Chapter 167
RYKER’S POV
I sat in the physician’s quarters with Riley. She looked so peaceful as she slept, her lashes fell to her cheeks and the steady rise and fall of my chest was the only thing that signified to me that she was alive. I watched the tiny movement for what felt like hours fearful that if I even blinked too long, she would never wake. The physician had come in a while ago to check on me but when he realized I wasn’t going to leave, he excused himself and turned in for the night.
A normal person would have done the same considering there were guards outside the room and Camilla had healed her but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. Just the thought of being away right now filled me with dread. I was the only family she had left and I wasn’t going to leave her at a time like this. For as long as I could remember, it was me and her, that was how it had always been and I would be da mned if I allowed it change at such a perilous time.
“We haven’t spoken in a while and I thought I would catch you up on things,” I began remembering something Camilla had told me about being able to hear while in a coma. “You already know about Juan and Christine, according to Camilla, they’re contemplating starting a family. I think Christine would be an amazing mother if she decides to go down that path. I am also thinking of making Juan the second in command. The official title is duke and I know he hates titles but I think he would like it.”
She didn’t move or even breathe deeper to show me that she heard. I should have stopped talking but I couldn’t. Going silent would have meant that I was giving into my thoughts, it would have meant me thinking about everything that was going wrong. For a second, I wanted to pretend like I was speaking to my sister, like we were having a normal conversation and things were great. I wouldn’t have to think about the possibility of her never waking up again.
“It’s a good thing you’re here now, you’ll be able to see Aurora walking. She prefers. to be carried like the little princess that she is but she walks now. It is a nightmare trying to make sure that everything is out of her reach because she has very fast and grabby hands,” I paused for a second before sighing. “I missed you, I know why you had to leave but da mn, I wish you didn’t. I can’t wait for you to wake up and tell me all about your adventures until I think my ears are about to bleed. For one, I really hope you can hear me because you’re not allowed to leave. You are the only good thing I got out of that shi t hole and I am not letting you go so easily.”
I didn’t realize my eyes had started to water until a lone tear slipped out. I wiped it away quickly and squeezed my sisters hand softly.
“Just wake up, Riley, please,” I whispered before laying my head on the edge of the bed.
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to a hand on my shoulder. I jumped immediately thinking it was an intruder but there was pure shock on my face as I looked up at Riley. Her eyes were open and although she wasn’t completely healed, there was some color back on her face and her eyes didn’t look as dull or as dead. I blinked twice hoping that it wasn’t an apparition and she was really awake.
“Arè you going to sit there staring at me all day? For someone who claims to have missed me you are doing a sh itty job at showing it,” she croaked out. Her voice was h oar se from lack of use and exhaustion but she still managed to have a small smile on her face.
I pulled her into a hug and she let out a slight groan of pain before relaxing into my hold. It felt surreal, even holding her, I wasn’t sure if I believed it. A part of me had resigned to the fact that she might have died seeing as Camilla couldn’t say for sure or not if she was healed. I could almost picture Camilla’s excitement at knowing that she was awake.
“Are you alright?” I asked as I pulled back and she nodded. “How do you feel? Do you think you’re getting better?”
She nodded immediately. “Yesterday I felt like death itself, today, I feel amazing. I still feel drowsy and a little weak but it feels like someone breathed life into my body. Was it Camilla? Did she heal me?”
“Yes, but not the way you’re thinking,” I explained everything that had happened recently and she listened with rapt attention. By the time I was done, her eyes were wide and her mouth was open. “We don’t really know how it works but I think she is getting the hang of it now.”
“Your mate is so cool,” Riley said finally and I couldn’t stop the slow smile that on my face. “Where is she? I would like to thank her personally. I feel great compared to last night.”
grew
“I’ll go get her but first, do you remember how this happened or who did this to you?”
At that, her entire face fell and her body stiffened. I immediately knew something was wrong and took the seat in front of her. I held out my hand to her and held onto them tightly. She wouldn’t meet my eye and as much as I knew I could force her, I also knew it would be better to let her just come to terms with it on her own and speak to me whenever she was ready.
A faraway look took over her and after a full minute of silence, she finally turned to me. “I don’t know how exactly it happened. It was slow, I think. It started with a little white patch and some general weakness. I called off my trip immediately I started to feel weird and the day I arrived, I woke up looking like that. I was barely able to get here. The coach men on the train thought I was a ghost.”
I thought about it for a second before humming. “Was there anything different about the day the first symptom happened?”
She shook her head. “I can barely remember what happened. All I know is that I had a weird dream. It was pitch black but there was an eerie feeling there, as if someone was watching me. When I woke up the next morning, I had the white patch on my arm and somehow I knew that I had to come home. It was like something was driving me back here, to you guys. It was probably just my subconscious.”
I didn’t buy that it was just,a subconscious thing for one bit but for her sake, I hummed in agreement. I cleared my throat and stood to my feet needing to talk to Camilla immediately. She was the only one who would understand the millions of thoughts going through my head at the moment.
“A maid will bring you something to it. I’m going to call Camilla,” I turned to leave but she stopped me.
When I turned to her, she didn’t speak, almost as if she was embarrassed about her next words. “You didn’t really think I was going to die, did you?” I didn’t respond. “I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, you’re my family, I would at least give you a goodbye first.”
I knew without a doubt that she had heard me. I leaned forward and placed a soft -kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
I went to get the maid first. Christine was already in the dining room with the girls and the moment I mentioned Riley’s name, Audrey let out a loud screech that shook the chandelier. I raised a brow at her and she flushed pink while reminding herself to use an inside voice. I assured her that she could see Riley but after she got the chance to rest and eat. She didn’t like that but there wasn’t much she could do.
I was a bit confused as to why Camilla wasn’t at breakfast with the others but I figured that she was just taking a late morning, after all, she used up a lot of her energy to heal Riley. I debated on whether I should check on her or just leave her to rest and at the end of the day, I settled on the latter. I freshened up in one of the guest rooms and took from a pair of the casual clothes lying around after which I went to my office.
Riley was taking a nap and I just assumed everything was fine until there was a knock on my office. Juan walked in looking a bit confused and on edge, I was immediately worried because it took a lot to unsettle Juan, he was the most care free person I had met in a while. If he was uneasy then it meant there was something wrong.
“What is it?” I asked immediately I noticed his expression.
“Lyla just arrived and she is demanding to see you.”
My brows furrowed. “Are you talking about the seer?” he nodded and I immediately stood to my feet. “What does she want? Did she say why she is here?”
“She won’t talk to anyone but you.”
I immediately rushed out of the office after him. Lyla was pacing in front of the palace and yelling at the guards who wouldn’t let her pass. She kept screaming something about me and Camilla but I couldn’t make out her words.
“What’s going on?” I asked as soon as I was close enough and she let out a sigh of relief.
“Finally, I have been waiting for you. Where is your mate?” she had her arms crossed over her chest and she was tapping her foot anxiously.
“She is resting.”
“Have you seen her today?” she asked and I slowly shook my head. Her eyes widened and she cursed before taking off into the palace.
