“Bad news, Oberon and Veronica escaped from the battlefield,” Caspian announced, his gaze still trained on Lienna’s fragile form. Adonis stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he raised his head to meet Caspian’s somber expression.
“The good news?” Adonis asked, his voice barely audible, laced with a mix of anxiety and hope.
Caspian’s expression turned slightly optimistic. “We were able to vanquish most of his forces, so they’ve been reduced significantly.”
Adonis let out a sigh, hints of relief escaping with his breath. The tension in his shoulders eased, but only slightly. Silence settled over the tent, punctuated only by Lienna’s shallow breathing.
Caspian broke the silence, his voice tinged with concern. “What about Lienna? How is she?”
Adonis leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead as if trying to massage away the worry. “Her condition is still critical, and she’s yet to wake up. We don’t know when she will, or if she’ll even recover.”
The words hung in the air, casting a cloud of despair over the tent.
Lienna’s body lay before them, a stark reminder of their failure to protect her. Bruises, cuts, and wounds marred her skin, her complexion deathly pale. Her face was sunken, her eyes closed as if she was already dead. Only the faint rise and fall of her chest betrayed the fact that she wasn’t a corpse.
Guilt hung heavy in the air, a collective weight they couldn’t shake.
“You said she was dead at a point?” Hermes asked, breaking the silence. Confusion etched his face.
Adonis’s gaze drifted back to Lienna, his eyes haunted. “I thought she was. She wasn’t responding to anything; I couldn’t hear her heartbeat. I had to mark her out of desperation. The bond formed, and it was the only way I knew she was still alive.”
Hermes’s eyes widened, understanding dawning. “The mark… It’s what kept her tied to life.”
Adonis nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. “Now we need her to wake up so we can ensure she is alright.”
Caspian’s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with anger. “Luckily I don’t think Oberon will be bothering us anytime soon so we still have some time with to look after her.”
“I hope so…” Adonis muttered, his voice suddenly weary, weighed down by the uncertainty surrounding Lienna’s fate.
Caspian watched Lienna’s unmoving form for a poignant moment before taking deliberate steps forward, his eyes locked on hers. Her hair still boasted streaks of white, a stark reminder of the ordeal she’d endured. Her complexion remained ghastly, a testament to the severity of her injuries.
Unable to resist, Caspian reached out to brush away the strands of hair stuck to her face. His heart swelled with guilt and anger, emotions he’d suppressed during the battle. Now, in the relative calm, he acknowledged the depth of his feelings.
As a dragon shifter, Caspian rarely surrendered to his beastly instincts. Yet, seeing Lienna in Veronica’s hold had unleashed a primal fury within him. He’d shifted without hesitation, driven by a desperate need to protect her.
The realization struck him like a hammer: his feelings for Lienna ran far deeper than he cared to admit. It was a truth he longed to explore, but only when she woke up.
Straightening, Caspian pulled his fingers away from Lienna’s cheeks, reluctant to break contact.
“We need to leave,” he announced, his voice low and urgent. “We’ve been staring at her for hours now.”
Adonis and Hermes turned to him, their faces mirroring their reluctance to part with Lienna. But they had duties and responsibilities to fulfill.
Adonis clearly hesitated, unwilling to leave Lienna’s side. Hermes, however, rose to his feet, his movements deliberate.
He approached Lienna, his eyes drinking in every detail of her face. Bending down, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin.
“We’ll be here when you wake up,” Hermes whispered, his voice barely audible.
As he pulled away, his gaze lingered on Lienna’s face, etching her features into his memory.
Caspian nodded, his voice firm. “We’ll return soon. We have to strategize and regroup.”
Adonis finally stood, his movements slow, as if anchored to Lienna’s side.
“I’ll stay with her,” Adonis said, his voice resolute.
Caspian nodded. “I’ll leave a few guards. We’ll rotate, ensuring she’s always protected.”
With one last glance at Lienna, Hermes and Caspian departed, leaving Adonis to keep watch.
The silence that followed was oppressive, punctuated only by Lienna’s shallow breathing. Adonis’s eyes never left hers, his heart aching with every passing moment.
Days passed, and while they were deep in preparations for another battle, a healer rushed into the tent where they held their strategy meeting, his breathing heavy from running. “She’s awake, your majesties.” He rushed out, bowing his head. The urgency in his voice was palpable.
