Favor of Destiny

Chapter 5 : The Weight of Duty

Reine

The knock on the door was sudden, jolting me from my restless pacing. Aurora's face appeared in the crack of the door, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and something that looked like determination.

"Reine, we need to talk," Aurora said softly, stepping inside.

I immediately sensed something was wrong. My heart raced as I motioned for her to continue, bracing myself for the worst. "What's going on?"

Aurora's gaze dropped to the floor before meeting mine again. "It's about Leo. He was shot yesterday."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt the room spin, my vision blurring. "No... Leo? How? Is he...?" I couldn't finish the sentence.

"He's alive, but he's in critical condition. The doctors are doing everything they can, but..." Aurora's voice trailed off, her expression troubled.

I barely registered the rest of what she said. My world felt like it was collapsing around me. "I need to go to him. I need to be there," I said, my voice trembling as I get up from the bed directly to my closet to start packing.

Aurora looked pained but shook her head. "Adam has already made it clear that it's too dangerous for you to travel right now. He's trying to keep everyone safe."

"No!" I cried out, panic rising in my chest. "I have to go. He's my brother. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

I feel like am about to throw up.

Aurora's eyes were full of sympathy as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know how hard this is, but Adam has his reasons. Please, try to understand."

I could feel the walls closing in on me. My entire body shook with the weight of fear and frustration. "Why can't he see that I need to be with Leo? What if something happens and I'm not there?"

Before Aurora could respond, Adam entered the room, his face set in a hard expression that I knew all too well. His presence made my stomach churn.

"Reine," Adam said firmly, "I need to talk to you."

I barely acknowledged him, my gaze locked on Aurora's. "I'm going to France. I'm not staying here while Leo's in danger."

Adam's eyes narrowed and fixed on me as he said. 

"Aurora, thank you I got it from here" 

as Aurora left us alone he said calmly "You're not going anywhere. It's too risky."

I spun around to face him, my anger and desperation boiling over. "You can't keep me here like a prisoner! Leo's my family. I won't sit by and do nothing!" 

"are you yelling at me ?" he said with a very calm and steady voice.

I ignored him and continued the packing.

Adam's expression hardened, his voice taking on a harsh edge. "If you had agreed to the marriage sooner, if you had cooperated, we could have managed this better. Leo wouldn't be in this situation if you had made things easier."

The accusation stung, and I felt tears of frustration well up in my eyes. "Are you seriously blaming me for this? You think it's my fault Leo's hurt?"

Adam's voice was cold and unyielding. "It's not about blame. It's about being smart. If you go now, you'll only make things worse. We need to think strategically."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "I don't care about strategy. I care about my brother. I won't stay here when he's in danger."

Adam's jaw tightened, and he took a step closer, his voice softening but still firm. "I understand you're upset, but if you leave now, you're putting everyone at risk. We need to focus on what's best for everyone, including Leo."