Chapter 244

EllaPOV

The sterile, cold air of the hospital room seemed to close in on me as I sat beside Alexander’s bed. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was a constant reminder of how close we had come to losing him.

My hand never left his, my fingers entwined with his in a tight, desperate grip, as if I could hold onto him, keep him tethered to this world by sheer force of will.

Alexander’s face was pale, his usually sharp, determined expression softened by exhaustion. His breathing was shallow, each inhale a struggle, and his eyes—though clouded with weakness—flickered occasionally to meet mine.

"You're safe," I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile calm that had settled over us. “Sabrina, Lexie, they’re both safe. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.”

The faintest squeeze of his hand was all the response I received, but it was enough. His tired eyes flickered open again, and the smallest smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it quickly faded as the strain of speaking was too much for him.

He had been fading in and out of consciousness since we arrived at the hospital. The doctor’s had administer a cure for the posion, now all we could do was wait.

I could see the relief in his eyes, even as his body seemed to fight against the fog over his mind. He was weak—fragile, even—but he was alive. That was the only thing that mattered.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence, and a nurse entered, her face concerned but professional. “How is he?” she asked, glancing at the machines and checking his vitals.

“He’s stable,” I replied, my voice low but steady. “The poison... it’s still in him. But he’s fighting. He’s strong.”

The nurse nodded, her gaze lingering on Alexander for a moment longer before turning back to me. “He’s doing better than we expected. He’ll make a full recovery, but for now, he needs rest. He won’t be able to give a statement for a while, not until he’s stronger.”

I swallowed hard at the thought. They needed answers. They needed to know what had happened, why this had happened—and, more importantly, who was behind it all.

The king had responded to my call with more anger than I had expected. It was natural though, this fight… it made it clear that there was more going on with Alexander and I than we had told him.

It was clear there was a connection to the North, one that we would have to answer for. But it didn’t matter right now. Alexander needed to recover. And I needed to be strong for him.

I knew that the kings men were waiting outside of the room. They intended to take Alexander to the king the moment he was recovered enough.

As the nurse finished her checks and quietly left the room, I stayed at his side, my eyes never leaving his face. The quiet moments stretched on, and I let herself believe that, for a little while at least, everything would be okay.

But that fragile peace shattered when the door opened again.

The soldiers who entered were stern, their faces unreadable as they approached me. One of them spoke in a calm, but firm voice. “Ella, the King requests your presence. You need to come with us.”

My heart skipped a beat, a wave of fear washing over me, even though I knew this was coming.

“I—” I hesitated, glancing down at Alexander, who had not moved since the nurse left. “I can’t leave him. Not like this. He—”

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” the soldier interrupted, his tone gentler now, but firm. “The King has ordered that you come with us. He understands the circumstances, but you need to explain what happened.”

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. I wanted to argue, to demand that they let me stay with Alexander, but I knew better.

The King’s orders were not something you ignored. And though I had no desire to leave Alexander’s side, I couldn’t risk further angering the King—especially when I had no idea what he would do with the information I had.

Still, my resolve weakened as she glanced at Alexander one last time. “He’ll be okay,” I said softly, more to myself than to anyone else. “He has to be.”

I stood slowly, my legs feeling like they were made of lead as I followed the soldiers out of the room.

My mind raced with questions, the fear clawing at my chest as I was escorted through the corridors, each step taking me farther from Alexander and closer to whatever awaited me at the King’s court.

The trip there passed in a blur as my mind raced, going over every detail that had led us to this moment. What could I possibly say that would save Alexander from the king’s wrath?

The throne room felt cold. The King’s imposing figure was seated on his throne, his gaze piercing, unwavering as he watched me approach. His expression was unreadable, a mask that gave nothing away.

I tried not to let my fear show, but it was difficult. The weight of the situation, the tension in the air—it was impossible not to feel the pressure mounting.

Every step I took brought me closer to the man who had been the true target of all of this. My best friend’s father. A man that had only ever been kind to me.

Yet I had hidden it all from him.

“Ella,” the King said, his voice deep and commanding, though there was a sadness to it. “You’ve been involved in something far beyond what you understand. Tell me what happened.”

I swallowed, taking a breath to steady myself. I had to remain calm, had to be strong for Alexander. If I let my fear show now, I would lose whatever control I had left.

“I—” My voice cracked as I started, but I quickly composed herself. “Diana was working alongside Amanda,” I explained. “They were part of a plan to overthrow the Southern kingdom by electing a king that would be easily controlled by the North. When it became clear that Alexander stood in their way, he was targetted.”

The King’s expression didn’t change, but there was a shift in the air—something colder, more calculating in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping the armrest of his throne.

“And Ironfang? Where does he fit into this?”

My heart pounded in my chest, the weight of his question pressing down on me. I could feel the eyes of his advisors on me, the room filled with silent judgment. “He was the assassin sent to kill Alexander,” I explained, my voice barely above a whisper. “He snuck across the border with Diana’s help.”

“Is that so?” he said quietly, his tone a mix of disbelief and something darker. “And what else can you tell me, Ella?”

My mind raced, my pulse hammering in my ears. I had to protect Alexander. Even now, when the weight of everything was so much heavier than I had anticipated, I couldn’t afford to show weakness.

“I’ve told you everything I can,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The King studied me for a long moment, his eyes unreadable. Finally, he nodded. “You may go. We’ll deal with the rest of this when Alexander is able to speak.”

I didn’t wait for him to say more. I turned quickly, my mind focused solely on Alexander as I left the room.

The King might have let me go for now, but I knew it was far from over.

I just had to hope Alexander would be alright. And that, somehow, we would make it through this.