Chapter 36 #2
I carried her to the bedroom, where the bed’s dark furs and woolen blankets had already warmed in anticipation of our arrival. Setting her down carefully, I dried her off, my hands steady even if my mind wasn’t.
I took one of my sweatshirts out of the chest of drawers behind me and pulled it on over her head. It was far too big on her, but the sight of her in it stirred something in me. She looked fragile and utterly human, yet her eyes still held that quiet strength.
She sank back against the pillows, and I pulled the blankets up over her, tucking her in like she might disappear if I didn’t.
I sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re safe here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The words were a vow, one I would carve into my soul if I could.
It wasn’t the first time I’d spoken those words to her, but I needed to repeat them, needed to believe them. For Vivian. And for myself.
Tears glistened in her eyes, and a glimmer of trust pulsed through the bond.
“Thank you,” she whispered finally.
The flames cast long, flickering shadows across the walls, but even their warmth couldn’t chase away the cold knot of anger and fear coiled in my chest.
Vivian was fast asleep, curled up beneath the heavy blankets. The bond between us was steady now, yet it offered me little solace.
I moved to the cabinet built into the far wall, the hinges creaking softly as I opened it. Inside was an array of supplies—medical salves, potions, and herbs I’d spent years collecting. I grabbed the salve I needed from the top shelf.
I carried it back to the bedside table and unscrewed the lid, the soothing scent of chamomile and healing magic wafting into the air.
The salve glowed faintly, its surface shifting like liquid silver.
I dipped my fingers into the cool substance, feeling the tingle of its magic activating against my skin.
“Vivian,” I murmured softly, sitting beside her on the bed.
She stirred but didn’t wake.
“I need to take care of your wounds,” I said quietly, knowing she couldn’t hear me but feeling the need to say it aloud anyway. “This will help.”
Carefully, I pulled back the blanket and pushed up the sweatshirt, exposing the cuts and bruises. My chest tightened at the sight of them, my anger flaring anew. Each mark was a reminder of my father’s cruelty, a stain on her body that I would never forgive.
With painstaking gentleness, I began to apply the salve, smoothing it over each wound.
The magic in the salve activated immediately, its soft glow spreading across her skin as it began to heal the damage.
Vivian flinched at the initial contact, a whimper escaping her lips, and my heart clenched in response.
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
Her breathing steadied again, and I continued, working methodically until every cut and bruise was treated. By the time I finished, the worst of the injuries were already fading, the magic weaving its restorative threads beneath her skin.
I pulled the sweatshirt back down, then covered her with the blanket. She murmured unintelligibly in her sleep and shifted toward me. Warmth surged through the bond, steadying my fraying nerves.
But I couldn’t rest.
I pushed to my feet and paced the room. Adrenaline still coursed through my veins, a restless energy that refused to dissipate.
What now?
Eldora would act accordingly. The estate would run smoothly in my absence. She’d cover for me, ensuring that no one suspected anything was wrong.
But I couldn’t stay here forever.
My father wouldn’t let this go. He’d know I’d escaped, and he’d stop at nothing to find us. The safehouse had a multitude of magical wards, but even the strongest magic could be broken under the right circumstances. I needed a plan.
I stopped pacing and looked at Vivian. She needed time to heal, both physically and mentally. Time to recover from what my father had done to her.
I needed to give that to her.
Everything else could wait. Plans could wait. My father, the estate, the entire fucking Below could burn to the ground for all I cared right now. Vivian was my top priority.
Her face was soft in the firelight, her features relaxed for the first time in hours. She looked so small, so fragile, and the sight filled me with a fierce, protective determination.
Carefully, I lowered myself onto the bed beside her, the mattress shifting slightly under my weight. She didn’t stir. I wanted to wrap an arm around her and pull her close, but I stopped myself. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her or disturb her.
Instead, I settled for lying on my side, close enough that I could feel the warmth of her body through the blankets. I propped my head on my hand, watching her, my eyes tracing the soft curves of her face.
The fire crackled softly in the hearth. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees.
I watched her for hours, my mind slowly quieting as exhaustion began to creep in. Her presence was a steadying force that pulled me back from the edge of my own turmoil.
Eventually, I couldn’t fight it anymore. My eyes grew heavy, and my body sagged against the mattress. As sleep claimed me, I made a silent vow.
I will protect you, Vivian. No matter what it takes.