Ascension Of The Villain-Chapter 259: Not Ever Again

Vyan stepped into his dimly lit bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a sigh that carried the weight of the entire day. His body ached—not from physical exhaustion but from the endless mental strain of keeping Althea in the dark.

"Where have you been?" Iyana's voice was soft but laced with quiet concern. She stood near the window, arms loosely crossed, the faint glow of the moon outlining her figure. "I've been waiting for you."

He ran a tired hand through his hair. "I was with Thea the entire day. Keeping her distracted. Making sure no one told her anything about Clyde." He exhaled sharply, as if finally setting down a burden.

Iyana's expression softened, and she stepped forward, her sadness visible in the way her lips pressed together. Without a word, she placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him gently to sit on the edge of the bed. Her touch was steady, grounding, and he let himself sink into it.

"Anyway," he muttered, rubbing his temples, "what's the update? Did you find anything?"

She shook her head, unbuttoning his vest with careful fingers. "My team has been searching the entire city, but… nothing so far." Her movements were slow, deliberate, as if peeling away the weight of the day alongside his clothing. She undid his tie, letting it slip through her fingers before placing it aside.

Vyan hummed, leaning back slightly. "I should have been nicer to Clyde the last time we talked."

Iyana stilled for a moment before her hand came up to his face, brushing his bangs aside as her fingertips traced the faint scar on his forehead. "It's okay. You didn't know."

"Yes, but…" he sighed, shutting his eyes briefly. "Where could they have kept him…"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she ran her fingers through his hair, slow and soothing, helping his mind untangle itself from frustration and exhaustion. The simple gesture worked—his tensed shoulders relaxed bit by bit.

"Did you eat anything today?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, I had to. Since I was with Thea, it would have looked suspicious if I didn't. Though, honestly, I felt like throwing up after eating."

"Aww, my love," she murmured, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "We'll find Clyde. You know that, right?"

"I know," he admitted. "But when? I can't think of any place they could be keeping him."

"Don't lose hope, Vee."

Her fingers continued their slow movements in his hair, and for the first time all day, he felt a little more at ease. He let out a faint chuckle. "Thanks for being here. Otherwise, I might have been going crazy right about now."

She chuckled softly, resting her forehead against his. "I know you. You are your own worst enemy."

He huffed a small laugh. "I couldn't agree more."

For now, in this quiet moment, he let himself take comfort in her presence—the warmth of her hands, the steady rhythm of her touch, and the promise that they wouldn't stop searching. But even as he closed his eyes, exhaustion pulling at him, an uneasy feeling curled in the back of his mind.

Something felt off.

No leads, no ransom, no trail—it was too deliberate, too clean..

Vyan wanted to keep hope. A hope that they wouldn't hurt a hostage. If Clyde had been taken to weaken Althea, then logic dictated he would be kept alive. Used as leverage. But then why had there been nothing? No demands. No threats. Just silence.

Vyan exhaled slowly, allowing himself to sink into Iyana's touch, but the foreboding feeling only tightened its grip.

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And somewhere, far beyond the manor walls, something was already in motion—something that would shatter the fragile hope they were holding onto.

———

The morning rays filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Iyana's eyes snapped open at the faint but unmistakable sound of fast-approaching footsteps outside. Instincts honed from years of discipline told her trouble was near.

She shifted slightly, only to realize Vyan was still asleep, his arms wrapped securely around her. His hold was loose but warm, as if even in unconsciousness, he sought comfort in her presence.

And then—

Hysterical knocking.

Loud. Desperate. Unrelenting.

Vyan stirred with a groggy grumble. "Who is it…?" His voice was thick with sleep, but Iyana was already sitting up, reaching for the nearest robe.

"I'll check," she murmured, but before she could even take a step—

"VYAN, OPEN UP!"

Althea.

The sheer panic in her voice had Vyan fully awake in an instant. He bolted upright, sleep vanishing as if it had never existed, and stumbled toward the door, yanking it open.

Althea stood there, face tear-streaked, eyes red and swollen.

Vyan didn't need to ask. The sinking weight in his stomach told him everything—she knew.

"Thea—" He reached for her, his voice carefully measured, guilt creeping into his tone. "Listen, I—I'm sorry for hiding it from you. I just—"

But she wasn't listening. She was shaking, breaths uneven, her entire frame trembling as she tried to find words that refused to come out.

Iyana stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Althea, I know you're upset, but Vyan did it to protect you. The coronation is near, and—"

Althea shook her head violently. "No, no, it's not that…!"

Vyan's brows furrowed. A sharp, gnawing unease settled in his chest. "Then what is it?"

But she couldn't speak. Her lips quivered as she tried, but the words only came out as shallow gasps between sobs.

Then, with shaking hands, she threw something at him.

A small box.

Vyan caught it instinctively, confusion flashing across his face. He turned it over in his hands, feeling the strange weight of it. It was light but… wrong.

For a long second, no one spoke. The world seemed to narrow to just the object in his hands. Slowly, carefully, he pried it open—

Inside, nestled against bloodstained fabric, were two severed fingers.

The air left his lungs.

Iyana inhaled sharply beside him, but he barely registered it. The sight of the cleanly cut fingers with silver rings on them—odd, unique, carved with magical spells, unmistakably Clyde's—burned itself into his vision.

A roaring silence filled the space between them, stretching unbearably.

Althea's voice cracked as she whispered, "He is not going to be with me… He is not going to be with me ever again."

The weight of her words hit harder than a physical blow.

For the first time in a long time, Vyan felt truly, utterly cold.