Damon raised a brow. "How do you know it's ?"
The emperor finding out his identity was planned, but the princess also shockingly sniffed him out in a second. "My presence is gone, and my face is different, and yet you mumble my na so casually. What's the point in using a top-grade artifact to hide my identity?" Damon smiled bitterly.
Alzara let out a soft breath, the corner of her lips lifting despite how pale she still was. "You think I wouldn't recognize you just because you hid your face? No matter how much you erase yourself, no matter what disguise you wear… You still feel the sa. I knew you would co to save …"
Damon was about to say sothing when he realized that the woman was actually spouting complete and utter nonsense in a feverish dream. She probably wanted the person who saved her to be him and made a lucky guess.
He let out a sigh and gently patted her. He took a fruit of recovery, sothing he had obtained from the Umbra's legacy world. Carefully, he slipped an arm beneath her shoulders and lifted her just enough to support her head. The Fruit of Recovery was cool to the touch, its surface faintly luminescent, veins of gentle vitality pulsing beneath the skin. He crushed it slowly between his fingers, letting the restorative essence seep out in a controlled flow.
"Easy," Damon murmured, guiding the liquid to her lips. "Drink."
Instinct took over. Alzara swallowed weakly, her brow furrowing for a second before her body relaxed. Color returned to her cheeks in subtle waves, the fever heat bleeding away as the fruit's effect spread through her system. Her breathing evened out, no longer shallow, no longer strained.
Letting her rest, Damon lazily lay next to her. "I am sorry. I should have co sooner."
Alzara groaned. "I don't care. You are here now." She turned to Damon and put her hands on him and hugged him tightly. "I was worried you would never co for . I didn't think you cared at all."
Damon exhaled slowly and didn't push her away. "…You're delirious," he said quietly. "You almost died. Your mind's still catching up."
Alzara let out a weak scoff against his chest. "Then don't talk," she muttered. "If this is a dream, let have it."
Her grip tightened slightly, fingers bunching into his clothes as if afraid he might vanish the mont she loosened them. The warmth of her body was finally real now.
Damon stared up at the translucent do of the pavilion, watching sunlight refract lazily across its surface. "You really are troubleso," he murmured. She shifted closer, her forehead resting against his collarbone. "I don't care."
Damon chuckled. "Just so you know, it's not that I don't care about you. I do. I was just being an indecisive prick about it."
"Why? It's not that complicated. I know your wives are all outstanding, and I don't asure up to them, but I -"
Damon stopped her. "It's not that. You can be anyone you want. I don't care how strong you are or what realm you are in. That's not it. It's sothing else…" He paused for a mont and continued. "It's because we are from two different worlds."
Alzara did not say anything and silently listened.
"There would co a day when I am no longer welco in this world, then what would happen? What are the rules? When I get forcefully kicked out of this world, would I be able to bring you along? What would happen to Lirae? What about Erin and the others, my followers?"
"I just did not want to bring more people into this ss. I don't know if I would have the power in the future to take so of you with , let alone all of you. Heck, I don't know if I would even have the power in the future to protect myself."
"I just did not want to drag one more woman into my ssy life."
Alzara was silent. For a long mont, she said nothing. Then she laughed quietly. "You really are an idiot," she said.
Damon blinked. "…Excuse ?"
She shifted, wincing slightly, but pushed herself up just enough to face him properly. "You talk about rules and worlds like they're walls you're not allowed to cross. But you never once asked what I wanted."
"That's because-"
She reached up and poked his chest weakly. "Listen carefully, Blood God. Umbra's hand was after . Then I was poisoned. Almost killed. Soone tried to erase twice from existence. With or without you, my future was never going to be peaceful."
Her hand stilled there, fingers resting over his heart. "If I die tomorrow, does it matter that we're from different worlds? If you leave one day, does that suddenly make today aningless?"
Damon let out a slow breath and leaned back against the pillows, one arm coming up to rest behind his head. "You're still recovering," he muttered. "You shouldn't be lecturing anyone."
Alzara smiled, satisfied. "Just shut up and kiss already. If you disappear one day," she murmured, "then I'll hate you then. Not now."
Damon smiled. He kissed her gently and carefully and pulled back. "Don't worry. I am not going to disappear anywhere."
Mmm. Alzara nuzzled closer.
"I don't know if soone like you will understand but I have been kind of running for a long ti now. Before I was running from becoming a failure, then I ran towards power, now I am running for survival and from so old monsters with frightening power whom I stand no chance against."
Alzara listened without interrupting, her cheek resting against his chest, her fingers idly tracing slow, absent-minded circles.
"I keep telling myself that once I'm strong enough, I'll stop running," Damon said quietly. "Once I stabilize my bloodline. Once I understand the system. Once I can stand in front of those old monsters without my instincts screaming at to flee." He let out a short breath. "But the finish line keeps moving."
"I don't even know what 'safe' looks like anymore. Every ti I stop, sothing bigger notices . Sothing older." His lips curved into a faint, self-mocking smile. "And then I run again. Smarter this ti. Faster. With more blood on my hands."
Alzara shifted, wincing faintly but forcing herself upright just enough to look at him. Her face was fully of worry.
Damon smiled, placing another gentle kiss on her lips. "Don't look at like that. I am not giving up. I am just tired of running. I don't want to run anymore. I don't want to make sacrifices. I don't want to compromise. I want to beco powerful enough to make the world bend for ."
"So ya… I ca here to take you. I should have done it sooner but I am here now. I want you so I am going to take you. It doesn't matter that we are from different worlds. One way or the other I will take you with no matter what. You are mine and mine alone."
Alzara's heart raced, her pulse hamring loud enough that she could feel it in her ears. Her eyes glistened with tears and her cheeks blushed. These were the exact words she had been hoping to hear for a long ti and now that he actually said it, she couldn't bring herself to believe it. Was she dreaming? Was this all real?
"…Say that again," she whispered. "Slowly."
Damon chuckled. "How would you like to beco my wife, desert princess?"
Tears stread from the woman's face as she smiled and sobbed at the sa ti. "Yes… Yes… " She laughed and cried at the sa ti, pressing her forehead against his chest.
Damon wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. Alzara sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before looking up at him. Her gaze was still wet as she squeaked again. "You are not allowed to change your mind. You won't, will you?"
Damon could only laugh. "I will never change my mind. No matter what. You are stuck with forever."
Alzara grinned, wiping the tears away from her eyes quickly. She then suddenly beca energetic as she swung her body and sat on top of Damon, straddling him. He instinctively reached out to steady her hips, his hands finding purchase on her waist.
"Careful," Damon smiled. "You were literally knocking on death's door ten minutes ago. That fruit works miracles, but your body still needs rest."
"Hmph! I am fully rested and recovered. I am a C rank too, Blood God. You don't have to treat like so fragile princess. I am a powerful enchantress and I am going to make you a slave to my-"
She cut herself off mid-sentence, cheeks flushing as the words finally caught up to her mouth. Her sudden embarrassnt was almost comical. Damon raised a brow, amused. "To your…?"
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