Bounded To You (Star-Crossed)

Chapter 8 - Imminent

Image: Wyatt’s Collar

CHAPTER 8: IMMINENT

“We can’t…” Edmur muttered, clutching his head, “We have to move now or it will be too late.”

“Lucius is not ready.” Noah protested, “And he is not immortal yet.”

“Noah unless you want to risk the deaths that will occur if we don’t stop this, then we have to.” Edmur insisted, grimacing as his headache increased. “There is no avoiding it. The gates will open if we don’t do anything.”

“If you’ve seen them open, then we will not be avoiding anything.” Noah said, “It will be risking Lucius’s life for nothing-…”

“Noah.” Lazarus said firmly, “Enough. This is the mission we have set out on. We have to do something to stop him.”

“But-…” Noah started again, only stopping when Lucius grabbed his arm, making him look at him.

“You’ve trained me, Noah.” Lucius said, “And my memory is mostly returned. We can do this.”

“You are not ready.” Noah insisted.

“But you will be there. Leon and Blayth, Cylus and Lorena. WE will all be there, so there is no need to worry unnecessarily.” Lucius comforted.

“We are talking about the man that’s managed to murder you time and time again.” Noah replied, “So forgive me if I wasn’t too eager to go out there when I know that you wouldn’t survive a wound like the rest of us would.” Noah turned around and left the room after what he said, feeling a heavy weight on his chest at the thought of something going wrong.

“Lucius, are you sure you can handle this?” Lazarus asked Lucius who was staring after Noah.

“I am. I am merely worried about Noah.” Lucius answered, looking back at the man, “I don’t want to hurt him again.”

“His feeling are the least of our problems, Lucius. We have to think about all the lives that will be lost to open those gates without the use of the Delafontaine’s blood. It requires so many souls, and I fear what lengths the mad mage would go to in order to achieve his insane fantasy of ruling the world.”

Lucius’s frown deepened before he nodded. He hated speaking about death, and even more knowing what all of it was doing to Noah. He glanced at the door again before saying, “May I go?”

Lazarus hesitated, but then Tobias said in his place, “I will update you later. Go make sure he is alright.”

Lucius nodded a thank you before getting up and following behind Noah. He opened the door to their room after going to the second floor, glancing inside at Noah sitting on the bed, his eyes gazing outside the window seeming worried. Lucius walked in, going to the bed before taking a seat next to his knight. He sat quietly for the longest time before reaching over, taking a hold of the hand not clutched near his chest, seeming to be holding something.

“Every time, I think I finally managed to get you back. Every time, my hopes are high, thinking yes, this time he is going nowhere. I have him. I will not lose him.” Noah mumbled, his eyes dropping to the ground as his hand clutched Lucius’s tighter. “I am scared…no. That is not the word. I am petrified.” Noah said, “Losing you, it is just not something I could get used to.”

“Love, I will be alright-…”

“I told myself that.” Noah said, Lucius noticing how his brows furrowed further, “You are alright, and you will be safe. I don’t do that anymore: give myself hope. It hurts too much when it is shattered. Lu, living without you is not in any way easy, it is not bearable.”