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∞ | Chapter 27 - Adrenaline | ∞

Antro Tower, Carvensland

She stared at him, unable to move or to even breathe.

It was him. 

It had to be him, right?

It couldn't not be him. It couldn't. She didn't think she could take it if it wasn't.

A spark of hope flared up in her and she quickly turned around.

"Rhydderch?" she breathed out, heart beating thunderously in her chest.

Footsteps sounded and her eyes went blurry as Rhydderch stepped into view. And to her ever-increasing annoyance, her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the ground.

The last thing she saw was outstretched hands reaching for her as she fainted.

* * *

With a shuddering breath, Adrastea sat upright, eyes wide as she quickly scanned her surroundings.

Rhydderch was alive. He had to be.

Or so she thought. Hadn't she seen him in the bathroom earlier? Clumsily, she stumbled towards it, determined to make sense of whatever she had seen.

It couldn't just be a dream.

She refused to even entertain that thought. She never hallucinated once in her life. Rhydderch had to be alive. She'd seen him.

But if he was indeed alive, where was he? Wouldn't he be by her side to ensure that she was alright?

She pressed her mouth into a thin line, her mind racing as she examined the bathroom. Of course, he wasn't there.

Was she losing her mind?

Did grief really do things like this to people?

She finally understood.

Understood why people gave up on living after a loved one passed. Adrastea didn't think she could continue on without Rhydderch. Or if she did, she would be an utter mess.

Heart racing, she shuffled her way back to the bed and ran her hands through her hair harshly. She really was losing her mind, wasn't she? She was seeing her dead soulmate who could even be haunting her.

No, she shook her head furiously. Rhydderch wasn't haunting her from the great beyond. Ghosts weren't real. The only logical explanation was that she wasn't well. Mentally well, that is.

She hiccuped and crouched down on the ground. Her balance was terrible as of late. She knew she hadn't been taking care of herself. She hadn't the appetite and she hardly slept. She was basically a former shell of herself.

Maybe she really was hallucinating everything. Psychologists would claim that she was in denial and projecting her desires in her mind, causing her to see things because she believed in it.

Maybe she had imagined the whole scene of seeing Rhydderch earlier when she was in the bathroom.

But it still didn't explain how she had gotten into bed with the covers tucked around her. Because the last thing she remembered was breaking down on the ground.

Maybe, a logical part of her brain began, someone had entered the room and saw her on the ground before tucking her into bed. Like one of the maids around the castle. Perhaps even Jarek or Darius when they came to check up on her.

She sniffled, hand grasping onto her chest once more to ease the ache. That did make sense. After all, how could anyone survive a thousand over feet drop from a cliff? No one could.

Not even Rhydderch who didn't seem like a regular human being at times.

Maybe that was the problem.

For the entire duration that she knew him, her soulmate always seemed to know what he was doing. Too well. As if everything was scripted. As if he knew everything that was going to happen. And come to think of it, Rhydderch never really seemed surprised by events that unfolded or the attacks or anything.

It was like he was a god and could see the future.

She had gotten so used to that, that she had forgotten that he was just a man. A man that could easily die as anyone else.

Slowly, she closed her eyes, hands fisted in her hair as she tried to keep herself steady.

Was she really going off the rails?

Abruptly, the door opened and she stayed on the ground, eyes closed, certain that it was probably Darius or Jarek checking up on her again.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

Adrastea stiffened.

She knew that voice. The irritation that was laced through that sentenced was painfully familiar. It couldn't be!

She snapped her head forward and inhaled sharply.

Rhydderch was standing in front of her with a scowl on his face.

It was the same scowl that he always gave her when she was doing something that she wasn't supposed to do. It was a scowl that had hints of concern and worry in it. It was a scowl that was only reserved for her.

Just her.

Her mouth agape, she stared up at him in shock, her heart pounding rapidly as her mouth grew dry.

He looked different.

It was as if he looked older than he actually was. He looked haggard and drained and one of his arms was bandaged heavily. The black coats that he always favoured were on him but she could see more bandages peeking from the neckline of his shirt. There was even a strain under his eyes. Something that hadn't been there before.

