suddenly catching in my throat as my pulse thrummed loudly in my ears.

The dark oak was intricately carved with two immense dragons, coiled tightly around each other in an eternal embrace, while tiny sprouts carved at the base promised new life. My eyes fixed onto the heavy gold handle, shaped like a sleeping dragon with its tail curled protectively around the latch.

The back of my neck began to prickle. The dark miasma that had been pooling on the ground began to detach itself from my feet.

I am ready.

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