Chapter 82 - 082: The decision

The council room remained tense after Rylan finished speaking.

For a while, nobody said anything. The cabinet members looked frustrated, but none of them seemed willing to argue with Zane directly. They had already made their position clear, and Rylan had made his decision.

Zane, however, had been unusually quiet.

He finally looked at Rylan.

"So you really don’t want the position?"

Rylan shook his head. "No. I never wanted it."

Zane gave a small smile. "Then I suppose this makes things easier."

One of the cabinet members stepped forward. "Easier? You attacked the rightful heir and took his position."

Zane’s expression hardened slightly.

"I did what every member of our royal family is allowed to do."

The room fell silent.

Zane looked at Rylan as he continued. "Our family has never settled succession simply because someone was born first. When two members of the royal family want the same position, strength decides who is worthy of holding it."

Rylan’s face remained calm.

"You defeated me," he said. "I survived. I don’t care about the position anymore."

Zane raised an eyebrow.

"You really mean that?"

"Yes."

Rylan had already spent too much time dealing with his past. He had hidden his identity because he wanted to live peacefully with Anaria and their family. He had no desire to return to the life he had escaped from.

"I just want to leave," Rylan said. "I want to go back to my family."

Anaria looked at him quietly.

She understood him. After everything that had happened, wanting to leave was not strange.

Zane seemed almost amused by his answer.

"Then you’ve made a sensible choice."

Rylan turned toward Anaria and reached for her hand.

"Come on."

She allowed him to take her hand, and they began walking toward the door.

Just before they reached it, Zane spoke again.

"Anaria."

She stopped and looked back.

Zane leaned against the side of his seat, watching her.

"Take your husband home. I have no reason to stop you."

Anaria narrowed her eyes.

"You attacked him."

"I did."

There was no shame in his voice.

"But you saved my life," Zane continued. "I won’t harm you after that. I may be many things, but I have my own principles."

Anaria stared at him with clear disgust.

She didn’t believe his words made him a good person. If anything, the way he said them only made her dislike him more.

Still, she turned away and continued with Rylan.

They were almost outside when a familiar voice sounded in her mind.

[Primary Mission Reminder.]

Anaria’s steps slowed.

[Save Your Husband.]

She looked down.

[Objective: Ensure Rylan’s safety and help him reclaim his rightful position.]

Her fingers tightened around Rylan’s hand.

She looked at him.

He was ready to leave everything behind.

Anaria suddenly stopped.

Rylan took another step before realizing she wasn’t beside him anymore.

He turned around.

"Anaria?"

She slowly pulled her hand from his."I’m not going."

Rylan stared at her. "What?"

She looked toward the council room. "I said I’m not going."

His confusion deepened. "Why?"

Anaria didn’t have an answer she could give him.

She only knew that she couldn’t walk away anymore.

Rylan walked back toward her.

"Anaria, what happened?"

She looked at him. "Nothing happened."

"Then why did you stop?"

"Because I don’t think leaving is the right thing to do."

Rylan frowned.

"We found each other. That’s what matters. We can leave Wolfrine and never come back."

Anaria shook her head.

"You can do that?"

"Yes."

"And then what?"

Rylan was silent.

Anaria looked at him carefully.

"You can leave Wolfrine, but you can’t leave what happened here behind. Zane will still be here. This will still be your home, whether you want it or not."

Rylan’s expression became serious.

"I don’t care about the position."

"I know."

"Then why are you making this harder?"

"Because I don’t want to spend the rest of our lives running from it."

Rylan opened his mouth, but Anaria continued before he could answer.

"I know why you want to leave. You’re trying to protect us. But you don’t get to decide that running away is the only way to keep us safe."

He stared at her.

Anaria could see that he still didn’t agree, but she also knew he understood what she was saying.

She looked toward Kenai and Kai, who were still standing nearby with Ana.

"Give her to me."

Kenai carefully brought Ana over.

Anaria took her into her arms and kissed the top of her head before looking at Kenai.

"Take her back."

Kenai frowned. "Back where?"

"Back home."

Kai immediately looked between Anaria and Rylan.

"You’re staying?"

"Yes."

Kenai’s expression became worried. "Anaria, what are you planning?"

"Nothing yet."

That answer clearly didn’t reassure either of them.

Anaria handed Ana to Kenai.

"Take her with you. Both of you."

Kenai held Ana securely against his chest.

Anaria gave him a tired look.

"And please, I’m already tired of listening to the adults argue."

Kai almost smiled at that, but the tension in the room quickly returned.

Neither man seemed happy about leaving her behind.

Still, they trusted her.

Kenai gave Anaria one final look before turning toward the door with Kai.

Ana rested quietly against his chest as they left the council room.

Anaria watched them disappear through the doorway.

When the door closed, she turned back.

Rylan was still there.

So was Zane.

The cabinet members remained silent, watching the three of them.

Rylan stepped closer to Anaria.

"You shouldn’t stay."

She looked up at him.

"I know you’re worried."

"I am."

"But I’m staying."

Rylan sighed. "Anaria, you don’t understand what you’re doing."

"Maybe I don’t."

She glanced toward Zane.

"But I know I don’t want to leave Wolfrine like this."

Zane watched them without interrupting.

Anaria finally turned fully toward him.

For the first time since finding Rylan, she wasn’t thinking about escaping.

She was thinking about what came next.

Zane met her eyes, his expression unreadable.

Anaria took a slow breath.

She had no clear solution yet.

But she knew she was not leaving.

Not this time.