Chapter 92

chapter will be the end of The Trials of Rhelia: Book One. Thank you for reading.**

Eighty-Five

Finally, Volencia took a few steps forward. Her hand started to reach out toward him, but she pulled back. "D-Damion? Can we go home now?" Her fingers reached out, touching the tips of his. His hand twitch as he looked down at her, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he offered her a small smile.

"Home." His head cocked to the side, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Yes. Let us head home, darling."

Volencia turned back to Travion, "Do you think you could go get something for him to put on? It will be weird to have him show up naked." She was afraid to leave Trey with him, not that the Samanthian looked like he wanted to try.

Travion blinked at her. Slowly his head started to shake. He clearly didn't want to leave her here with him. "Volencia, I can't do that. Here, I'll give him my shirt." Trey started to remove the tunic, but Damion held up his hand.

"That won't be necessary." Damion raised his hand to the side, pulling a silky silver robe from nowhere. "And, come here, Volencia. Let me heal your wounds before we go." This was definitely not her Damion, but she didn't know what she should do. So, she nodded. He barely waived his hand in her direction. It was a lot like when she'd been healed by Hero, but this time, he didn't bother to touch her. There was an acute strangeness in whoever took over Damion's body this time. None of the awed adoration Hero had. None of the sweet innocence of Damion. This was a stoic, cold character that left her shivering in fear of what she should say or how she should react. Travion clearly felt the same way. His large blue hands had fallen to his side, but now that Damion had his robe on, he waived toward the nearest mirror.

"This way? Or?" He had no idea.

Volencia held her hand out to him, and it was the first time he seemed to register shock. "Do you not remember me, love?" She smiled softly at him, gently pulling his hand and twining their fingers together. "You're my betrothed." She took a step closer, intertwining their fingers together. Holding up the star, she smiled at him. "You gave me this as our binging gift."

"My memories are a little shaky at the moment. Don't worry, I'll remember everything shortly." He gave her another stiff smile, but she could have sworn he was frowning at the star round her neck. Instead of dwelling on this strange meeting, Volencia pulled him toward the mirror that would finally lead them home.

"Travion, please go first. I think Damion should be the last to exit the mirror. Just to be safe." Trey gave her a sideways glance before looking Damion up and down. There was some hesitation, but he listened, slipping through the mirror.

Volencia started forward, pulling Damion with her, but he didn't budge this time. His eyes felt all the more intense as he looked down at her. "I know you can both tell, I'm not exactly your expectation of Damion." Volencia swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet those intimidating eyes which sparkled like a clear night sky. "I wanted to ensure you, I am Damion. Just the larger part of him. The Damion you know is like a bud on a tree. Not even in full bloom yet."

"Which makes you?"

"The rest of the tree."

Volencia heart raced as his hand cupped her cheek, pressing a stray lock of hair behind her pointed ear. Her breathing kicked up, his touch didn't feel different. He looked the same, other than his eyes, but he wasn't the same. There felt like there was, so much more now. "I hope you understand my confusion and hesitance. Travion's too."

"He doesn't like me already. I can see it in him. He thinks I'm taking over his brother. I can't steal what was always mine." His head cocked at her again, as if he were interested in her reaction. His thumb caressed the outline of her lower lip, raising bumps all over her skin. "Do you truly love him, your Damion?"

Volencia's hand touched his chest, her fingers sliding beneath the silk. "More than anything in the world. Do you remember me?"

He didn't smile or change his expression, but his eyes fixated on the hand resting against his heart. He seemed to be contemplating his response. "I have memories. Even more than you yourself have, for like Damion was before me, you are not yet whole. Don't get me wrong, this is a pleasing surprise for me currently. Howver, as our past became quite complicated. Though when you become whole, our dynamic is bound to change, we can enjoy these first few fleeting moments together again."

"Fleeting?" Volencia tore her hand away from his chest as if she'd been scorched.

"Time flows differently for me than it does for a mortal. You'll understand better eventually, though you'll never get the full complexity of it. A thousand years of memory, for me, is like a single drop in an ocean. And the moment you shared with your Damion are less than a molecule of that drop."

Volencia shook her head. She had no idea what he was saying. But she felt like he was telling her she meant nothing to him. She liked this being far less than she liked Hero. And all she wanted was her Damion back "Please tell me this is like Hero all over again. My Damion will be back in the morning right?"

He frowned. "As much as your Damion disliked Hero, I hate him even more, so I'll pretend you didn't mention him. Anyway, I already told you, he is still here. Even if just a small portion to the whole. I can tell he cared for you. Though he had no opportunity to understand the vastness of our true connection. And for that, I almost envy his naivity." His face as still as cold as stone.