However, his eyes - those brilliant blue eyes of his were fired up. They gleamed brightly and was accompanied with alertness and already, she could see that in those blue depths, his mind was working furiously.

She couldn't be imagining this. There was no way. The Rhydderch of her memories didn't have that cut on his neck nor did he look this unkempt. His dark curls were resting messily over his forehead and his clothes were wrinkled.

Rhydderch always ensured that he was immaculate and well groomed that gave off the deceptive perception that he was harmless, which resulted in his enemies always underestimating him.

And if Darius who was standing behind Rhydderch could see him too, it just showed that Rhydderch was really standing in front of her with that scowl on his face.

Which only meant that he was alive! She wasn't hallucinating or going crazy.

Her heart soared and she got to her feet shakily.

"Get out!" she snapped viciously at Darius who raised his arms up, palms facing outward before shuffling out of the room, closing the door as he left.

"I said, why are you not in bed?" Rhydderch repeated impatiently as he neared her.

She could only stare at him, eyes taking him in hungrily, her mind ignoring his question.

"You're alive," she breathed out, hands fisting to prevent them from reaching out to touch him. To really really check that he was breathing and standing in front of her.

"Missed me that much, didn't you?" A smirk formed on his face as his eyes darkened.

Her eyes began watering at that familiar lazy drawl of his and she pressed her lips tightly before she wrapped her arms tightly around his lean form.

The scent of him - a spicy musky scent filled her senses and she closed her eyes and shuddered at the way his arms pulled her closer and her heart sagged in relief when she could actually hear and feel his heart beating when she pressed an ear against his chest.

He really was alive.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pressed her face further into him, never wanting to let go of him again.

"Why aren't you in bed? You need your rest," he murmured softly, a hand smoothing over her head.

Adrastea shook her head, eyes still squeezed shut.

She wouldn't let go of him. She didn't think she could.

Rhydderch sighed and she could feel herself being hefted up and the next thing she knew she was on the bed and so was he.

"Hey, everything's alright," he murmured soothingly as she burrowed her face into his neck, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

"Look at me," he ordered sternly.

She looked up, eyes turning glassy as his hand gently tilted her chin up to face him.

His eyes softened as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"You're alive. How?" She choked out, eyes roaming his face as her hands gently touched the sides of his face, trying to commit his face into her mind.

"You shouldn't be that surprised that I don't intend to die this easily," he remarked with the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face.

"Rhydderch, the drop from Endyr's Cliff is more than a thousand feet. No one could survive that," she said.

"I did."

Damn the man for looking so impossibly smug. She glared at him.

"Rhydderch, how?" she repeated forcefully, eyes pleading as she swiped away the tears.

He sighed. "I landed in the water. Vlad, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He was impaled on the jagged rocks littered amongst the sea."

She frowned. "But with the injuries you sustained, how could you have managed to swim, let alone float especially during the high tides?"

He raised an eyebrow. "It's beginning to sound like you wished I had died."

Her gaze grew shuttered and she stiffened, shaking her head. "No, never," she said quietly as her eyes landed on the black letters scrawled on his right forearm.

The blue in his eyes darkened as he regarded her carefully. It was as if he was studying her every feature, examining her like one would do when they were looking for something.

"Darius was right, you haven't been taking care of yourself. Have you even been eating?" he questioned as his slender digits traced her jawline.

"No, not really," she said as her eyes met his once more. "Why is Darius even reporting things about me to you?"

It was at that moment she noted that in those blue eyes of his that was so capable of manipulating, scheming, destructing and even taking advantage of others, there was an emotion in them that made her heart leap and a gasp to sound out from her lips.

Could it be? Could it really that emotion?

"I was worried about you. You fainted earlier."

She blinked and sat upright, eyes wild. "So that wasn't a dream?"

"Why would it be?"

She stared at him. "You weren't there when I woke up."

Rhydderch stared at her silently before his fingers carefully tucked a curl behind her ear before he moved closer and pressed his lips to hers.

