Flavia saw that Felixa is interested in looking at the punishment as she refused to leave the window. She glared at Julius as she didn't know why Elrick is getting punished for whatever reason this close to the residence.
"Couldn't you've done it elsewhere?" she asked placing her hands on her hips. Her husband can get very irresponsible at times.
"It was His Majesty's order," Julius shrugged. "He probably wanted to let everyone know that no one can ignore her. Because of Elrick's blunder, from now on I am demoted to look after her," he didn't hide his disappointment as he pointed at Felixa.
"Julius!" Flavia hit his arm and turned to look at Felixa. "How can you say this right in front of-"
Flavia's eyes widened seeing Felixa sliding down the wall holding her chest. Tears were streaming down her face and she was mumbling something.
"Felixa, dear!" Flavia held her arm but she was so out of it.
Leaning closer, Flavia tried to listen to what she is saying but before she could, there was a flash of light. And in that light, Maximus appeared like a ray of sunshine.
"Lexa!"
Maximus picked up Felixa and in a large stride left the place. Flavia followed him. He took her to his room and before Flavia could step in, the door closed in her face.
Maximus laid her on his bed and covered her with the thick fur blanket. She was shivering and the pain she is in… He felt it.
It felt like someone is ripping his soul with a sharp dagger!
«What made you feel this pain?»
He tried to control his breathing. He didn't think they would be connected to this level of feeling each other's pain. No magic can be this powerful to connect two people's soul. It made him wonder if he is only feeling a part of her pain.
He was talking to Lord Brayson but he felt this immense pain in his heart and so he came and found her. And her pain is only increasing. He didn't want her to suffer but he didn't know what to do.
It was then he saw the fluttering translucent bird hovering near her.
"Do something!" he sat beside her on the bed and in his pain all he could do was shout.
The bird said nothing and just hovered around. He knew this bird is the proudest one of them all and it doesn't respect anyone. Even she was not an exception.
"Please…" he begged, his voice trembling.
{Why should I?}
Maximus was not surprised by the bird's words. He rubbed his hands together to create warmth and placed his hands on her cheek.
"Lexa, do you hear me..? Hear my voice and open your eyes, Lexa," he prayed.
Her eyes were tightly closed and her pressed eyelids were quivering. Tears were running from the corner of her eyes and her entire body was trembling.
If anything, he wished he could take her pain and not just share her pain. Only if there is a way for him to carry her pain, he would gladly do it.
He lay on top of her without touching her and cupped her cheeks, to warm her up. He saw a fluffy thing getting closer and it was Kefir- the white cat. Hope sprung in his heart as he knew the cat would help her. And as he expected the cat got closer and placed its paw on her forehead.
"Lexa… Lexa… I am here… Max is here for you. Don't suffer…"
He kept on repeating and he could feel the pain in his heart reducing. And that means her pain is reducing too. It made him relieved. He heard her say something and listened to her words keenly.
"Max…"
She was repeating his name and his eyes welled up.
"Yes, I am here…" he repeated every time she called his name, his every word sure like a promise.
«I won't leave you anymore»
He could feel her warming up and he was relieved. He sat by her side holding her hands until she woke up. He knows she is weak but this time her attack didn't stem from her physical weakness. She was emotionally distressed.
"So will you tell me what is wrong with her?" he asked the cat.
The bird didn't help her but it didn't leave her either and it was still there.
{She has to suffer…}
The bird said cruelly and the cat scoffed glaring at the bird. And then both of them disappeared. Max's eyes ended up on Felixa.
Felixa woke up, still groggy. She looked around and she was in the room Maximus was in last night. She was surprised that she is here. The last she remembered was her standing by the window watching Pricilla.
She felt the warmth on her hand and she turned to her side. With his amber eyes trained on her, Max was sitting by her side. As she turned, he stood up and leaned closer to her face.
[Did he bring me here?]
"Max…" she tried to speak but her voice was a little grainy.
"I brought you here. You were… you fainted again," Maximus explained before she could phrase her words to question him. By her perplexed expression, he wondered how conscious she was in all of this.
"Oh?" Felixa tried to smile but her head hurt. But he looked like he expected more.
"I had a bad dream," she came up with a reason.
She could sense that Luke was the reason everything went wrong during her past life. She wasn't sure how or why but the feeling she got from the last memory, she could say that was what she was thinking then.
And looking at Max sharing the same appearance… It was odd.
It was odd because she couldn't feel anything against the man currently looking at her with concern dripping from his eyes. Even after knowing the past, she couldn't hate the descendant of the man who caused her all the misfortunes.
[Pathetic!]
"If there is something that hurts you, will you please tell me about it?" Max said placing his hand on her cheek.
The corner of her lips raised lightly, without her permission once again.
[Utterly pathetic!]
"I am tired. I want to rest for some time," she asked, not willing to get torn apart by the raging emotions in her heart.
As if he was born to listen to her, he nodded and left the room for her. Felixa stared at the painted ceiling, taking in deep breaths.
After recalling her memories, she was drained and she had a feeling that she would stay there in the memory. She remembered pain, an insatiable rage, and guilt. A lot of guilt and she wanted a chance; a chance to live; to survive.
In that gloomy sky, that thought was like a ray of sunshine. And there was his voice.
'Lexa...'
And so she returned here.
It made her wonder if that's how she possessed this body. She knew that souls with resentments will latch on to other living beings.
Could she be one such soul?
But for what purpose could she be here in the future? To become the Hero?
[How did I end up here? It doesn't seem like something a normal human would do. Are gods involved in this? Are there gods?]
She started to wonder.
[Should I dig into my memory? But it is painful! If only I could read…]