Chapter 95: Kariv Showed Up

The event goes on, Dawn and Ruthina never left Eiravelle. The great hall hummed with music and laughter, the nobles spinning across the polished floor in their finest silks, the chandeliers casting a warm golden glow over everything.

Servants moved through the crowd with trays of wine and delicacies, and the fireworks continued to burst in the sky beyond the tall windows, painting the night with color.

But in the corner where the three of them stood, there was a quiet intimacy that set them apart from the celebration. Ruthina passed a wine to Eiravelle and smiled widely, "Saintess—" Ruthina called out, but Eiravelle smiled and shook her head. The omega’s expression was gentle but firm, and she placed a hand on Ruthina’s arm to soften the correction.

"Ruthina, please. Just Eiravelle or Eivy. As long as I’m not proven as the saint, you have no reason to call me that holy title, please?" Eiravelle said, and Ruthina frown. The rabbit spirit’s brow furrowed, her lips were pressing together in a pout that made her look like a child who had been told she could not have a sweet.

She had been so excited to call Eiravelle her saintess, had been waiting for the moment when everyone would finally believe her. But Eiravelle was asking her to wait, to be patient, and Ruthina did not like waiting.

"Okay, Eivy." She pouted, and Eiravelle smiled and gently pat her head. The gesture was maternal, affectionate, and it made Ruthina’s pout soften despite herself. "Don’t be sad, the baby can feel it too." Eiravelle said, then gently took Ruthina’s hand and gently place it on her pregnant belly.

The omega’s belly was warm beneath Ruthina’s palm, the fabric of her robes soft against the rabbit’s fingers, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then Ruthina gasp and her smile widened with innocence when she felt the baby kicked.

The movement was small but distinct, a flutter of life against her hand, and Ruthina’s eyes went wide with wonder.

"Hahaha," Dawn chuckled as she saw Ruthina’s reaction. The Phoenix Empress stood slightly apart, a glass of wine in her hand while her expression warm and amused.

She had been watching the two of them with a quiet fondness, her earlier tension about the ritual fading in the face of their joy. "Haha, you’re so cute, Ruth." Dawn said, and Ruthina looked at her with confusion and delight.

"H-How can this creature fit inside your belly? Does it hurt when this creature went inside?" Ruthina asked, it was an innocent question but it made Dawn and Eiravelle to blush and look away.

The two women exchanged a glance, their cheeks were flushing pink, and neither of them knew quite how to respond. Ruthina’s innocence was endearing, but it also created situations like this—situations where the simplest question could make the most composed people flustered.

Dawn took a sip of her wine to hide her smile, and Eiravelle cleared her throat softly, her hand still resting on her belly.

"You don’t know how omegas get pregnant?" Eiravelle asked, and Ruthina shook her head. The rabbit’s expression was genuinely curious, utterly without guile, and Eiravelle realized that Ruthina had no idea what she was asking.

"How? I thought someone will put the baby inside you. That’s why I wonder how omegas can endure the pain when I saw the size of babies, they’re very huge!" Ruthina said, and they realized that she was talking about the actual baby. Not the process of conception, not the intimacy of creation, but the physical reality of a child growing inside a womb.

Ruthina had seen babies before, had seen the size of them, and she could not understand how something so large could fit inside a person. It was a child’s question, innocent and logical, and it made Dawn and Eiravelle want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Ruth... You really don’t know?" Dawn made it sure that she doesn’t know. The Phoenix Empress leaned forward, her eyes were searching Ruthina’s face for any sign that she was joking. But there was no joke. Ruthina was utterly sincere.

"Why do you guys keep asking the same question?" Ruthina asked, and they just smile widely. They could not help it. Ruthina was a being from another realm, a creature of the heavens, and she had been sent to find her saint without any understanding of how creatures lived, loved, or created life.

It was charming. It was endearing. It was also deeply, deeply awkward. Dawn and Eiravelle exchanged another glance, their smiles were barely contained, and Eiravelle patted Ruthina’s hand gently.