The action was so soft and tender that it brought tears to her already dry eyes. She closed them and moved her mouth with his, her battered heart aching as she kissed him.

She never thought that she could do this again, feel his face with her palms as their lips met, or breathe the scent of him when they were this close. Or how his hands would cup the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. Or how it would lead to other things.

But this wasn't rushed or urgent like she thought it would be. It was painfully slow, gentle and tender. Everything that they weren't.

Slowly, he pulled away and rested his forehead on hers. "You shouldn't worry about me this much," he said softly and she closed her eyes, treasuring this exact moment in her mind.

"I'm fine," she said.

"You're not. If you were, you wouldn't have fainted earlier," he informed her.

"How was it-" she cut herself off, unsure of how to explain what she was trying to say.

Somehow, Rhydderch understood and he began.

"I went to check up on you first. You were on the ground and somehow, I managed to tuck you in and after, I went to get my injuries checked out. When I came back, and you saw me, you fainted," he said, shooting her a look that dared her to argue.

She didn't.

"Luckily, I managed to catch you on time. If I hadn't, your skull would have probably cracked into halves when your head landed on the counter. Again, I tucked you into bed before going off to hunt down Darius or Jarek - whoever I could catch first."

"Oh."

Her lower lips trembled. "But I don't understand. How could you be alive? You would have drowned."

Rhydderch smirked. "I would have, but I didn't. Thanks to you."

"To me?" She gaped at him. Confusion swam in her eyes and she frowned. "What do you mean?"

He nodded as his eyes watched his fingers play with a lock of her hair.

"How? What did I do?" she pressed.

"Your journals," he spoke, blue eyes lifting to meet hers. "I saw that you have been playing with an advanced version of adrenaline."

"No," she breathed out, eyes wide as she slowly shook her head. "You didn't."

"Yes, I did," Rhydderch smirked before lying on his back, head resting on his palms. "I took the two experimental ones you had in your medical drawer and kept it."

"But those weren't safe! They weren't tested!" she exclaimed, mind racing at the thought of the ramifications that could occur from consuming such a substance.

"Well they are now," he grinned at her.

"Rhydderch!" she snapped, ignoring the charming expression on his face.

"Anyway," he continued nonchalantly. "I slid them into my jacket that day before going off to meet Vlad at Endyr's Cliff."

She paused and her mind brought back the particular memory where she had seen him slip something into his jacket before he armed himself with his usual daggers and pistol. She hadn't cared or thought about it. She had been too occupied with whatever Rhydderch was keeping to himself and not to mention the uneasiness she felt that day.

"Oh," she murmured, brows creasing into a frown.

"So when I crashed into the sea, I quickly injected myself with the two vials that I had taken. And it worked. So you can say that I owe my life to you."

She had initially thought that she had misplaced the two vials but now that she knew their true fate, she shot a worried glance at Rhydderch.

"Those weren't tested. Who knows what kind of reactions your body would have?"

He covered her hand with his and gave her a firm look. "I read your journals and the substances involved in that drug. There wasn't anything harmful in it. Believe me, I'll be fine."

Adrastea opened her mouth to protest but closed it when her soulmate raised an eyebrow challengingly, almost as if he was daring her to argue and if she did, she wouldn't like what was going to happen.

Okay, maybe she would.

She would like what he would do. A lot.

She shot him a scowl before her eyes narrowed to the bandage on his left arm that had blood seeping through it.

"God, what injuries did you even have?" she demanded, concern warring over the indignant feelings she had due to him snooping through her stuff.

Quickly, she got out of bed to grab the first aid kit she had on hand before quickly examining the wound.

"It's not that big a deal," he replied, shooting her a baleful glare as she undid the bandage on his forearm.

An ugly jagged cut that was the length of perhaps five inches met her sight and she inhaled sharply at it. "It looks infected," she observed.

Rhydderch sulked and remained silent and she could only huff as she cleaned the wound and re-bandaged it.

"What other injuries have you gotten?" she asked, eyes on the bandage on his chest that she could see from his shirt.

