The Prince's Gift

Chapter 67.

I spent the next hour trying to calm myself and refocus my mind. I had to be centered. I had to get my emotions under control. The events had taken their toll on me to say the least; not just from the moment with Zane, but the vision...that place. The memory from that horrible room was enough to send me over the edge on its own.

I knew how to pull my emotions back in. I'd just lost the practice. I focused on my breathing, closing my eyes as I carefully moved each breath in and out of my lungs in slow fluid movements. After what felt like several hours had passed, I opened my eyes as I heard light footsteps making their way down the hall. The moon had only moved just slightly, indicating it had only been about half an hour. Thankfully, the practice had worked. I was no longer upset or emotional and scattered. Only now, I realized I was quickly becoming hungry.

Three small knocks sounded against my door and my head whipped around, my ears perked.

"Ana? It's me, Braelyn." I heard her familiar meek voice say through the door.

I stood and walked to the door, opening it to see her standing anxiously on the other side. My nose was instantly hit with the scent of her blood, but I dismissed the urge to feed and looked straight into her gaze. Her eyes widened before giving me a quick nervous smile and lowering her head.

I frowned, seeing her submit to me as if she was nothing. I brought my finger below her chin and tugged her face upward, but her eyes remained on the floor.

"Braelyn, look at me." I said softly.

She slowly lifted her eyes to meet mine, timidly staring back at me as if she was unsure of her new place with me.

"You will never need to do that again. Do you understand me?" I said smoothly.

Her face pinched into one of confusion as her brows pinched together. "How can that be?" She breathed.

"Because you're free. I'll not stand for any person being treated the way you have. Zane said you wanted to help me. That makes you mine in his eyes. So I'm freeing you." My voice was confident, even though I wasn't quite sure if I was even allowed to do this. But If I was to make changes for all of our people as Delphine had said, I wanted to start here.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened, her hands floating up to wrap around mine. "Th-thank you Ana. I don't know how to repay you for this." She said before throwing her arms around my neck.

I was surprised but instantly wrapped my arms around her tiny frail body. I could feel every bone poking through her fragile skin.

"But...where will I go?" She whispered after a few seconds.

I released her and stepped back, pulling her through the doorway and shutting it behind her. "You don't have to leave Braelyn. You're welcome to stay and I'd love to have you stay by my side. I can use your help, and your company." I gave her a small smile and she returned it. "You'll be given a weekly allowance and your own room to live. And most importantly, you would remain under my protection."

She smiled up at me, beaming from ear to ear as I spoke.

"I know Zane couldn't free me because of what I truly was, and how he felt the King and Queen might have used me if I didn't stay under his protection. But with my powers, and my blood in your system, I have a direct link to you should something happen to you." I reached my hand up to stroke her arm gently. "I'll do everything within my power to keep you safe Braelyn."

I slowly removed the golden collar from her neck, handing it to her and holding my hands around hers. She looked back at me and let out a shaky breath. She knew this meant just as much to me as it did to her. This was a gift I was never given.

"Thank you Ana." She whispered, a silent tear dropping down her cheek.

I nodded with a warm smile and immediately called down to the head of household to prepare her room beside my own.

"Your room will be ready by tomorrow afternoon. But remember you must stay alert Braelyn. Because you're freed, some will think you're fair game. Remember you're under my protection. If you need help, you can just call out for me with your thoughts and I'll hear you. I'll feel your fear. Understand?" I said, my words becoming firmer. I made sure to keep them soft enough that it wouldn't come across too harsh to her, but I needed her to grasp what I was saying.

She simply nodded and turned to face the door before turning back in surprise. "I almost forgot! I came to see if you needed to feed. I know it's been a while and you need to keep up your strength." Her eyes dropped to my stomach and then returned to meet mine with a small smile as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

I shook my head and put my hand up to object but she stepped closer.

"Please let me help you. You've done so much for me Ana. You quite literally kept me from death more times than I can count. And now this..." She held up the collar and stared at me. "This is the least I can do." She pleaded.

"No Braelyn. I won't let you be..."

"Ana please." She said quietly.

I sighed and finally nodded, feeling that she needed this somehow. She needed to give back, to be useful. She needed to be able to contribute to my life the way she felt that I had to hers. I knew that need all too well. The need to serve a purpose for those you feel you owe your life to.

So, I allowed it. I fed as gently as possible from a new spot on her arm, placing my hand on the wound afterwards to heal her. As she left, she gave me one last grateful smile before ducking through the doorway quiet as a mouse, gone as quietly as she'd come.

After several long moments, I felt something stirring within my lower stomach. It was different than before. Instead of a flutter, it felt like a small pressure. A few moments later, it turned to a bigger pressure, expanding out from within me. I hissed as the small stab turned to a hard pulse for just a moment, and then it was gone as if it'd never happened. I walked to stand in front of the full length mirror beside the closet and my jaw dropped at what I saw.

As I pulled my shirt up, I could see clearly that my abdomen had grown. It had gone from a flat smooth surface to a small distinct bump. I couldn't believe it. Feeding must have kicked my progress into faster gear, and now that I was turned, it seemed that maybe the pregnancy may be escalating faster than in my human body.

"This is incredible." I whispered, inspecting it from multiple angles before pulling my shirt back down over my stomach.

I had to do something. I have to help our people in some way. I can't just sit here and wait for my life to fall into place. My child was clearly coming sooner than I'd thought and I only had a limited amount of time to figure out my next steps before she arrived.

"Ana, meet us in the conference room in five minutes please. We need to discuss the next plan of action, and we will need you to do it." I heard Zane's words ring clearly through my mind and I gasped.

I still wasn't used to it, and the fact that he now knew that he could speak to me directly helped for the next plan moving forward. I'd be able to communicate with him as he went for Maddox and Lilith. But would that be enough to help?

I quickly made my way to the conference room, surprised at those that were already gathering inside. Zane sat at the head of the table, now in the King's seat. Fallon sat beside him on his right, and Zane nodded for me to join him on his right. He wanted me to sit in his mother's place.

I let out a tight breath and slowly walked to the chair and sat down beside him, Fallon giving me a reassuring smile with a quick nod. My eyes searched to a few seats down to see a scowling Casimir at his position change. Ehren sat to his right, looking at me briefly before a muscle in his jaw ticked and he looked away.

A knot twisted tightly in my stomach but I brushed it away, knowing this wasn't the time. Zane cleared his throat as Delphine and my parents along with Talentati elders and the remaining members of Council stopped abruptly, looking back at him with anxious stares.

Zane's voice commanded attention, speaking out firm and even as every person in the room watched him. "We're going after Maddox and Lilith."

He stared straight ahead, ignoring the gasps from a few at the end of the table before continuing to finish.

"And we're leaving tonight."