Chapter 856: 856-I Know You Remember Me, My Mate
Helanie:
"She is lying to you," Maximus hissed.
"This girl over here, do you not remember her?" he continued.
Thankfully, while I was stunned by Emmet’s shifting expressions, Maximus was still trying to wake him up.
"Emmet, this is your mate, Helanie," Maximus repeated, introducing me properly. I took a deep breath.
"Emmet!" As soon as I said his name, I watched Emmet’s scrunched eyes relax, understanding and affection softened his face until Azura took his hand and shook him awake, or put him back in a daze.
"She is lying. They are evil like this. This is how they fool others. Now look, she has brought some old woman with her," Azura said, eyeing the gray woman as if even she couldn’t understand why her mother was here.
"I admit she’s lying to you. This is not some princess. This is your dream world. Why do you think there is nobody else here but you?" I said, trying to make him understand.
Every time I spoke, his face softened. But every time Azura held his hand, the confusion and scrunch returned.
"But you are not the only one in this world. We are here, aren’t we?" she pressed Emmet.
"Look, I don’t want to drag you into this, but you became the hero and you offered to help me. That’s the only reason I’m hoping you won’t fall for this woman’s tricks. She is a negative entity. She has been trying to take over this world. Look what she has made of it. No one here seems to be in their right mind, not even that man who claims to be your brother. Do you remember him as your brother?" Azura continued, giving Emmet a pouting look.
"She is telling the truth," the gray woman said, starting to speak.
I glared at her and gripped her hand, shaking it.
"Look, look what she is doing. She doesn’t even want her to speak." Azura jumped on the chance and shouted, "Old woman, please, say what you have to say."
I hated the way Azura spoke, all dainty and princess-like to her subjects. "These two," the gray woman began, "They said they would pay me if I came here and told them they were the nice ones and the queen was the bad one. But when I saw the queen again, I couldn’t hold it together. I cannot lie."
She tore up as she spoke.
"I don’t see you denying it, " Emmet called out to me, and I smiled meekly, tearful as I admired him and his voice.
"I was just waiting to hear you, listening to your voice. It is still so soothing, Emmet," I murmured, and I noticed his eyes crinkle a little.
"She is trying to seduce you, that is what she does," Azura spat.
"Do you think that is what I am doing, Emmet?" I asked.
"Tell her you don’t believe her. Tell her, Emmet, you are not going to be as weak as the others, and believe this cunning seductress’ lies," Azura urged, shaking him slightly to force him to say those hurtful words.
"It’s okay. You can say that to me, Emmet. If that is what makes you happier, I’ll be more than happy to hear it," I mumbled, then closed my eyes and felt my throat tighten.
"You are not helping yourself. You are not explaining your side," Emmet grunted at me. I smiled while shaking my head.
Thankfully, Maximus was not interrupting, standing nearby just in case. However, I did not think Emmet would go as far as to attack me.
"The fact that my silence is making you anxious, and you want me to defend myself, tells me deep down you know I am telling the truth. Or why else would you want someone who is guilty to have chances to explain herself?" I said.
Azura frowned and wrapped her arm around Emmet’s arm, pulling herself closer to him.
"And bitch, step away from my man," I snapped, clenching my fist and yelling because I could not bear to see her get so close to him. She had the nerve to stand there hugging him.
"Look how quickly her tone changes. You cannot believe her, please, Emmet," Azura insisted.
At that point I watched Emmet steadily free himself from her grip. He began to step away from all of us.
"Emmet, seriously? I thought you believed me. I thought you promised to take care of me," Azura yapped.
But Emmet shook his head and pointed at his chest.
"You need to remind me of something, because it seems all my memories are gone. How is that possible? What is this place? What am I?" he yelled at Azura, demanding answers.
"I told you what this place is. It is my land. I am the princess here," she said in a soft, gentle tone.
"Really? If that’s the case, then why do you remember everything but I don’t?" Emmet demanded, pointing at his chest.
She opened her mouth, then shut it.
"These people did it. They’re wiping memories," the gray woman shouted, helping her daughter when she couldn’t come up with a better excuse.
Azura nodded, instantly agreeing. Then Emmet turned to me.
"Now you tell me. What do you think is going on? What is this world?" he asked, hands on his hips.
"It’s a dream world. Your dream world. You entered it temporarily to prevent your curse from killing you. I have come here to collect you. I am your mate from the main world," I said, watching him shake his head.
"I don’t remember anything. What you’re saying doesn’t even make any sense," he complained.
"It’s okay. Because this is your dream world, you’re the only one who doesn’t remember. You’re stuck in here," I tried to explain, but Azura started chuckling.
"Would that make any sense? How did you enter? Ask her how you entered this world and watch her say there was some rock, some diamond, something small," Azura sneered. She was already planting breadcrumbs to make me look foolish.