"Look, why not enjoy? You’ll know it soon, okay?" Dawn said, and Ruthina was about to speak. But Zane approached and bow. The alpha’s arrival was sudden, unexpected, and it made the three of them pause. Zane was a lord of one of the noble houses, a man of moderate wealth and moderate influence, but he was known for his charm and his dancing.

He had approached them with a confident stride, his bow perfectly executed, his smile polished and practiced.

"Greetings, your majesty, Phoenix empress. Your holiness, and lady Eiravelle." Zane greeted them, and the three of them paused and stop their bickering. Eiravelle’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a polite but cautious expression.

"Lord Zane. What brings you here?" Eiravelle asked, her voice was cool but courteous. She did not want to be rude, but she also did not want to encourage him. The alpha’s gaze was fixed on Ruthina, and Eiravelle could see the calculation behind his smile.

"Nothing much, I was wondering if her holiness, Golden Rabbit, will allow me to ask her to dance?" Zane asked, Dawn and Eiravelle glance at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

The request was polite, appropriate, and there was no reason to refuse it. Ruthina was the guest of honor, and it was only natural that the nobles would want to dance with her.

"Uhm..." Ruthina hesitated, then she looked at Arielle from afar who was still talking with Qazaethel and Liv.

The rabbit’s eyes found the alpha across the crowded hall, and something in her expression shifted. She wanted to say yes—she knew she should say yes, knew that it was what was expected of her—but the thought of dancing with a stranger, of being held by an alpha she did not know, made her skin crawl. She sigh and raise her gaze to look at Zane.

"W-What... What’s your name?" Ruthina asked, her voice slightly quivered as she try to compose herself. "My name is Zane, your holiness. It will be my greatest honor if you will allow me to have this dance with you." Zane said, and although he seems nice and decent, Ruthina can’t help but shake slightly from the thought that another alpha, a stranger to her, is approaching her.

The memories of being hunted, of being chased by those who had hurt her, came flooding back. She could feel her heart racing, could feel the cold sweat on her palms, and she did not know what to do.

"W-Well—" Ruthina was about to agree, but Eiravelle held her hand and smiled. The omega’s grip was firm but gentle, a silent reassurance, and it stopped Ruthina from saying the words she would have regretted.

"Lord Zane, I appreciate you asking the golden rabbit appropriately. But I think her holiness wants to stay here." Eiravelle said, and Zane continue to keep showing his genuine smile. The alpha did not seem offended, did not seem angry. He simply nodded, his expression understanding.

"Of course, forgive me, your holiness." Zane added, and Ruthina shook her head in understanding. She felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she squeezed Eiravelle’s hand in gratitude.

"It’s okay." Ruthina tried to keep a smile, but she seems in distress but Dawn and Eiravelle immediately noticed it. The Phoenix Empress kept her composure, her presence was a shield, and Eiravelle did not release Ruthina’s hand. They would protect her. They would not let anyone make her uncomfortable.

Then Kariv suddenly approached and bow at them. "If her holiness is turning down Zane, then may I have the honor to ask her to dance." Kariv said, and Eiravelle’s eyes widened.

The world around her seemed to slow, the music fading into a distant hum, the laughter of the nobles becoming muffled and meaningless. Eiravelle stared at Kariv, at the alpha who had once held her heart in his hands and then crushed it without a second thought.

He was smiling, that same charming smile that had once made her believe she was special, that same practiced expression of warmth and kindness that she now knew was nothing more than a mask.

His bow was perfect, his posture was elegant, andhis voice smooth and polite. But Eiravelle could see the truth behind his eyes. She could see the cold, calculating gleam that she had once mistaken for affection. She could see the predator lurking beneath the polished surface.

Her hand tightened around Ruthina’s, the grip becoming almost painful, and Ruthina let out a small, startled gasp. Eiravelle did not hear it. She could not hear anything over the roaring of blood in her ears, could not see anything except Kariv’s face, that familiar, handsome face that had once made her heart race with joy and now made her stomach churn with nausea.

She remembered the way he had smiled at her when they first met, the way he had whispered sweet words in her ear, the way he had made her believe that she was special.

She remembered the way he had laughed when she told him she was pregnant, the way he had called her a fool, the way he had abandoned her without a second thought. She remembered the pain, the humiliation, the months of isolation and fear that had followed.

