Draconia Offline vol. 2

96.2. Without Erik - Part 2

I wake up covered in Gotrid's warm feathers. I might be half-Divementis and perceive the world differently thanks to my extra sense, but I'm as Celestial as it gets when it comes to this. I can't imagine my life without wings and that will never change no matter how much the Divementis may try to persuade me to start preferring them instead.

"How long have you been awake?" I yawn, suspecting that I overslept.

"For a while now, but don't worry about it," he kisses me into my hair. "Did the dream meeting with your father go well?"

I want to answer him, but the moment I shake off drowsiness, I recall last night and my stomach tightens. I get out of Gotrid's wings, put on slippers and hurry to the living room. In the door, I realise that not only the sofa is empty, but I don't feel Erik anywhere. My heart skips a beat.

"Where's Erik?" I yell at the guards in panic. "Where's my husband?!"

"Lord Erik left an hour ago, demanding to see Chancellor Sythara," Vermiel reports. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, he has Miruel and five other guards with him."

"Your Highness," an unfamiliar voice addresses me all of a sudden, using my Divementis title.

A bit startled, I turn around and stare at my cousin Advin. His expression is tense and so is his emotional state because he's not able to hide his feelings from me and he's painfully aware of that. What is he doing inside of our apartment?

"Your Highness, I'm your adjutant starting today," he reminds me when he notices my confusion. "My sister Nala would be here as well, but she's accompanying the Royal Consort who demanded to see our father first thing in the morning."

"Your father?" I blink.

"Chancellor Sythara," Advin reveals.

"Chancellor Sythara is Nyx's husband and your father?!" I'm astonished because I didn't notice any romantic interaction between my aunt and him whatsoever.

"It's not customary for our people to publicly show off affection, especially when working," Advin explains, answering my unspoken but obvious question.

Damn, it's so weird. Sythara has been my uncle all this time and I had no idea. I feel overwhelmed already and the day has barely started. However, Erik takes absolute priority. I need to find him and make sure that he's okay.

"Love, I'm sure Erik is safe and you're standing in front of your cousin in pyjamas," Gotrid comes to fetch me and pulls me back to the bedroom.

My so-called pyjamas are a nice sateen two-layered robe covering me from shoulders to toes, but everybody still thinks that I shouldn't be seen in it outside of bed. I resist rolling my eyes and suppress sighing—that's typical Celestial mentality. The maids capture me to dress me up and take their time despite my vehement attempts to speed up the process.

"Li, Erik is missing!" I tell my Viceroy desperately instead of good morning when I meet her in the hall. "I need to find him so I'm leaving immediately."

"I know, Erik visited me before he left," Liana say, perfectly calm about it. "He's fine, Your Majesty, trust me. He just wanted to discuss something with Chancellor Sythara in private."

"Discuss what?" I frown, a bit hurt that Erik went to Liana and not me.

"It's not up to me to say," she refuses to answer. "I'm sure he will tell you when he's ready. Please, Your Majesty, stop panicking, your husband is safe and sound. Besides, he has Nala with him to show him around."

I flutter my wings. How can I not panic? Erik must be hurting and I'm not there for him. Or does it bother me because he needs space from me? I know that we've been together practically non-stop for more than a year now and every psychologist would claim that it's not healthy and a clear sign of a co-dependent relationship.

"Love, you're overthinking again," Gotrid pets my feathers. "Whatever Erik is going through right now, I'm sure that he will make the right decision. Damn, I'll say it, but only because he's not here and don't you ever tell him, okay? I think he's amazing and I secretly look up to him."

"You're both amazing," I insist and kiss him tenderly. I love you so much, Gotrid, I add in my thoughts.

Some telepath I am, seriously. How could I not notice how insecure Gotrid had been all this time? I need to make the necessary changes towards both of them. If what Erik needs most is space and the company of humans, I'm prepared to give him that. If Gotrid needs more affection, I'll be doting on him from now on.

"Ehm," Liana coughs, "it warms my heart to see you lovey-dovey, but have some restraint, Gotrid. You're in public, geez. Look at poor Advin."

I realise that Gotrid managed to slip his hand between my wings during our kiss and my cousin Advin turned completely red. I forgot that the Divementis are very reserved in this aspect. I wonder if Advin has a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Maybe young Divementis don't date casually and just wait until they find their soulmate?

"Let's go find Erik," I gently push Gotrid away, but keep his fingers entangled with mine.

"Nope, we're all going to have breakfast now," Liana forbids me to leave. "Erik is as safe as he can be. The best Your Majesty can do for him right now is to let him do what he needs to do and fill your stomach in the meantime."

"Her Excellency is right, hon," Gotrid agrees with her. "Erik is okay and there's no way you're skipping a meal. The Divementis didn't say anything about having the medical examination on an empty stomach which means they aren't going to measure your blood sugar."

My stomach is tight because I'm anxious, but there's no arguing with both my husband and my Viceroy. Advin, Soren, Luviael, Vermiel and Gavreel join us and we go to the dining hall downstairs. Neither my father nor Nyx show up, but I meet a few chancellors and some new Divementis I haven't seen before. They bow to me deeply and there's hope in their eyes when they look at me.

My initial plan is to gobble everything as quickly as possible, but I know that it would upset my stomach for the rest of the day, so I'm forced to slow down. I eye Advin who sat down right in front of me in the seat my father occupied yesterday.

I almost choke on a piece of toast when I notice that Advin is chewing his scrambled eggs without much interest and is paying more attention to his mobile phone which looks completely normal and, by normal, I mean human.

I pretend that I want another slice of bread and stand up because it's rude to use telekinesis when dining with non-Celestials. I catch a glimpse of Advin's screen and discover that he's browsing social media. Damn, he's even liking some posts! Is this what Nyx meant when she complained that her children were behaving too humanly?

"What?" Advin purses his lips because he catches my scrutinous look. "I mean... what is it, Your Highness? Do you need something?"

If I didn't feel so anxious about Erik not being here, I would chuckle. Advin's behaviour is so cutely defiant. I don't know anything about him, but I like him already. My cousin. I love how that word sounds because it means that I still have a biological family.

"Advin, do you like human culture?" I ask curiously.

He frowns and hides the phone in the binding of his robe.

"What if I do?" he retorts. "Geez, don't be like my Mom, always nagging me and Nala about it."

The Divementis sitting around the table give him a scornful look for using such a tone with their prince, but I find it refreshing. Advin is around the same age and my relative so it's really weird to hear honorifics from his mouth.

"I didn't mean it like that," I shake my head. "I'm a huge fan of fantasy books and video games myself."

"I prefer music and movies," he reveals carefully. "I was never into books, Divementis or human, but human music is much more fun than the Divementis idea of it. Don't let me start with movies, the Divementis don't have them at all!"

I feel like Advin opened up to me a little which makes me happy. My cousin doesn't seem to be so different from me, Divementis or not. I turn back to Gotrid and notice that my husband got upset. He's not the only one. Liana and the others look visibly upset as well.

"I'm eating," I say quickly and stuff my mouth with tomatoes.

"Aefener," Gotrid puts his hand on my thigh. "Once again, you spoke Divementis."