While the sleeping couple stayed in the safety of their chamber, somewhere in the castle in another chamber, Dak stared with a sorrowful expression at an asleep Maya, covered in bandages stained with her blood, waiting for her to open her pretty green eyes.
He knew things wouldn't be easy when she woke and found that Sylus was gone, and even though this was in his favour, he couldn't help but feel fearful of how she would react. He had seen many of his people grieve and mourn for their loved ones, and over time, it was a sight that was still hard to swallow.
His thoughts drifted to Edýia and his brother, and he could only hope that Haren had done what he was trained to do, which was to protect her and himself.
The sound of the door softly closing broke his train of thought, and he looked over his shoulder only to see Rom standing at the door, staring at his sister.
" Rhya said it would be a miracle if she survived!" he stated in a wavering voice, clenching his jaw and fists, still very much glued to his spot.
Dak frowned and hummed " She will survive!" he confidently added, glaring at Rom for being all doom and gloom.
He didn't like how the air suddenly changed just by his mere presence " It sounds like you don't want her to live !" he bit back through gritted teeth making Rom glare at him for uttering such nonsense.
Rom scoffed " That's not true, and you know it!" he hissed, seething with anger; how could Dak even think that he wanted his sister gone?
" You knew they were in the forest, yet you left her there. She could have come with us!" he retorted while turning to look at Maya with a pained look.
He knew he was right, and if she had accompanied them to the castle, she wouldn't have been in that state, hanging on to the last thread.
Rom covered his face with the palms of his hands, frustratedly rubbing his face and raked his hands through his thick red locks " You think I don't know that; I never thought that she would go after them; she gained nothing by killing them!" he reasoned, his eyes shined with unshed tears and sorrow.
Dak scoffed " She used them as a distraction so that she could escape!" he hissed through gritted teeth while he kept his eyes on Maya, who lay unmoving.
" I gathered as much! We will leave for Netheravon as soon she is well enough to ride on a horse!" Rom let Dak know his plans and that he will be leaving.
" That is in the Kinlochleven Kindom! You are planning to take your sister where slavery is at its peak! Do you even know what will happen to her the moment she sets foot in that land?" Dak questioned in disbelief at the sheer stupidity of his words; he would take the witch any day over that.
" I can keep her safe!" he confidently stated while turning around to leave the room, unwilling to discuss further.
" Like you did now? " Dak mocked in disbelief. He still couldn't wrap his head around what Rom had spewed out of his mouth.
" Have you lost your mind?" he questioned again while standing up and following Rom outside the chamber, ready to punch him again, this time for being utterly dim-witted.
Dak closed the door with a thud; he was bearly holding back from knocking Rom out so he would stop sharing his stupid thoughts with him.
" We will be just passing through. We won't be there long enough for her to be in danger! We will be stopping in Umayyad, Oros Kingdom. They are peaceful people, and she will be safe there!" he said while turning around to look at Dak, who clenched his fists, and before Rom could move out of the way, Dak punched him in the stomach. Rom fell on his knees and slumped on the ground at the sheer strength of the punch, heavily wheezing for air.
" Over my dead body, you will take your sister into a land where they skin and torture outsiders alive! You truly have gone insane!" Dak thundered, grabbing Rom by the scruff of his neck " I will kill before you even make it out of the castle gates!" he hissed, seething with anger in Rom's ear " What happened to you? The man who bravely stood up to Haren? When have you turned into a coward? Dak shot the questions while letting go of him, falling back on the floor, panting heavily.
Rom looked at Dak, fearful and angry with himself and Dak. He didn't want to wait for the moment when the witch would finish what she started, and he would instead take a chance in another kingdom. Although he knew nowhere was truly safe, each kingdom had their perils, but he was willing to try it.
Staggering, Rom finally pushed himself off the floor " I don't need your permission. She is my sister!" his voice was resolute, turning way, leaving Dak to stare at his retreating back.
Dak now realised he was stupid enough to let Rom live another day, and regret slowly crept into his mind, trying to find a way to keep Maya by his side.
He was hurt and felt guilty over what happened to Maya, but this was too much, and he was being stupid. As he sat there and mulled over the situation, the only thing that came into his mind was using his sister so he could keep Maya by his side.
Killing Rom was an option, but he knew Maya loved her brother, and that wasn't an option for him. He wasn't going to let him just take her. He had to think of a plan to hinder Rom or make him reconsider his decision. Maya would follow her brother, which wasn't good for him, he thought.
Tyla, who had heard the commotion caused by Rom and Dak, observed from a distance the exchange between the two " Is everything alright?" she asked curiously, while Dak just stared into space.
Dak took a sharp breath " Yes, or it will! How is the Queen? he questioned back while turning to look at the blond woman with amber eyes.
Tyla nodded " She is resting!" she curtly replied while observing Dak's features.
Dak hummed " When can I speak with her?" he asked while glancing at the door to where Maya was.
Tyla smiled " I will inform her that you wish to speak with her when she wakes!" she said while turning to leave Dak to his own since he kept looking at the door impatiently as if she was taking from his precious time.
Dak nodded in understanding and walked inside the room without saying as much as thank you, making Tyla's lips twitch in displeasure at the rudeness of the burly man.