"Ohh!"

"Ohhhhh!" Xiran couldn’t hide his surprise and Silver touched his forehead in embarrassment.

"Is this about your relationship with Rubisha?" Xiran couldn’t help but ask.

"Yes!"

Xiran visibly sighed before answering:

"Well! It took all of my resolve and mountains’ worth of patience, kidnapping and beatings, losing my hair and tons of other stuff to finally bring her around to believe I loved her. And to make her profess her feelings for me. But that wasn’t the end of it. The fear of my father always dangled between us and exactly the reason I did what I did."

"Hmmm," Silver didn’t find his answer very assuring.

"Although we connected on a deeper level and didn’t have any issues except what was posed by my father and society. I don’t think there has to be a problem if you both can see past societal pressures and constraints between hunters and vampires."

Xiran paused and turned slightly towards Silver before continuing:

"Acceptance of each other in every way is the key. You will have to accept the fact that she will drink blood, daily. Her lifestyle will be different and she won’t age while you will. It won’t be like a walk in the park but more like in a desert, it will leave you sweating and parched at times but in the end, finding your oasis is worth it."

Xiran concluded with a small smile, thinking of Aselia.

"I am in a dilemma and my brain is buzzing from pondering on where this relationship is headed. It’s utterly confusing so I will contemplate what you have said because interspecies relationships are complex while girls are complicated," Silver physically breathed out air and shook his head.

"Tell me about it. One wrong word and you will have to deal with tears for the next two hours," Xiran spoke like a wise man, who had stored all the wisdom related to the opposite gender.

"Pfft! Tears. The secret weapon of the female species, effective to melt the toughest of hearts and bring to knees the mightiest among us," Silver’s words made Xiran laugh out loud, even when his heart was burdened. He had no idea Silver had such a mean sense of humour.

"Indeed, but it’s all worth it when they smile at you. What I would not give for Aselia to smile at me once again," Aselia’s smiling face flashed in front of his eyes.

"Keep the hope alive, one day she will return to you. You are strong and she is resilient. There is more to your love story," Silver offered comforting words as his hands swiftly manoeuvred the steering wheel.

"I thought I could stay away from her. But it has proven to be the most ardent task I ever had to accomplish and with each passing day, it’s becoming impossible to live without her," Silver could understand where Xiran was coming from. He had been missing Rubisha with every fibre of his being he didn’t know he would feel all these emotions that had him surrounded.

"I feel you. Fate has a cruel way of taking revenge. I judged your and Aselia’s relationship. I made her life extremely difficult, punished her severely, gave her more missions than she should have been assigned, trained her for extra hours, turned down her every request and every suggestion. And, today I find myself falling for a vampire. Making me realise how judgemental I have been."

He sighed, his eyes reflecting the inner turmoil that had his insides twisted. This made Xiran think of the initial time when he was falling in love with Aselia.

"Silver! Although Aselia didn’t tell me much, she was disheartened by the label of ’traitor’ you gave her. It broke her inside for now I understand that as her mentor she kept you in high regard. I am glad we are past that now and I won’t hold anything against you anymore. Regarding Rubisha, if you decide to be with her then hold on for a lifetime, if you can’t then you must let her go."

Xiran’s words made a few creases appear on Silver’s forehead and he slowly spoke:

"What breaks me is the fact that I can’t even talk or apologise to White Falcon. I am trying to reach a decision soon, that’s why I wanted to talk to you first. But the timing was so off. I appreciate you still giving me this pep talk."

"My door is always open for you from now on," Xiran had masked all the emotional turmoil because he knew Silver needed this.

Soon they reached back, the rendezvous point was the hospital where Irlana, Arimie and other injured elves had been taken. Silver parked the car and they headed inside.

Rivan was waiting at the entrance of ER and quickly made his way to them. Seeing Xiran covered in blood and a few of his black veins protruding from his neck to his face, his heart shuddered. He tightly embraced his friend and sighed in relief:

"I am glad you are back."

"I failed, I failed to kill him Rivan. I can never have her back," Xiran’s words were wounded and desperate as he pressed his forehead on Rivan’s shoulder. Keeping his head low as if ashamed. Rivan took a step back and held him by his muscular shoulders:

"Hey! I am sure you did everything in your power. We will get him next time. He will be afraid, he knows you can challenge him now," his consoling words didn’t ease Xiran’s aching heart.

"They were willing to kill her. They were willing to kill Irlana. What kind of messed up family do I have," his shoulders were sagging and his face was crestfallen. The light in his grey spheres was flickering low.

"But they didn’t and you saved her. That’s what matters the most. You are not like them," Rivan kept holding him, trying to reach his heart.

"I agree," Silver chimed in from the side making Xiran finally lift his face and slightly nod his head.

"Next time we will end him for good," he declared.