The Forbidden Entity (BWWM)

25

Akkar's POV

After ridding my hands of the king's scent, I traveled through the tunnels until I neared the underground entrance to the castle. I crinkled my nose at the faint smell of Sayora's heat, still unaccustomed to it. She was starting to overpower everything, even at such a depth.

I caught Elkie and Lord Marcellus leaving the tomb and greeted them. "How did it go?" I asked.

"As expected, unfortunately. I've acquired more questions than answers," Elkie replied.

"What did you discover?"

"Well, the distance between the bed and the wall was not substantially great, indicating that the force used to propel Yeri was incredibly powerful, the collision resulting in catastrophic injuries to her body. The immediate rupture of Yeri's skull served as the center of the impact, and the resulting damage ricocheted throughout her entire body—splintering it."

"Which prompts the question, how does Sayora store such power?" Lord Marcellus spoke.

Elkie nodded. "Yeri's body is ready for transport. We took measures to slow decomposition, so hopefully, the journey will not take more than a couple of days. How was your visit with the king?"

"Unproductive, I fear. The king revealed himself for a moment but reverted shortly after."

"What happened? Did he say anything?" Elkie questioned.

"He was quite disturbed as he instructed me to make Sayora stop, indicating some form of torment. I could not discern if the king spoke from delirium due to the bond or if he was implying something else. The latter would not be far-fetched, given Sayora's newly discovered talents. I rushed here to find out."

"Sayora is asleep. I finally got her to rest after an exhausting night. The paste helps, but the relief is only temporary."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, but Versilia wants to probe Sayora's mind. I told her to wait until I acquired your permission in case you wanted to object."

"As long as the process does not harm Sayora, I am not opposed to it," I answered.

"All right. Come on."

I trailed Elkie and Lord Marcellus to the infirmary, frequently holding my breath to evade Sayora's potency. Versilia stood outside the door, accompanied by a guard who looked as uncomfortable as I. "Good morning," I greeted them cordially.

"Morning, beast. Will you let me do this or not?"

"Explain what you plan to do; I want to know everything," I urged.

"The technique is simple yet lengthy: I will recite a spell, enter Sayora's mind, and watch her memories play on a loop. The blockage is gone, so the spell shouldn't hurt Sayora if she doesn't resist."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes, positive."

I nodded. "Fine, do what you must."

"You have until Sayora awakens. Finish before then, or I will intervene," Elkie declared. Versilia said nothing as she made her way into Sayora's room. I followed after them and used my shirt to conceal my nose.

"Good gods. How do you tolerate—"

"Here, rub this around the opening of your nose. Lord Marcellus and I have been doing this consistently." Elkie closed the door and poured an oily substance into my palm. "Dab it with your fingers."

I did as Elkie suggested, detecting a blend of fragrant smells: spicy, herbal, and woody. "Better?" She asked, observing me. I nodded.

"Good. Let me know if you need more." Elkie stood beside Lord Marcellus, who had yet to cease writing. He held a quill in one hand, and the other contained a diary and a small ink vial.