My Unchosen Ex Chases Reborn Me (Soren and Fiona) novel Chapter 282

Neglected 282 Summary

In Chapter 282 of “Neglected,” Lord Soren lies gravely injured, barely clinging to life. Fiona, who has risked everything out of love rather than duty, tends to him with urgency and tenderness. Despite his weakness, Soren finds a flicker of determination to survive, inspired by Fiona’s care and the thought of returning to Duchess Zonfrillo and Naomi. Fiona’s commitment is clear as she uses strips of linen to staunch his wounds and hides him in the shadowed corner of the dilapidated Custodian Shrine.

Fiona leaves to fetch medicine, having prepared Pearl beforehand to assist with rare herbs from Jexburgh, hoping to save Soren’s life. Upon her return, she finds Soren still alive and begins to clean and treat his numerous wounds with practiced care, using a healing brew gifted by Emperor Aldric. The scene is tense and somber, with Spencer’s dead body nearby serving as a grim reminder of the danger surrounding them.

As Soren stirs from a tortured sleep, he instinctively reaches for his sword, alert and wary despite his weakened state. Fiona gently teases him, breaking the tension, and they share a brief moment of connection amid the darkness. She then decides to swap Spencer’s clothes for Soren’s, intending to disguise him and protect his dignity, though Soren hesitates at the thought of wearing a dead man’s garments. Fiona reassures him with practical reasoning, emphasizing survival over ceremony.

The chapter ends with Soren forcing himself upright despite his wounds, determined to move forward, while Fiona expresses concern for his fragile condition. The atmosphere is heavy with danger and uncertainty, underscoring the precarious edge on which Soren’s life now balances.

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282 Edge of the Blade

Chapter 282: Edge of the Blade

“Lord Soren, you have to hold on. Duchess Zonfrillo and Naomi are waiting for you to come home,” Fiona urged softly, her voice steady despite the urgency in her tone.

Though his strength had almost deserted him, Soren managed to offer a silent promise in response. Deep inside, a fragile spark of determination flickered to life.

Fiona had faced steel and death to protect him, and a gentle warmth began to seep through the cracks of his battered spirit. In that moment, he realized something simple yet profound: he did not want to die.

Others—Quentin or any soldier sworn to his banner—had saved him out of duty. But Fiona’s actions were different; she had risked everything purely out of love.

“If you hadn’t insisted I learn swordsmanship, I would have been forced to watch you bleed out tonight, powerless,” she whispered, her voice a lifeline meant to anchor him. She feared that if his mind slipped into the darkness, it might never return.

The Custodian Shrine, once illuminated by flickering votive candles, now stood in a state of decay and neglect. Few travelers passed this forgotten road. Fiona’s gaze fell on Spencer’s lifeless body nearby—his eyes frozen in an empty stare, his build close enough to Soren’s to deceive a quick glance. He had come alone, which meant the band that had sent him was either spent or too scattered to strike again anytime soon.

Tearing linen into strips, Fiona pressed them firmly against Soren’s deep wounds before dragging his limp form into a shadowed corner. She covered him with straw from an abandoned offertory mat, creating a crude camouflage.

“I’ll go back and fetch some medicine. Wait here for me, Lord Soren,” she said, her voice gentle but resolute.

The carriage sped along the moonlit road, the wheels pounding a frantic rhythm against the uneven ruts.

For safety, Fiona had briefed Pearl hours earlier, and the attentive maid had begun preparing the medicine before dawn. The rare herbs Fiona had brought all the way from Jexburgh were finally proving their worth in this desperate hour.

Pausing in the corridor, Fiona hesitated for a moment and then whispered, “If Mother comes looking for me, tell her I’m already asleep. If she insists on coming in, remind her I haven’t slept in days. She’ll leave soon enough.”

On the journey back from the city, Fiona had battled two gnawing fears: that Soren might already be dead or that someone else might have found him first.

When she finally arrived at the shrine again, the courtyard was eerily silent—no footprints, no watchful eyes, no distant lanterns flickering in the night.

She slipped through the warped gate of the Custodian Shrine and carefully closed the broken door behind her, shutting the night’s chill outside.

Pushing aside the brittle straw, she found Soren exactly where she had left him—breathing, though barely. The once-pampered heir had wasted away; the softness of luxury still clung to him like a faint shadow, but strangely, the rawness of his condition suited him.

Because they had once been husband and wife, Fiona had no patience for modesty. With brisk, practiced movements, she peeled away his tattered clothes, washed away the dried blood with warm water, and pressed salve into wounds too numerous to count—some already swollen and infected, all gruesome.

The life-saving ginseng gifted by Emperor Aldric was ground into the healing brew. After nearly ten hours, sometime past dusk, Soren finally stirred, awakening from a deep, tortured sleep.

Now, Fiona sat between the barely living Soren and Spencer’s cooling corpse, a chill creeping over her despite the stagnant heat trapped inside the shrine.

Complete darkness pressed in around them. Soren caught sight of a shadow moving and, driven by instinct, his hand reached for the sword at his side, his gaze sharpening with the focus of a hunter.

A whisper, barely more than a breath, brushed his ear. “Lord Soren, are you awake?”

He tried to answer, but no sound emerged from his raw, battered throat.

What troubled him was the thought of Fiona’s gaze lingering on another man’s naked flesh—especially one already cold in death.

Everyone knew Spencer might have concealed a vial of poison somewhere beneath his robes. The thought slithered through the air like a warning snake, reminding them that none of them were truly safe.

Clamping a blood-slick hand to his ribs, Soren forced himself upright. “I’ll go,” he said, the words rasping out through clenched teeth.

“But Lord Soren, you’re wounded,” Fiona protested, concern sharpening her voice.

Conclusion

The chapter closes on a fragile yet powerful note, capturing the delicate balance between life and death that Soren teeters upon. Fiona’s unwavering devotion and fierce determination to save him illuminate the deep emotional bond that transcends mere duty or obligation. Her presence, tender but resolute, breathes hope into Soren’s battered spirit, reminding him of the life and love still waiting beyond the shadows of pain and despair. This quiet intimacy amidst chaos underscores the chapter’s themes of sacrifice, resilience, and the unyielding strength found in love.

Despite the physical and emotional toll, Soren’s flickering will to survive is rekindled by Fiona’s care and courage. Their shared history, marked by vulnerability and trust, becomes a lifeline in the darkness, suggesting that even at the edge of the blade, human connection can carve a path toward healing. The chapter leaves readers suspended in this moment of precarious hope, emphasizing that in the face of suffering, it is the bonds we forge that sustain us most deeply.

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the fragile balance between survival and vulnerability that Soren now faces. As he grapples with his injuries and the weight of recent betrayals, the tension between his physical frailty and the fierce determination to reclaim his place grows ever more palpable. Fiona’s unwavering devotion will be tested as she navigates the dangers that still lurk nearby, her courage and resourcefulness becoming crucial in the uncertain days ahead.

Amidst the shadows of the Custodian Shrine, secrets and suspicions simmer beneath the surface, hinting at unseen threats and uneasy alliances. The delicate interplay of trust and deception will challenge both Soren and Fiona, forcing them to confront not only external enemies but the emotional scars left by their shared past. Readers can expect a poignant exploration of loyalty, sacrifice, and the fragile hope that flickers even in the darkest moments.