Chapter 124: Panic
Had he slept at all since returning? She couldn’t help wondering.
Before she could say anything else, Vaeron moved toward the wardrobe.
It took Lucrezia a moment to remember that this was his chamber. Her eyes widened when he began removing his clothes without warning.
She immediately turned away. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Why hadn’t he said anything?
She stood rigidly with her back toward him, suddenly very interested in the curtains across the window.
Behind her, she heard the quiet sound of fabric falling.
Lucrezia swallowed. She didn’t dare turn around.
Only when she heard the sound of water, did she glance over her shoulder.
Vaeron was gone.
Her eyes moved toward the adjoining bathing chamber, and she let out a small breath. Only then did she realize she was still holding the book.
Her gaze dropped to it—greed’s gift.
The strange uneasiness she’d felt earlier returned, though she couldn’t explain why. There was nothing visibly unusual about the book, yet something about possessing it made her feel as though she were carrying a secret she had no idea how to conceal.
She looked toward the door. Where could she put it?
Her gaze drifted around the room before settling beneath the bed. It wasn’t an ideal hiding place, but it would have to do.
Lucrezia knelt and carefully slid the book beneath the bed, pushing it far enough back that it disappeared into the shadows.
She checked twice. Only when she was certain it couldn’t be seen did she rise.
Her eyes moved toward the bathing chamber. She should have felt relieved, instead, uneasiness settled over her.
Those scars wouldn’t leave her mind. Neither would the exhaustion in his face.
Before she could convince herself otherwise, Lucrezia crossed toward the wardrobe where the healer had left several ointments for her recovery.
She opened it and found a small collection of bottles. Her hand hovered over them.
What are you doing, Lucrezia? The thought came quietly, almost like a warning. But like always, she ignored it.
She selected several bottles and held them carefully in her arms, then walked toward the bathing chamber.
At the door, she hesitated. Perhaps this was foolish. Perhaps he didn’t want her concern.
Still, she raised her hand and knocked softly. "My lord?" She called, but there was no answer.
Lucrezia waited, but there was nothing.
She knocked again. "My lord?"
Silence.
She glanced down at the bottles in her hands. "I have some ointment," she said, raising her voice slightly. "It might help with your wounds."
Still nothing.
A strange feeling settled in her stomach.
She placed her hand against the door. "My lord?"
Nothing.
Lucrezia swallowed. Sighing, she leaned back.
Lucrezia knew she was supposed to take that as a warning sign, but a stubborn part of her protested. And without thinking, she held the knob and pushed it open, only to be greeted with the sight of an empty bathroom.
Her stomach sank.
"My Lord?" She called in urgency, hurrying towards the bathtub, ignoring the hem of her dress that pooled against the floor. "My Lord?"
She stepped inside, her eyes moving rapidly around the room. Where was he?
She hadn’t heard the door open. She hadn’t heard him leave.
Lucrezia moved farther inside. "My lord?"
Lucrezia searched the places and finally went towards the bathtub, only to find his body beneath the water.
Her breath caught.
For one terrible second, she couldn’t move. Then the bottles slipped from her hands.
"My lord!"
She hurried toward him. Her hand reached into the water, but she immediately recoiled.
The water was unbearably hot.
Lucrezia hissed, clutching her hand against her chest as she stared at the steaming bath in disbelief. Shock was written all over her face as she rubbed the sore area that had turned red.
How could anyone withstand that?! How could he possibly be lying in water like this?
Panic began to take hold.
Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on a bucket of water in the far corner. She rushed toward it, seized it, and returned to the bath.
𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Without thinking, she poured the cold water into it. Steam rose immediately.
Lucrezia dropped the empty bucket aside and knelt beside the tub. "My lord!"
She reached into the water again. It was still hot, but bearable enough now.
Her fingers found his shoulder, but he didn’t move. "My lord!"
There was nothing.
Her heart began pounding. Lucrezia reached for him, gathering as much of his weight as she could.
He was heavier than she expected.
"Come on..."
Her voice trembled as she struggled to pull him upward. Once. Twice. And finally, with all the strength she could manage, she dragged him into a sitting position against the side of the tub.
"My lord!" She called, but received silence in response. His head remained lowered.
Lucrezia’s hands shook as she reached for his pulse. There was nothing.
Blood drained from her face.
No...
"My Lord!" she called, her voice carrying through the room. "My Lord, please, you must wake up!" She cried in panic.
Oh gods!
Lucrezia checked again to be certain, but like before, there was nothing—not even a faint pulse to prove he was barely alive.
It can’t be!
"My Lord!" She called and touched his cheek that fell lifeless against her body. No, no, no, no, no...
Panic rose in her throat.
She had seen death before. She knew what stillness looked like, but this couldn’t be happening.
Not here.
Not him!
"My lord!"
Her voice echoed through the chamber.
She checked his pulse once more, desperate for even the faintest sign, but there was nothing.
Her eyes burned. "Please wake up."
She shook his shoulder gently. Nothing.
Then rationality finally returned. Help, she thought. She needed help.
Lucrezia quickly positioned him against the side of the tub and scrambled to her feet. She had barely taken a step when something seized her wrist.
Her breath caught.
She turned to meet Vaeron’s eyes open, but they weren’t hazel anymore.
They were red. A deep, unnatural red.
Lucrezia froze. "My lord?"
He stared at her without recognition as his fingers tightened around her wrist.
Pain shot through her arm. "Ah!" She yelped in pain.
His hand tightened against her small wrist with a strength enough to fracture her bones, and she struggled, trying to pull away.
But he wasn’t, at very least, bulging.
"My lord, you’re hurting me!" She cried out again, but what stared right in front of her seemed like another creature born from the darkest pit of hell.
Her heart thrummed wildly, threatening to erupt. Lucrezia tried pulling his hand off, but it was a means to no end. The more she tried, the stronger he got.
"My lord!" She called again, a lone tear escaping her eyes as she struggled.
He didn’t release her. His expression remained strangely blank, as though whatever stood before her had not entirely returned to himself.
Fear surged through her. She struggled against his hold, but it was useless.
"My lord!" She cried in panic, until a deep surge of fear collided into her, releasing a word she didn’t dare say until now. "Vaeron!"
And everything shattered.
The grip against her wrist loosened as he pulled away in an instant, water splashing against the already wet floor.
Lucrezia stumbled away from him, clutching her wrist against her chest. She breathed heavily, staring at him.
The red was gone. His eyes were hazel again.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Vaeron stared at the woman before him, sensing the terror in her gaze, and the deep fear leaving her as she scrambled away.
She shook tremendously as she held her wrist, and his eyes traveled down. A faint mark was already visible where his fingers had been.
His eyes immediately darkened.
"Leave."
The command was quiet.
Lucrezia flinched at the coldness of his voice. Something inside Vaeron twisted at the sight.
He didn’t understand it. He had expected fear and disgust, but seeing her trembling because of him awakened something else—something he refused to examine.
Meanwhile, she hesitated. Despite everything, her first thought was still that he had been unconscious.
That something was wrong.
She took a cautious step toward him. "My lord..."
His head snapped toward her. "Get out."
There was enough force in the command this time to stop her completely.
Lucrezia’s lips parted. For a moment, she looked as though she wanted to say something, but lowered her gaze.
Without wasting another second, she turned and fled the chamber.
As the door closed behind her, Vaeron remained where he was. The room fell silent again, only the faint sound of water dripping onto the stone floor remained.