Chapter 658: The Place She Could Return To

Chapter 657: The Place She Could Return To

They didn’t move immediately after that.

The moment lingered between them, quiet and fragile, like stepping away from it too quickly would undo something they had just managed to hold together.

Sophia stayed where she was, still close to him, her arms loosely around him now, her breathing softer than before but not entirely steady yet.

Orion didn’t rush her.

He let the silence settle the way it needed to, his hand resting against her back, slow and grounding, like he was making sure she was still here.

Time passed.

Neither of them counted it.

Then, after a while, Orion shifted slightly, just enough to look at her properly.

"Are you ready to head back?" he asked quietly.

Sophia didn’t respond immediately.

Her gaze lifted to his, and for a moment, it looked like she was still somewhere else, still holding onto pieces of everything she had just let out.

"To the medical facility," he added gently. "You scared most of us."

That earned the smallest reaction from her.

"And the others will want to see you," he continued. "Lysander especially. He’s probably still waiting to make sure you’re actually okay."

Sophia nodded, but she didn’t move.

Orion noticed.

His brows pulled together slightly as he studied her.

"...shorty?" he called softly. "Is something wrong?"

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she shook her head, just slightly.

"Not wrong," she said slowly. "Not really."

Her fingers tightened faintly against his sleeve. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"There’s just... something," she added.

Orion waited.

But she didn’t continue.

Instead, she exhaled softly and looked away for a brief second before meeting his gaze again.

"I’ll tell you," she said quietly, "but not here."

His gaze sharpened just slightly at that.

"It’s better I say it in front of everyone," she added.

That made him pause.

For a moment, he just looked at her, like he was trying to read what she wasn’t saying.

Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Alright."

He didn’t question it further.

Instead, he shifted his hold on her and, without warning, lifted her into his arms.

Sophia blinked in surprise.

Under normal circumstances, she would have protested immediately, telling him to put her down, but she didn’t.

She just held onto him quietly.

Her arms came around him without resistance as she rested against his chest, her head leaning slightly against him like she didn’t have the energy to argue.

Orion adjusted his grip slightly, making sure she was comfortable before he started walking.

The path back was quiet.

The snow still fell around them, soft and steady, the same way it had been before, but this time it felt different.

Or maybe she did.

Sophia stayed silent the entire way.

Her mind wasn’t empty; if anything, it was too full.

She hadn’t told him everything yet.

She hadn’t talked about the marks on their backs, or about the book and what she had read. Or what she knew about Noctis and, most of all, the goddess and what she had told Sophia.

Her fingers tightened slightly against him at the thought.

There was no point keeping it, that much was true, but though there were some things she would tell Orion alone, there were also some she needed to tell everyone rather than keeping it to herself.

By the time they reached the medical facility, the quiet of the night had settled deeper into the walls, the lanterns still burning low, casting soft light across the space.

As soon as they stepped into the lobby, the stillness shifted.

Orion set her down carefully, making sure she was steady before letting go.

Sophia barely had time to adjust before someone reached her... Brynhild.

She moved quickly, her arms wrapping around Sophia without hesitation, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Sophia froze for the briefest second.

Then she melted into it.

Her arms came up around Brynhild just as tightly, holding onto her as something in her chest gave way again.

"I’m sorry," Brynhild whispered, her voice breaking slightly. "For everything you went through... I’m so sorry."

That was enough.

Sophia tried to hold it in.

She really did.

But it didn’t work.

A quiet sob slipped out before she could stop it, her grip tightening as she buried her face against Brynhild.

Brynhild held her closer.

"I love you," she murmured softly.

Sophia nodded against her, her voice barely steady.

"I love you too."

Her words were quiet, but they were there.

"You’re my sister," she added, her voice breaking slightly.

Brynhild let out a soft, tearful chuckle at that, her hold tightening just a little more as she pressed Sophia closer to her chest.

Then, more quietly, close to her ear—

"Just say the word," Brynhild whispered. "And we’ll get her."

Sophia let out a small, breathless sound that almost resembled a laugh, even as the tears continued to fall.

But she didn’t answer.

Not to that.

Brynhild didn’t push.

After a moment, she pulled back slightly, her hands lifting to Sophia’s face, tracing her features carefully, gently, mapping them out the way she always did.

Her touch was soft and familiar.

A small smile formed on Brynhild’s lips as she did.

Sophia let her.

Then, slowly, she turned.

Tobias and Ronan were standing a short distance away, watching her.

They both looked exhausted.

Their eyes carried the weight of it, the faint darkness beneath them not hidden by the little sleep they had managed to get.

For a second, none of them moved.

Then Tobias cleared his throat.

And stepped forward.

He didn’t say anything at first.

He just pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you," he said quietly, then after a while he added, "I love you."

Sophia’s breath hitched again.

The tears didn’t stop.

They didn’t even slow.

Her arms wrapped around him just as tightly, holding onto him like she needed to feel that he was really there.

But before the moment could settle, Tobias was pulled away.

And Ronan stepped in immediately, pulling her into his own embrace without hesitation.

"You’re my second sister-in-law," he said, his voice rough but steady. "And you are my sister too."

Sophia let out a shaky breath.

"I love you, sis," he added. "And I’m sorry."

His hold tightened slightly.

"I’m really sorry you went through all that."

That broke whatever was left.

Sophia’s body went slack in his arms as the tears came again, heavier now, her fingers gripping onto him as though she didn’t know where else to put the weight of everything she felt.

And then, Neoma stirred.

*You are loved,* she said quietly.

Sophia’s breath hitched.

*They may not share your blood,* Neoma continued, her voice calm and certain, *but they are yours. This is the family you always wanted.*

Sophia closed her eyes briefly.

Then nodded.

Even as the tears continued to fall.