Chapter 216: The Healing Bond

Zahliver’s POV

His grip tightened around my hands like he was terrified I would vanish into thin air all over again.

I closed my eyes tightly and rested my hands fully against his broad chest, tuning out the rest of the noisy world so I could listen only to the steady rhythm of his beating heart, and to the ancient bond that connected our souls together.

Through that shared bond, I saw it.

The terrifying darkness that had swallowed him whole.

It was thick, ancient, and endless. And he had been walking through it all alone for so long that he no longer even feared it. It was his only constant companion, the only thing that had not left him until the exact moment I did.

Until my heart finally stopped beating.

And now... he simply could not unfeel that horrific moment of loss.

But I was right here. Alive and breathing. And I would remind him of that vital truth for as long as it took to heal his broken soul.

He did not know if the light meant something good anymore... or if it was just a blank, hollow void waiting to swallow him.

Maybe the light was not true salvation after all. Maybe it was just emptiness disguised as temporary peace.

And the darkness was it really pure evil, or simply a state of blindness?

But right now, he did not care about any of that.

A choked sob tore violently from my throat as my body trembled uncontrollably, completely overcome by the heavy weight of what I was feeling from him. I could sense every bit of it how deeply he was hurting inside, and how brutally he was punishing himself for something he could not control.

Fear. Anger. Regret. Pain. Grief. Disgust. Total helplessness. All of it slammed into his mind like a raging tide, and he did not even try to fight it. He welcomed the torment.

He honestly thought he deserved every bit of the suffering.

My eyes fluttered open slowly, blurry with hot tears. The aching pain in my chest only grew worse when I looked up and saw the devastated expression on his face.

Utterly haunted.

"Oh, Zahliver..." I whispered, my voice cracking under the emotional strain.

But he did not even flinch at my words. He did not lift his heavy head, nor did he reach out to hold me closer.

This was not the Zahliver I knew. This was not my strong, feral brute who always moved through the dangerous world with unshakable certainty the man who would gladly burn the entire world down just to keep me safe from harm.

No. This version of him was completely shattered.

And I was not about to stand by and let him stay trapped like this forever.

A sudden, fierce flame lit up deep inside me. Strong and steady.

I pulled my hands free from his grip and quickly wiped the remaining tears off my cheeks with my palms.

"What good am I," he muttered, his voice sounding hollow and empty, "if I cannot even protect the one person I love most in this world?"

I drew in a long, steadying breath, then leaned forward and gently cradled his handsome face in both of my hands, forcing him to look directly at me. His piercing blue eyes met mine, but they looked completely vacant, as if he could not even see me standing right in front of him.

"Hey," I said firmly, my voice leaving no room for argument. "Do not you dare think like that. Do you hear me? None of this is your fault. Not a single thing."

He blinked slowly at me, but his intense stare remained distant.

"There was no possible way we could have seen any of it coming. And I know you, Zahliver, I truly know you. There is nothing you would not have done to stop it if you had even the slightest warning. That is simply who you are. You protect. You love. You fight like absolute hell to keep the people you care about breathing."

His lips parted slightly in surprise. He remained silent. But I saw the tiniest shift in his guarded expression, like he was finally beginning to register the sound of my voice.

"And I am sorry," I whispered softly. "I am sorry for not being more careful out there. For putting you through something so terrifying. I should have paid much more attention to my surroundings. I should have " I caught my breath, shaking my head firmly. "But you did not lose me, Zahliver. I am right here. I came back to you. I am immortal, remember? You cannot get rid of me that easily."

His eyes finally began to focus on me. Really focus on me.

"You are never alone," I said softly, pressing my forehead gently against his. "You were never truly alone. You pulled me back from the dark. You saved me, Zahliver. You really did."

He exhaled a breath that was ragged and unsteady, and I felt his large hands lift hesitant and trembling as they finally settled warmly at my waist. The simple contact nearly undid my resolve.

"Please do not carry this heavy guilt anymore," I murmured against his skin. "It does not belong to you."

His intense gaze searched mine as if he were desperately trying to believe my words, but simply did not know how.

"Bad things happen in this world. Sometimes without any reason at all. But you " I smiled gently through my tears, " you are the absolute best mate anyone could ever ask for. You are always telling me how lucky you are to have me in your life, but I do not think I have ever told you just how lucky I am to have you."

The heavy, dark weight in his eyes began to lift, bit by little bit.

"I may complain about your impossible rules or your stubbornness at times, but I would not trade a single second of our time together. Not one. You are protective, loyal, brilliant, charming when you want to be, and underneath all that growl and dominance... you are so full of love."

His grip on my waist tightened slightly, grounding himself firmly in my presence.

"I am the lucky one, Zahliver. And I will spend forever being grateful that the Fates gave me you."

I cupped his rough cheeks gently in my hands. "So stop punishing yourself like this. Let me in. Let me love you, completely and fully, the way I always do. Because I do love you."

My voice cracked slightly with emotion. "I love you, Zahliver. Always and forever."