An Unexpected Surprise

Chapter 9

Cal POV

I quickly stand up and make my way into the adjacent hallway, which, thankfully, remains empty. I lean against the cold stone walls, which offer the slightest bit of relief to the millions of thoughts swarming my head as I put all of the pieces of the puzzle together.

Everything makes sense now. Mare calling out for me, hearing the Lakelanders shout after her, the explosion that I saw, the Lakelanders retreating right after that. They were hunting her. They came here to kill her, capture her, or worse, and they used me to do it. The Lakelanders positioned the snipers with the bombs around me, then ordered the Nymph to fight me, knowing that Mare would try to save me. And I was dumb enough to fall for it, to not realize that I had two Lakelander soldiers tailing me, to fight the Nymph when I knew it could end badly. When she called out to me, when I heard her shout my name, that was their cue. That is how they found her.

I curse loudly and slam my fist against the wall, the pain now coursing through my hand a small one compared to the one in my heart. If it hadn't been for me, Mare would be safe right now, our baby would be safe right now. If only I had realized they would be going after Mare sooner. If only I had noticed the two soldiers following me. If only I had been strong enough to resist the prideful urge to fight the Nymph. If only I had fought better against the Nymph. If all of those things were true, then Mare wouldn't have called out to me, the Lakelanders wouldn't have found her, and she wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed right now, inches away from death.

I stand in the empty hallway and try taking deep breaths to calm my emotions. It doesn't seem to work. I can still sense all of the emotions that I am trying to repress bubbling at my surface. Guilt, sadness, fear, worry, and also anger. Not just at myself, but at Mare.

Yes, it may be my fault that the Lakelanders were able to find Mare, but if she had just listened to me and not gone to the battle in the first place, then this wouldn't have happened. Mare and the baby would both be safe right now. Even if she had just been honest with me and told me that she was going to fight in the battle, I could have been there to protect her. But in lying to me, she prevented me from knowing that she was there, that she was in need of protection.

Just then, Kilorn comes up behind me, breaking me out of my thoughts. I turn to face him, trying to read his expression to see what he wants.

"One of the healers just came," he says quietly, gesturing back towards the hallway we were just in, "they have an update on Mare."

His words send me rushing forward into the other hallway, anxious for any news.

When I reach my destination, I see the Newblood healer that was treating Mare standing outside of the hospital doors.

"Is she okay?" I demand, more emotions in my voice than I would usually show.

"She's stable, for now." The healer replies, giving me a reassuring smile.

A small wave of relief washes over me. "Thank the gods," I whisper, before the second half of the healer's sentence hits me.

"Wait," I pause, "What do you mean 'for now'?"

The healer quickly glances around the room, referencing Kilorn and Farley's presence.

"You can go inside and Sara will explain more." The healer gives me a knowing look, and I know that he is trying to protect our privacy by not saying too much out here.

I give him a slight nod in thanks, making my way inside the hospital wing as fast as I can. The healer stays back to talk with Kilorn and Farley, making sure I have the privacy I need.

When I enter the room, I look over to where Mare lies. A lump forms in my throat. I have never seen her look so pale, even when she was masquerading as Mareena in Silver Court. Most of her scratches and bruises are gone thanks to the work of the healers, but you can still see the effect the explosion had on her. I slowly make my way over, apprehensively, as Sara comes to meet me.