Page 55 of Merciless King

“Okay. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Elio.” I don’t want him to feel that I’m ungrateful. I’m just sore and tired and worried about Elysse.

I guide Elysse to the bed. “Let’s lie down for a bit, okay?”

She climbs onto the large bed, curling in a little ball against me. I hold her, kissing her head.

Just as we settle in, there's a knock at the door. Elio pops his head in. “Doctor Albert is here.”

I don’t want to be examined, but considering what I’ve just been through, perhaps I should be.

Elio excuses himself again, giving me and Elysse privacy with the doctor.

“Sounds like you had quite the ordeal,” Dr. Albert says as he approaches me.

I nod. He glances at Elysse. “She wasn’t hurt physically, but she witnessed more than she should have.”

“Let’s make sure you’re okay,” he says. As the doctor examines us, I feel a sense of relief wash over me. It’s sinking in that Elysse and I are safe, away from Gabriel’s abuse.

The doctor checks and cleans my wounds. I wince as he tends to the bruises and cuts. This is the worst they’ve ever been. My sense of calm vanishes for a moment as I realize that Gabriel would have killed me.

“You’re shaking.” Dr. Albert takes my hand and looks me in the eyes.

“I’m just thinking of how close I came to…” I don’t finish the sentence, not wanting to vocalize my near demise in front of Elysse.

“You don’t appear to be in shock.”

I shake my head. He continues to examine me, determining that he doesn’t believe anything is broken and I’m not showing signs of an altered state.

“How about I check the little one?” he asks.

I sit on the bed, holding Elysse close as the doctor examines her. My heart clenches as I watch my daughter, so small and fragile, enduring this ordeal. The doctor asks her gentle questions, trying to assess her physical state. Elysse responds in soft whispers, her voice trembling. I restate that Gabriel hadn’t touched her.

“Some injuries are mental, though, are they not?”

Tears fill my eyes along with the guilt that I’d put her through all this. Maybe I need to get her counseling. Maybe I need counseling.

Once the doctor leaves, Elysse and I lie down on the bed together. She curls up against me, her small body fitting perfectly into the curve of mine. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close, trying to provide the comfort and security she so desperately needs.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m sorry you had to experience all that.”

“Elio looked mean… like?—”

“He was protecting us. You called him and he came to save us. You were so brave to call. I’m so proud of you.”

“Will we be Elio’s now?”

I wonder if she believes women and children are owned by men. I can’t blame her for thinking that considering she hasn’t known anything different.

“Elio will keep us safe, sweetie.”

Elysse nods, burying her face in my chest. I stroke her hair, murmuring soothing words of reassurance. Gradually, her breathing slows, and I feel her body relax against mine.

As I lie there holding my daughter, exhaustion washes over me. The events of the day, the terror and the relief, have taken their toll. My eyelids grow heavy, and I succumb to sleep.

I wake disoriented. Looking around, I remember I’m at Elio’s. I reach out for Elysse, but she’s not here. Worry surges through me as I frantically scan the unfamiliar room.

“Elysse?” I get out of bed, checking the bathroom. She’s not there. I exit the room, calling her name as I go down the hallway. Eventually, I end up downstairs, following a trail of voices and laughter.

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