Ch 26: Liberation at last

"Fenrir lives. He will recover."

Her breath caught, and for a moment, the roaring storm in her mind quieted. Fenrir… alive? The prince who had been both her tormentor and her companion in this cursed fate. She should have felt anger or bitterness at his survival. She wanted to feel that. But instead, a wave of unexpected relief washed over her.

Relief?

The realization struck her like a dagger to the chest. She recoiled, the parchment crumpling in her hands as she doubled over, her breathing shallow.

"Why?" she muttered, her voice laced with confusion and disdain. "Why do I care? I should hate him. I do hate him."

Yet the hollow pit in her chest wasn't as deep as it had been moments before. The relief lingered, faint but undeniable, and it sickened her. This wasn't her. Rui, the vengeful shadow who had fought so hard against Fenrir's cruelty, would have cursed his name at this news.

But now?

Now, she felt like a stranger in her own skin, drowning in a tide of emotions she couldn't control. The hunger, the guilt, the flickering spark of relief—it was all too much.

Rui pressed her forehead to her knees, her mind spiraling.

"Am I even still me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure of the answer.

The chamber was silent except for the distant hum of the temple's chants, muffled by the thick stone walls. Rui sat on the cold floor, her shackles now removed but the weight of their impression still lingering on her wrists. She stared at the door as it creaked open, and Fenrir stepped inside, his presence as commanding as ever, despite his visible injuries.

His pale skin bore fresh scars, and his movements were slower, but his golden eyes still gleamed with sharp intelligence. He shut the door behind him with a heavy thud, his gaze locking onto Rui's as if searching for answers she hadn't yet spoken.

"You wanted to see me," he said, his voice low and cautious.

"Yes," Rui replied, her tone steady despite the storm of emotions roiling within her. She motioned to the lone chair across from her. "Sit."

Fenrir hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing, before lowering himself into the chair. His hands rested on his knees, fingers tapping rhythmically, a subtle indication of his wariness. "They're watching us, you know," he said.

"They always are," Rui murmured, her lips curling into a bitter smile. "But not here. Not now. I made sure of it. I told them I wanted to say my final words without an audience. They'll honor that, for now."

Fenrir's eyes narrowed, studying her. "Your final words? Are you dying, Rui?"

She chuckled, a hollow sound. "In a way. The temple says they can 'cure me of my illness.' They've promised to purge this... darkness inside me. Soon, I'll be someone else entirely—a clean slate, a loyal servant to their cause." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but her expression darkened. "I wanted to speak with you before that happens. Before I'm not myself anymore."

Fenrir leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "And what is it you want to say?"

Rui looked away, her gaze drifting to the small barred window where moonlight spilled into the room. "I was wrong about everything," she began, her voice soft but firm. "About you. About your fight. About the temple."

Fenrir raised an eyebrow but said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"When they took me in, I thought they were my salvation. I thought their promises of cleansing, of redemption, were real. I believed their lies because I wanted to believe I could be saved. But I see it now for what it truly is—control. Manipulation. They don't want to save anyone; they want to break us and rebuild us into their perfect pawns." Her hands clenched into fists. "They betrayed me. Used me. And now, they think they can erase me."

"And you think joining me is the answer?" Fenrir asked, his voice measured.

Rui turned back to him, her amber eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Yes. Not because I suddenly trust you or agree with everything you've done, but because I see the truth now. You're not fighting to destroy; you're fighting to free. I didn't understand that before. I was blinded by my own hate for you."

Fenrir's expression remained unreadable, but his fingers stopped tapping. "And what changed?"

Rui hesitated, her voice faltering. "When I heard you survived… I should have been angry. I should have hated you even more. But I wasn't. I was relieved. That's when I realized… I don't want this fight to end with us tearing each other apart. I want to make a choice. My choice. And I choose your cause."

Fenrir leaned back, his golden eyes scanning her face for any trace of deceit. Finally, he nodded. "You've seen the truth. That's a start."

"But there's more," Rui added, her voice growing firmer. "When this is done, when the temple no longer has its claws in me… I'll fight by your side. But on my terms. If you betray me, if you use me like they did, I'll kill you myself."

A grin broke across Fenrir's face, sharp and feral. "Good. I wouldn't want it any other way."

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them heavy with an unspoken understanding. Finally, Fenrir stood, his movements deliberate. "I'll hold you to your promise, Rui. But be ready. The path ahead is darker than you know."

Rui nodded, her resolve hardening. "I'm ready. I've already been in the dark."

Fenrir turned to leave, but paused at the door, his voice low. "I'm glad you survived too, Rui. Whether you know it or not."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Rui alone with the moonlight and the weight of her decision.

She had finally let go of her morals and decided to side with a person she had never wanted to side. But somehow, she felt more librated than before.