Vengeance Is Mine

61 watchman

The midday sun was a harsh gold against the white stone of Preston Palace, but inside, thick velvet curtains swallowed the light, leaving the wing in a state of artificial dusk. The silence was eerie. After the screaming and the shattered reunions of the early morning, the palace had fallen into an exhausted slumber. Most of the Bangtan unit was in recovery, their bodies surrendering to the trauma of the week. Namjoon and Jin were locked away; Yoongi and Jimin were collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs; and Jungkook remained a silent anchor for Ian.

Taehyung, however, was alone. Given a single room at the end of the corridor, the solitude felt like a physical weight. His mind was a frantic loop of the gunfire in Steve's territory and the haunting look on Ellie's face. Restless, he stepped into the hallway—a labyrinth of marble and gold leaf that spanned only a quarter of the palace. Guards stood like iron statues at every junction, their eyes tracking him through tactical visors, silent and vigilant.

He stopped in front of a massive canvas of a wildflower field. The colors were a defiant contrast to the cold, sterile luxury of the palace. Taehyung got lost in the strokes, mesmerized by how the colors seemed to sing.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it?"

Taehyung jumped, turning to find Sebastian—Shelly—standing nearby. Shelly looked worn, his tie loosened, but he offered a faint smile.

"I'm sorry, sir," Taehyung stammered. "I didn't mean to wander."

"It's okay, Taehyung," Shelly said, stepping closer. "Please, call me Sebastian. Or Shelly. You're a guest, not a prisoner." He looked at the canvas. "This was Ellie's mother's gift. She believed that even in the darkest rooms, you could create your own sun. I think Ellie inherited that fire."

Taehyung felt a surge of sympathy. "I can see her spirit in Ellie's strength."

Before Shelly could answer, a guard rounded the corner, chest heaving. "Sir! The young miss—she collapsed. She is unconscious."

The air left the hallway. Shelly bolted, his strides turning into a desperate run. Taehyung didn't think; he just followed.

"Can I come?" Taehyung called out.

"Follow me!" Shelly barked back.

They burst into Ellie's room, which smelled of lavender and antiseptic. Ellie lay on the bed, her skin like translucent porcelain. A doctor was hovering nearby, while Leo stood at the bedside, his large hands shaking as he adjusted her pillow. The cold, calculating leader of the Prestons was gone; he looked like a man watching his world tilt on its axis.

"Complete exhaustion," the doctor explained. "She's been running on adrenaline for a week. Her body has no fuel left."

Leo watched the needle slide into his sister's arm, his jaw tight. Shelly sat beside her, creasing her forehead with a tenderness that made Taehyung's throat ache. Suddenly, both brothers' phones began to ring—the outside world demanding their attention even as their hearts were breaking.

Taehyung stepped forward. "You have things to do. The mission, the security... I can stay with her. I won't leave her side."

Leo and Shelly shared a long look. Finally, Leo gave a solemn nod. He leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to Ellie's forehead—a silent promise.

After they left, Taehyung sat in the chair, taking Ellie's cold, small hand in his. He looked at the family photos on her wall—a tiny, gap-toothed Ellie on Leo's shoulders, or covered in mud with Shelly. A warm giggle bubbled in his chest, but it quickly faded.

He realized how much her brothers loved her, treating her like a glass petal they were terrified to lose. Yet, she was the one who had bled for them. She had stayed in the dark for twelve years to keep the light alive for everyone else.