And she remembered the way he had looked at her when he thought no one was watching—the cold, calculating assessment of a man who saw people as tools to be used and discarded.

Dawn noticed Eiravelle’s reaction immediately. The Phoenix Empress’s eyes narrowed, her sharp gaze was moving from Eiravelle’s pale face to Kariv’s smiling one, and understanding dawned.

She had heard the stories. She had heard what Kariv had done to Eiravelle, had heard how he had used her and abandoned her, had heard the whispers of cruelty and manipulation that followed the alpha wherever he went.

Dawn stepped forward, positioning herself slightly in front of Eiravelle and Ruthina, her presence was a barrier between them and the approaching alpha.

"Lord Kariv," Dawn said, her voice was cool and measured, "I’m afraid her holiness is not accepting any dance requests tonight. She is still recovering from the ceremony." The words were polite, but the dismissal was clear.

Dawn’s eyes were hard, and her posture was that of a protector, not a hostess.

Kariv’s smile did not waver. If anything, it widened, and he straightened from his bow with an easy grace that made Eiravelle’s skin crawl.

"Of course, Phoenix Empress. I understand. I merely wished to pay my respects to the Golden Rabbit. It is not every day that one meets a being from the heavens." He turned his gaze to Ruthina, and his eyes softened, became warm and kind, as though he was genuinely honored to be in her presence.

"Your holiness, I apologize if I have caused any discomfort. That was not my intention."

Ruthina did not respond. She was still holding Eiravelle’s hand, and she could feel the omega’s trembling.

She did not understand what was happening, did not understand why Eiravelle had gone so pale, did not understand why Dawn had stepped in front of them like a shield.

But she trusted them. She trusted Eiravelle and Dawn, and if they did not want her to dance with this alpha, then she would not dance with him.

"It’s... it’s okay," Ruthina said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at Eiravelle, her brow furrowing with concern. "Eivy? Are you okay?"

Eiravelle did not answer. She was still staring at Kariv, her eyes wide, her breath was coming in short, shallow gasps. She could feel the memories pressing in on her, could feel the old wounds reopening, and she did not know how to stop them.

She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. She wanted to grab Ruthina and Dawn and flee to the safety of her chambers, where the shadows could not reach her. But she could not move. She was frozen, trapped in the moment, trapped in the past.

Kariv’s gaze flickered to Eiravelle, and for a moment, something dark passed through his eyes. It was quick, almost imperceptible, but Eiravelle saw it. She saw the satisfaction, the cruelty, the pleasure he took in her distress.

And she knew, with a certainty that settled into her bones like ice, that he had approached them deliberately. He had seen her standing with Ruthina, had seen the opportunity to hurt her, and he had taken it.

"Lady Eiravelle," Kariv said, his voice smooth and polite, "it has been a long time. You look well." The words were innocent, but the way he said them, the slight emphasis on ’well’, made them a weapon.

He was reminding her of the last time they had seen each other, of the state he had left her in, of the pain he had caused. And he was doing it in public, in front of the Golden Rabbit and the Phoenix Empress, knowing that she could not react without causing a scene.

Eiravelle opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Her throat was dry, her tongue heavy, and she could not form a single coherent sentence.

She felt small, weak, helpless—the same way she had felt when Kariv had discarded her, the same way she had felt when she believed her child would not survive.

She was drowning, and she could not find the surface.

"Lord Kariv," Dawn said again, her voice sharper now, "I believe you were leaving." It was not a request. It was a command, and Dawn’s eyes were blazing with a fury that made Kariv’s smile finally falter.

He glanced at her, assessed her, and seemed to realize that he had pushed too far. He bowed again, a shallow, almost mocking gesture, and stepped back.

"Of course. I apologize for the intrusion. Enjoy the rest of your evening, your holiness, Phoenix Empress, Lady Eiravelle." He turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd of nobles, and Eiravelle let out a breath she had not realized she was holding.

Her knees buckled, and she would have fallen if Ruthina and Dawn had not been there to catch her.

