Chapter 898

They say what you think about during the day appears in your dreams at night. The night before Keira planned to visit Jace, she dreamed of him. He stood at the foot of her bed, dressed in a pure white monk’s robe. “Rea, look at me,” he said softly.

Hearing his voice, Keira opened her eyes. The moment she saw him, she felt a wave of disorientation, as if the person before her wasn’t him but a celestial being descended from the heavens. “Why are you here? I was just about to visit you,” Keira said, sitting up slowly.

“Mm, I know. That’s why I came to see you first,” Jace replied. He was the same as Keira remembered, but thinner, and an air of ethereal detachment clung to him.

“But you didn’t answer my calls. I was so worried about you,” Keira said with a smile, though her heart felt heavy, as though something was pressing down on it.

“My fault,” he said, reaching out to pat her head. “But from now on, you don’t need to worry about me anymore.”

“Jace, I bought a courtyard to open a tea shop. I want you to help me name it—something with a touch of Zen,” Keira told him.

Keira hadn’t even mentioned this to Hayden. Maybe it was because she had grown up visiting Cloudscape Monastery and listening to sermons, but she had developed an innate fondness for Zen. She wanted the courtyard’s name to reflect that.

Jace didn’t hesitate. “Call it Ethereal Essence.”

Keira lit up with joy. “Perfect! I love it. When it opens, you have to be there.”

He didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he looked at her, his eyes deep and serene. “Rea… you’ll be happy. You’ll carry all of our blessings with you and live a joyful life.”

A pang of pain tightened in her chest. “Why are you suddenly giving me your blessings?”

He smiled faintly. “Rea, it’s been a joy to come to this world and share love with you.”

As he spoke, his figure began to blur. Keira thought she was imagining it, so she rubbed her eyes. But when she looked again, he had grown even fainter, his image shimmering like a mirage. Then, he started to float upward.

“Jace! Jace!” Keira shouted, reaching out for him, but her hands grasped at empty air. He looked down at her one last time. “Rea, I’ll always protect you,” he said, waving as he disappeared.

A wave of fear surged through her. She screamed his name and reached for him again—only to feel someone grab her hand. Keira woke up, or perhaps she had never really been asleep.

“Kiki, what’s wrong?” Hayden’s voice was anxious as he shook her gently. She kept staring at the empty space where Jace had vanished. “I dreamed about him, Hayden. He disappeared.”

Hayden pulled Keira into his arms. His hand clasped hers, and it was only then that she realized how cold her hands were. He kissed her forehead and said softly, “Don’t worry. When the sun comes up, we’ll go see him.”

Keira closed her eyes and whispered, “What time is it now?”

“Three thirty-three,” he replied, holding her close. Even with his warmth, she couldn’t shake the chill that had settled deep inside her. Her body felt hollow, as though she might float away at any moment.

She couldn’t go back to sleep. The ache in her heart was relentless. Hayden, seeing her state, got up with her and made breakfast, though she couldn’t eat. He didn’t force her but packed some food for the journey instead.

They arrived at Cloudscape Monastery by five, just as the first light of dawn broke over the horizon. Hayden glanced at her still-pale face. “Feeling any better?”

Not wanting him to worry, Keira nodded, though it was a lie. But he saw through it easily. He handed her a warm bottle of milk. “Drink this to warm up a bit. If you look like this when he sees you, he’ll be worried too.”

His words struck a chord. Keira didn’t want Jace to worry about her. She took a few sips before handing the bottle back to Hayden. He wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin and said, “Come on, let’s go inside.”

He took her hand and led her to the monastery’s gates, only to find them locked. “We’re early,” Hayden said, glancing around. “Let’s wait a bit. In the meantime, let’s take in the scenery and see if there are any interesting rocks or trees we can bring back for the courtyard.”

His suggestion brought a faint smile to her lips, though the heaviness in her heart hadn’t fully lifted.

Chapter 899