NEXT DAY
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
I was walking inside my work room while trying to clear my mind. The weight of the past few days was pressing down on me, and it felt like I couldn't escape the thoughts about the Witch who was returning, I could feel it in my bones, and everything seemed to fall apart all at once. The bond between me and Wanessa, the unspoken truth about her being marked as my mate, the unknown dangers we were about to face it was all coming to a head. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I barely heard the footsteps at first. But then I heard her voice, frantic and full of panic.
"Xavier!"I heard a woman's voice. It was Wren.
She was running toward me, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear.
"What's wrong?" I asked immediately, my voice low but urgent. Had something happened to Wanessa? Had the Witch made a move already?
Wren was panting as she came closer, her breath coming in short bursts. She stopped just in front of me, her eyes wide and frantic.
"It's Wanessa." She gasped, her voice trembling. "She fainted. I… I don't know what's happening to her, Xavier. She's not waking up. Please, you have to help her. She needs you."
My heart skipped a beat, a cold rush of dread filling my chest. Wanessa fainted? She wasn't just someone who passed out from exhaustion, no. She was strong. Always strong.
"Where is she?" My voice was urgent, barely above a whisper.
"This way." Wren said, turning quickly on her heel and starting to run toward the room.
I didn't hesitate for a second, following her down the dimly lit hallway. My mind was racing, what had happened? Why would Wanessa faint? Was it connected to the Witch? Was the bond already starting to tear us apart? We reached the room faster than I expected. Wren pushed open the door, and my heart dropped into my stomach as I saw her. Wanessa was lying motionless on the bed, her pale skin almost glowing in the dim light. I didn't even realize I was moving until I was at her side, kneeling next to her.
"Wanessa." I whispered her name softly, my fingers brushing the back of her hand.
The contact sent a jolt through me, but there was no response. No warmth. No reaction. Her body felt cold to the touch, and my heart thudded painfully in my chest as I gently pressed my hand to her forehead. Her breathing was shallow, almost imperceptible, but at least it was steady. For a moment, I allowed myself to hope that maybe this was just some kind of passing fainting spell, that she would wake up in a few minutes. But deep down, I knew it was more than that.
"What happened?" I turned sharply to Wren, my voice tight with anxiety.
Wren's eyes were wide, full of a fear that mirrored mine. She was standing by the door, but her gaze was fixed on Wanessa.
"I don't know." She whispered, stepping closer. "She was fine one moment. We were talking, and then…"Wren's voice trailed off, her words faltering. "She said something. Something about the Witch. And then she just collapsed. I couldn't… I couldn't stop it."
Could this be part of the Witch's plan? Was this the beginning of whatever dark power she'd unleashed on us? I leaned closer to Wanessa, gently cupping her face in my hands. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, but she didn't wake up.
"Wanessa… please, come on." I murmured.
I couldn't afford to lose her. Not like this. Not when there was so much left to fight for.
"Xavier." Wren's voice was soft, a quiet tremor running through it. She was standing behind me now, her presence like a shadow over me. "I'm scared. What if this is because of the bond? What if something's wrong with it? The Witch… she could be using it against us."
I didn't turn around, my focus entirely on Wanessa. But Wren's words hit me like a cold wave. The bond. The one that tied me to Wanessa, the one that had been a secret for so long… Could it really be the reason she was like this? I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't know how to fix it. But I knew one thing for sure, I couldn't lose her. Not now, not when we were this close to everything.
"I won't lose her." I said it quietly. It was a promise, to her, to myself, to us. "We need to get her help. We can't just wait."
"What if it's already too late? What if she's already being affected? The Witch might be closer than we realize, Xavier. And Wanessa… she's tied to this."Wren said.
I turned to her then, my gaze hardening, the resolve in my chest growing stronger.
'We'll figure this out. Together. I'm not leaving her side."I said.
I wasn't sure what was happening. I didn't know what the Witch had done, or how any of this was connected. But I knew one thing I would fight, I would do anything to save her. I wasn't losing her. Not to the Witch. Not to fate. Not to anything. Even when I held her in my arms, I understood what I had to do. It was like a weight pressing down on my chest. The very thought of returning to the place I had once called home made my blood boil. There were too many memories too many people I couldn't stand to face. And I had no desire to go back to the politics, the royal responsibilities, the games. But right now, I wasn't dealing with a matter of personal preference.
Wanessa needed answers. And the only place that might have them was that damned castle. I tightened my grip on her, feeling her warmth against me, the sound of her shallow breath echoing in my ears.
"Xavier…"Wren's voice broke through the haze of my thoughts, her words laced with an uncertainty I hadn't heard from her before.
She was still standing at the door, her face pale. I could tell she was holding herself together, but I saw the fear in her eyes.
"We need to go back to the castle, don't we?" She asked quietly, her tone more of a statement than a question.
I closed my eyes, the truth I had been trying to avoid crashing down on me. I hadn't wanted to go back there not after everything that happened. Not after I left in the first place. The thought of returning felt like walking into the lion's den. But Wren was right. We had no choice. Not now.
"I hate the idea, but… we don't have a choice."I said.
Wanessa needed help. We needed answers. And if there was any hope of finding them, I knew it lay within the walls of that cursed castle.
"We'll need to move fast. I don't know how much time we have. But if I'm going back there, we're doing it on our terms. I'll make sure no one gets in our way."I said.
I carefully shifted Wanessa in my arms, my mind still racing. Every instinct in me wanted to run, run far away from the castle, from the responsibilities I had left behind, from the weight of being a prince. But as much as I hated it, my duty had never truly been left behind. It was always there, lurking in the background, calling me back when I least wanted to answer. And now, it seemed, the only way forward was through that damned castle.
"Xavier." Wren began, a slight tremor in her voice. "Do you really think they'll just let you waltz back in? After everything that happened?"
The last time I left the castle, it was under less than ideal circumstances. I had made my decision to step away from the politics, from the crown, from the expectations placed on me as the youngest son and with Wanessa in my arms, struggling to fight whatever was keeping her unconscious, I realized just how badly I needed those resources. I hated the thought of relying on the very people who had caused so much pain in the past, but there was no other choice. Not if we were going to defeat the witch and save her.
"I don't care what they think." I said, my jaw tightening with determination. "I'm done running. I'll walk back in there, and they'll have to deal with it. They'll deal with me."
"You're right." Wren whispered, her voice barely audible. "We don't have time to waste."
With one final glance at Wanessa, I turned toward the door. As I walked, I could feel every part of me bristling with the tension of returning to the castle. But this time, it was different. I wasn't going to bow to anyone's will. Not the King's, not my brother's, and certainly not the Witch's.
This was about Wanessa. And I would burn down the entire world if it meant keeping her safe.