"Just some minor abrasions, why? Do you want me to take my shirt off?"

Her mouth dropped open and she blushed furiously. "What's gotten into you? Have you been drinking?"

Rhydderch shot her an insouciant glance before it transformed into a wicked grin that made him look incredibly boyish. "No, but if you want to take advantage of me, just say it straight."

Then it clicked. "You're on some kind of pain medication, aren't you?" she pointed out. "And it's finally kicking in."

"No."

"Liar."

"So what?"

She rolled her eyes before she straightened. There was no way she would take him seriously when he was under medication. "Does Izla know that you're alive?"

Rhydderch closed his eyes and nodded slowly.

Adrastea sighed, her eyes taking in the sight of him in this relaxed state.

"So," he began as he opened his eyes and stared at her unnervingly. "I actually haven't heard you say that you're deliriously glad that I'm alive." He glanced at her from under his eyelashes and she could feel her heart pound.

A warm pleasurable sensation settled in her gut at his words.

"I am," she said softly, hands reaching out to push his hair away from his forehead. "I'm immensely glad and relieved that you're alright."

"Why?" Rhydderch tilted his head as he looked at her. His eyes were almost black from the poor lighting in the room as the winds howled and the rain pounded from the sky.

She swallowed hard. Was he really asking her that now?

"I-" she cut herself off before forcing her throat to work properly. "I don't think I could handle living without you," she confessed softly. "I think... I love you."

Somewhere deep in her heart, she hoped that Rhydderch wouldn't think she was weak or anything akin to that for admitting something so personal and heartfelt.

In addition to that, she hoped that he would say something similar to what she had confessed. No woman wanted to hear or know that she loved her partner more than they did.

Her heart thumped as the silence between them grew. Anxiety thrummed through her veins and she quickly looked away, regret blooming for confessing what she felt.

Suddenly, she felt his fingers under her chin as he tilted her head upwards. He remained silent, eyes meeting hers and slowly, his fingers caressed the side of her face gently, reverently.

"Say that again."

She blinked before she wet her lips. "I love you."

Rhydderch shuddered and he tugged her close to him before he claimed her mouth possessively.

That was a positive sign, right? Adrastea hoped so. She thought so.

Eagerly, she looped her arms around his neck, mindful of the wound on his arm and kissed him back. His right hand fisted a handful of tight curls at the nape of her neck as his mouth moved savagely against hers.

This wasn't the same as the kiss from before.

Abruptly, Rhydderch pulled away but they were still a hair-breadth away from each other.

"I don't think I could live without you either," he said softly, huskily against her lips, eyes meeting hers as his left hand caressed her arm as if he was enjoying the feel of her.

Her eyes became impossibly round and her mouth quivered before she tugged him back on her again so that their lips met once more.

* * *

Castle Inanis, Vallisrem

Medeia smirked.

She turned away from the sight of the lightning flashing across the sky or the way the rain slammed against the windows.

Everything was finally falling into place. It wasn't pure luck or anything like that. Medeia Karstovoka never relied on luck. Luck was simply what fools dreamt of.

What she had done required extensive planning, many contingency plans, blackmailing, and making a certain set of deals.

That was risky on her part but she had no choice. There wasn't anyone else as capable. But if she was going down, she would make sure the world burned as she did.

"Let them come," she muttered.

"I beg your pardon, your grace?"

She smiled at one of her stupid ignorant Astutes. "Nothing, tell the Five to get ready."

"Ready?"

"Yes, they know what their tasks are." Her fingers trailed along the shelf containing the skulls of her past enemies and adversaries.

"Yes, your grace." 

"Oh, tell them," she paused, eyes flicking to meet the brown ones of the Astute in front of her. "Tell them to ignite it if they don't receive word from me in two weeks."

She smiled.

* * *

A/N: I SWEAR I WROTE THIS WHOLE THING TODAY! BE PROUD! Yes, it has finally arrived! I hope you all like this! Two chapters more and an epilogue and this story finally ends! 

Chapter dedicated to @Egheart08 :)