Chapter 635: The Things That Reach From Where She Cannot Wake

Chapter 634: The Things That Reach From Where She Cannot Wake

"Anyway... back to what we were discussing," Ronan said, the faint trace of humor still lingering in his voice.

The moment settled quickly after that, the brief lightness dissolving as easily as it had come. The weight in the room returned, pressing down on them all with quiet persistence.

Orion exhaled slowly before straightening slightly in his chair, his gaze shifting from Ronan to Lysander.

"It seems Kairen won’t have to remain in the cells for long," he said.

Ronan’s brows lifted just slightly, but he nodded as though he had expected as much.

"That makes sense," he replied. "He’s the only one who can cultivate the plant, after all."

Orion inclined his head in agreement.

"And that makes him more useful outside a cell than inside one."

Ronan hummed thoughtfully before continuing, already moving ahead in his mind.

"I’ll assign some of the gardeners to work with him," he said. "We’ll need controlled land—somewhere isolated enough that we can monitor everything properly."

His tone sharpened just slightly.

"And guards," he added. "Until we know exactly where he stands, I’m not taking any chances."

Orion didn’t argue.

"Good."

Lysander, who had been silent for a moment, finally spoke.

"I want to be part of that process."

Both Orion and Ronan turned toward him.

Lysander’s expression remained composed, but there was a clear intent behind his words.

"I need to study the plant," he continued. "If it has the properties we have been told, then understanding it properly is not optional."

Orion held his gaze for a second before nodding.

"You’ll be involved."

There was a brief pause before he added, more quietly,

"But there’s something you should keep in mind."

Lysander didn’t look surprised.

"The plant doesn’t only have boosting properties," Orion said. "There’s a possibility it’s tied to black magic."

Lysander nodded once.

"Brynhild already mentioned it."

"Then you know what you’re walking into."

"I do," Lysander replied simply.

Ronan shifted slightly where he stood, considering that.

"In that case," he said, "we might want to involve Madam Tyler."

That drew Marta’s attention immediately, even if she said nothing.

"She’d be in a better position to understand anything about the plant’s relation to black magic," Ronan continued.

Orion considered it for a brief moment before nodding.

"That’s a good idea."

Marta remained quiet, though it was clear from the slight furrow in her brow that she was following only fragments of the conversation. She did not interrupt, however. Whatever this plant was, whatever it meant, she trusted that the pieces would fall into place eventually.

Ronan let out a quiet breath before shifting his attention back to Orion.

"You should stay here," he said. "With her." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Orion didn’t argue.

"I’ll work with Garrett," Ronan continued. "Make sure everything that needs to be handled on your end is taken care of."

A faint pause followed before Orion nodded.

"Thank you."

Ronan waved it off lightly.

"Don’t mention it."

There was a beat of silence before his expression shifted slightly, something more thoughtful settling into place.

"The three musketeers will probably request a meeting soon," he said.

Orion’s gaze flickered briefly.

"And when they do," Ronan added, his voice lowering just a fraction, "you might want to tell the elders the same thing you told us yesterday."

That drew a sharper reaction.

Orion’s brows pulled together faintly.

"Isn’t that too soon?"

Lysander tilted his head slightly, considering the question.

"It is soon," he admitted. "But Ronan has a point."

Orion looked at him.

"If things escalate—and they will—then it’s better to have something in place before that happens," Lysander continued. "And whether we like it or not, the council is what keeps order. If they’re not prepared, then neither is anyone else."

Ronan nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. It’s not about telling them everything right now. It’s about making sure they’re not blindsided when it matters."

Orion’s jaw tightened slightly.

"And you’re both certain they won’t react badly to it?"

Ronan huffed quietly.

"Oh, they will," he said bluntly. "But that’s not the point."

He stepped a little closer, his gaze steady.

"It’s better we deal with their reaction now—when we still have time to manage it—than later, when everything’s already falling apart."

Orion didn’t respond immediately.

He knew Ronan wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t make the decision any easier.

"I’m not saying you have to do it now," Ronan added after a moment. "Just... think about it."

Orion exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders not easing in the slightest.

"I will."

Ronan was about to leave when he heard a sound that made him stop.

A quiet, uneven breath. It barely lasted before a sob broke through.

Orion’s head snapped toward the bed immediately.

"Sophia—"

She was trembling.

Not violently—not yet—but enough for it to be noticeable, her fingers curling weakly into the sheets as her breathing began to fracture.

"It’s not real..." she whispered faintly.

"It’s not real... it’s not real..."

Orion was already moving, reaching her in seconds as he gathered her carefully into his arms.

"I’ve got you," he murmured, his voice low and steady despite the tension tightening in his chest. "You’re here. You’re safe."

But she didn’t hear him.

Or if she did, it didn’t reach her.

"It’s not real," she repeated, her voice trembling more now, each word coming faster than the last. "It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real—"

Her body tensed suddenly, her hands lifting—

Straight toward her hair.

Orion caught them before she could.

"Shorty, stop," he said quietly but firmly, his grip tightening just enough to stop her from hurting herself.

She struggled against him immediately, desperate to break free.

Her head shook weakly, her breaths coming in uneven gasps as panic bled into every movement.

"It’s not real," she insisted again, louder this time.

And then her voice broke.

"I’m sorry."

The words came out abruptly, tangled in her breath.

"I’m sorry—I didn’t mean it—I didn’t mean to—"

Orion stilled.

His grip on her shifted slightly, one hand moving to steady her head as he tried to follow what she was saying.

"Shorty..." he called out softly.

"I didn’t want him to come closer," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I didn’t want him to come near me—I didn’t—I didn’t—"

Orion’s chest tightened sharply.

Him?

His mind moved quickly, too quickly, trying to piece together something that made sense of what she was saying.

But there was nothing.

No context.

No clarity.

Only fragments.

"I didn’t want him to come," she repeated, more desperately now. "I didn’t want him to come to me—"

Her body jerked again, her hands straining weakly against Orion’s hold as though she was trying to push something away that only she could see.