"My baby," Neva says, cradling her weeping daughter.
She lovingly brushes away the damp strands of hair clinging to Inaya's forehead, careful around the bluish bruise.
Her softened eyes gaze at Inaya—the child's cheeks flushed and streaked with tears.
Inaya, choking on her sobs, wraps her arms around Neva's neck, nestling in the crook of her mother's shoulder.
"It's okay, Mumma's here," Neva coos, gently patting the small of her back.
Just some few minutes ago, Neva reunited with her distressed sons and a crying daughter in the living room.
She found Rhean absentmindedly brushing Zoro's fur, Isaiah sitting silently on the sofa, and May pacing back and forth near the glazed walls, carrying Inaya.
She rocked the child, like one would a baby, reassuringly rubbing circles accross Inaya's back in a soothing rhythm.
Now the boys are with Niall.
After reassuring them, Neva had sent them to help their grandpa with packing.
"She's been crying from the moment she awoke, asking for you." May says softly, tenderly stroking Inaya's tangled, messy hair, trying to smooth it down.
"When I finally got her to sleep after she had a late lunch, the noise just now startled her awake."
Neva knows the kind of noise May means. She lowers her gaze—guilty for all the pain and chaos these innocent children have had to endure because of their grievieously ill–fated mother.
"What happened Neva?" May asks, her voice laced with concern.
"Where were you, exactly?"
Neva heaves exhaustedly. "I was at Miraeth, with the twins' father."
Neva furrows her brows as she watches her aunt's face suddenly pale.
"That's impossible," May murmers, her voice tinged in disbelief.
Neva doesn't fail to notice a flickering fear in May's eyes—before it's quickly hidden behind a mask of nothingness.
"Do you know something about Miraeth, Aunt?"
"No," May replies, almost abruptly.
Neva pauses, studying her aunt.
May swallows hard, avoiding her scrutiny.
May swipes her tongue over her parched, cracked lower lip. "I've never heard of it."
"When do you plan to file for divorce from him?" May asks, deliberately steering away the conversation from Miraeth.
Neva's face shifts into a shade of restrained displeasure. "My marriage with him is invalid since I'm still legally married to Rhett." She says plainly. "Ishmael has no rights on me as long as my first, genuine marriage remains legally intact."
She says as if she needs him to still agree—as if she's reminding herself, assuring herself, too.
"That's true, indeed." May says, wanting to settle on some form of agreement.
"Oh, my poor child." May gives Neva a pitiful, weary look.
"Fate has been unreasonably cruel to you."
Neva offers her aunt a small smile. She reaches for May's hand. "Thank you for everything, Aunt. And I'm sorry for the things I put you through."
May shakes her head. "You are my own blood. You owe me nothing."
She takes Neva's hand and presses a kiss to it.
Neva smiles—but then her expression shifts, growing serious. "You know about Miraeth, right?"
Neva feels May's body stiffen.
"What—what are you talking about?" May's voice tremble. Her eyes are fearful, her pupils quivering as she furrows her brows.
Neva knits her brows, watching her closely.
May, definitely is keeping something from her.
But Why? What was her reason?
"I'm headed to Miraeth tonight. Ishmael will be with us. He's the only one who knows the way."
Her aunt stares at her in disbelief, fold lines in her forehead deepening. "You must be out of your mind!"
"Please, Aunt... don't hide anything from me. I've been called to a responsibility to serve the people there—" Neva pauses, her words tangled, emotions rising.
"Aunt!"
May suddenly sways. Neva's eyes widens as her hand reflexively grasps her aunt's elbow, steadying her before she can fall.
May lifts a trembling hand, attempting to steady herself on wobbly legs.
She rubs her chest and swallows hard.
Neva wraps one arm around May, while the other carries her sleeping daughter.
Gently, she leads May to the sofa and helps her sit.
The settling beside her, Neva shifts the child on her lap.
Neva adjusts Inaya's posture and gently covers her pale, drooping chubby legs with the red–kintted frock.
"My dear..." May murmers, her voice thick with sorrow.
It's as if the weight of these past hours has aged her by years.
A huge stone weighs over May's chest with all of Neva's unknown, unanswered questions crammed inside her heart.
"It's all right if you can't tell me" Neva says carefully.
"The man who took me to Miraeth said my memories will return through dreams and visions."
