Chapter 123
CAMILLA’S POV
I rushed forward to catch her while Ryker ran straight out of the room. I gritted my teeth as I fought to carry Christine’s entire body weight. I dragged her over to the small lounge in the office and gently lay her on it before rushing out to call the physician. I was torn between wanting to make sure Christine was okay and wanting to find the girls but I figured sine Ryker was already on that then I could handle Christine.
Thankfully, the physician wasn’t occupied when I got to him and he wasted no time in rushing into my office to look over her. While he watched her, Ryker returned with both girls in his arms and I wasted no time in rushing over to them. I ran my hands through Audrey’s curls and glanced over at Aurora who looked to be fast asleep. I ran my eyes over their body for any obvious signs of injury but I let out a sigh of relief when I realized that they were good.
“Thank goodness you’re okay,” I breathed unable to take my eyes off them. “What happened? Are you guys okay?” I turned to Ryker. “Where did you find them?”
“They were in the palace. I don’t think they were with her.”
I turned back to Audrey to confirm this but she just shrugged, “Aunt Christine said she would be back but she never came back.”
I hated the fact that relief poured through me. I felt horrible in the seconds after I felt it. I hated what had happened to Christine but I was glad that my children were not there when it happened. Underneath all that relief however was concern, I turned to Ryker and saw that he had the exact same expression on his face. Alastair was crossing boundaries he shouldn’t and he was putting the girls in danger.
“Camilla,” I heard a broken voice from behind me and I turned to see Christine rising slowly. “My head hurts so badly.”
I rushed over to her immediately and crouched down by her side. She looked fine and I was relieved when the physician informed me that the blood on her body did not belong to her and she just passed out from stress and worry. She looked like c rap and she seemed a little disoriented but other than that, she seemed fine.
“Do you remember what happened?” I asked and she nodded slowly. “Can you tell me?”
“They came out of nowhere. There were only two of them but it was enough to terrify me because I only had one guard on me. We went into the woods because I was looking for a picnic spot. I know I shouldn’t have been there but I just wanted a sense of normalcy, you know. We fought them but I was worried that they had come into the palace or something.”
“The palace is well defended. Everything is fine, the girls are too,” I assured her and I saw her breathe a sigh of relief. “They’re with Ryker by the door right now, he probably doesn’t want them to see all of this. Do you think you can stand?”
She didn’t respond but she tried to pull herself to her feet. I had to help her and although she stumbled, she was able to find her footing. She tried to assure me that she was fine but there was no way that I was going to let her go on her own so I stayed by her side and led her up to her room. I couldn’t count the amount of times that Christine had helped me when I was weak or wounded and I would be da mned if I didn’t return the favor. Ryker wasn’t at the door when we got there and I assumed that he had gone to put the girls back in their room.
No sooner than Christine got into her room, she was out like a light on the bed. I took a warm washcloth and slowly wiped the blood off her face and skin then helped her out of her dress and into something more comfortable. It was a testament to how exhausted she was because she didn’t stir once and I knew for a fact that she was a very light sleeper. By the time I was done, I stepped out of the room only to see Ryker waiting there for me.
“How is she?” he asked and I shrugged.
“She’s good, she will be good at least but, Ryker-”
“I know, I heard,” he cut me off with a sigh. “He knows they are the object of our focus and he wants to hurt them to hurt us.”
I couldn’t imagine why anyone in their right minds would try or want to hurt a child but then again, Alastair wasn’t in his right mind. He was a crazy immortal vampire who had no internal moral compass to differentiate between right and wrong. I could see now that there was no reasoning with him or explaining things to him. There was nothing that we could do or say save for getting rid of him permanently.
“What do we do?” I asked. “I don’t want to leave them out here where he could easily just get them.”
“Is there somewhere we could send them away for a few days, at least until we are able to get rid of Alastair.”
