Chapter 30
My mouth falls open as I look between Kieran and Mother.
“He’s telling the truth,” Mother says. “You were perfectly fine and then all of a sudden the doctor came rushing in and was trying to get your heart to start beating.”
Tears pool in my eyes and fall down my face as I look at Mother. She had to watch all of that. Kieran had to feel it through the bond and also see it with his own eyes.
“Do—” I take a deep breath. “Do they know why it stopped? How did he know it stopped?”
So many questions run through my head from the information he just gave me.
Kieran shakes his head. “We have heightened hearing and he was paying attention to it while your mother was here. When he heard only one heart beat in the room, he knew something was wrong. They don’t know why me leaving triggered it, but I’m not leaving you again.
If I have to go talk to people, you are coming with me or they are meeting us here.
If I have to talk to all the people to explain things, you are going to be right behind me, sitting in a chair. ”
“Could it be because of the wi—” I stop myself from even uttering what she is. “Have you found her?”
Terror runs through me as my eyes look around the room. Could she be in the room right now listening to everything being said? Was she behind my heart stopping when he left?
Kieran quickly hands the baby to my mother and cups my face with his hands, forcing me to make eye contact with him.
“We are not going to think like that.” Kieran gives me a firm look. “You are not going to give her any time in your mind.”
“How?” I ask. “Have you found her?”
I need to know the answer. The last thing I remember was her disappearing right before my eyes. Where could she have possibly escaped to?
“We haven’t found her yet, but we are going to. You don’t need to worry about it,” Kieran tells me.
“How can I not?” My voice breaks.
Anxiety runs through my body with all the scenarios going through my head.
“Because she cannot get into the palace,” Kieran says. “We have gotten rid of everything that she owned in the palace and cleaned the whole place so she can’t come back in. We have set up precautions that will work.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
He nods. “I wouldn’t lie to you. You are safe in the palace. She cannot enter here any longer. And while we haven’t found her, we are actively searching for her carefully so nothing bad happens to the people looking for her.”
“O-okay,” I mutter.
Kieran pulls me into his chest and holds me close, making my whole body relax into his embrace.
“I will see you later. You talk to your mate,” Mother gently interrupts.
“You don’t have to go,” I quickly say and start coughing.
“You are still healing and just woke up. Spend some time with him. I’m going to be in my room in the palace so I won’t be far,” she says and slips out of the room.
“Her room in the palace?” I ask.
Kieran nods as he helps me sit up in the bed.
“It was one of the first things I ordered Elias to do. Get your mother and baby brother with some of their belongings and have them move in here so I could keep an eye on them better,” Kieran explains.
“I didn’t want them to be in danger in case the humans found out you were my mate and they did something to your mother and brother in retaliation. ”
“Do you really think they would do something like that?” I ask, worry running through me now.
What if we can never walk back in town without having guards with us?
“Anything is possible right now,” he replies. “Times like this are very unknown and if anyone is frightened enough, they will do anything to keep themselves safe.”
Just like me. At one point I was willing to do anything to keep my family safe.
“But you don’t need to worry about them. I am going to keep each and every one of you safe from harm. Whenever we go out we will have guards with us just in case.” Kieran kisses my forehead.
I sigh in relief as he holds me close to him. Oh, how I have missed being in his arms, and now we don’t have to hide it.
“How bad is it out there?” I ask. “Have I really only been out for three days?”
He nods. “It’s only been three days. I was worried you would be out for a week or a month or never woke up.”
Kieran completely ignores my first question. Is it really that bad out there?
“Don’t worry, you are going to be okay,” Kieran whispers.
“Kieran.” I manage to pull away from him and look up.
“Sweets,” he mumbles.
“Can you please answer my question?” I ask. “Honestly.”
He sighs. “I don’t want to lie to you but I also don’t want you to worry about things while you are recovering.”
“I’m okay,” I try and reassure him. “I’m stronger than you think.”
Kieran cups my cheeks with his hands and gently caresses my cheeks.
“I know you’re strong. With everything you’ve been through, you are incredibly strong, but I don’t want you to always have to be strong and go through things.
I want to take care of you and make sure that you have periods of rest and can recover from things. ”
A small smile forms on my face. “And I appreciate that. I really do, but I do want to know what is going on with everything out there.”
“Are you sure?” he asks.
I nod. “I’m positive. I really want to know what has happened in the three days that I was out. Is it a mess out there?”
“Not a mess but people are on edge and want to know what’s going to happen.
Things are changing and not everyone likes when their lives change,” Kieran says.
“Humans have been in control for over three hundred years and the curse breaking and Fae ruling is a big change. I’m not expecting things to go smoothly in the beginning.
We just have to patiently show them that they aren’t going to be in danger and I want us all to be equals. ”
“Is there anything that I can do to help you?” I ask. “Maybe I can say something or we can show them that you guys aren’t bad people.”
“If there is something that needs to be done, I will tell you, but right now the only thing you need to worry about is recovering from this. You are going to get better and stronger before you try to do anything.”
“Kieran, you really need to go out there and talk to them,” Elias says as he walks into the room.
“What’s going on now?” Kieran asks.
I yawn and look over at Elias. I was just about to fall asleep when he came walking in. Some much needed sleep.
“Some of the humans are demanding that you talk to them and explain what is going to be happening in the future,” Elias explains. “They are saying if you don’t come and talk to them that they are going to start a riot.”
I grab Kieran’s hand and give it a squeeze. “It’s okay for you to go and talk to them. I’m awake and nothing is going to happen.”
“I’m not taking that chance.” He gives me a sharp look. “I don’t want it to happen again.”
“Then I’ll sit on a chair behind you while you talk to them.” I suggest the same thing he said a while ago.
Kieran shakes his head. “I don’t want you to be out in the elements while you are still recovering. You look like you are sick and I don’t want them to get the wrong idea that I’m holding you hostage or have harmed you in any way.”
“Then we’ll show them that you aren’t doing any of those things. They know me and they know I wouldn’t lie to them,” I say.
But I have lied to them several times. When I came back after getting beaten up by Avira’s helper. Though at times I wonder if they knew it was all a lie about me getting mugged and they were just keeping up the lie so I wouldn’t get in trouble.
“They are also demanding to see Adeline and her mother,” Elias says. “They know you have them and they want to see if they are okay.”
“Kieran, you can’t put this off,” I tell him. “I know you want to protect me and make sure that I have the right environment to heal but this needs to be done or you are going to have a lot more trouble on your plate.”
He sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “I know.”
“You are going to be with me and my mom the whole time. You aren’t going anywhere. I’ll be safe,” I reassure him.
“And if you feel bad at any point you tell me right away out loud or through the bond and we’ll stop it,” he tells me as he makes eye contact.
“Yes,” I agree.
“And if you get too overwhelmed you also let me know. You are supposed to be resting and not putting much strain on your body,” he continues. “If anything, and I mean anything, feels off you just let me know.”
“Kieran,” I gently call.
“I’m going to be okay.”
“I know, I’m just worried,” he whispers.
“Everything is going to be okay. You will be with me the whole time.”