"What man?" May frowns. "How did you get there exactly?" She asks in desperation.
"He says he's a messenger from God." Neva replies.
She turns her head to the curtained glazed window.
Her brows stiffens as she recalls back to when she was on the balcony—before she mysteriously awoke in Miraeth like a faraway dream.
Neva meets her eyes. "All I can say is I have a strong faith in him."
May's eyes reveal equal parts of confusion and skepticism.
"You don't have to believe me." Neva says, chuckling lightly to herself. "Someone like me being the chosen sounds ridiculous,"
May shakes her head and sighs. "I never meant it that way." She places a hand over Neva's. "You have always been special, my child. Don't belittle yourself.
I'm just worried it might be a manipulation from Isaiah's father."
"He has nothing to do with this," Neva says firmly. "I know it.
May falls silent. A pause settles in the air before she finally speaks, her voice laced with curiosity. "How would Isaiah's father even know the way to Miraeth?"
"It's from him that I know about the Island's existence," Neva replies, patting her daughter's back to sleep as the child stirs lightly.
May frowns. "What do you mean?"
"He told me we were both orphans from Miraeth. And that an old man raised us."
"What more did he say?" May's voice is flaked with emotion, barely above a whisper.
Neva closes her eyes and exhales slowly.
"Leave it be. I can believe it now—especially after seeing Miraeth with my own eyes. I'll eventually uncover the whole truth myself."
"I don't want you to go there. Especially not with that man," May declares sharply.
"Aunt," dissapointment clouds Neva's expression.
"I will tell you everything I know. Please, reconsider, my child."
She gently caresses Neva's cheek.
"For your loving children. For the husband who loves you earnestly. When you went missing, it is I—who saw him restlessly searching for you—until he was called back because of the wildfire."
She gives her niece a beseeching look. "Please, don't trouble your marriage any further."
May's words carves a stinging hole in Neva's heart.
She turns her withered face away, and in a grim tone, says, "It is decided."
"Choose goodness over greatness, my dear. Anytime. Everytime.
Don't go there, I beg you." Her voice breaks.
Neva stares at her, incredulous.
"Is it wrong to fear the Invincible? Or to feel anxious over the unthinkable?
Is it not goodness to try and prevent, with everything I have, the demise of our future?"
"Death comes to all. The rapture is near.
The world is ending soon," May says, unrelenting.
Tears of gnawing fear, confusion, a flicker of hope, and waves of agression all weave together, blurring Neva's eyes.
"I've been warned to choose—not an easy way from this."
"I don't want to face death with regrets about what I could've done," she says through gritted teeth.
"About what I could've chosen."
The remaining flicker of expectations in May's eyes dims.
"So, you've already made up your mind."
"I did." Neva replies firmly.
"Neva,"
Neva turns to find the owner of the familiar voice and locks gaze with Rhett, who stands at the entrance.
"I need to talk to you." Rhett says.
She nods. "Sure."
May stands and places a comforting hand on Neva's shoulder.
Neva meets her eyes.
May smiles weakly. "My good child," she says as she leans forward and kisses Neva on the forehead.
"Have courage," she whispers, her warm, minty breath lingering over Neva's skin.
Then, she straightens and walks to the door, stopping right in front of Rhett.
Rhett freezes as May embraces him.
"No words can describe how thankful I am to you, son." She pulls away and takes his hand in hers.
"Nothing I do can measure up to what you've done for us—for my Neva.
Even now, this old woman can only burden you with one more request: keep my daughter by your side—with love, respect, and understanding."
Rhett gives a faint nod. His gaze traces to Neva, their eyes threading and holding.
"You marriage have mine and Niall's blessing. And surely, it is wonderfully blessed by the greater Lord." May smiles, "Cherish that."
"I will," he replies, conviction in his gaze.
May releases his hand and begins to move toward the door.
"I have a request too," Rhett says, making May stop in her tracks.
She turns to face him. "Yes?"
"May I entrust Rhean to you until we return? But I'm afraid, we don't know for how long will we be away."
"Sure. But are you certain you wouldn't want him along?" She glances at Neva for assurance.
Neva nods—aligned with Rhett's decision.
"Yes. We're sure." Rhett replies.
"Then I'd be delighted to care for him." May says with a warm smile.