Chapter 123: 123 — Dark Elf’s Cursed Magic

The main palace was busy, servants hurrying along the corridors, carrying trays or letters, their voices echoing faintly within the large walls. It wasn’t a lie when nobles said even the walls had ears because even if low, their conversations were evident to Zayden.

Some gossiped about a noble who divorced due to cheating, while others discussed their own love life.

However, he didn’t pay much attention to them, his gaze was focused on the two people in front of him.

Eiran ran ahead, his boots echoing against the stairs.

"Papa!" he called, excitement filled in his voice, silver hair bouncing with every step.

Ren followed, careful, his hands brushing the railing. He wasn’t fast enough. Not fast enough to notice the maid descending the stairs until it was too late.

The collision came without warning. The maid bumped into him. Ren stumbled, the world tilting quickly. His hands swung, searching for something to hold onto, but there was nothing. He fell hard to the ground, the sharp pain shooting through his bottom. A groan escaped his mouth.

"Papa!" Eiran screamed, and without hesitation, he ran down the stairs.

Zayden didn’t move an inch although his whole body screamed to run. To catch Ren before he fell.

He simply couldn’t.

A flash of someone falling from a high tower—the violent wind brushing against his skin, the helplessness, the panic—tore through his mind.

His muscles froze, his chest tightening, as if time itself had stopped.

Ren groaned again, curling slightly on the floor as he tried to move. Eiran reached him, hands brushing his Papa’s shoulders, eyes wide with panic.

Just then, Soren appeared. He had been returning from a meeting, catching sight of Ren sprawled on the marble. He frowned, wondering what was happening.

"Ren!" Soren rushed forward, his hands steady but firm as he helped the silver-haired man to his feet. Without listening to Ren’s protests.

"Someone bring him to the royal physician. Make sure he is alright," he ordered.

"I’m fine," Ren muttered, brushing off his sleeve.

Soren ignored him. Eiran tugged at Ren’s arm, following anyway, concern written across his small face.

Zayden blinked, finding himself back in reality. He saw the maid a step behind, eyes wide and terrified. She trembled as if someone would strike her at any moment.

Anger flared, sudden and sharp.

"Watch where you’re going!" Zayden barked.

But Soren’s grip on his arm was firm, pulling him back before he could advance. Zayden struggled, a low growl of frustration escaping him, but Soren didn’t release him.

Ren’s hands were trembling slightly, though he masked it with a breathless laugh. He didn’t expect the General to shout at someone like that...

Eiran clung to him, walking toward the physician’s office.

Zayden’s chest tightened, heart racing—not with rage at the maid, but at the possibility that he could have lost Ren, even for a second.

Soren brought his younger brother to his room and shut the door. Then he turned, finding the man already seated on the couch.

"Zayden, what was that?" he sighed. "This is unlike you—"

"What if he was severely hurt? What if he broke a bone..." Zayden muttered, almost to himself, his lips trembling.

Soren moved closer, crouching slightly so he could meet Zayden’s gaze. His brother’s hands were clenched tightly in his lap, as if holding himself together required every ounce of effort.

"You didn’t move there," Soren said quietly, but there was no accusation in his tone. "You froze. That’s not like you."

Zayden’s jaw tightened. He swallowed, but the trembling in his lips betrayed him.

"I... I couldn’t. I—" He frowned as if he was equally confused by his behavior. "I saw him fall and... I thought..."

"You thought the worst," Soren continued the sentence, cutting him off midway.

Zayden’s hands curled tighter around his knees. His throat turned dry.

"He’s fine, don’t worry," Soren said, placing a steady hand on Zayden’s shoulder.

The touch was grounding, but it didn’t erase the storm behind Zayden’s eyes.

"Ren’s fine. Eiran’s fine. You couldn’t have stopped what happened, but you can stop yourself from blaming yourself for it."

The dark-blue-haired man let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes. He could still feel the echo of that fall—the fall from the tower, the helplessness he felt, the cold weight of failure. It surged now, haunting him again. He thought he had forgotten, that Ren’s presence helped the nightmares fade but if Ren were to disappear—

Soren didn’t speak, just stayed there, letting Zayden cope with his thoughts, letting him face it quietly.

After a long moment, Zayden finally lifted his gaze, meeting Soren’s steady, unwavering eyes.

"I... I can’t lose him," Zayden murmured, his voice almost a whisper. "Not him. Not Eiran." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Soren gave a small, reassuring nod.

"Then you won’t. You’ll do everything to protect them. I know. That’s what’s important."

The words were simple, but they lifted a weight from Zayden’s shoulders. His hands unclenched, his breathing slowly evened.

The room felt a little less suffocating, the knot in his chest loosening just enough to let him think—just enough to remember that he wasn’t alone.

"You love him, don’t you?" Soren asked, standing up.

Zayden blinked, his gaze following his brother’s movements.

"W-What do you mean?"

Although he accepted it, he hadn’t dared tell anyone about his feelings yet. Was he so obvious that even his brother, who rarely met him, knew? Then, did it mean Ren also realized? Was that why he had used his dead fated mate as an excuse to reject him—without needing to explain more of his feelings?

"I mean what I said."

Taking a seat on the couch across from him, Soren grinned.

"You don’t know how to hide your feelings, Zayden."

Zayden lowered his gaze, torn between telling the truth and hiding it. But would hiding change anything?

"Is it that evident?"

Soren chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"If you mean whether Ren knows or not—maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he does. But you know my powers—I can sense when someone is in love."

"Dark elf’s cursed magic," Zayden muttered.

"Hey, I could insult your powers too."

"I apologize, Your Imperial Highness," Zayden bowed. "I... I am not thinking clearly..." He sighed, cupping his face in his palms.

"Maybe you’ll think clearly if you see for yourself that he’s alright," Soren said softly, extending his hand toward the exit. "I also need some rest after the long hours of meetings..."

Zayden nodded, rising from his seat.

Before leaving the room, he turned.

"Thank you, brother."

Soren didn’t answer, too stunned. He rarely showed gratitude. Perhaps Zayden’s past still weighed on him more than he realized.

More than I thought...