Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 118: A change in the Ashenhold Coven Master

Chapter 118: A change in the Ashenhold Coven Master

Orion gathered his wits and inhaled a deep breath to calm down his racing heart. Vitalis Confluxion left much of his energy drained and took a great toll on his body physically, but he needed to compose himself before Lord Eldric regained consciousness.

Speaking of it, the Ashenhold Coven Leader stirred with a groan, his forehead creasing as he blinked a few times to readjust his vision after waking up.

Orion was quick to rise to his feet, seating himself on the cushioned bench beside Lord Eldric’s infirmary bed. He suppressed all visible signs of strain, reaching out to touch the older male’s forehead.

’Good, his temperature is normal.’ Orion breathed a sigh of relief and Lord Eldric’s sharp, hazel eyes gazed up at him. ’He should be stable now.’

"How are you feeling?" Orion asked sincerely, quickly withdrawing his hand as he averted his gaze.

He needed to know desperately if Lord Eldric was out of harm’s way. Orion was never one to doubt his capabilities as a seasoned Wickan Master, but his skills alone this time wasn’t enough to give him peace of mind.

Had he not been so... incompetent and weak to notice immediately that Soran had tampered with the Triune Circle, Lord Eldric would not have encountered such a terrible fate.

He should have inspected the Triune Circle more closely and with more precision after Soran’s leave.

However, the damage was already done and there was no use mulling over the circumstances of what could have been the outcome.

Now, Orion needed to focus on how he would expose Soran and bring about justice to prove Rowan’s innocence.

"I feel...rejuvenated," Lord Eldric said, his voice thick and husky from sleep. His expression was soft, somewhat sleepy, and Orion never knew he would have seen the older man in such a relaxed state. "My energy points were repaired?"

"Yes," Orion quickly answered, thinking of an impromptu explanation. "One of Morgana’s healers administered a magical remedy that restored your energy points and repaired any damages."

Lord Eldric sat up with a low grunt, his body aching with strain, but Orion was swift to aid him and support his back with one arm. The older man nodded gratefully, brushing his hand through his hair.

There was something that didn’t quite sit well with Lord Eldric.

There was a strange sensation he could feel within himself, something much like a magnetic pull to something else.

There was life inside him. And it wasn’t just his own.

He placed a hand over the region of his heart, closing his eyes to take a moment to feel every function within his body.

Lord Eldric visualised strands of gold energy encasing each of his energy points like a warm flame. Each strand tangled around a point, soothing it and allowing for a better energy flow.

Was that really the work of a mere remedy?

Why did it feel so alive with a mind of his own?

And Orion, who knew very well that Lord Eldric was far too experienced and sharp, prayed hopefully that the older man wouldn’t be able to decipher the true nature of the change within his body.

"I see," Lord Eldric replied nonchalantly. He looked down at his body, noticing there were bandages secured around his toned midsection and broad shoulders. "I didn’t have any external injuries; what are the bandages for?"

"An external herbal remedy was applied to parts of your body where your energy points are internally," Orion explained, his eyes following every hard ridge and muscle on Lord Eldric’s body before he averted his gaze again. "The remedy will also restore your physical strength."

"Thank you for taking care of me." Lord Eldric expressed his gratitude, a subtle smile forming on his lips, which was a rather unusual and rare occurrence for him. "What of yourself? Did you get treated, Orion?"

Orion.

Not Fellspire.

But Orion.

Lord Eldric never used his name before.

And truth be told, Orion didn’t bother to receive a medical and magical checkup after the entire ritual binding fiasco. Since he felt responsible for not just Lord Eldric’s situation but the failure of the ritual as a whole, he didn’t think it was important enough to treat himself.

He didn’t suffer any injuries or damages just as Lady Morgana and Lord Eldric did.

Orion waved his hand dismissively with a humble chuckle.

"There is nothing detrimental. I received a brief checkup and I am perfectly healthy and unharmed." Orion lied and the glint of suspicion in Lord Eldric’s piercing eyes was enough to say he was only half convinced of the young coven master’s statement.

"Very well." Lord Eldric accepted the answer for now and decided he would enquire further later if it was absolutely necessary.

"As much as I would prefer that you rest, Lord Eldric, there is something we need to discuss and something that I need to disclose to you without Lady Morgana’s attention," Orion stated, his eyes turning serious and his body straightening up.

Lord Eldric was a fairly reasonable man.

Orion knew that the older man wasn’t in the habit of believing or following through on action with baseless accusations, but he hoped that Lord Eldric would see reason.

The Ashenhold Coven Leader didn’t turn him down and nodded for him to proceed.

Inhaling a deep breath while suppressing the strain on his body, Orion closed his eyes and related the events that occurred the previous night in detail.

Every word spoken and every action spoken, Orion explained it. He couldn’t quite understand why the surveillance jewels didn’t detect what Soran had been conducting to tamper with the Triune Circle.

Perhaps the wicked Wickan had altered the scenes of the surveillance jewels himself.

Lord Eldric listened attentively without judgement, his expression shifting from understanding to doubt now and then but he didn’t interrupt Orion until he concluded with his explanation.

"That is quite the accusation you have against Soran," Lord Eldric stated, crossing his arms over his chest. And Orion knew that the older man would not look upon his explanation favourably, but he hoped that Lord Eldric might look into the matter alongside him. "Especially since the surveillance jewels do not reflect any signs of him tampering with the circle other than being near it."

Orion knew it wouldn’t be easy.

If not for his lack of aptitude, he would have done an investigation by himself to somehow retrieve the evidence he needed.

And before Orion could say anything, Lord Eldric spoke again.

"However, that does not mean I don’t believe you." Lord Eldric’s expression softened and the deep scar running across his face looked less painful than before.

Orion’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, not expecting that Lord Eldric would readily see reason. The older man reached out and gently patted Orion’s head, making him shy away somewhat.

"You are many things but a liar is not one of them," Lord Eldric clarified, his fingers combing through the younger male’s hair. "You have never been one to make baseless accusations nor have you ever accused anyone without reason."

Why was the Ashenhold Coven Leader being so nice to him? It was unusual for Lord Eldric to express fondness or use such gestures on anyone.

But Orion had to admit that there were no complaints on his part. He was simply shy since he rarely ever allowed anyone to be up in his personal space or touch him.

"We have little to work with, Orion, but if we inspect that Triune Circle again and the surveillance jewels, we could find something that attests to your suspicions," Lord Eldric said, ending his touch by tucking a few strands of Orion’s hair behind his ear before he retracted his hand.

"Thank you," Orion thanked with a genuine smile, breathing a sigh of relief. "I did not know who else to turn to and Lady Morgana would not entertain that idea. I believe Rowan is innocent and has merely been used as a scapegoat by Soran."

"I was never fond of Soran. He seemed unsettling with unreadable intentions."

Lord Eldric was never one to speak ill of anyone regardless of their nature, yet his sudden opinion of Soran seemed like he was reassuring Orion that he wasn’t wrong or at fault to accuse the wicked Wickan.

It brought another smile to Orion’s face.

Perhaps his long-time unspoken feud between himself and Lord Eldric was finally at its end.

Just as he hoped it would be.