Chapter 170
I nodded.
He motioned to the guard behind me. "Bring up the Royal physician."
Relief rushed through me like a wave. I nearly collapsed, but I forced myself to stay upright.
A few moments later, the door opened again, and the royal physician was led in, looking beaten, tired but alert. His eyes widened when he saw me.
"Your Majesty! You should be resting."
"Follow me," I said quickly. "There's no time."
We rushed, well, I limped, back through the castle, through hidden passages only Miriam and I knew. I led the physician into the quiet, candlelit chamber where Miriam held my son wrapped in blankets.
"He's been burning up," Miriam said, tears in her eyes. "It's only gotten worse. I tried everything!"
The physician set down his bag and immediately got to work, unwrapping the baby, checking his breathing, his eyes, his color.
"Still fighting," he murmured. "That's a good sign."
I stood beside him, barely breathing.
He worked for what felt like hours, using cool compresses, herbs, and something from a small glass vial that smelled sharp and bitter.
Slowly, the red tint in my son's cheeks faded. His breathing evened out. His body relaxed in the physician's hands.
"He's stable," the physician finally said. "Still fragile, but the fever's gone down. He'll live."
My knees buckled, and I sank into the nearest chair, burying my face in my hands. Miriam rubbed my back, whispering, "He's safe now."
But we weren't.
The door burst open, and Lucian stood there, face twisted in fury.
"So this is where you've been hiding. Fitting isn't it?! This used to be my Rowan's former chambers."
I stood up, still weak, still aching, but stronger now with my child safe.
"You said you'd leave," he hissed. "So leave. Now. Never come back here. Just like you promised."
"In fact, I want you all gone before sunrise. It's either the two of you leave with her or you'll be locked up in the dungeons. Not a soul must know what we agreed upon or I'll make sure you and your son pay for it."
"As long as you let us live, we'll stay quiet and leave," I promised.
Lucian glared at us one last time, then turned and stormed out.
Miriam turned to me with wide eyes. "Are we really leaving? After everything?"
"Yes," I said quietly. "I made a deal with Lucian. The Royal physician in exchange for me leaving. I have to leave. Tonight."
The physician gathered his things, and I wrapped my son tightly in his blankets again. I kissed his forehead.
He was safe. For now.
But I'd never stop running until Rowan came back and claimed what was his.
Until then, I would protect our son with everything I had.
Even if it cost me everything.
.................
The wind howled through the trees as we trudged forward in the dead of night, our breath visible in the cold. My arms tightened protectively around my son, whose feverish body lay swaddled against my chest. Miriam walked ahead with a torch, and the royal physician, Aldric, stayed close behind me, glancing over his shoulder every few steps.
"How much farther, Aldric?" I asked, my voice hoarse from exhaustion.
"Just a little more," he replied, peering around. "We need to find a clearing—someplace we can rest but still keep watch."
My legs were screaming in pain. Every stitch, every bruise from the last few days throbbed with every step, but I refused to stop. My son was too weak. He needed warmth, protection, and healing.
Finally, Miriam pointed. "There. That clearing, it's sheltered a bit by the trees. We'll see if it's safe."
We entered the clearing cautiously. It was quiet, unnervingly so, with only the crackle of dry leaves underfoot and the distant chirp of night insects.
"This'll have to do," Aldric said, lowering his bag. "We can build a small fire. Nothing too bright, just enough to keep him warm enough for the night."
Miriam was already pulling out supplies from her satchel. "We'll take turns keeping watch. Your Majesty I'm sorry I don't trust Prince Lucian. Just because he let us go doesn't mean he's done with us."
I sat on a rock, cradling my son as Aldric placed his hand on the baby's forehead. "He's still burning up," he muttered.
"Is there something you can do to bring his fever down?" I whispered.
"I'll do everything I can."
As Aldric began preparing herbs and a cool compress, I glanced up at Miriam. "You said you don't trust Lucian. Do you think he'll send someone after us? I've been thinking about it too. Besides, it's dangerous out here, he knows the risks and still sent us away."
She paused, then met my eyes. "Yes. I think this was all for show. Letting us go quietly in the middle of the night? No one saw us leave. No announcement to the people. No council approval. He'll probably come up with some lie in the morning about you leaving on your own or something happening to you. Anything to get his hands on the throne."
My heart sank. I looked down at my son's flushed face. "You're right. I don't care about the throne anymore. I just want us to be safe. We need to be ready for whatever comes."
"We're sitting ducks out here, we can barely defend ourselves," Miriam whispered.
The fire flickered low as Aldric worked, his hands gentle but efficient as he fed cooled tea into my son's mouth drop by drop. Miriam sharpened a stick into a crude weapon. I sat holding my baby, rocking him back and forth, too tired to cry but too scared to stop thinking.
Suddenly, Aldric stiffened.
"Did you hear that?" he asked quietly.
We all froze.
There it was again, the faint crunch of leaves, deliberate and slow. Coming closer.
"Put out the fire," I hissed.
Miriam stomped on the embers while Aldric carefully pulled a blanket over the baby to shield him. I clutched him to my chest and backed behind a tree, pressing my body against the bark, trying to steady my breath.
From the shadows, figures emerged.
Three. No, four men. All armed. All dressed in dark clothes. I recognized the crest on one of their belts.
The royal crest. They were the guards. Miriam was right about them coming after me, I hadn't expected it to be so early though.
"Stay behind me," Aldric growled, stepping forward.
The tallest one smirked. "We were told to make sure you never come back."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
