Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 876: Nightfall ()

The portal went shut behind Neveah. She glanced around, only momentarily before Scott appeared.

He inclined his head to a bow in greeting, "My lady." His brows were furrowed in concern.

Neveah had initially hinted that if she showed up in front of him again, then it meant there was trouble.

"There’s been a slight hitch..." She trailed off, handing the piece of clothing Alessio had given her to Scott.

"Colleen was taken." She revealed, "I don’t know where to. "

"What does that... mean for us?" He asked hesitantly. "Will you call it off? Whatever your orders are, we’ll abide by them."

She turned, tilting her head back. She ran a hand through her hair, wheels turning in her head.

Alessio’s idea of forcing her into submission was taking Colleen captive, even when he already had Eira.

It was because he knew he couldn’t shackle Neveah using Eira twice.

Colleen was different. The same Eclipse Hunt wolves that were to be broken out wanted her safe above themselves. If anything were to happen to her, Dane and Vincent would be shattered.

She couldn’t afford that. She needed their influence to stir up the Alphas that secretly oppose Alessio’s rule while Lothaire challenged Alessio for the throne again.

If the challenge was made before the eyes of all the Alphas tonight, Alessio would be unable to refuse it as that would forever remain a stain on his name and place his authority and legitimacy in question.

On the other hand, if everything went according to plan and Lothaire did challenge Alessio, that still didn’t make the plan successful.

Lothaire had been imprisoned for too long and was considerably weaker compared to Alessio. There was no guarantee he would emerge victorious in the challenge.

But Neveah did not need him to. She simply needed Alessio distracted for long enough and the only way to achieve that was putting his pride on the chopping block.

The most important distraction however was the one Dane and Lucas Varleston would cause, stirring up the Alphas against Alessio while he was still weakened by the challenge.

Neveah wasn’t silly enough to believe breaking them out of the dungeons would keep them safe. There was nowhere in the Eclipse domain they could flee to that Alessio wouldn’t find them and they both had packs and families to fend for.

Rather than flee, there was something else she needed from Dane Hunt and Lucas Varleston. And they could only give her that when they were in the right mind state.

Colleen’s disappearance endangered everything. It was yet another smart and timely counter by Alessio.

But calling things off now...was also impossible. She was far too deep into it to turn back now.

"Scott, I know you vowed to stay by my side..." Neveah trailed off, turning to face Scott. "But I need you to do something else.

Scott nodded slowly. "Just say the word."

"You’re skilled at tracking. You found me even when Alessio tried his hardest to keep me hidden. I need you to track down Colleen’s location and take her to safety." She said, her tone was low and determined.

"Does that mean..."

Neveah nodded in confirmation. "Everything will go on as planned. Tomorrow, the Eclipse domain falls...or I do."

_____________

The sun had long descended beneath the horizon and darkness blanketed the skies.

Nightfall... it was now or never. Neveah stared up at the ceiling, her fingers tapping a rhythm on her sheets.

She was calmer than she’d thought she would be. From this point on, anything could happen, and she wasn’t even fazed, to be exact.

Was it acceptance? Or confidence in her win? She wasn’t certain.

What she did know was that nothing she did now or worried about now would change anything. Now, fate would take its course and she would only know the result at the end of it.

The sound of rushing footsteps and barks of orders alerted Neveah to the beginnings of a pandemonium.

Sitting up on her bed, she walked over to the door. It creaked as she opened it partly and peered down the hall.

Save for the guard a short distance away from her door, every other guard guarding the hallway were nowhere to be seen.

She listened closely. Picking up on bits and pieces of conversations from some distance away.

"His Grace won’t stand for it. We have to find them! Now!" One snarled.

"They can’t have gotten far! Spread out! Overturn the palace if you have to!"

It became clear to her then. The prisoners had been broken out. Vilma had fulfilled her end of their agreement. And Alessio had already begun the ritual, he could not be informed of it until the ritual was over.

The distraction was the opportunity she needed to play her part. Shutting the door, Neveah turned the lock and retreated back into her room.

She drew in a breath before she reached for that familiar energy churning through her veins.

Magic... she’d begun to get used to it. The little perks it allowed her even though there was not much she could do yet, and she still had many limitations.

She’d hit a blank wall on many occasions when she tried to do something other than summon a portal and Neveah had figured the key to sorting out her magic lay somewhere hidden in her memories.

She couldn’t find it yet. But she would someday. For the time, what was available to her would have to do.

Since Neveah had begun summoning portals, getting around the palace unnoticed had become that much easier.

Initially, she’d been wary. What if Laila had told Lado about the portal?

But then she’d realised that really didn’t matter. They couldn’t rip the magic out of her if they tried. They could only watch her closely to prevent her from getting out of sight.

Whatever it was, neither Alessio nor Lado had mentioned anything about her magic. And Neveah had let go of her reservations as well.

It wasn’t long before a portal ripped open some pace ahead of her and Neveah walked through it.

The rush of magic passed quickly and Neveah found herself standing in the pitch dark hallway leading down to the ice chamber.

She’d been cautious not to portal into the study, or the chamber itself, just in case Karan was in either.

From the hallway, Neveah listened for footsteps. Waiting to sense Karan’s presence. When she was certain there was nothing, she headed down to the chamber with cautious steps.

A chilling cold draft greeted her first, long before she stepped into the icy chamber.

Her eyes found Eira immediately. As still as one dead, she lay on the ice platform. She was just as she had been when Neveah saw her the last time.

Icily beautiful...so much so it ached Neveah’s heart.

She didn’t dwell on it long because the sound of chains scraping along the rocky ground drew her attention to him.

Lothaire... Alessio’s father, and the man who’d supposedly been her father.

She still couldn’t understand most of it. What she did know was that there was no love lost between them.

"You came..." His voice sounded even more hoarse than usual. Weaker...

As he stepped into the light, Neveah was startled by just how much he had deteriorated since the last time she saw him over a week ago.

He looked like he’d aged a few more years. The icy chamber was kind to Eira, preserving her beauty and youth.

But it had the exact opposite effect on Lothaire.

She wasn’t sure if to find it ironic. Lothaire had after all created this same chamber that had become his prison, and his nightmare.

Close enough to see Eira, but his chains only allowed limited movement so he could never get too close. He could only watch her from a distance, as had been his curse all his life.

Always wanting...never the one.

It was a cruel, bitter fate. But one Lothaire absolutely deserved.

"Yes. I came." Neveah replied blankly. "I’ll help you get out of here, and send you to your wife. And afterwards, you challenge Alessio for your throne yourself."

Lothaire raised a brow, but he said nothing. He just watched Neveah as she walked over to him.

Pulling out the pin from her hair, she reached for the cuffs around his wrist.

A hiss escaped Neveah as her hand came in contact with it and she drew her hand away, staring at the blistering skin of her palm.

"It’s silver." Lothaire pointed out, "What do you expect?"

Neveah ignored him. Gritting her teeth, she held the cuff again, ignoring the sizzling sound as her own skin was burned.

She focused on the lock, twisting and turning until it clicked open and fell off his right hand. And then she moved to his left hand and did the same.

When both cuffs were off. Neveah crouched down, taking off the cuffs around his ankles.

Just as the last cuff fell to the ground, Neveah glanced up, in time to see the sinister grin stretch Lothaire’s lips.