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Chapter Seventy Five

  R E G R E T

Seth wheezed as he looked down at the dying Prince. 

Finally. 

The pest was-

He staggered as his heart clenched. 

He looked down. His hands were trembling. 

"What-"

He couldn't breathe. 

What's happening?!

He looked at the Prince but he was still very much dead. His heart wept. Seth gripped his chest as he fell to his knees beside Osiris. 

It hurt worse than when he lost his wife. 

Seth-

"I'm a fool."

He grit his teeth and tore the staff from his hearts. 

"Please let this work."

Seth wanted to kill himself. 

"How did I not notice!"

He's warned his children a thousand times over! He should know-

But how could he?

He flipped the man over. His face-

Seth clenched his eyes shut as he forced mana from the ground into him and through his hands. 

I thought it would never happen. 

Seth wanted to hit himself. 

I thought I was going to die never meeting them. I already accepted it. 

He came here to die. 

He knew fighting this man could kill him, and he accepted the possibility. He had no regrets, two kids, a wife, he thought it was never in his fate to meet-

"Fuck!"

He was still cold. 

He pushed more. 

He will kill himself if he can't save him. 

His children are old enough, smart enough, they can-

No. 

They still need him. 

Seth felt tears fall. 

"It's like I've become my father."

His dad started a war with the Nox kingdom for his mother. He wiped out their entire race for her. She did not love him. She never did. But she loved him. His father was the reason his mother died. 

His obsession for her killed her. 

And now, as he bleeds from his nose, ears, and mouth he-

A heart beat. 

Seth's entire world lit up. 

He's alive. 

When his father lost his mother, he became a shell of a man. He only stayed alive long enough for Seth to take the crown. Then he died that same night. 

He felt the hearts flutter and stop. 

"Don't you dare."

It took him five hours just to get him healed enough to move. His breath was ragged, but he was alive. 

Seth pulled a teleportation bead he never thought he would use again. He forced his dry mana veins to activate it. 

Gently, he lifted the man into his arms and walked through. He left their destruction behind as a parting gift to those that come to look. 

Dressing his wounds was easy. 

When the Prince wasn't trying to actively kill him, he was very easy to manhandle. 

Seth slobbed a chunk of salve he managed to make from foraging around the woods, onto his wounds before wrapping them. 

With his work done he moved the Prince from the table to the couch in front of the fireplace. He started a fire. 

Seth sat in the rocking chair he and his wife built together and stared at Osiris. 

What if he likes women?

Seth hated himself for never asking his son anything more….. personal about the Prince. He only asked for weaknesses, maybe a bit of dirt from his past but.

I could find someone-

His heart did not like that. 

He had a visceral reaction and had to hold his stomach as rage filled him. He tried to disassociate but it gripped his head and refused. 

"….."

He let the thought go. 

"Fuck."

Seth covered his face. 

He didn't want to be like his father. 

He-

A groan. 

He waited but nothing else happened. 

"….."

How was he even going to fix this?

Osiris's face was clammy. 

His hair was caked onto his skin, and he had deep bags under his eyes. He looked sick. 

It looks like he's lost more weight. 

From when he left his son in that field he's become worse. Seth has noticed his mental and physical deterioration over the last year. How could he not, with how much he watched him. 

Seth could feel himself cringe before he started to recall everything they've done to each other. 

They've both done terrible things. 

He tried to kill his men, Osiris managed to kill his. 

How was he supposed to fix this?!

Even if he wakes up, how is Seth going to know he won't just kill him right as he sees him. 

"….."

He wouldn't be able to- especially now that he knows. 

He could just fight him until he feels better, but he lost this fight. 

Seth sat back and closed his eyes. 

If Osiris did not hesitate he would have died. 

He might be an eighth ring but he was stronger. And he hasn't even hit his prime yet. 

Seth felt the heat of the fire finally make it to them. 

Courting?

"….."

Maybe if he shows him how good of a mate he could be-

Seth stood and went to a closet to pull another blanket out. Osiris was still shivering. 

