Chapter 419: Chapter 419

Ian was struck dumb, but he could not dispute it. This was why he had found that man familiar. His mannerisms and certain traits reminded him of his dear Elfin. There were no two ways about that. This was Shelby’s dad!

"Father-in-law? Mr Monroe?"

The fact that the man was long dead did not seem odd to Ian because he could not even feel his body; why could he question someone else? Besides, he knew that they were in a limbo of a sort....

"It seems that I am destined to live forever the fate of seeing my daughter go through these life and death moments..." Mr Monroe said. Sadness oozed all over him as he took in the scene that was still ongoing. His heart clenched, looking at his daughter go through that. Mr Monroe sighed, "I don’t know why I entrusted my Princess to you..."

Ian did not know what to say because Mr Monroe’s words were the truth. He even started questioning whether he was the right person for Shelby. By being with him, she had gone through so much pain! Ian’s eyes were drawn back to the scene, especially when Mr Monroe added, that woman is as much as the devil’s incarnate, and I cannot believe that you never saw through her, or why you took time in acting till it came to this...

"I am Ian, Ian Thornston; keep that in mind for when we meet again."

Ian cringed at those words... especially when his father-in-law was looking at that same scene with him. Ian felt bare in front of him. He was humiliated, ashamed, guilty and other emotions that he could not understand packed together. But then, Mr Monroe added,

"In as much as she was that evil... she played her role to make your bond complete. I bet she didn’t know that, right?" Mr Monroe smiled... a sad, enigmatic smile that lingered on his lips like an unsolved riddle. It was a smile that didn’t belong, not in a moment . It was a strange contradiction, a blend of emotions that seemed at odds with each other.

The curve of his lips suggested happiness, but his eyes betrayed him, clouded with a sorrow so deep it was almost tangible. It was as if he had glimpsed something beautiful, something he cherished deeply, yet the weight of loss made that beauty unbearable. This took Ian aback, not really understanding what Mr Monroe was hinting at, but it didn’t take long for such a smile to bloom on his face as well.

The father and son-in-law watched as blood droplets dripped to the ground, and the Ian, in that unrolling scene, clasped their bloody hands, intertwining them and started muttering.

"In the presence of all those I care about, surrounded by the benevolence of nature and foliage, I, Ian Thornston, exchange my heart desires for the life of the one in front of me, Shelby Monroe. As you have promised to give ’anything’ on this day in exchange for your life slipping away, you and I will be bound in this exchange, no matter what happens.

Your life will be now tied to me for all eternity as my desires will live in you and feed your life’s essence. You can never belong to any other person and have been bound to me from this day onwards to live the life you so desire. Your path will lead you back to where you belong by my side. It will be as it should be ... as it was meant to be!"

Ian still did not understand why Mr Monroe wanted him to relive a scene that he had lived through in the past, but the vows he had said that night, touched his heartstrings, especially when the blood that seeped out of their combined wounds wormed around their hands, twirling around like rope tied around their hands with the whitish glow that he was very much familiar with now. The words in the bond were foreign and Ian wasn’t even sure how he had known them.

Ian noted Currey’s panic,

"Your Highness, what are you doing!? You cannot be doing this!"

... and at that moment, it made sense why Currey was panicking that night and why he had said that Ian would come to understand the magnitude of what he had done that night.

Ian watched Currey’s futile efforts and was deeply touched, but Shelby’s distress as she started to heal drew their attention again,

"My desire in exchange for your life, under the clear skies with all these witnesses..."

At this time, Ian could not recognize his own voice. It was like two people talking as one,

"...like a symbiotic relationship, we will have. Through this oath, we shall live from today onwards, bound forever, in mutual benefit.... Let these and all presents be my witnesses..."

Then, the whole place inside the bubble got illuminated to the point that Ian, who was outside it, had to shut his eyes. He watched as his actions changed afterwards and how he himself carried Shelby like precious egg out of the place.

"That assistant of yours has your best interest at heart..."

