The next morning, Seren stirred in her sleep, finding herself still wrapped in a pair of strong arms. A light smile painted her lips as she opened her eyes to see a pair of red eyes looking back at her. She realized it was Drayce; Erebus was gone.
She hadn't expected Erebus either way, but now, looking at Drayce, she felt a twinge of guilt. "Dray."
He ran his fingers through her hair. "Disappointed to see me?"
"No, I'm not. I'm not used to seeing him during the day," she said sincerely. She caressed his cheek. "Seeing you made me feel better instead."
Drayce didn't press further and kissed her lips softly. "Good morning."
She smiled at him, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Morning." The guilt she felt towards Drayce, as if she had done something wrong, kept her mind unsettled.
"Are you leaving for Griven again?" she asked.
He nodded. "After instructing Jasper on the important matters, I will leave. Tomorrow, I will take you there. Make sure to ask your servants to pack everything for you to attend a wedding."
She agreed. "I will also tell Edith today that I will be gone for a few days, or she will wait for me."
"As you see fit."
They had breakfast together, during which Drayce noticed Seren was unusually quiet. Since the moment they woke up, something felt distant between them. Seren clearly had something on her mind, and he knew they needed to talk. Stay connected with
"I will instruct Jasper on some important matters and come to you before leaving for Griven," Drayce explained. Seren simply nodded.
Once Drayce left, she returned to her room and stood in the gallery, looking at the sky and sea ahead, despite the cold outside. Her mind was a whirlwind of various thoughts.
It didn't take Drayce long to return. Seeing her standing outside in the cold, he brought a thick coat for her and wrapped it around her.
"You'll fall sick like this," he commented.
She turned to look at him. "This magical stone on my wrist helps protect me from the cold."
"Still, I'd prefer if you weren't so careless. Winter in Megaris can be dangerous."
"I'm alright," she replied calmly, her gaze lowered.
Drayce held her shoulders and asked, "I want to know what you're thinking about, what's troubling you. Even if you deny it, I know there's something. Look at me."
Seren lifted her gaze, her eyes moist. "Dray, am I being unfaithful to you?"
Drayce was taken aback by her question. "Not at all, Seren."
"But I feel that way," she said, tears she had been holding back rolling down her cheeks. "I felt it this morning—that I'm not faithful to you. You asked me if I was disappointed to see you instead of Erebus."
"I was simply teasing you," he said gently, wiping her tears away.
She shook her head. "It was the first time I felt you weren't teasing. You were affected by Erebus' presence with me last night," she explained, her voice sad. "I'm sorry I hurt you. But I don't know what to do."
Drayce now realized what his reaction in the morning had caused her. He felt regretful. "I admit that I was jealous. But it's entirely my fault, not yours."
"No, I don't blame you. But if this is how it's going to be, I want us three to live peacefully without blaming each other," she said. "Once he marks me, I don't want him to take complete control over our lives. I can feel he is powerful, more powerful than you are, and I'm scared that once there is a bond between us, he will dominate you. I don't want that to happen. I want you before I want him."
Her voice turned hesitant as she continued. "I…I admit that I want him as well, and I can't stop myself from feeling attracted to him, from having feelings for him just like I do for you. When I don't see him for long, I feel restless. I don't know why.
I try to convince myself that it's because he is you, but there is something more…I don't know what it is…but something…and that something makes me feel that I'm betraying you…"
"Because you are his mate, Seren," Drayce spoke gently. "It's not just him who feels attracted to you; you would feel the same. Even though there is no bond, we are destined mates. If you have feelings for him, being his, my, destined mate is the reason. Moreover, it's a fact that he is me. I should be understanding towards you and him instead of feeling jealous.
I give you my word, I will do my best to accept this fact. I won't hurt you because of my thoughtless words and actions."
"I don't want to feel this way. I want us to be like we always have been—comfortable with each other, without anything coming between us," Seren said softly.
"We will be," he assured her.
"I'm sorry if you don't like it when I'm with him," she added.
Drayce shook his head. "I should be the one apologizing and taking the blame for putting you in this situation. If I hadn't separated my dark side, you wouldn't be facing this. It's the consequence of my actions that you have to endure my other side. I'm sorry for putting you through this. I wish I could solve it."
They hugged each other tightly. "Solve it? Does that mean he will be gone?" she asked.
"Not gone, but he would become a part of me entirely, as we were born as one. He would still be inside me but wouldn't show up as a different identity."
She moved her head back and looked up at him, her eyes filled with feeling something she was going to lose. "So, there wouldn't be anyone I would call Erebus?"
Drayce nodded. "But I'm not sure if it's even possible, as his existence has only grown stronger over time."
"Dray, though he is you, he has his own mind and existence. Making him disappear would be like…"
"You don't want him to?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. Let's talk about it when the day comes," she replied.
Drayce observed her for a moment, then smiled.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Shall I be happy that you are in love even with my scary side as well? You clearly do not want him gone. You are truly so brave, Seren."
"Does that mean you don't mind it?" she asked, her gaze expectant.
"I know I shouldn't mind it, but it will take me a while to come to terms with it. Will you allow me to have some time so I won't be jealous with myself, my other side?"
"I will," she assured him. "I believe we three would be happy the way we are."
He hugged her tightly, "We will. I will try to rational and accept the reality of my life that I have created with my own hands."