The Remnant

Chapter 59

The world came back in fragments, whispers of reality slowly knitting together. I could hear sounds in the distance, blending into an indistinct hum. My senses struggled to merge, like a foggy window gradually revealing the outside world.

"Lucian, can you hear me?" A gentle voice asked.

The voice sliced through the haze, pulling me from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the diffused light. Everything seemed muted and distant, and for a moment, I felt lost.

Blinking against the invading light, I looked around and realized I was in a room. My room. Which meant I was back in the palace...

"How are you feeling?" A soft hand rested on mine, and I turned my head to find Clair at my bedside. Her eyes held a mixture of relief and worry, a silent testament to the stress I must have caused her.

Feeling guilty for making her worry, I tried to sit up to show her I was okay, only to be met with a jolt of pain that rippled through my chest. Hissing, I grabbed my chest as I fell back onto the pillow.

Why does my body feel like it's been trampled by a herd of rampaging beasts?

Clair's concerned gaze deepened, her fingers squeezing mine. "Please take it easy, Highness. You still haven't fully recovered."

I furrowed my brow and clenched my teeth in an attempt to hide the pain. This was the first time I'd ever experienced such a strange sensation. The pain wasn't the kind that stabs; it was more like an oppressive tension. Like having an insistent weight that refused to lift off my chest.

As I felt my mind slowly snapping back into focus, fragments of my memory started slotting back into place. The twins. Leonis. His broken core and my attempt to fix it... A chill raced down my spine as I recalled reciting Solomon's incantation before everything turned dark.

"Clair," I rasped, my voice scratchy from disuse. "What happened to Leonis?! Is he okay?"

"You shouldn't be worrying about others, especially not in the state you're in!"

I squeezed Clair's hand, hoping she'd see the urgency in my gaze. "Please... Tell me what happened!"

Clair's gaze softened, and she ran a hand through her hair. "Leonis is fine. Or at least he was, last time I saw him... I shouldn't have left you alone with him."

Ignoring her comment, I pressed on. "Where is he?"

"He's in his house."

"The last time you saw him, did he look different? Feel different?"

Clair shook her head.

"Did he say anything to you?"

Clair rubbed her chin thoughtfully before answering. "Now that you mention it, just before we rushed out of the house, he asked me to pass on his thanks to you... Pretty strange, considering the circumstances."

A rush of adrenaline rushed through my body, making my hands twitch in excitement. If those were his last words, then surely the spell must have worked.

No, no, no... It's too early to celebrate.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I needed to calm myself. Jumping to conclusions was dangerous, especially if I wasn't certain.

After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and clenched my fists. I'd made up my mind. The moment I was strong enough to move, I'd visit Leonis. The only way I could be sure that the method had worked, was by seeing Leonis with my own two eyes.

"How long have I been out for?" I asked, turning to Clair.

"You've been asleep for about twelve hours, Highness."