“Christine once told me about a vacation house that my father had not too far from here. I doubt Alastair would know about it though because no one did. She said she only found out about it because she followed him one day. We could send them there. What do you think?”
“Perhaps we should wait for her to wake up first.”
Christine slept the entire day away and it wasn’t until late in the night that she finally rose from her slumber and joined us in the dining room for dinner. She looked shocked that we were still down there waiting for her but the truth was that we had already tucked the girls into bed and just needed a few seconds to ourselves to think. We were not even expecting to see her there.
“Thank you for earlier today,” she whispered to me but I waved her off. “I am sorry if I scared you with the way I rushed into your office. I was just so terrified and I didn’t know what to do.”
“It’s alright,” I assured her. “But that brings us to a problem and I need your help with it. Do you remember the way to my father’s cabin?”
She looked at me confused for a second before nodding. “Do you want me to take you there?”
“I want you to take the girls there,” she looked taken aback by my suggestion. “Tomorrow, it will be for a few days. Go in the morning when you are at a lower risk of being attacked by the vampires. Take some guards with you and do not take a carriage, it will be easier to spot.
“You’re sending us away,” she deadpanned and she almost looked hurt by it.
“I am keeping my kids safe,” I corrected. “You are the only person that I trust them with and I need to make sure that they are safe. You are the only person who can do that for me. Please, Christine, I don’t want any more accidents.”
She let out a deep sigh. “I guess I better start packing.”
I tossed and turned the entire night because I knew come the next morning, my daughters would be gone. I didn’t see them much during the day but the knowledge that they were within reach was always good enough for me and I didn’t know how I was going to handle not knowing that. As if Ryker knew what was going through my mind, he held me extra close at night but it still couldn’t stop the ease or discomfort.
I briefly wondered if we were doing the right thing or if I should call off the entire plan but when I thought back to the fire in the school, I realized that it was a risk I was willing to take to ensure that I was never that scared again in my life.
Sooner than I would have liked, the sun rose and Ryker and I made our way to Audrey’s room. it was the first time in a long time that she had woken up with us already waiting for her and I could see the huge smile that took over her face. It pained me to know that after today, it was going to be a while until I saw her.
I pulled her into my arms and carefully explained the situation as best as I could. She wasn’t happy about it. She screamed and cried and begged me to reconsider and it broke my heart each time I had to say no. Ryker sat by me and tried to explain it to her as well but she didn’t want to listen. We spent the better part of an hour trying to calm her down before she agreed more out of anger than anything.
The plan was for them to leave as soon as possible so we got her dressed in comfortable riding gear and carried her towards the back of the palace. We didn’t want people to realize what was being planned and that was why we chose the early morning to do the transfer. Christine was there with Aurora and I carried her so I could inhale her soft scent once again.
“Be safe,” I whispered to Audrey who nodded glumly. “I promise this won’t be for too long. I’;; personally come get you once things are safe, okay?”
I looked over at Kevin and Steven who were riding with them. “Please keep them safe.”
“With our lives,” they answered almost immediately and I reluctantly handed my children over.
Tears pri cked the back of my eyes but I forced to keep a small smile on my face. I wiped at a stray tear that broke through the gap and I felt Ryker’s hand on my waist tighten almost affectionately.
Christine started to mount her horse but at the last minute, she stopped and walked over to me. I didn’t know what I was expecting her to do but I stayed immobile while she leaned her face towards my ear to whisper.
“The berries are in the flower pot by my bed.”
Hidden in plain sight. “You didn’t have to tell me that.”
“You might need it while I’m gone,” she straightened. “I hope you know what you’re doing Camilla.”
“I hope so too.”
“I’ll watch over them like they are my own. I promise you, I would have to be dead for any harm to come to them.”
“I trust you,” it wasn’t a lie, I knew she would. I watched as she climbed her horse and they disappeared from view.
Ryker turned to me with a questioning look but I shook my head. There was no need repeating what she had said until absolutely necessary.
