Adams’ POV
My heart raced in my chest as I held Lilith tight, her once lively body now weak in my arms. She’d been so strong, using her amazing power to save Kael, but it showed that it took a toll.
“Lilith!” I called, my voice heavy with fear. I tried to hold back. “Can you hear me? Are you okay?”
Her eyes slowly opened, showing the beautiful green eyes that had drawn me to her at first sight. But the sparkle in them was dimming, and a cold fear ran through me as she tried to lift her head, her voice very faint. “Adams…”
“Stay with me! Please don’t go!” I yelled. I could feel her fading away, and before I knew it, her head fell back, and she began to drop. I quickly caught her, holding her tight, panic gripping me hard. “We need the doctor! Get him fast!”
I shouted, and the infirmary doors swung open. Doctor Sage came in quickly with a serious expression on his face. “What’s going on?” he asked, his voice calm but urgent.
“Lilith healed Kael,” I said, my voice shaking with fear. “And now she’s… she’s…” I didn’t have to say more. Sage knelt by us and placed a soft hand on Lilith’s forehead.
Sage said, feeling her pulse, “Put her on a bed!”
I nodded and picked her up easily, laying her on a bed nearby. Sage started his examination quietly, saying spells and moving his hands, looking serious. With every moment my worry grew stronger.
At last, after a long wait, Sage stood up. “She’ll be fine. Just very tired. She needs to sleep.”
A feeling of relief rushed over me, and I released a breath I never knew I was holding. “Thank goodness,” I whispered, focusing on Lilith’s calm face. “I will take her home.”
Without thinking twice, I picked her up again, held her close to me, and walked out of the infirmary. The guards moved faster behind me, looking worried.
Outside, I got on the horse with Lilith in my arms. I gently placed her on the saddle, carefully because she looked so delicate. “Hold on, my darling,” I whispered, pushing a piece of hair away from her forehead before I got on behind her.
As we raced toward the palace, everything around me faded into a blur, and I concentrated only on Lilith. The sound of the horse’s hooves matched the fast pace of my heart, pushing us to hurry.
When I got to the palace, I quickly got off the horse, took Lilith off the saddle, and took her into our room. The warm space felt nice for a second, but my worry wouldn’t leave me. I carefully placed her on the bed where the soft sheets held her gently.
“Cara!” I shouted, calling for the maid, who rushed in, her eyes going wide at the sight of the fainted Queen. “Look after her. Make sure she has what she needs to sleep and heal,” I ordered firmly, a mix of worry and command in my voice.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Cara answered, hurrying to the bed and quickly starting to care for Lilith.
I did not waste any time. I rushed out of our room and saw some guards in the hallway. “Boost security around the palace! No one should come in or go out without my permission. We’re at risk and I won’t let anything happen to my mate or this kingdom!”
The guards nodded, looking serious. “Yes, Your Highness. We will increase the patrols at all entrances,” one said, his voice urgent.
With a quick nod, I got back on my horse, feeling a rush to return to the infirmary, my thoughts full of Kael. The Captain had come back alone badly hurt, and that was a bad sign.
When I walked into the infirmary, I saw Kael sitting up, leaning against the bed, talking quietly to Ronan. I felt a chill of worry.
The moment Ronan spotted me he quickly turned. “You have to listen to this,” he said, his voice tight.
My heart sank as I grabbed a chair and sat staring at Kael. “What’s wrong?” The look on his face… sent chills through me.
He took a heavy breath and his face twisted in pain. “We were attacked… A huge army of rogues came to Thornvale Village. I was the only one who got away.”
My stomach sank. “How many? How big was this army?” My voice was thick, the meaning already tearing at my thoughts.
He shook his head and looked serious. “It was the rogue king’s main army.”
I leaned in, feeling shock washing over me. “How do you know that?” The rogue king… in charge of his troops? It was hard to believe.
“Since he was in charge of the army,” he said, his normally bright blue eyes now filled with hurt and worry. His words felt heavy in the air.
Ronan and I shared a brief anxious look. Augustus was in it. This was not just a small fight now. This was a real war.
“We need to plan,” Ronan said quickly, his tone direct.
I pushed away the feeling that tried to take over, concentrating on what needed to be done right now. “How many made it in Thornvale? Are there any allies left we can gather?” We had to check the situation to see how bad the damage was.
Kael looked at the ground, his voice full of despair. “What I saw… it’s a mess. I think many have been taken or are missing. I barely escaped with my life.”
“Then we need to strengthen our defenses,” I said, my voice strong and confident. “We can’t let that army get to the palace. Not while Lilith is still healing.”
“Okay,” Ronan said, a spark of determination shining in his eyes. “But we need more than safety. We must bring all the packs together. The rogues will attack again.”
“Let’s have an emergency meeting right now,” I said, standing up quickly. I was thinking fast, trying to come up with a plan. “As soon as I can make sure Lilith is okay, I’ll contact the council. We can not relax, not even for a moment….”