BXBX NOVEL Chapter 98: What's your worth?
Shame burned hot in their cheeks as they were led away, whispers of disappointment and stern pronouncements following them like shadows.
Valeriana lingered behind with Azrael. Unlike the others, he wasn\'t immediately taken away by the teleportation. She sighed, a deep breath that spoke volumes. "Let me take you to the Church," she said, her voice laced with annoyance.
Azrael, who had never been in such close proximity to the human leader, simply nodded awkwardly. Her presence felt suffocating now. He felt like a small child being scolded by a disappointed parent.
The journey to the Church was cloaked in silence. Valeriana used the time to voice her disapproval. "Your actions today were unacceptable, Azrael. Rash decisions fueled by misguided bias are the hallmark of fools, not future leaders."
Azrael winced under her words. Shame gnawed at him, each word a searing indictment. He mumbled apologies, promises to do better, but they felt hollow even to his own ears.
The imposing white spires of the Church soon came into view. Valeriana deposited Azrael at the grand entrance, a curt nod her only farewell. Seraphina, materialized at his side. \'Relief\' flickered in her eyes, quickly replaced by \'concern\' as she saw the shame etched on his face.
"Azrael," she began, her voice filled with concern, "what happened?"
Azrael, ever the trusting soul, poured out the events of the day. The accusations, the fight, the horrifying truth revealed by the recording artifact. He didn\'t spare himself, recounting his own failings with a dejected voice.
Seraphina listened intently, a storm of emotions brewing beneath her calm exterior. Once he finished, a long silence hung in the air. Her thoughts remained shrouded, hidden behind a stoic facade.
Finally, she offered a hand, gentle yet firm. "Come," she said, leading him inside. "Let\'s get you settled. Ooh and Vera is here also."
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[Nev PoV]
The castle loomed around me, oppressive even in the welcoming light that streamed through the windows. Mom strode ahead, her cape billowing behind her like a dark storm cloud. Back in our home, but with a chill settling in my gut that had nothing to do with the stone walls.
"Get those vampires to their homes and Chatham, gather the counts in two days. Bianca, hold a ceremony and close off the continent. Nothing non-vampire should remain here. Give them a warning first. If they don\'t follow after a day, dispose of them..." Mom\'s voice was a whipcrack, each word a lash across the loyalty of our kind. "Scratch that, leave my garden alone.
I think Neveah still has some unfinished business there."
The mention of the garden sent a bad memory towards me. GOBLINS. They were still there and I need to take care of them.
As the others dispersed, Mom turned to me, her steps heavy. We entered her bedroom, a place of opulence that felt suffocating today. I couldn\'t see her face yet, my back to her as she stood shrouded in shadows. "Neveah..." Her voice held a weight that hadn\'t been there before.
"I apologize for my actions," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "I acted impulsively again."
"How?" The question hung in the air, laced with an underlying current that made me shiver.
"I tried to kill a blessed recklessly," I confessed, hanging my head. "And I was punished for it."
Silence. Then, "By who?" she asked, her voice colder than usual.
"Not completely sure," I admitted. "The gods, or maybe their representatives."
"Did you see their face?" She asked.
"No," I shook my head.
"Right," she scoffed. "They wouldn\'t let a \'sinner\' see their face."
Sinner. Was that what I was now?
"The punishment was that I lost my power. I can\'t get stronger… Not anymore." I confessed the worst part.
"Power?" Her voice dripped with icy disdain. "Five-star is considered power? Whatever. I made you a vampire to be heir, how are you going to do that now? What\'s your worth, Neveah?"
Her violet eyes, usually filled with a fierce pride, now glinted with a cold look that cut me deeper than any blade ever could. My reflection stared back at me in her eyes – a pale, powerless vampire( still handsome though), a mockery of the legacy I was supposed to inherit. Was this the end? I was scared that she would abandon me. Wait do I have abandonment issues?
Well It would not be completely strange? Wait what am I thinking? Focus!
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. The air itself seemed to chill with each passing second, mirroring the icy glint in Mom\'s eyes. I wanted to speak, to defend myself, but the words wouldn\'t come.
Finally, she spoke again, her voice laced with a dangerous calm. "What do you plan to do, Answer Me! But choose your words carefully, boy." The way she called me "boy" instead of my name sent shivers down my spine.
"You have this expectation that things have to go a certain direction, like you know how people act or should act, but at moments you show it." Her words hit a nerve, dredging up the memory of my surprised reaction when she first revealed herself as the Queen. Shame burned in my cheeks.
"The surprised look as if something wasn\'t supposed to happen or be there. Case in point, when you met me. When I introduced myself as the Queen. You were startled, as if I\'m not supposed to be here at this time. I don\'t know nor care why you act that way. But I\'ll ask, what\'s your worth?"
I knonw about the little clubs you are building, Babel and Null was it?" Mom\'s voice took on a knowing edge. "Now that you don\'t have individual power and you\'re registered behavior so far, let me guess you want to be a manipulator? You want to control strong people to work for you and do your bidding?" A sharp pang of betrayal lanced through me. Did she truly believe I was that callous?