"Eivy! Eivy, what’s wrong?" Ruthina’s voice was high, panicked, and she wrapped her arms around Eiravelle, trying to hold her up. "You’re shaking. Why are you shaking? Who was that? What did he do to you?"

Dawn placed a steadying hand on Eiravelle’s back and her expression was grim. The music continued, the laughter continued, and no one seemed to notice or care that the sovereign’s consort was on the verge of collapse.

Eiravelle gripepd the arms of the chair, her breath was coming in short, uneven gasps. She could feel the baby moving inside her, responding to her distress, and she pressed a hand to her belly, trying to calm herself, trying to calm the child.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice was hoarse. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—"

"Don’t apologize," Dawn said firmly, kneeling in front of her. The Phoenix Empress took Eiravelle’s hands, her grip was warm and steady.

"Don’t you dare apologize. That man—Kariv—he had no right to approach you. He had no right to speak to you. Whatever he did to you in the past, it’s over. He cannot hurt you anymore."

Ruthina knelt beside Dawn, her eyes were wide and frightened. She did not understand what had happened, did not understand the history between Eiravelle and the alpha who had approached them, but she understood pain.

She understood fear. And she could see both in Eiravelle’s eyes. "Eivy," she said softly,

Eiravelle looked at Ruthina, at the rabbit spirit who had become her friend, her protector, her sister in all but blood. She saw the concern in Ruthina’s eyes, the genuine worry, and she felt something inside her crack.

"He was... he was someone I used to know," she said, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Someone I used to love. He hurt me, Ruth. He hurt me more than anyone has ever hurt me. And seeing him again... It brought it all back."

Ruthina’s expression shifted. The confusion faded, replaced by something harder, something fiercer. She did not fully understand the situation, did not know the details of what Kariv had done, but she knew enough.

She knew that Eiravelle was hurting, knew that the alpha had caused that pain, and that was all she needed to know. "He will not hurt you again," Ruthina said, her voice firm. "I will not let him. Dawn will not let him. Qazaethel will not let him. You are safe, Eivy. You are safe."

Eiravelle looked at Ruthina, at the rabbit spirit who had descended from the heavens to find her, and she felt tears prick at her eyes. She had never had someone protect her like this.

She had never had someone stand up for her, fight for her, promise to keep her safe. And now, she had two people—Ruthina and Dawn—who were willing to do exactly that. She was not alone. She was not helpless. She was loved.

"Thank you," she whispered, and the tears spilled over, tracing hot paths down her cheeks. "Thank you both."

Dawn squeezed her hands, her expression softening. "You don’t have to thank us, Eiravelle. You are family. And family protects each other." She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the crowd for Kariv.

She could not see him, but she knew he was still there, lurking somewhere in the shadows, waiting for another opportunity to strike. She would need to tell Qazaethel about this. She would need to make sure that Kariv was dealt with, that he never came near Eiravelle again.

Ruthina wrapped her arms around Eiravelle, pulling her into a hug, and Eiravelle leaned into the embrace, letting herself be held. She could feel the baby calming inside her, responding to the warmth and safety of the embrace.

She could feel the trembling in her body slowly subsiding. She was still afraid, still shaken, but she was not alone. And that made all the difference.

"We should find Qazaethel," Dawn said, rising to her feet. "She needs to know what happened." She offered her hand to Eiravelle, helping her stand.

"Can you walk?"

Eiravelle nodded, though her legs still felt weak. "I can walk." She looked at Ruthina, who was still holding her hand, and she managed a small smile. "I’m okay. Really."

Ruthina did not look convinced, but she nodded.

"Okay. But if you need to sit down again, you tell me, okay? I will carry you if I have to." The declaration was so earnest, so determined, that Eiravelle almost laughed. Almost.

"Thank you, Ruth. I’ll remember that." She squeezed Ruthina’s hand, then looked at Dawn. "Let’s find Qazaethel."

The three of them made their way through the crowd, Dawn leading the way, her presence was parting the nobles like a blade. Eiravelle walked slowly, Ruthina at her side, and she could feel the eyes of the court on her—curious, assessing, hungry for gossip.

She ignored them. She had spent too long caring about what others thought of her. She had spent too long letting their judgments shape her. She was done with that. She was done with hiding.