There was nothing left he could offer him but himself. If he doesn't like it-

The thought of him leaving made Seth want to cut off his legs. Seth went to the sink and filled a bowl with water and grabbed a rag. 

But he wasn't his father. 

I can force myself to handle things if he needs a woman. 

His body started again but a single thought silenced it. 

What if he leaves because of it? Then what?

Seth startled. 

Didn't he like women?

He does. Seth looked at Osiris. Or he did. 

The thought of touching another person other than him made him want to vomit. 

"….."

Seth glared at the man. 

There was nothing soft about him. 

He may have a pretty face, but there was no mistake that he was a man. He even had a tiny waistline with a small curve in his back. 

He was tall.

Seth has been with taller women before, but Osiris is still taller. It felt like he would fit-

Seth looked away. 

So his limbedo is fine. 

He was perfectly fine with it. 

He's never looked at men. Never even thought about them like this. It was just never his flavor while he was growing up. 

Osiris did not look like a woman to him. 

He doesn't feel like a woman either. 

Seth sighed, and went to clean him. 

He could deal with it tomorrow. 

Osiris felt like his eyes were caked shut. 

He groaned and tried to turn but hissed at his wounds. 

Wounds?

Osiris slowly opened his eyes. 

He was facing the back of a couch. 

He blinked. 

So he was still alive. 

Osiris felt bile rise in his throat. 

He for sure thought he was finally-

A familiar presence was near. 

Maybe this is a dream?

Osiris peaked over his shoulder and saw a fire. 

Below it sat a good pile of ashes. 

So he's been here for at least a day. 

He then spotted the man. 

He looked awkward in the chair as he sat as stiff as bricks. He had a guilty smile on his face. 

Osiris turned back to the couch and sighed. 

"This hallucination is mean. I thought I was finally done this time."

If this was some sort of before death illusion, it was cruel. He expected to see Isabella, not..

"It's not a hallucination."

Osiris looked at him again and squinted his eyes. 

He looked real. 

He felt real too..

Osiris slowly sat himself up and put his feet on the floor. 

".."

The wood drank up his mana like it was thirsty. 

Osiris grit his teeth as his hearts pulled and-

This pain feels real. 

He looked down. 

He was bandaged up and covered in bruises and little cuts. He sighed. 

"If this is to torture me, don't bother. I don't know-"

"It's not."

He glared at him. 

"Then why-" Osiris turned his head away and hid his face with his hair."-why did you save me?! I was supposed to die there!"

He was mad. 

Of course he was mad. 

Over and over these people just-

"I don't know."

Osiris pursed his lips. 

"Why didn't you kill me?"

Osiris turned his body away from him. 

He couldn't answer that!

He just.. he just wanted to change his story. 

He didn't care about the war, or who won anymore. He just wanted..he just wanted control over his life again. 

"It looks like we both have our secrets."

Osiris couldn't help but agree. 

He finally let himself face the fire again. 

"What now.."

Seth felt his heart break. 

He looked at him like he was disappointed to be alive. He- was he to blame?

He hasn't been kind at all up until this point, but they were at war. Even Osiris wasn't kind-

An image of him walking away from his son appeared. 

"Whatever you want."

He said it before he could stop himself. 

Osiris's face turned ugly as his eyes went from the fire to the ground. He didn't believe him. Seth regretted ever trying to lie to him. He regretted trying to trick him with words-

"Can we just sleep for now?"

He wasn't looking at him. 

"Yes, here or a room?"

Osiris glanced at him quickly a few times before laying back down and facing the couch. He pulled the covers over his head and that was that. 

"….."

Seth sat back and allowed himself to relax. 

He wasn't trying to run away…..This is the best reaction I could ever ask for. 

He got lucky. 

Osiris should have attacked him on sight. He should have tried to continue their fight, or at least go after him, but he didn't. Instead he…..fell asleep. 

Seth could hear his soft breathing fill the small cabin. 

Seth covered his eyes with his forearm. 

So he can still sleep, even in my presence. 

"….."

Maybe this will be okay, just for a little while.