Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 67: Stabbed in the Heart

Knocking on his own room Alex called for Zander to unlock the door. He half expected there to be waterworks but he wasn't expecting the amount coming from the small boy as the door opened. "Oh buddy," he said picking Zander up to which the boy wrapped his legs around Alex's waist and held on tightly. This was the first time he had been held by Alex like this, but he was too distraught to care.

"Come on let's go check in with everyone else. We can all talk about this together." Alex calmly said walking out of the cabin as Zander remained quiet with his head in the crook of Alex's neck.

Opening the cabin door allowed a massive gust of dusk wind to blow directly at them as Alex stepped out. He wasn't anticipating the air to be as chilly as it was. Leaving the house in their normal day clothes meant chicken skin started to appear on their exposed flesh.

Alex kept a tight hold on Zander as he tried to shield his face from the oncoming wind. "Nina! Mallix!" Alex shouted trying to look past the slight fog from the lake.

"We're over here!" He heard Nina yell back at him. Her voice wasn't soft, but it wasn't loud either. The two of them had taken quite the walk since they left the cabin.

Following the sound of her message Alex called out again to check his tracks. "Guys!"

"Alex were down by the trees!" Mallix instructed allowing Alex to determine the direction of the voice.

He continued to walk with Zander, who was hugged closely to his chest, until he saw the back of two people. Both were sitting besides one another on a large log looking out onto the lake, watching as the moon started to rise.

From afar he was able to follow their faint mumbles. But the closer he got, the better he could hear their conversation.

"...I never thought James could do something like that to us. Especially when he knows how badly that'd hurt you." He could hear how hurt her heart was. It pierced through his own. The small group of friends had always been there for each other, but this moment of betrayal would go down in their history.

"I just don't understand how we didn't see it from the start. I mean all the clues were there," Mallix wanted to punch himself in the face for how blind he was.

"Don't blame yourself Mallix. We all didn't see it coming. The main thing is that we know about it now. If it weren't for Z, who knows what kind of trouble we might have found ourselves in." Alex looked at Mallix as he finally joined them on the log. Setting Zander down comfortably on his lap and wrapping his arms around his back, Alex rubbed his hands in circles trying to help keep warm.

"How are you holding up N?" Alex asked looking besides Mallix where Nina was staring at the ground with her fists to her knees.

"I'm alright." Her face never lifted off the ground as she nodded her head. "What about Zander? I mean he was the one who found out about all of this first?"

Looking down at him, Alex stayed quiet letting Zander's head peak out from his neck. The two men met eyes, Zander's glistened seeing Alex waiting for him kindly.

"I dunno." He shrugged before hiding away again.

"What do you mean you don't know Z?" Nina lifted her head up, both Alex and Mallix could clearly see her red nose and eyes but chose not to say anything.

Zander remained silent just wanting to be held. "Alex?" Nina looked over.

"He'll be alright. There's just a lot going on right now for all of us."

"No kidding. Once we get my girls back, I'm taking them somewhere where nobody can bother us." Mallix said with a hint of hope in his voice before there wasn't. "That is if we get there in time..."

"Don't say that Mallix! We're getting there in time!" Nina shouted at him.

"Are we?" He glanced over briefly. The dark of night coating his discouraged look. "James said Kaila was sold already. The auction is in a few days now and we're no closer to getting them out than we were last week." He groaned throwing his head in his hands.

Scooting closer Nina hugged him from the side. "We're getting them out of there. I don't care what James said, we're doing this. Lain and Kaila are family, and I am not letting anything happen to my family." Her attitude shifted as she wiped away tears forming. Looking between the men besides her, Nina leaned in.

"It's late tonight and Zander looks like he's had quite the day. Alex, how long is he going to be unconscious for?"

"No idea. My best guess is all night I suppose." He shrugged.

"Alright, then let's just get as much sleep as we can tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to the shops to get the materials for your outfits, M. I'll take Zander with me and you two can see what James knows." She instructed.

Alex nodded as he pecked Zander's head, grateful that Nina was willing to help out with him and keep him out of the house while they interrogated James. Meanwhile, Mallix quietly accepted the plan.

They all kept silent letting themselves fully digest everything. All of their minds were spiraling with hopes and doubts, but there was one thing they could all agree on—they were not going to let anything happen to the two damsels.

The light breeze picked up throwing leaves and small twigs their direction. "Let's call it a night." Alex stood listening to Zander's soft snores.

Mallix and Nina nodded in agreement as they got up and all made their way back to the cabin together. As they shut the door, the lack of sound was intimidating. Not saying another word to each other for the night, they each went to their own rooms. Except Nina. Mallix had filled her in about James, so instead she settled for Zander's old room before the new couple decided to bunk together.

Mallix growled walking past Nina's room seeing James laying unconscious as his fists clenched.

"Just leave it for tonight. Save it for tomorrow." Alex walked past yawning.

"Sorry..." Mallix shook his head. Before he went to bed he jumped into the shower, letting a constant steam of hot water pour down on him. The whole room was filled with steam by the time he was done.

As he stepped out and threw his towel on, he wiped the fog off the mirror looking himself face on with his hands eagerly on the counter. "You're pathetic!" He slammed his fists quietly to not cause attention. "Lain and Kaila are trapped in that god forbidden place and here you are constantly mopping around! James was right, you are a loser. Get a grip. They need someone strong to get them out. Pull yourself together Mallix!" He whispered to himself.

Getting into bed he let his pep talk repeat itself. He needed to change and be ready to break them out. This attitude was going to get him nowhere.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off