"That\'s why you hid the golden-haired girl back at the tomb site and told her you\'d contact her. Is that it, is she one of the pawns you are setting up in this checker-chess game of yours?" The room seemed to darken further as she spoke, the oppressive atmosphere intensifying with each word.
"Tell me I\'m wrong, Neveah," she finally challenged, her voice a low growl. I could almost see the storm brewing in her violet eyes. Desperate, I opened my mouth to speak, to plead my case, but the words still refused to come. How could I explain the complexities of my plans, my desire to use my knowledge and cunning to navigate this treacherous world without power?
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[3rd Person POV]
" Hey what are you doing?" Said red eyed Verona.
" What do you mean? " Asked Violet eyed Verona who was looking at Neveah coldly.
" What\'s with the lecture. You were just supposed to give \'it\' to him." Said red eyed Verona who was in her mind.
" Yeess... But if I gave it to him too easily. He won\'t value it as he should. So I have to make him earn it." Said Violet eyed Verona.
" How does that answer my question?" Said Red eyed Verona threateningly.
" You spoil him too much. He needs to be humbled." Said Violet eyed Verona with a shrug.
" I spoil him cause I\'m his mom. It\'s only natural." Said Red eyed Verona.
" Don\'t worry... I\'ll handle this. I can also spend some time with him~ fufufufu~" said Violet eyed Verona.
" Okay... Keep it to a minimum." Said red eyed Verona.
This internal conversation Neveah was completely oblivious to.
The silence stretched taut, a heavy weight in the oppressive air. Shame gnawed at Neveah, the accusations hanging thick and unchallenged.
"I... I don\'t know how to proceed," he finally choked out, his voice barely a whisper. "I don\'t want to be weak."
Then, taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "Can I tell you something? When I lost everything, when my power was taken, I heard a voice…" his voice hitched. "A woman, I\'m guessing Raven\'s mother… saying I was a disappointment, and I was abandoned…" "I couldn\'t see her face, but the memory terrified me. It made me think…"
Before he could finish, Verona cut in, her voice sharp. "You thought I\'d abandon you? Is that it?"
He was quite.
Verona\'s expression softened a fraction. She moved closer, her hand reaching out to cup Neveah\'s cheek. "Neveah," she said, her voice low and firm, "I am disappointed. Disappointed that you wouldn\'t trust me enough to come to me. It\'s good that you want to build yourself independently, but learn this: you are not alone anymore."
"Then help me then," Neveah pleaded, his voice raw. "Make me stronger than I was."
Verona\'s lips curved into a smile. "You want me to go against the Goddesses, just for you?" Amusement colored her voice.
Neveah faltered. He knew the audacity of his request. The weight of the consequences settled upon him, the risk his mother was taking for a fledgling vampire. She remained silent.
Verona sighed, a sound both exasperated and fond. "Your bad habits are showing," she said, brushing a stray strand of hair from Neveah\'s face. "But it\'s fine. I\'ll make you strong. I just want you to have complete, solid, even fanatical faith in me. Because I\'m your mother.
I\'ll help you through anything, even if it means going against the gods."
" Why are you saying it as if you had a choice? As if you are doing him a favor. You were supposed to." Said Red eyed Verona.
" Shut up." Yelled Violet eyed Verona internally.
With those words, she pulled Neveah into a tight hug. Neveah hesitated for a moment, surprised by the gesture. But then, he melted into it, burying his face in his mother\'s shoulder. Verona\'s embrace was fierce, possessive almost, a silent promise of protection.
After a long moment, Verona released her and gently guided Neveah to lay beside her on the bed. Neveah snuggled closer, seeking comfort in the familiar warmth of the mother\'s body.
Verona held him close, spooning him like a child. (I like being the small spoon).
"I have questions," Neveah finally said, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hands.
"Shoot," Verona replied.
"Who are you?" The question hung heavy in the air, a challenge cloaked as inquiry.
" That\'s my baby?" Said Red eyed Verona with a cheer.
Verona\'s eyes, slightly narrowed. "First of all, what happened to you? Why are your eyes purple? Are you still Verona?" Questions tumbled out of Neveah.
Verona smiled. "I\'m still your mother, yes," she said, the answer a dodge yet an affirmation.
"You are not her," Neveah countered, his voice gaining strength. "You don\'t \'feel\' like her." It was a truth he couldn\'t explain, an instinctual dissonance that resonated deep.
A flicker of surprise crossed Verona\'s face. "Hmmm. Very perceptive," she admitted. "I\'m not her, but I am still your mother. But why did you spill all your insecurities to a person you know isn\'t your mother." The words were heavy with unspoken meaning.
Neveah wasn\'t convinced. "I still felt okay to trust you and about the mother part, don\'t know about that," he muttered,l. " How about I call you Auntie."
" Auntie? Hilarious... Hahaha." Red eyed Verona was too happy.
A shiver ran down is spine, a sudden chill and an ominous feel. The casual address seemed to have struck a nerve.
"You know what, never mind," He said quickly, brushing it aside with a sigh. "But still, where\'s my mother?"
The ominous feeling dissipated with Verona\'s sigh. "She\'ll be back soon. For now, she is resting."
Neveah opened her mouth to protest, but Verona silenced her with a sharp look. "Nev… Leave it alone."
"Understood," Nev said.