A FEW HOURS LATER
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
A bitter taste filled my mouth as I groggily opened my eyes. My body ached, my head was heavy, and everything felt strangely warm. Wait a second, warm? I blinked a few times, my vision blurry, before realizing I was lying in a bed, a real bed. There were soft blankets and a cool cloth pressed against my forehead. Where…?
"She's waking up." I heard a male voice.
That voice, Xavier? I turned my head slightly, my gaze adjusting to see the two men standing near me. Xavier, arms crossed, watching me intently. Alastor, hands clasped together, his usual unreadable expression in place. And beside them, an older woman, oh, right. The healer.
"Good." The healer sighed, pulling back slightly. "You were out for a while. Here drink this."
Before I could protest, she pressed a spoonful of something warm against my lips. I coughed at the taste.
"What the hell-"I tried to ask her.
"It's medicine." She cut me off firmly. "Drink it. All of it."
I wanted to argue, but my body was too weak. I winced, swallowing another spoonful as the bitter liquid burned my throat. Xavier sat down on the edge of the bed, his brows furrowed.
"You collapsed."Xavier said.
I turned my head away.
"I'm fine now."I said.
He scoffed.
"You call this fine?"Xavier frowned.
"It's not like it's the first time." I said.
Alastor sighed.
"That makes it worse, Isabella."Alastor said.
I didn't reply. The healer clicked her tongue.
"Well, since you're awake, you need food next. She's been running on nothing but air, I bet." She stood, motioning to one of the servants. "Bring in the food."
Almost immediately, a tray was carried inside the room. A warm soup, bread, and some fresh fruit. My stomach growled at the sight, betraying me completely. Xavier smirked.
"Not hungry, huh?"He asked.
I shot him a glare but reached for the spoon anyway. The warmth of the food made me realize just how hungry I had felt. How long had it been since I ate properly? Days? Weeks? I didn't want to think about it. As I ate, Xavier and Alastor didn't say much. But I could feel their gazes on me, watching closely, making sure I wasn't going to collapse again. It was… annoying. But also kind of nice. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud. As I finished the last bite of bread, a familiar chime echoed in my head. I froze. Oh, no. A translucent blue screen appeared before me. My stomach twisted as I read the words.
"Affinity levels updated Xavier Valentine – 45% High Priest Alastor– 18%" System said.
I almost choked on my soup. Eighteen percent?! I had barely interacted with Alastor compared to Xavier, so why the hell was his percentage climbing now? Before I could fully panic, the system glitched for a moment before displaying a new notification.
"Task: Secure a Safe Place. Your health is still unstable, and your presence has drawn too much attention. Find a way to secure a safe place where no one can force you to leave. Reward: Increased Stamina & ??? Penalty: Forced Relocation."System said.
Oh, hell no. My hands gripped the blanket tightly. The system wasn't playing around anymore. It wanted me to stay somewhere stable, or else it would drag me to god knows where. I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm.
"Something wrong?" Xavier's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Nothing. Just… tired."I said.
Alastor, however, studied me carefully, as if sensing something was off. His green eyes narrowed slightly, but after a moment, he looked away. I had to act fast. I swallowed hard, looking between the two men. If I wanted to secure a safe place, I needed to leave this castle. And I knew exactly how to make them let me go.
Taking a slow breath, I forced my eyes to glisten, my bottom lip trembling as I clutched the blanket.
"I… I just want to visit Dawnstone Village again…" My voice wavered, soft and pitiful. "I grew up there. It's the only place that ever felt like home…"
Xavier immediately stiffened.
"What?"Xaiver said.
Alastor's sharp gaze landed on me.
"Isabella-"Alastor was about to start arguing with me.
I lowered my head, covering my face with my hands. "I've been through so much, I just-" A sniffed and let out a shaky breath. "I just want to see it one last time…"
Silence. Then, Xavier cursed under his breath.
"Damn it…"Xavier muttered.
Alastor exhaled through his nose, clearly torn. I peeked up at them through my fingers, watching their expressions. Xavier ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated.
"Fine. We'll go."He said.
"But only if we take a carriage. You're not walking anywhere."Alastor said.
I perked up instantly.
"Really? You'll let me?"I asked.
Xavier groaned.
"Like we could say no when you're crying like that?"Xavier said and sighed.
I forced myself to sniffle one last time for effect.
"Thank you."I whispered.
Inside, I was celebrating. The carriage ride felt like forever, but the moment we neared Dawnstone Village, my heart beat faster with excitement. The rolling hills, the stone paths, the familiar sight of small houses and bustling villagers it was all exactly as I remembered. The moment the carriage stopped, I practically jumped out, my exhaustion forgotten. My boots hit the ground, and I took in a deep breath of fresh air, a smile stretching across my face.
"Finally…" I whispered, eyes glistening as nostalgia flooded through me.
I turned to the side, spotting a few villagers. Their eyes widened in recognition before bright smiles spread across their faces.
"It's Isabella!"One of them said.
"She's back!"Another one shouted.
A small group of people hurried over, some older women pulling me into tight hugs while children clung to my arms.
"Where have you been, child?" One elderly woman asked, cupping my face.
I laughed softly.
"It's a long story, Grandma Lora."I said.
The warmth, the familiarity, it all made my chest ache in the best way possible. I was home. I know it wasn't my real home but I was home. Behind me, I heard a low chuckle.
"I've never seen you smile like that before." Xavier remarked, leaning casually against the carriage.
His sharp blue eyes watched me closely, but his usual smirk was missing. Alastor stood beside him, arms crossed.
"You seem… at peace here." Alastor's voice was unreadable, but his gaze softened just a little.
I blinked, realizing they were both studying me, their expressions strangely thoughtful. Had I really looked so different before? I turned back to the villagers, gently squeezing the hand of a little girl who had latched onto me.
"Of course I'm happy. This is my home."I said.
Xavier hummed, a small smirk returning.
"Then I guess we'll have to stay for a while."He said.
"Well, well… Look who finally decided to come back."I heard a male voice.
I froze. That voice I heard before. I turned on my heel just as a tall figure stepped forward from the crowd. Adrian Sinclair. His wavy chestnut hair was slightly longer than I remembered, his golden eyes sharp and piercing. Dressed in a fitted dark vest over a white tunic, he looked effortlessly handsome.
"Adrian." I breathed.
"Affinity Levels Updated. Xavier Valentine – 45%, High Priest Alastor – 18% , Adrian Sinclair – 12%. Third male lead discovered" System said.
I knew it! Suppressing my inner groan, I forced a casual smile.
"Long time no see, Adrian.'I said.
His smirk widened.
"You vanish for months, and all you have to say is 'long time no see'? I should be insulted."
Xavier and Alastor were both silent behind me, but I could feel the shift in the air. Xavier's relaxed stance had stiffened slightly, and Alastor's gaze sharpened. They were assessing him. Adrian, being Adrian, clearly didn't care. His golden eyes flickered between them before settling back on me.
"So? Mind explaining why you ran off without a word?"He asked.
I gulped. How was I supposed to explain this without making it sound worse?