Chapter 79
Althea slowly opened her eyes and reached across the bed, only to find it empty. The room was quiet, the sky outside still painted with shades of night. She let out a long yawn and rubbed her face, whispering to herself, “What a strange dream p>
Of course it had to be a dream. Gavriel, gentle? Gavriel, holding her close, whispering questions, even chuckling? Impossible.
The Alpha King was a man of few words, colder than the moon’s light, his silence often heavier than his presence. He never lingered in conversations with her, much less indulged in long, searching questions.
Still, the memory of that dream left a trace of warmth in her chest. He had laughed—actually laughed—in it. She let out a small sigh. “How nice must it have been… if it were real p>
She stretched a little, surprised her body no longer burned with the exhaustion she had felt before falling asleep. The aches had dulled, leaving only a faint heaviness in her limbs. It reminded her of the first time she ever tried to create a portal when she was ten.
Her mother had been alive then. It was just a few days before her passing, and in that fleeting time, she had taught Althea the very beginnings of creating a portal. She remembered clearly how her mother told her to start with people’s energy.
Melva’s energy was so familiar to her that the portal had opened without much resistance.
But the effort nearly drained her dry like before, when she tried creating a portal to her mother when she was ten. She also fell sick, delirious, hallucinating until she collapsed into half a day’s fevered sleep. When she woke, her mother only stroked her hair and told her she had done well, though it was too dangerous to try again so soon.
“I guess this time, it’s just a dream… a good one, at least,” she murmured, rolling to face the balcony where faint shadows of dawn began to stir.
Her expression hardened as another memory pushed itself forward. She had once told her mother that she wanted to try creating a portal to go to her father. She had been so eager to show her father what she could do.
But her mother’s face had darkened like a storm. “No. Don’t ever show your father what you can do. Promise me, Althea. Keep it between us p>
At the time, she hadn’t understood why and yet she listened and did what her mother told her. Years later, the truth was bitterly clear.
Cain Grayson loved her, yes—but love was not enough to quench his hunger for power. He wanted the crown, and if he had known his daughter’s gift, he would have bent it, twisted it, until it served his ambition.
No matter how much he cared for her and her mother, he would have forced their hands, chaining their lives to his cause.
Althea’s jaw tightened. “So that’s why, Mother,” she whispered, voice almost trembling. “You weren’t protecting me from him—you were protecting me from what he’d make me become p>
She pulled the blanket closer to her chin, feeling a sting in her chest that had nothing to do with exhaustion.
The dream of Gavriel’s laughter lingered faintly, like the last warmth of a dying fire. But reality pressed down heavier. Freedom was still far away, and the shadows of both her father and Gavriel loomed too close.
At the Arcane Hall
Uriel rubbed his eyes as he set down his teacup. “Why drag me here at this hour, Gavriel? Couldn’t this have waited until daylight?” he complained, his tone heavy with irritation.
Gavriel didn’t waste time. His face was dark, his voice sharp. “Althea can create a portal p>
Uriel blinked, caught off guard. “A portal? You mean she p>
“Yes,” Gavriel cut him off. “For now, she can only link to people she has a strong bond with, or whose energy she’s familiar with. Not specific places. But if she learns more, she could use it to escape. Worse… she could be forced to open one for Cain.” His hands clenched at the thought, his voice hardening. “I will not let that happen p>
Uriel leaned back with a groan. “And what do you expect from me? A ready-made spell to chain her gift? Suppressing that kind of magic isn’t simple, Gavriel. It will take time—long time. Days of research, rare ingredients, maybe even rituals that haven’t been performed in years p>
Gavriel stepped closer, his eyes burning with urgency. “Then start now. I don’t care how long it takes. I want a potion, a charm, anything that will stop her from opening a portal. She cannot be given the chance p>
Uriel muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “Always the impossible demands… You want me to block a power tied to the heart and soul. Do you know how dangerous that is p>
“Dangerous or not, find a way,” Gavriel ordered coldly. “If Cain learns of this, he’ll use her against me. I won’t risk it p>
Uriel let out a long sigh, resigning himself. “Fine. I’ll dig into it. But don’t expect quick results. Suppressing something like that could take weeks, even months p>
“That doesn’t matter,” Gavriel said firmly. “What matters is that she never gets the chance to betray me—or herself p>
Uriel’s eyes narrowed, though he kept his thoughts to himself. It was clear now, Gavriel had grown far too attached to his mate to lose her, whether he admitted it or not.
“By now, Cain must already know his daughter isn’t just some fragile human,” Gavriel muttered, his tone low and heavy. “That she’s a mage healer p>
Uriel arched a brow, sipping his tea with a lazy air. “Well, Lady Althea finally stepped out of her shell, didn’t she? She could’ve kept playing the part of a weak hybrid who only inherited her mother’s human side. But she chose not to. Maybe she’s simply tired of being seen as a weakling p>
Gavriel’s expression darkened, but he didn’t respond to the jab. Instead, he leaned forward.
“You’ll also need to craft a barrier—or some kind of spell—to block her. She’s a mind reader p>
Uriel froze, nearly spilling his cup. “What?!” he burst out, his voice echoing through the Arcane Hall.