Page 48 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
Something flew by Alezya’s cheek, and a sting immediately followed. She grimaced, but before she could make sense of it, the earth trembled beneath her and violent gusts of wind knocked her off her feet.
Her body hit the snow painfully, and she had just enough time to open her eyes to see the orange dragon taking off, its wings throwing layers of snow around below it.
She covered her eyes, trying to protect herself.
“Alezya!”
Less than two seconds after that, Kassein appeared next to her, shielding her. She had no idea how he’d arrived so fast, but she could hear many voices around them, his men visibly unsettled by the dragon, or perhaps they’d seen the clansmen too.
Kassein helped her up. The snowstorm provoked by Kein had died already, while the dragon was furiously attacking the mountain.
That’s when Alezya started to piece things together. She touched her cheek, feeling the cut there. Kassein’s green eyes were on her injury too, frowning again.
She ignored it and looked around. She found an arrow, planted in the ground right next to where she’d been lying moments ago... and that wasn’t all. Her heart dropped.
“Alezya? Ku ti bikhyan?”
She didn’t listen to him, she actually barely heard him.
She fell down on her knees and dug the snow around that arrow to reveal the object attached to it. Her heart sank even lower when she confirmed what it was. Her mother’s necklace.
There was no doubt. It was one of a kind, the only necklace she had of her mother’s, the one she’d left with Lumie before parting with her.
Next to her, Kassein seemed to be shouting orders to his men, but she didn’t care; she didn’t care about anything but the precious necklace she was clenching, held tight in her fist. She darted her glare back to the mountain. This was a message. They had her daughter. They had Lumie, and they wanted her to know.
Which meant they wanted her to come back, the gods knew for what. She tightened her fist around that necklace. She hoped the dragon got them. She hoped Kein caught her father’s men and ripped them to pieces.
For a long while, Alezya was too mad and upset to move.
She didn’t care about what was happening around her, she didn’t care for all the men sending her glances, running in all directions, drawing weapons, and pointing fingers at the mountain.
All she could feel was the grasp she had on her necklace.
Her father had Lumie. That thought was horrible enough to send shivers down her spine, and yet, it was an incommensurable relief. They’d found her daughter and sent her this, which meant chances were high that her daughter was alive. Alezya found herself in a strange state of mind, overwhelmed by relief, and yet more angst rising than ever before.
She remained still, trapped in her thoughts. What did her father want by sending her this? Why had his men waited until she was alone to send her this? There was something bigger at work here.
There was no need to let her know her daughter was with them and still alive if Lumie was to be sacrificed soon. Why would her father send her this, knowing she’d come back for her daughter? After he had driven her to leave and almost gotten her killed, what could have gotten him to change his mind?
“Alezya.”
Kassein’s voice took her out of her spiral thinking.
She realized things had calmed down around them and nodded faintly as she stood up, trying to regain her composure.
It seemed like he’d sent most of his men away, and the dragon, Kein, was already back. To think she hadn’t noticed the large beast coming back spoke volumes about her state of mind...
In fact, she felt a bit faint. Without thinking, she grabbed Kassein’s arm to hold on, and he caught her before her legs gave out.
Effortlessly, Kassein put an arm under her and, while saying something to Tievin, who had run over with him, he carried her back inside his habitation. Alezya felt on the verge of passing out until she was sat back down on the bed. The chaos had been left outside, and it helped her calm down a bit.
Moreover, Kassein hadn’t let go of her, his hand still holding her forearm, as if he was worried she’d pass out any second.
“...She’s alive,” Alezya finally muttered.
It was as if she needed to say it herself to believe it. The thought hit her, and she chuckled nervously. She began crying while smiling, which was strange, but a perfect reflection of her state of mind.
“She’s alive,” she repeated, now sobbing. “My baby’s alive.”