Unable to stop her tears from coming, Volencia let them fall. "I you don't love me then?"

"It's difficult. I care for you. I loved you once and believed you loved me. But like everyone else in this world, you stabbed me in the back and destroyed my trust. I don't blame the you standing before me now. But I cannot forget, nor forgive, those transgressions. I'm sure if you remembered me properly, you would have done everything in your power to prevent me from coming back, even killed this host before I could. Regardless of your desire for him. Even our son has betrayed me. Once those memories come back to you, you'll understand what I mean. Though this is all quite redundant. Since you simply don't have the capacity to understand." He waved his hand as if the dismissal were nothing. Volencia almost backed away as he lifted a finger to wipe her tears away. "My apologies. I probably shouldn't have brought all this up in the first place. But you were practically screaming the questions in your mind. I was only trying to help you see. I realize now, I've only frightened and confused you."

"It's too much." She whispered, the tears still falling.

"Yes." He said simply. "You'll fell better once you are home. The void can create a helplessness in beings not created for it. So, it's likely effecting you also." He leaned down, pressing his lips gently to hers.

Volencia wanted to scream and push him away, but it happened so quickly, she barely had a chance to catch her breath. That and for a brief moment, she swore Damion's green eyes flashed at her. Instead, he nodded, seeming to understand her distress better than she did. Taking her hand, he pulled her toward the mirror.

Travion stood in the tower behind her father and Gregron. Everyone else had been cleared out. Compared to the total silence of the void, the tower sounded loud as they walked out. As if Volencia could suddenly hear her heart beating and her own breathing was deafening. She could hear a breeze and even the pulse of the magic.

Stumbling at the onslaught, the only reason she didn't fall was because of the strong arm that caught her around the waist. Looking down the stairs made her dizzy. "Do you need help?" His voice was quiet beside her ear and she nodded. Her stomach turned violently, and her knees threatened to give out. Just as Damion would have, she was lifted gently into his arms, feeling comfortable and secure against his broad chest.

Volencia's hearing normalized before they were at the base of the stairs. Hearing her father gasp, she looked up to see him fall to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground. She had seen him, as a King, show diplomatically to others, but she had never seen him bow lower than them, and never imagined him getting down on a knee, let alone this. Gregron watched in shock as his King bowed as low as physically possible. Once his mind wrapped around the odd site, he too, fell to his knees, bowing. Travion looked at the two with a frown, crossing his arms as if to show he was not about to bow before his brother.

As they reached the group, Damion set her on her feet, "Will you be alright for a moment?" His hand didn't leave her back, and strangely enough, his eyes were now their familiar green. Everything about his behavior reminded her more of Damion and she nodded, holding onto his robe. Rubbing her tears away, he smiled down at her, and kissed her forehead. This was much more like Damion and she felt her heart flutter hopefully. Damion crouched down placing a hand on the back of his head. "Stand, child." Volencia wrapped her arms around her chest. What was he saying?

"Your servant is not worthy to view the full Glory of one so Holy, my God." She could see her father's whole-body trembling and found herself completely confused. Add that to the concern that suddenly written across Trey's features. Volencia couldn't help but wonder what she was missing.

"This servant, who grew climbing my home, surround by my brother's ostentatious and ridiculous temple, which hid me away from the most beloved of my creations. Stand. I know what you and yours sacrificed to bring me back here. I would see the visage of the one who believed in me without a doubt or concern for himself. I'm aware I only stand before you because of the foundations you laid before me." He reached out, lifting her father's chin.

Tears streamed down his cheeks and pure joy emanated from him. "My God. Necron. You have finally returned."

Travion staggered and was caught by the gleaming galaxies shining in those ink black eyes. A satisfied smirk was much like the one Damion gave when he knew he was about to win the fight.

"No Venron, what have you done?" Trey's words were cold as ice and shook with fear.

Shivers ran down Volencia's spine as her eyes turned to the body that should have belonged to her betrothed. He couldn't really be Necron? Could he?

**End of Book One**

*Thank you for enjoying this adventure with me. The Trials will be taking a break as we finish up Last Kiss. A new story will be ready to start soon **I don't want to say too much, but it's an old myth about how mermaids were created. It'll be a fantasy romance.** Also, the Trials will return with Book Two shortly. I'll leave an upadated comment when the book goes live for sale in case anyone is interested.*

Updates for You:

*So, I just wanted to give a shout out here. Just a couple things for those who enjoyed the world of Rhelia, which is my personal Beloved.

*1. Tale of the Goonchman was off to a slow start, and I plan on keeping it that way. I will promise one