Ian was still puzzled, but a swell of anger bubbled up as Aliya stepped out of the shadows after his past self had left the scene with Shelby.

"Remember? This is the blood oath witnessed by the three: two beings, flora and fauna. This is to say that as a Fae, you had the plants and beings as a witness. And in that, you had a different species there... that was Aliya and her human partner... and that witch. She helped fulfil that part of the bond.

It was under the clear starless skies.... The second condition was fulfilled, and lastly, on the brink of death by the tranced! All the conditions were fulfilled. Shelby was on the brink of death, and you.....

I don’t need to explain that to you, right?

You already knew that there was no going back on this!..."

At that moment, Currey’s advice sprung up in Ian’s head,

"From now on, you should brace yourself for what is to come because you will be surprised by your own actions, your Highness!"

"Hahahaahahahahahaaaaa!" Ian couldn’t help but laugh out so loud – a guttural sound that was as if all was breaking loose. His shoulders shook as the laughter continued to pur out and so did the tears, right down his cheeks and into his beard.

Mr Monroe’s eyes never left the scene even though the main people involved were no more there.

Ian’s chest heaved as the laughter subsided into shaky chuckles, the tears still falling unchecked. He wiped at his face with trembling hands, but it was futile. His voice broke through the thick silence, hoarse and laden with anguish.

"Isn’t it funny?" he muttered, his words bitter and cracked. "The way life... life gives you everything, only to snatch it away when you least expect it."

The laughter had drained him, leaving behind a hollow, aching quiet. His gaze turned inward, his tears still flowing, as if his body hadn’t yet received the message that he was done.

"Aliya would die if she knew that she had contributed to making this bond hold!" It was then that Ian understood Mr Monroe’s words.

".... Or maybe she knows!"

Ian added as his eyes fell on the Timeless Witch in the shadows as well as Aliya’s words,

"Damn It! Why did I come? Only if I had stayed put! We have to rectify this!"

Ian turned to Mr Monroe,

"It can’t be undone. What is done is done. All her efforts will be futile, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot die!"

Mr Monroe turned to Ian,

"My girl has suffered enough, and I needed to step in this time. I made my Princess a promise which I must keep."

"You stepped in? Did you save me? ...."

"You saved her? Is she still alive?"

Mr Monroe rolled his eyes, "Will you still be alive if she was gone?"

Ian was speechless....

"But, there is only so much that this last string of essence from me can do. I brought you here to remind you of what you may have tucked away. My Princess is the most precious, and she needs to be protected. If you cannot do so after this, then I have other ways to make you cease to exist while she remains... even if she has to sleep forever!"

Ian dropped to his knees,

"That will never happen! I promise....I -"

"Your promises mean nothing to me, Ian Thronston. You were chosen to be together. The world works that way. Everyone has their destined partners, but -"

"I’m sorry! Please help me!"

Mr Monroe looked at Ian for a while, remembering how Shelby had talked so fondly of Ian and sighed.

"Where is she? What about the things that Aliya said? I-"

"You’re asking the wrong questions!"

"I’m sorry! What can I do to get her back?"

Mr Monroe took a step forward,

"Save yourself first!"

Ian was puzzled, but when he followed Mr Monroe’s sight, the scene took him aback.

Aliya was in the open and under the same tree that he had been with Shelby moments before. Her fiancé, Tyler, was standing right before her. They looked to be kissing but when he looked closer, Ian could see tendrils of dark smoke oozing from Tyler and into Aliya.

Ian narrowed his eyes as Aliya continued to drain Tyler until he slumped against her. She licked her lips and propped Tyler against the tree....

"Is-" Ian wanted to ask if Tyler was dead, but then he remembered that Tyler had been around for a few more years after this park incident.

"What is she doing?" Ian whispered. This was an Aliya that he was not used to. His skin crept, watching her do that.

’Everything had been a façade!’ he thought,

"You finally ask a useful question! She is ...."

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~