Page 298 of The War God’s Favorite

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “Maybe...It’s better if they get a chance to say goodbye.”

The youngest Prince gulped, looking like he was repressing some tears himself, and nodded somberly before leaving. Shareen sighed, and continued after her brother. She didn’t know where he was going with her, she couldn’t even tell if he had a destination in mind.

Kairen seemed like he was just wandering aimlessly through the Palace’s corridors, while carrying her body in silence. But after a few more turns, she recognized the direction they were going; towards the Lake.

She frowned. They had heard some incredible story from their brother while on their way to the Arena before, but... Why was he thinking of going back there now? That crazy tale Opheus had told them about some gigantic dragon hidden in the Lake, couldn’t be true...could it?

Shareen didn’t say a thing though, and just followed after him. No matter what he tried, said, or did now, she probably wouldn’t be able to find it in herself to stop him anyway. She had never stood against her brother, and she wasn’t about to start, certainly not now. They walked up to the Lake, where Opheus was sitting in the grass with his hand on his dragon. Both Lys and Glahad next to him looked exhausted and covered in injuries, yet they all raised their heads as the group walked into the garden.

The Golden Dragon couldn’t move, but growled softly. It was clearly exhausted, lying on its flank. It had fought a lot today. They all had. Krai, too, walked heavily on the grass, coming up to Kairen’s side. The Black Dragon had never looked so sad as it laid there, its head tilted towards them.

Opheus struggled to get up as his eyes were riveted on Kairen and Cassandra. He didn’t say a thing, but his expression was beyond words. The sight had him choked up and tongue tied. He watched his older brother approach the Lake and fall to his knees at the strand. He was holding Cassandra as if she was simply sleeping, her head against his neck, his large hands holding her tenderly.

“Please...”

His voice was so low, Opheus thought he had dreamt it. Yet, Kairen was staring at the Lake, his eyes searching for something he couldn’t see. He didn’t know what to call or how to do this. This was Cassandra’s world, not his. He knew nothing. The War God took a deep breath, and after a moment of hesitation, he uttered the only word he could think of.

“Almien.”

He looked at the Lake, but nothing moved, so he took a deep breath and repeated it, over and over, like a prayer. He hugged Cassandra and begged for her God to come save her.

Shareen stood to the back with her arms crossed, skeptical of what her brother was trying to do. Opheus glanced at the surface too, unsure. Would the creature answer their call? After what they had done... Kairen looked down at Cassandra. After they had done this to her? To her people? He exchanged a quick glance with Shareen. The Princess didn’t believe in this, but she wouldn’t stop him from trying. She knew there was nothing else he could do but try.

“Oh, by the Gods... Cassie...”

They both turned around. Lady Kareen had arrived with baby Kassian in her arms, followed closely by Anour. Somehow, Kian had found its way to the concubine and was trotting at her feet, looking just fine and unaware of what was going on. Missandra had not come with them, she was likely not in a state to move. Perhaps it was better, in a way, Shareen thought. She’d be spared the vision of her older sister lying lifeless in the War God’s arms.

From his grandmother’s arms, Kassian began crying. Kian retreated, no longer looking joyful and excited. The young dragon was almost hiding behind Kareen, peeking out from behind her towards the Lake and whimpering in distress. The scene was just heartbreaking. Kareen didn’t even try to soothe her grandson. The Imperial Concubine had her eyes fixated on her son, who looked just completely devastated. She sighed and held Kassian a bit tighter, rubbing his back and whispering gently to him. She shook her head, there was nothing else even she could do.

Suddenly, the surface of the lake began to tremble. They all turned their eyes towards the shapes that appeared there. The ripples started spreading throughout the whole Lake, and somehow, the atmosphere around them became humid, which never happened in the dry, hot Dragon Empire.

Shareen and her mother exchanged a look, completely stunned. They had lived in this Palace for years, explored every corner of it and knew every secret of the Emperor, but the biggest secret didn’t belong to their human realm. It came in the shape of a magnificent Creature that surfaced out of the lake for a girl.

The Water God emerged from the water, its head coming up to Kairen. It moved like a snake, slowly swimming just under the surface, large arches of its body randomly breaking through the surface before disappearing again. One could only imagine the actual length and size of the Creature. Opheus glanced towards the dragons, but none of them looked surprised or seemed cautious. In fact, they were all lowering their heads, as if the Water dragon in front of them was some venerable deity, a being they were naturally intimidated by. They hadn’t reacted the same earlier in the midst of the battle, but now there was a clear line between the Imperial Dragons and this Water God.

Kairen raised his eyes at the Creature that stood tall above him. For once, the War God was the one being looked down upon, but he didn’t care the slightest.

His eyes were red with grief. He just couldn’t accept it, he didn’t want to admit this reality. And yet, as the Water God stood tall in front of him, he remained quiet. There was a very strange atmosphere between the two.

He was holding Cassandra. She looked so light in his arms. The girl from the Rain Tribe. The girl his Empire had taken from her people, from the life she should have had, and turned her into a slave. They should never have met. They were born into two very different worlds; worlds that were not suited for each other. The moment she had been brought to this Empire, she wasn’t meant to survive. She was brought here to suffer and then die. To become a slave.

And yet, of all people, the War God had fallen for that woman, and he had been a bit of light for her in the darkness. They had spent a little over a year together, but she had become everything to him. She had flourished despite the obstacles, like a flower that had managed to bloom in the dirt. The Water Lily. The Lady of the Mountain.

Wherever she had ended up, she survived without complaint and grew. Standing brave against everything his people had thrown at her. She had never even become resentful towards them. Cassandra stayed the same sweet girl from the Rain Tribe, and she changed the people around her.

Kairen was sitting there, lost, just looking at the Water God. What had he come here to do? Beg for a second chance? For Cassandra to be returned to him? He was sitting in front of her God, with her body in his arms. What would he dare beg for? The Water God had heard the Requiem of one of his last daughters. No one knew what linked them, but he was presenting her body to that God, and begging for a second chance. To bring her back into this terrible world? How could he ask for a miracle, when he had brought nothing but chaos?

The Water God was towering there, waiting. No one could say how much time had really passed, while those two Gods simply stared at each other. It was like some silent negotiation was happening between them, yet no words were exchanged.

In Kareen’s eyes, her son was paying the heavy price for many other people’s wrongdoings. He was the one who had to carry his lover’s body, the mother of his son lying in his arms. He had to live with the reality that he had been too late to save her, and that he was partially responsible for her death. Because he had fallen in love with her, so many things had happened. No one knew why the Black Dragon had tied their destinies together. Maybe the War God needed to learn about love? Maybe it was to give Cassandra more time to do all the good she could? There was something both beautiful and tragic about the couple’s fate.

After a while, the War God closed his eyes. A tear slowly fell down his cheek and, with a deep breath, he held Cassandra in his arms one last time. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair, his hands wrapped around her body. From behind him, his family could feel the heavy weight on his shoulders, the mountain of pain and grief that overcame him. Only Kassian’s cries could be heard, this man himself was beyond tears.

Then, very slowly, he laid Cassandra’s body down in the water. Even from afar, everyone could tell how unwilling he was to let her go. When his hands finally left her body, he took a couple of steps back with his eyes still on her. Never have the obsidian eyes been so dark, without so much as a spark of light in them.

He raised his dead eyes to the Water God, and bowed lowly.

Kairen had never bowed to anyone before, but now, this man had bent so low, his face was almost touching the water.

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