Chapter 3: The Enemy Enters Valmora
1042 Words
Nymeria’s POV
The courtyard below felt too loud and too quiet at the same time.
Too loud with shouting.
Too quiet in the air itself.
Like the world was holding its breath for what was about to happen.
Nyx kept pulling my arm.
“Nymeria, come back from the edge,
” she said again.
“I am not going anywhere,
” I replied softly.
“You are staring at him.
”
“I am not.
”
Nyx looked at me like she did not believe me.
But I could not stop looking.
Zevran Veyr was now inside Valmora.
Fully inside.
Walking past the gates like they were nothing.
A guard ran forward and shouted,
“Stop right there!”
Zevran did not even look at him.
Another guard followed.
“You are inside Alpha territory. You will be arrested.
”
Zevran finally stopped walking.
Slowly.Like he was annoyed to be interrupted.
He looked at them.
Just looked.
And the guards hesitated.
Nyx whispered,
“Why is everyone afraid of him like that?”
I swallowed.
“Because he is not afraid of them.
”
Zevran spoke calmly.
“You are loud for people who have no control.
”
The guard tightened his grip.
“You will show respect.
”
Zevran tilted his head slightly.
“No.
”
That one word made the guards tense.
More soldiers arrived behind them.
Weapons were raised.
Spells activated.
The air became dangerous.
Then a voice came from deeper inside the courtyard.
Cold.
Heavy.
Authoritative.
“Stand down.
”
Alaric Draven stepped forward.
Everything changed the moment he appeared.
Even the guards looked calmer.But Zevran did not move.
He just watched Alaric walk closer.
Alaric stopped a few steps away.
“You are trespassing,
” Alaric said.
Zevran nodded once.
“I know.
”
“Then leave.
”
Zevran did not respond immediately.
Instead, his eyes slowly lifted.
Not to Alaric.
Past him.
Up.
To me.
Nyx noticed instantly.
I felt my chest tighten.
Alaric followed Zevran’s gaze.
His eyes landed on me.
Nyx whispered,
“This is bad.
”
Alaric’s voice changed slightly.
I did not answer.
“He is looking at you again.
”
“Nymeria.
”
Selene appeared at the side of the courtyard now.
Of course she did.
She always appeared when something could benefit her.She stepped forward quickly.
Zevran turned his head slightly.
“Quiet,
” he said.
Selene froze.
“Excuse me?”
“Alpha Alaric, this is clearly an attack. He came for war.
”
Zevran did not repeat it.
Alaric stepped forward.
“Do not speak to my people like that.
”
Zevran finally looked at him fully.
“I am not here for your people,
” he said.
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
“Then why are you here?”
Zevran paused.
Then he said it again.
“I came for her.
”
The courtyard went completely silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Nyx’s hand tightened on my arm.
Selene’s face changed slightly.
Alaric did not react immediately.
Then he asked,
“For who?”
Zevran looked up again.
Directly at me.
And said,
“Nymeria Virell.
”
My heart stopped for a second.Nyx whispered,
“How does he know your full name?”
I shook my head slightly.
“I do not know.
”
But my chest was already reacting again.
That same pull.
Stronger now.
Alaric’s eyes hardened.
“She is not yours to come for.
”
Zevran replied instantly.
“She is not yours either.
”
That hit harder than I expected.
My breath caught slightly.
Selene spoke again.
“This is ridiculous. She is nothing special.
”
Zevran turned his head toward her slowly.
The entire courtyard felt it.
His attention.
It was heavy.
Selene straightened slightly.
“What?”
Zevran said,
“You are wrong.
”
Selene blinked.
“Excuse me?”
Zevran looked away from her immediately.
Like she was not worth the effort.
Alaric stepped forward.
“Explain yourself.
”
Zevran ignored him again.His eyes returned upward.
To me.
And this time, I felt something strange.
Like my body was responding before my mind could catch up.
Nyx whispered,
“Do not move.
”
But I had already stepped half a step forward without realizing.
Nyx noticed instantly.
“Nymeria, stop.
”
I froze.
Zevran spoke again.
“Did you reject her?” he asked Alaric.
Alaric’s jaw tightened.
“That is not your concern.
”
Zevran answered calmly.
“It is.
”
Alaric stepped closer.
“Leave now.
”
Zevran did not move.
“Answer,
” Zevran said.
The silence became heavier again.
Then Alaric said it.
“Yes.
”
That one word changed everything again.
Something inside my chest reacted sharply.
Not pain this time.
Something else.Something awake.
Nyx whispered,
Zevran nodded once.
“This is not normal.
”
“Good,
” he said.
Alaric frowned.
“Good?”
Zevran finally looked at him properly.
“Because now she is free.
”
Alaric’s voice dropped.
Zevran answered instantly.
The air shifted again.
Nyx pulled me back slightly.
But I could not stop looking.
Zevran raised his hand slightly.
Not toward Alaric.
“She was never yours to begin with.
”
“She will be.
”
“We are leaving.
”
Toward me.
And I felt it again.
That pull.
Stronger than before.
Like something inside me was answering him.
Zevran spoke again.
This time softer.
Only for me.“Do you feel it?”
My lips parted before I could stop them.
“I feel something,
” I whispered.
Nyx turned sharply.
“Nymeria, do not answer him.
”
But I already had.
Zevran’s eyes softened slightly.
“Good,
” he said.
Alaric saw my reaction now.
His expression darkened slightly.
Zevran turned back to him.
“This is not over,
” he said.
Alaric replied coldly.
“It is over when I say it is.
”
Zevran smiled faintly.
“No,
” he said.
“It is over when she wakes up.
”
My chest tightened again.
Nyx grabbed my arm.
“We are going now.
”
This time, I let her pull me.
But even as I turned away, I still felt it.
Zevran’s eyes on me.
And something inside me responding.
Not stopping.
Not fading.Just waiting.
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