Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 88 – Come Back To Me

“There is an ocean of silence between us… and I am drowning in it.“–Ranata Suzuki

Kiya

I was free.

My gilded cage had rusted, and the chains of darkness crumbled to dust.

Osiris was gone.

I should be celebrating. I should be running into the arms of my parents, sobbing tears of joy, relishing in my newfound freedom.

Instead, screams of absolute sorrow tore through my throat and shattered the sunlit atmosphere. My world had darkened. Artemis‘ broken howls touched the stratosphere to where I was certain the angels of heaven could hear her.

My legs moved on their own accord, splitting earth with each stomp toward the body that should thrive with life. The body that should rejoice in my liberation with incandescent sapphires and ivory smiles. The body I cradled in my trembling arms once my naked knees dropped to the dirtied earth.

“N–Neron?” My voice came out as a pitiful whimper. Footsteps echoed around me, but I didn’t bother to look up. I glued my eyes to the Alpha’s lifeless face, drenched in sweat. The wound on his neck exposed flesh and muscle, nausea resting like a stone in my stomach. “Neron… wake up, please…”

I didn’t want this to happen.

I shook him lightly, hoping to get some inkling of life, but got nothing. His body weighed heavily with death, void of the weightless life that kept his soul afloat. I kept calling out his name, hoping that this was just the devil’s trick on my mind….

But he wouldn’t answer me.

“Mija…” Mom placed her loving hand on my shoulder. “Neron is…”

“Don’t say it.” I sniffled, tears threatening to spill over my eyes. “Please, don’t say it…”

“But Kiya… it’s true.” Abigail added, trying to soothe the wound in my chest with her gentle voice. “He’s gone.”

“No! He wasn’t supposed to do this! He wasn’t…” The blood on his arms swirled like galaxies around the droplets of my falling tears. On my skin, they burned like acid, searing through my flesh and bone. Neron kept his promise; he didn’t allow Osiris to hurt me anymore.

But at the cost of his life?

He should’ve… he could’ve…

The realization hit me like two freight trains colliding, especially when Diana fluttered on Neron’s chest, releasing a broken hoot with her golds reflecting deep sadness.

Chapter 88–Come Back To Me

I… I killed him.

A strong tremor split my body in two. Pain bubbled in my chest and gushed out of my mouth like a hot geyser as sobbing and screaming. My throat tightened like a leash, but it did nothing to stop my painful screams as I clutched Neron’s body closer to mine and buried my face in his chest, hiding my tears from the world. Apology after apology tumbled out of my mouth with reckless abandon, muffled through his cooling flesh.

I’m sorry for hurting you!

I’m sorry for giving you scars!

I’m sorry that you, time and time again, throw yourself in danger for me.

I’m sorry that I couldn’t give the way you do.

I’m sorry for taking and taking like a selfish woman..

I’m sorry, Neron! I’m sorry, Onyx! I’m so… so fucking sorry…

it was I who ended the Prince

of scenarios raced in my mind of various outcomes that could’ve saved Neron’s life. His death was

To save me.

the blow. And like a shield that’s been through hell and back, they fall

rejoicing when

that. After a while, my sobs quieted down, but there was the occasional hiccup. Artemis‘ sorrow hurt the deepest. Because I knew she missed Onyx. Neron wouldn’t have done what he did if Onyx didn’t

was still in my lap, cocooned in my arms. I couldn’t put him on the ground–that was where he took hist final breath. Every wall I

front of me, his hands folded on his knees. My eyes, red and blotchy, met my brother’s hazels, contemplative and worried. He expelled a massive sigh and tried to reach out. But some beastly instinct took over me and I gripped at Neron possessively, holding his head and body to my chest like he was a newborn baby, baring

calm words calmed my beastly side and my arms slowly relaxed, loosening my grip on the corpse. “Neron didn’t die in vain.

pain my heart couldn’t hold. “He wasn’t supposed to die. Not like this. Not before

Come

his choice. He jumped in front of Osiris willingly, even if it

him to hurt himself…I hurt him too

of that.” He reprimanded. “You aren’t responsible for his death; don’t

not him! It’s not fair! It should be me that’s dead, not Neron!” Moans escaped my mouth through the suppressed sounds of my sobs starting up again. “I’m not worthy of his sacrifice, Tony! He had so much to look forward to in life and he threw it

what he did if he didn’t love you. I’ve watched this man consistently put you above himself through the amount of

I choked, constantly sniffling to hold back more tears. My eyes were burning at this

Everyone kneeled to either comfort me or mourn the loss of Neron. It only made my chest heave harder and strengthen my sobs. How was any of this far? What about the

I lost… I lost…

friends and family fade behind a wall of growing white. Fear died as quickly as it rose, my senses lulling me to peace, recognizing the world I was in. My arms ached for relief from the tension, but I continued to cradle Neron as if he’d wake up at any

the closer they came to

haloed around the goddess I know and love as she took her place in front of me, on her knees. I relinquished my hold just a tad so that Neron could rest

“S–Selene…”

Alpha’s black locks, smoothening them out and ignoring the slits of blood that stained

jerked my body forward.

mean?”

slipping away.” She snapped her fingers and a faint red cord connecting my heart to Neron’s materialized between us. Selene cradled a loop in her palms. The red was flickering and fading to pale pink, becoming translucent to where I could see the ridges of the goddess‘ palms. “You always had a choice, dear Kiya. Whether it be accepting Neron as your mate

up straighter, facing the goddess with inklings of confidence that exposed themselves

Moon Goddess. In minutes, both Neron and Onyx will arrive, leaving this vessel behind to

“Me?”

you want Neron to return to the mortal realm, or proceed into the

sister?”

choose the latter, he’ll get to see his family again. Nuria and Lun–Auntie Essie would get to see him again. Neron will get his family back, like he always

walking the earth without a familial connection. My mind thought back to our date at the mall, where he shared

make his mark on the

everything that I had

the freedom I received from my family. While I lived it up in Garnet Moon, he had to bend over backwards to make his father happy; don the mask and conceal

to have true happiness. He deserved to experience the joys of freedom

him to

nodded. “I want him back. I don’t

didn’t want to live in a world without him

my eyes for doubt but found none. Nodding, she leaned back on her heels. “You know what to do to bring him

entrust me with this?” I asked my goddess, cocking my

you and I share powers. Part of me lies within you. You are my avatar, but you’re also my daughter- what is mine is yours.” She shined a glittering ivory smile and rested her

I do this, I might not

that statement is ‘might.‘ You’ll never know unless you try.” The red of the bond is now translucent, pallid pink. “You have little

Neron’s face once more, reaching out a hand and brushing away the stray strands that clung to his temple from

fingers through his heavy, chilly

on, Neron. I’m

muscle fiber, artery, and vein within him. Rivers of white shimmered and mixed into a mosaic of healing magic. White strands of flesh and muscle began repairing,

I ignored it and kept going. I kept pouring my energy into Neron, refusing to stop until I hear a groan or felt the jerk of a limb. My muscle strength was leaving in droves

heart to beat

of our bond was gradually returning, but not fast enough for my liking. Patience