Pay the Price

Chapter 53- So Close Yet So Far

Five Days

Christopher wandered through trees, straining his hearing and nose to sense Raelene or Andreas, which he had been doing for two days. He felt parched and hungry, his vision hazy due to his lack of sleep over the two days. He didn't sleep, refusing to allow for easier chances for Raelene to be hurt.

The feelings of fault and guilt weigh heavy on him. He believed his mere association with Raelene is what had put her in danger, which made him feel horribly guilty. One of his biggest motivators was Julio's words about not wanting his daughter to be lost. But at some point, Christopher collapsed, extremely exhausted and drained.

A white and blue light fell before him, so he lifted his head, his eyes widening as he saw Mason Zandailias in front of him. At first, Christopher felt he was hallucinating, but then he felt the touch on his shoulder, sending pins and needles down his arm. Mason knelt down, pointing in a certain direction, where a blue path lit up. A guide.

"Follow the path, Chris. Follow it, and you will find Aaliyah. Or as you know her, Raelene, your soulmate. You will find her unscathed, apart from a few red marks on the wrists and ankles. You will get her home safely, but you will receive an injury by my brother. He will escape again. Just five more days, then it will be over, your Highness." Mason's voice echoed through the air before he faded to nothing. Christopher stared for the few seconds before an encouraging touch made it to his back from Zion.

Blue blinded Christopher before he had a pang of adrenaline rush through his veins. He started running along the path, even as his knees threatened to buckle. He hadn't ever run like that, and his body screamed at him to stop and rest, but he refused. All his mind was focused on was saving Raelene.

One more hour passed by before he found a small infrastructure in the form of a shed. It was timber, covered in moss, and blended in with the boulders around it. Unless one was looking for it, it could easily be missed.

Hope flooded through him as he tore the door off of its hinges and walked inside. Raelene was there, unharmed, but was restrained. She was trying to find the knot on her wrists, but it was very well hidden. She looked up with anger, but it diminished when she spotted Christopher.

"Rae, are you hurt?" He asked her, using his nails to tear the bindings, revealing rope burned skin. But it would heal very quickly with proper care. "That's a yes." He hugged her tightly, and she kissed his cheek, caressing his back.

"Just the rope burn, darling. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine." She was very, very calm, which helped Christopher feel calmer. "His only goal was to lure you out here, and it worked. I have no idea where he is right now." She continued, surprised as Christopher lifted her bridal style. He was running off of adrenaline and being hyper aware.

"Darling, I can walk." She said, but he didn't listen, just kept walking to go home. He thought his hyper awareness would allow for him to avoid injury, but that didn't occur. A knife was plunged in his back, barely missing his spine and ribs, then it was twisted around. Raelene jumped down, grabbed Andreas by the hair, and threw his head down against her knee, shattering his nose and eight teeth.

She did it thrice more before Andreas managed to stop her knee, though it caused blood to spray on her leg and skirt.

"Marks my words, Aetos, I am going to fucking murder you and everyone you love. I will make you watch." He growled before vanishing in a puff of grey smoke. Raelene rushed to where Christopher had collapsed, assessing the damage to his back without removing the blade.

"Thank fucking goodness." She whispered. "The knife has missed literally everything important and hasn't made it to the muscle. He couldn't stab you too deeply." She told him, ready to carry him home, but he got to her first. "Absolutely not, you have just been stabbed. I am not going to let you even stand." She carried him over her shoulders, so nothing touched or moved the blade.