AT THE SAME TIME
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
Her body went limp in my arms. For a moment, everything stopped.
I barely heard the villagers murmurs, the distant sound of footsteps, all I saw was her pale face, her shallow breathing, the way her fingers twitched slightly before going still. My chest tightened painfully.
"She, she just collapsed." Adrian muttered, dropping to his knees beside me. "What's happening to her?"
Alastor, for once, looked just as rattled. His usual stoic expression cracked as he stared at Isabella's unconscious form.
"She was running. Her body couldn't handle it."Alastor said.
"Then why the hell does she look like she's dying?" I snapped.
This wasn't normal. Something was wrong.
Her body was warm, too warm. Her breaths were uneven, her pulse too weak. I didn't care if people were watching I cradled her closer, as if I could protect her from whatever unseen force kept taking her away from me.
"Elena!" One of the villagers called out suddenly.
The real saintess was standing at the edge of the crowd, her emerald-green eyes fixed on Isabella. There was something in her gaze, a mix of shock and hesitation.
"She needs help," one of the villagers pleaded.
Elena hesitated. "I…" She bit her lip, stepping forward slightly.
I was already tense, but at that moment, something inside me snapped.
"Stay back." I said angrily.
The words left my mouth before I even thought them through. Elena froze the moment she heard that.
"What?"She asked.
"She doesn't need your help." I growled, pulling Isabella closer.
For some reason, just seeing her infuriated me. Isabella was lying unconscious in my arms, suffering, and now suddenly, the real Saintess wanted to step in?
"You're making a mistake." Elena said, her voice firm. "She's not normal. You've seen it too, haven't you?"
A muscle in my jaw twitched.
"And?"I asked.
Elena took another step forward.
"Let me-"Elena started.
Adrian was in front of her before I even moved.
"You should leave." He said coldly.
Elena's lips parted in shock.
"What? I'm the real-"She started.
"I don't care." Adrian cut her off, his blue eyes colder than I'd ever seen them. "You showing up here did nothing but make her run away in terror. So forgive me if I don't think you should be anywhere near her."
Elena flinched slightly.
"I was just trying to help."Elena said.
Alastor, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. "Then help by staying away."Alastor said.
She looked between u, between three men who clearly weren't going to let her near Isabella and for the first time, doubt flickered in her emerald gaze. I didn't waste another second. I scooped Isabella up and turned.
"We're taking her back to the castle." I said, voice low and sharp.
Alastor nodded.
"I'll send a healer ahead."Alastor said.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair before following.
'I'm coming too."Adrian said.
Neither of us questioned it. Because as I held Isabella, felt the warmth of her breath against my skin, the unsteady rise and fall of her chest I already knew one thing. I was never letting her out of my sight again.
INSIDE THE CASTLE
ALASTOR'S POINT OF VIEW:
In the evening I stood outside Isabella's chamber, my fingers curling into a fist at my side. Xavier was inside. Still inside. He hadn't left her since we brought her back.
Adrian was lingering near the door, but I could tell he was just as tense as I was. My jaw clenched as I replayed what had happened in the village.
Elena hesitated. She the so called Saintess had hesitated when a child was suffering right in front of her. She had the power to heal him, but instead of acting, she stood frozen, looking as if she expected someone else to do it for her. It was Isabella who moved first not to heal, but to turn away. To escape. She knew. She knew Elena wasn't the one meant to stand in the light.And so did I. The high priest, the temple, all of us were lied to. I had sworn to protect the Saintess, but I had been guarding the wrong person all along. The truth burned in my chest. It's her. It's always been her. Xavier knew it too. I could see it in his damn smug confidence. I turned abruptly and pushed open the door. Xavier sat beside her bed, fingers brushing against her wrist as if he needed to reassure himself that she was still there. His golden eyes flicked up to me instantly, narrowing.
"You shouldn't be here." He said coldly.
I stepped inside anyway.
"And you should?"I asked.
His grip on her wrist tightened just slightly, protective. The tension in the room was suffocating. Neither of us spoke, but the message was clear. She wasn't his. But she wasn't mine either. Yet.
I sat beside Isabella's bed, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, each breath fragile, as if it could be her last. It was a cruel contrast to the way she fought so fiercely when she was awake. Even in her sleep, her brows furrowed as if she were still fighting something unseen.
"Tch." A sharp sound of annoyance came from the side.
I didn't need to look to know that Xavier was watching. His arms were crossed, his expression tight with restrained irritation. Adrian, standing just behind him, was no better. He wasn't glaring openly, but the way his fingers drummed impatiently against his arm spoke volumes. For once, neither of them spoke. Neither of them dared to pull me away. And I wasn't moving anytime soon.
"She collapsed so suddenly..." I murmured under my breath, eyes never leaving her peaceful yet unsteady form.
"It's worse than I thought." Healer finally muttered, her brows furrowing deeply.
"What do you mean worse?" Xavier's voice was sharp, demanding, almost threatening.
The healer sighed, turning to face us.
"I mean that her collapse wasn't just from exhaustion. It's dangerous for her health to keep pushing herself like this. If this continues, her body won't be able to handle it."Healer said.
"What do we do, then?" Xavier's usual casual tone was gone, replaced with something grim.
"She needs rest, real rest. Not just a few hours here and there. And she needs careful monitoring." The healer glanced back at Isabella, hesitating before adding, "And… there's something else."
"What?"Adrian frowned.
"I need to examine her further to be sure. But just know this if you care for her at all, you won't let her push herself anymore."She said.
"That won't be a problem." I said.
I looked down at Isabella again, my grip tightening. No matter what, I wasn't going to let anything happen to her.