Once Damra had been asleep for a good while, Calix slowly stood to his feet and exited the stall. Syri followed the beta into the corridor, and the beta quietly shut the door to Damra's stall before leading the zeta back to the main hall. Calix released a short breath as he settled into a chair positioned against one of the walls lining the long hall. Syri joined the beta in an adjacent chair before glancing over to check on the green-eyed.
Calix's eyes were turned to the floor, and his expression was down-cast. The zeta sought to comfort the disheartened beta, so he said, "It gets better." The words were quiet, but they were heartfelt.
"Hm?" Calix sounded as he lifted his head and turned toward the zeta. "What do you mean?"
Syri lowered his head as he answered, "The pain...it gets better. It won't hurt forever." Calix furrowed his brows as he looked at the zeta who now had his gaze on the floor. "Syri...did you lose your bond?" Calix's question was not intrusive, but rather it was filled with genuine concern.
Syri silently nodded his head in response, extracting a quiet gasp from the beta. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Calix said, his jaw hanging open in slight shock. "How did you cope with it?"
The zeta lifted his gaze at the beta's inquiry. Syri remained silent as he pondered whether he should tell Calix how he managed to deal with the pain. Determining any advice would probably help the beta in that moment, Syri replied, "I moved on." It was a short and sweet answer, but it held great weight.
Calix mulled over the zeta's response silently, turning his gaze back to the floor as he interlocked his fingers and thought about Syri's words. The beta and zeta sat in silence for the next ten minutes until Calix asked, "How did you move on? When you know you'll be mateless for the rest of your life?"
A lump formed in Syri's throat. In all honesty, Syri had not completely faced the fact that he would be mateless for the remainder of his life. However, he was aware that was the fate he had chosen. Syri would rather live out his life alone than mated to Jisue. A small smile came to the zeta's lips as he answered, "If there's one thing I know, it's that fate is never certain. Who knows what the future holds for us? Sure, I may be mateless until I die, but who is to say I won't find love?"
Calix lifted his brows at Syri"s statement. "That's a very optimistic view on this whole situation."
"Heyyy," Syri teased lightly in defense of his bright view on the world. "You do what you have to. That's how you move on."
"But what if there's someone you can't move on from?" Calix's tone was solemn, but his expression remained light. He was open to any answer. Syri turned his gaze to the ceiling as he prepared his response. "Then, you set aside a special place for them in your heart and continue on. There's a difference between 'moving' on and 'continuing' on. Sometimes, there are people who are meant to be with you forever." The zeta fell silent after concluding his answer. Syri's thoughts immediately went to the prince; Jae was the one person that held a special place in Syri's heart.
Calix bobbed his head as he soaked in the zeta's words. He liked the thought of 'continuing on' rather than 'moving on'. He did not want to force himself to not think of Kip or to completely forget the beta, so he decided to take Syri's advice into consideration and make a special place for Kip, so that he could continue on. "Thank you, Syri," Calix said to the zeta after he had a moment to himself to think about the possibility of 'continuing on'.
"Of course," the zeta smiled in response. "I hope it helped, even just a little bit."
"It did," Calix replied with a nod. The beta released a breath as he stood to his feet and turned to the zeta. "I think I am going to retire for the night. If you need anything, come and get me."
"Thank you," Syri said politely as he bobbed his head in thanks.
"Have a good shift, Syri," the beta bid as he started toward the entrance to the stables.
"Rest well, Calix Inso," Syri said as he watched the beta disappear into the night. Syri relaxed for a moment before letting out a long breath and standing and resuming his rounds through the stables.