Caspian stiffened on his feet, his eyes locking onto the healer before darting around the room. Hermes and Adonis had also tensed, their faces set with surprise.
Taking a deep breath, Caspian stood to his feet with a gentle rap on the table. “This meeting is dismissed. I’ll call on you later.” His voice reverberated through the entire room, commanding attention.
The room emptied swiftly, leaving only the shifter kings. Almost instantly, they filed out of the tent, their long strides eating up the distance to her quarters. The tension between them was palpable.
Upon arriving at Lienna’s tent, they found a cluster of healers surrounding her cot, their faces etched with relief. The healers immediately bowed upon the kings’ arrival, but their gazes remained fixed on the figure sitting up on the cot.
Lienna’s eyes, partly opened, observed her surroundings. Her gaze fell upon the three kings, and it widened slightly. A faint smile played on her lips.
Without thinking, Caspian spurred forward, Adonis and Hermes hot on his heels. “Lienna, are you alright?” Caspian asked when he reached her side, his voice laced with concern.
She nodded slowly, her gaze darting from Caspian to Adonis and Hermes. “You three are alright,” she croaked out, her voice hoarse from days of disuse. “I’m glad.”
“How do you feel?” Hermes inquired, drawing the attention back to Lienna.
Lienna’s eyes drifted downward, her brow furrowing. “I’m fine… But I have to be honest. I’m honestly surprised I’m still alive.” With a slight cough, she continued, “I thought Veronica killed me.”
“We thought so too,” Adonis said, his voice low and soothing, “but then you transformed and attacked.”
Lienna raised a brow, surprise etched on her face. “I did?”
“Yes, never seen anything like it,” Hermes replied, his eyes locked onto hers.
Lienna’s gaze drifted off, her mind racing with memories of that fateful day. She shuddered, her gaze going haunted.
Caspian’s hand instinctively reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thanks to you, we were able to win that fight. But we almost lost you too. We have been worried sick.”
Lienna’s eyes snapped back to Caspian, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “I… I don’t remember much.”
“And it’s still not over yet…” Adonis commented and some of the light dampened in lienna’s. Realizing his mistakes, he quickly backpedaled.
“Don’t worry, it’s only for a little while. We would win this war and then go back home.” He said, managing a small smile. Lienna looked at him, her eyes glimmering.
“Home?” She whispered, her voice tinged with hope.
“Yes, home. The fortress.” He answered and her eyes watered, a shaky breath escaping her lips.
“For now, we would be here till you recover.” Hermes added and she nodded.
“Okay… ” She whsipered, her voice tiny.
“You should rest so you’ll recover quickly,” Caspian said softly, his eyes filled with concern as he gazed at her. His hand instinctively reached out to brush away a strand of her hair behind her ears, the gentle touch sending a wave of comfort through the air. She nodded, her eyelids already drooping, exhaustion written across her face.
“Alright?” Caspian asked, his voice barely above a whisper, seeking confirmation that she understood.
She nodded again, a faint smile on her lips.
Caspian took several steps away from her, his gaze still lingering on her before he tore himself away and walked out of the tent. Adonis and Hermes followed closely behind, their faces somber.
As soon as they were outside, Hermes began to speak in hushed tones, “One of us needs to stay with her the moment she falls asleep after her treatment. She’ll burn up incredibly quickly now that she’s awake, and only bodily contact with either of us will help regulate her temperature.”
“I’ll stay with her,” Adonis offered immediately, his voice laced with an uncharacteristic eagerness.
Caspian’s eyes narrowed slightly, surprised by Adonis’s enthusiasm. But then he remembered the bond Adonis had formed with her a bond that allowed him to feel her emotions, to sense her deepest fears and desires. It was no wonder he was eager to be by her side.
“Adonis has offered,” Caspian said, turning to Hermes for confirmation. “Is that okay?”
Hermes nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Good,” he muttered, his eyes flicking to Adonis before returning to Caspian.
Without another word, Adonis turned and walked back into the tent, leaving Caspian and Hermes alone outside.
“Satisfied?” Hermes asked, his brow raised.
Caspian nodded, his jaw clenched. “Time to end this once and for all.” His eyes burned with determination as he turned to Hermes. “We have a war to win.”
Hermes’s face set in a resolute mask. “Then let’s get to it.” Together, they strode away from the tent, leaving Adonis to watch over her.
Time to end this once and for all.