Chapter 76
RYKER’S PO.V
Everything happened so fast, one minute, Camilla was talking to that man and the next minute, there was an arrow sticking out of the right side of her torso. I
caught her as she fell and the entire square fell into chaos. I could see the doctors rushing to get to her but my focus was finding what direction that arrow came from. I looked around until I saw Frederick mounted atop a building holding a crossbow. His eyes met mine and he smirked.
Pure and undiluted rage filled me and threatened to spill over. I glanced at Camilla and although didn’t want to leave her, I knew I had to get Frederick. I made sure she was safe in the doctor’s hands and took off after him. I could hear a few guards following me but I didn’t care about them I had one target and I was not going to rest until I was standing above his dying corpse.
Frederick took off into the woods and without a thought, I followed him. He expertly weaved through the trees and it struck me that Frederick knew the woods. a little too well. The trees were dense and difficult to navigate but somehow, he knew where he had to go. My wolf pressured me to shift but in this kind of forest, it would be harder to navigate in wolf form because of how close the trees were. I forced his pressure into the back of my mind and focused on my target. Once I got close enough, I launched myself on him and we both tumbled to the ground. Before he could recover, I slammed my face and I felt a sick.
fist into his sense of pride fill me when I heard the cracking of bone and I saw blood rushing from his nose. I wanted to beat him to death but I also knew that I would have more fun with him in the palace dungeons so I dragged him to his feet. Despite. being caught, he was smirking and it grated on my nerves.
“Even if you take me back now, I already got my target. If she dies, you cannot hurt me because I am heir to the throne,” he laughed maniacally. “If she lives then. I die a happy man knowing I got a part of
of my vengeance.”
“She will not die and you will not be heir to the throne.”
“Your children can be easily disposed of,” I didn’t let him finish his sentence before I punched him again. He spat blood out of his mouth and glared at me. “Tell me, Prince consort, where are your guards or are you yet to notice that we are alone?”
It was at that exact moment that it hit me just how quiet the forest was. There were no crickets or birds chirping and I knew that meant only one thing- there was a greater predator keeping them silent. I was on edge immediately and I looked around trying to find the attackers through the dense trees. Frederick used my momentary distraction to deliver a swift elbow strike and once he was out of my hold, the others, rushed out.
There were at least five of them and they rushed me at once. I was so grateful for
the extra knife I always kept in my pants because as soon as the first one got close enough, I slit his throat. It caused the other four to pause in their tracks as if they were rethinking their decision. I looked around only to notice that Frederick was nowhere to be seen. He used the attack as a means to get away and I was furious. I turned to the men who were responsible for his getaway and I slaughtered them save for one who tried to run.
I grabbed him and knocked him out then dragged his limp b*dy by the arm back towards the square. The square had been cleared and I noticed the only people. still waiting were guards. As soon as they saw me, they sighed in relief. I just tossed the limp b*dy at their feet.
“Frederick got away but he was working with him. Make sure he is watched day. and night in the cells. If he gets away then you will take his place.”
Their eyes widened in fear and I saw them swallow deeply as they lifted the b*dy. It had been a while since I had a need to threaten anyone but I was done playing the nice guy. If threatening people was the only thing that could keep my mate safe then so be it. Everyone steered out of my path as I got into the last carriage remaining. I was told that Christine had left with the girls and Camilla had been taken to the palace hospital to be treated.
“Where to, your majesty?” the coach asked without meeting my eye.
“Take me to my mate.”
The ride was long and the entire time, Camilla was all I could think of. As soon as the carriage stopped, I was out and rushing inside. Prior to today, I had always. wondered why a physician’s office needed to be in the palace but now, I didn’t need to question it. It was in a part of the palace that I had never been and I never thought I would need to be. As I got to the door, I hesitated, I was not ready for what I would find.
I took a deep breath to calm myself and opened the door. The physician was a man in his fifties. He was a pack healer and his family had worked with the palace for years. His son was a little over twenty and rushing around to get him somet vials. My eyes went to Camilla who was lying on the table. The shaft of the arrow had been broken off but it was still embedded in her. I didn’t make a sound because I didn’t want to alert them to
my presence.
I watched as they had to rip the top part of her dress to see the arrow. On a normal day, I would be jealous and possessive but I couldn’t even bring myself to conjure up those emotions. I held my breath when the physician wrapped his hand around what was left of the arrow and pulled. A low moan of pain left Camilla and that was when I moved. I had no idea she was still awake because her eyes were closed. I brushed past the physician and his son and went to stand by her side.
“Are you alright?” I asked and she managed a weak nod.
“You left me,” she accused and I felt a part of my heart shatter.
The physician and his son were working in silence trying to pretend like they
couldn’t overhear our conversation but I didn’t care for their presence. As long as they did everything sin their power to make her better, I didn’t care if they listened in. I lifted my hand and stroked her damp hair
“I am so sorry that I didn’t come with you. I wanted to catch up to Frederick. I couldn’t let him get away with what he had done. Please, forgive me.”
She didn’t speak but when I sl*pped my hand into hers, she squeezed it. She closed her eyes and flinched slightly as they cleaned up her wound and bandaged it. I kept my eyes fixated on her because I couldn’t bear to look at her knowing that I had failed to catch the man who did that to her. It took fifteen minutes for them to finish up with her and once she was bandaged, I caught the eye of the physician. I could tell he wanted to speak to me.
I leaned down and placed a k*ss on Camilla’s forehead. “I will be back in a second, okay?”
She managed a weak nod and I reluctantly let go of her. The son fussed over her and gave her a mixture to take. I didn’t know what it was but I decided to trust that they wouldn’t try to hurt her with me in the room. I followed the physician to the far end where they wouldn’t accidentally overhear us.
“What is it?” I asked and he cast a wary glance at Camilla who was still lying on the bed.
“The arrow was dipped in poison, I believe whoever shot it meant to kill,” he explained slowly. “The potion my son gave her is meant to neutralize the effects. of that poison but there is no guarantee that it will work. If the poison has seeped too far into her system then we may be too late.”
“Is there no way to know if it has gone too far?” He shook his head. “What do we do now?”
“We wait for her to wake up.”
“What do you mean by wake up? She is awake,”
lying limp but the steady rise and fall of her churned to Camilla who was now
served as a reminder that she was alive. I turned to the physician and grabbed his shirt. “What did you do to her?”
“For the tonic to work, she had to fall asleep. I am afraid that we will not know anything until she wakes up- if she wakes up.”
“You are telling me that you may have put my mate in a sleep that could end in death,” he swallowed deeply at the coldness in my tone.
“I am sorry, your majesty, it was the only way.”
I squared my shoulders and stood up straight. “For your sake, you better hope it was the right way.”
