Chapter 290

After them, Lord Ottal’s bondmate arrived, breezing into the room with an elegance that belied her concern. She carried a bundle of fresh roses, their scent filling the room as she arranged them in a vase on the bedside table.

“These should brighten your day, dear,” she said with a soft smile. “It’s so good to see you recovering.”

Emeriel’s heart warmed at the gesture. “Thank you, my lady,” she replied.

As evening fell, the visitors departed one by one, leaving the room quiet once more. Emeriel lay propped against a mound of pillows, her body sore but her mind finally at ease. Aekeira sat beside her on the bed’s edge, cradling a small bowl of steaming broth.

“I told you, I’ve had enough,” Emeriel sighed.

“You have not eaten properly in days,” Aekeira said, dipping the wooden spoon into the chicken broth and bringing it to her lips. “Try to eat some more.”

“Aekeira…” Emeriel groaned, sinking back into her pillows. “At this rate, I will be fat.”

“You should. You have lost weight.” Aekeira nudged the spoon closer. “Here, just a little more.”

Resigned, Emeriel opened her mouth. Her sister carefully tilted the spoon, letting the warm liquid glide inside. Aekeira continued feeding her until the bowl was empty, then set it aside with a satisfied nod.

“So, what’s going on between you and Lord Vladya?” Emeriel asked.

Ackeira’s hand hovered over the dishes she was gathering. “Nothing,” she said tightly.

“Aekeira…”

She resumed her work, her hands moving jerkily. The dishes clattered as she stacked them.

“He should have never allowed it to happen,” Aekeira blurted. “He could have stopped it. He could have prevented all of this, but he didn’t.”

“You know you cannot blame him for this,” Emeriel said. “I made the decision and made him promise me. Their word is their bond, you know this.”

“As if that wasn’t enough, he had Lord Ottai drug me through the night,” Aekeira spat, angry and hurt. The dishes clattered again as she furiously packed them.

Emeriel exhaled. “He did it to spare you pain. It was for your own good. If he hadn’t, you would have tried rescuing me… and you could have gotten seriously hurt.”

Ackeira pursed her lips, her body rigid as she stood with the stack of dishes. Without speaking, she walked to the door, opened it, and called for a maid. Emeriel waited patiently as she handed over the dishes and spoke quietly to the maid. Finally, the door closed, and Aekeira returned.

“Don’t be so mad at him, Keira,” Emeriel said softly. “You know you don’t really want to be.”

Aekeira’s jaw tightened. But then, she released a slow breath. “I think… I think I’m more mad at myself than I am at him.”

Emeriel tilted her head, studying her sister with concern.

“I couldn’t do anything,” Aekeira’s voice shook as tears filled her eyes. “I felt so weak. So helpless. You’re my sister and…”

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she fought back a sob.

Emeriel patted the empty space beside her. “Come here.”

Aekeira hesitated before climbing onto the bed, careful not to lean on Emeriel or disturb her healing bruises. Emeriel ignored the dull ache spreading through her body and shifted to lie on her side, facing her sister.

“Keira, you need to understand that some things are beyond your control,” she said affectionately. “It’s not every situation you can save, and I would never expect that from you.”

Aekeira looked at her, tears falling silently.

“I love you so much, and you are the strongest person I know.”

A faint, genuine smile touched Aekeira’s lips, breaking through the sadness, and the visible tension in her shoulders dissolved.

“I love you too,” Aekeira whispered, wiping her cheeks. “But I’m not half as strong as you are.”

“That’s debatable. How about we both agree that we’re each the strongest person the other has ever known?”

Aekeira chuckled softly, nodding. “Deal.”

Then, she tentatively rested her head on Emeriel’s belly. “Is this okay?”

“Oh yes.” Emeriel’s fingers drifted into Aekeira’s hair, stroking it gently. My Keira.

For so long, Aekeira had been the most important person in Emeriel’s life. Through every trial, she had been her anchor, her protector, her sister. And even now, Aekeira’s presence was her greatest comfort.

But there was someone else now. Someone just as important. Someone who had been on her mind all day, though she had tried not to ask. And Aekeira, perhaps sensing this, hadn't spoken of him either.

Emeriel wet her lips, gathering her courage. “How is he?”

Aekeira’s soft, even breathing answered her question.

Then, “Your Grand King?”

Emeriel’s heart clenched. “My Grand King.”

Aekeira lifted her head slightly. “Lord Vladya and Lord Ottai put him in the forbidden chambers after… what happened,” she said. “He woke on the third day, without any memory of it. But Lord Vladya filled him in and brought him to see you.”

A knot twisted in Emeriel’s stomach. “And?”

“He stayed all day beside you, seated right here.” She patted the bed’s edge. “I’ve never seen him so…”

“Broken?” Emeriel supplied softly.

“Defeated,” Aekeira whispered. “He was in a daze the whole day. He didn’t move, didn’t speak. Just… stared at you.”

The knot in Emeriel’s stomach tightened painfully. Drawing in a shaky breath, Emeriel spoke through her constricting chest. “And after?”

“And after… nothing.” Aekeira’s tone was flat. “He went back to his bedchamber and hasn’t come out since.”

Emeriel stilled. “What?”

“Lord Ottai calls it a self-imposed exile. No one has seen or heard from the Grand King in almost a week, but we know he’s still there. He shut down the royal residence and stopped taking visitors.”

Aekeira placed her head back on Emeriel’s belly. “Not even Lord Vladya could get in, and apparently, he has tried repeatedly. The Frostfall soldiers guarding the royal wing won’t budge. They have strict orders not to let anyone in.”