Eternal Symphony

14. Fire and Ice

Despite Alice reassuring Elijah that she was well, he refused to listen; he lifted her again and carried her up the stairs and towards the opened parlor, with her squirming and fidgeting most of the way. "Please, put me down," she continued pleading.

He ignored her. "You're not hurt anywhere else, are you?"

Giving up on hiding the wound on her neck, Alice dropped her hand. "No, just this."

Not caring that his suit was soaked, Elijah brought her to the black leather couch near the fireplace lined with thick blankets and pillows, courtesy of the maids. Within moments, they brought trays with homemade chicken soup and hot tea, setting them on the nearby tables with bandages, an antiseptic, and gauze pads.

"That will be all for now, thank you," Elijah said, and the maids bowed before leaving. Alice wasn't having it; she sat up, but Elijah quickly grabbed one of the blankets draped over the back of the couch and covered her with it. "I don't need you to get sick again. Please, at least warm up first," he pleaded.

"I'll be fine."

"After that ordeal, I wouldn't think so. You've been through a lot already, and I'm sure you're tired and would want to sleep."

"I didn't just come here to sleep," Alice protested, but Elijah ignored her as he examined her neck. Growing flustered as he helped her dress the wound, she quietly asked, "Does this not bother you at all?"

"No. We've grown numb to it long ago." When he finished, Elijah turned away, unable to meet her gaze. That was when she realized he was angry with her.

"How did you know where I was?"

Still avoiding eye contact, he rubbed his temples. "When that man attacked you, I knew something was wrong—I can smell your scent for miles." His voice fragile and ready to break, Elijah finally asked, "Why didn't you wait until one of us was with you?"

Wholly defeated and undone, Alice pulled the blankets off. "What did I do wrong?"

He glared down at her. "You shouldn't have wandered off by yourself. What made you think you could face that man alone?"

"Was I supposed to stand by and do nothing while you protect me? I had to do something—"

"No, you couldn't," he interrupted but stopped when Alice's expression softened, and her eyes glimmered with tears. "Forgive me; that wasn't what I meant."

She hung her head as she slowly inched her way off the couch. "I'm sorry to be a burden and that you had to come and save me."

Her thoughts now a chaotic storm, Alice excused herself to her room, leaving the dismayed Elijah distraught and caught in a state of trepidation. 

Not long after, true to Emil's word, their private family doctor arrived at the beach house in less than an hour, despite Alice's objections. Before leaving, the doctor confirmed she was well, adding, "I would take it easy and rest after what you've endured today."

While Elijah and the twins were downstairs with the maids cooking dinner, Alice sat at the edge of her bed, looking at the infinite ocean through the vaulted windows. She was unwilling to see anyone now, tempted to ask Lia to take her home. No, I can't leave like this. I want a resolution.

Alice took a quick shower while waiting to be called down for dinner, the smell of crab legs and seafood wafting throughout the beach house. Even after stepping out, fresh and clean, she could still feel random pebbles scratching against her skin.

Ugh, damn this sand. It gets everywhere. Yet, this minor setback still couldn't deter her from the beach, and Alice accepted this sacrifice when her attention was drawn to the water. "It's worth it every time," she said with a small smile.