The Forgotten Luna (Adessa)

LADESSA.

Meeting Erika was a pleasant surprise. She was very motherly and immediately offered a home-cooked meal that I'd been missing. In the last three weeks, my only good meal was when I was with Aunt Aria, so my growling stomach welcomed the warm meal she shared with us. During mealtime, she finally confessed that she had seen the news that the King's Court was looking for me. But the moment I showed up here with Kael, she knew there was something more to it than just me killing them. And I was grateful for her honesty.

Kael then talked about his accident and him losing his memory. She didn't hide her animosity with Miranda and directly told Kael how disgusting her behavior was toward me. I was glad Kael didn't defend his stepmother this time.

"I've heard about the accident, but I never thought it was that bad as I called, and I was told you were resting. I called twice after that, and I was given different excuses. The excuses seemed like you were working and not in a coma." She said, and I could see the displeasure in her expression.

"I was in a coma for a month."

"Have you been thoroughly checked after you woke up, or did you just go ahead and work? Not checking your blood and vitals?"

"They did check me."

"Was it Gideon who checked you?"

Gideon was the family physician, but he was not the one who took care of Kael. He was out of the country when the accident happened and had not been back even before I left.

"No. He was on vacation when I was in a coma."

"What?" She gasped in surprise. "And he didn't cut his vacation to check on you? Something is fishy here. He is your godfather, Kael. He dropped everything when you had a wall-climbing accident, and you were barely injured then. Now you're telling me he didn't even pay you a visit when you are almost as good as dead? Unless they didn't tell him like they hid it from me."

"I'm sorry. I should have been the one who kept contact with Gideon, but I did call him, and he was unreachable. Then Dr. Carlitos came, and they said he was also a family physician. In the one year we were together, we never really had medical emergencies, so I was not that familiar with that aspect, and all I wanted was for Kael to wake up." I explained.

"No one is blaming you, sweetheart," Erika said as she looked at me, and her expression softened. "If Miranda was around, I'm sure she'd use her authority over everyone else."

She then shook her head. "I will call a friend. He's a doctor. I want you checked and see if you are already okay."

"I'm okay."

"I know you would say that, but let's make sure you are really okay. Adessa needs you one hundred percent and not just a portion of your strength."

"Fine." Kael chuckled.

"In the beginning, they made it appear in the news that you were the suspect in that accident. Until they couldn't find any proof." Erika added, looking at me again. Kael's head snapped in my direction. "They did what?" He was almost growling. "Why didn't I know that?"

"I just didn't have time to tell you, but I was not sent for trial or anything as the crime scene investigator immediately ruled that accident as no foul play." "This is not good," Kael said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my heart thundering.

"If people heard from the news they initially pointed my accident to you, they might use it in the case against you. That you have a record..."

"Don't say that. I didn't do anything wrong. They can kill me for killing Draco's men, but I will stand my ground that I didn't do anything to hurt you or never plan to hurt you!" My voice was slightly higher. I meant

every word I said. The World

could judge me for killing two people, but I wanted to make sure Kael would never doubt that I would never harm him.

"Relax. This is not me saying you harmed me." He reached for my hand on the top of the table and rubbed it before entwining it with him.

I saw Erika's eyes looking at them before letting out a deep sigh. "I'm glad I'd spoken with you two, or I would still be under the impression she was guilty of those killings, basing it on the news I watched."

"I did kill them," I mumbled.

"Oh, I would, too, sweetheart. I would butcher them until no one could identify them anymore. Just because they thought they were stronger than women, they could do as they pleased. No. Not with me. I'm glad we are two people short of those gross bastards." I bit my bottom lip and caught Kael winking at me.

"So, what are your plans? You don't need to tell me everything, but why are you here?"

"We need a place to stay so we can sleep without worry, even for a night," Kael told her.

"You're not planning to run away forever, right?"

"No."

"Good. Because that's not the life I want for you, Kael. And since you are married, it means life for both of you. I don't want to visit your kids in a secret location while keeping an eye out for anyone who might be following me."

I couldn't help the smile that graced my lips with her words.

"You will let me meet my bonus grandchildren, right?"

"Of course," Kael said.

"Good. Because Miranda kicked me

out of your life completely, and I understand that because Khalid was still alive then. But now that he's

gone, there's no reason for her tonet

think want to connect with you because of him." She was smiling, but I saw the pain in her eyes, and for some reason, it made me sad.

I was certain that the pain I saw in her was the same pain I saw in mine when I looked at my reflection in the mirror days after Kael rejected me. She still loved him.

"Did you remarry?" I asked before I realized I was being intrusive

But Erika seemed not to mind my question. She shook her head and responded. "No. I'm done with all the heartbreak. I'm better off alone." She chuckled softly before she clasped her hands together. "Oh, Sasha is on her way here with her son. I can't stop them from going here today, as the reception is bad around here."

"Sasha?" I asked, but I already had an inkling who it was.

"My daughter. Her husband, a human, passed away last year due to illness. They often come here when my grandson is on school break."