A Court of Wings and Fate

49. The Prince's Proclamation

    Mikael wasted no time in flying to the townhouse, where Lysander had said Estelle was waiting. She had been so close the past few weeks. Just across the Sidra and down the street. So close and he hadn't known. No one had told him. No one would tell him.

    He knew why. He understood their reasoning. That didn't mean he wasn't upset by it though. Mikael flew through the city, wings fluffed up against the cold. Snow clung to his hair and eyelashes, but he didn't care. Estelle stroked the Mating Bond and he nearly wept again. She was all right. She was awake. He almost couldn't believe it.

    He reached the townhouse and the doors flew open. Seren was waiting just inside. "She's in her room," she said. "Madja and Amren checked on her a few minutes ago. Azriel has gone to speak with Rhys, so don't worry about him." Mikael was already running up the stairs. "Let me know if you need anything!" Seren hollered.

    Mikael reached Estelle's room and opened the door. She was sitting up on her bed, face pale and wings covered in bandages. She smiled at the sight of him. Mikael kicked the door shut and ran to her.

    Estelle reached for him and he swept her into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Mikael hugged her as tightly as he dared, and she squeezed him back. He drank in her scent, letting it soothe his raging emotions. He cupped her cheek in his hand, drawing her lips to his. Estelle threaded her fingers through the ends of his hair, now damp from melted snow.

    "Are you all right?" Mikael asked, his voice thick with suppressed sobs. "What happened? Who did this to you? Do you need anything?"

    Estelle let out a faint laugh, pressing her forehead against his. "I'm all right, Mikael. I'm sore and still a little dizzy, but that's all. Mom already brought me food and I ate as much as I could."

    "What happened?" Mikael repeated, brushing his thumb across her cheek. He searched her amber eyes for answers, but could only see his own distraught features reflecting back at him.

    "I don't know," Estelle admitted. "Whatever attacked me was undetectable. I couldn't see, hear, or even scent it. I was...overwhelmed. The attacks came from nowhere. I didn't have a chance to defend myself."

    "How did this happen?"

    "The shadows sensed something in a valley. I decided to go check it out."

    "On your own?" He wanted to scold her. He wanted to shake her and tell her how stupid that was. He wanted to bury his face in her neck and never let her go again.

    "It was stupid." Estelle looked away. "I know it was stupid. You'd think I would know better than to go off on my own by now. I just...I wanted to check it out. The shadows said they couldn't see what was in the valley and that has never happened before."

    "It was stupid," Mikael agreed. "And I'm sorry. I should have noticed you were gone. I should've reached out to you sooner. I should've been there. I wasn't even here while they healed you. They wouldn't tell me where you were. I should've been here. I should've..." His voice broke. "You could have died."

    His shoulders shook with sobs as Mikael lowered his head. He couldn't stop his tears from falling. "You could have died. You nearly did and I wasn't there to help. There was nothing I could do. When I saw what had been done to you, I realized that I couldn't even heal you. I tried to stop them when they took you from me, even though I knew they were going to help you."

    His tears fell harder. "I hurt Lysander and Corbin because I wasn't thinking clearly. I couldn't stop myself. Nyx had to break my shields and knock me unconscious. I was trying to get to you. They wouldn't let me. You might have died and I wouldn't have even been here!"