Kael’s heart pounded in his chest as he gently cut the ropes binding Bella to the post. Her body, so fragile and broken, felt like it could shatter in his arms. Every move he made was slow, deliberate, as though he feared that if he rushed, he would hurt her further. She was barely breathing, her pulse weak and erratic, but in his arms, she was still the woman he loved more than life itself.
Bella’s head lolled against his chest, her eyelids fluttering open for a brief moment before falling closed again. Her breath came in shallow, painful gasps, and Kael could feel the weight of her suffering like a vice around his heart. The bond between them had always been strong, but in this moment, it felt like it was tearing him apart. Every ounce of her pain, every moment of torment she had endured, flowed through him as though it was his own.
“Bella…” Kael whispered her name, his voice strained with desperation. He pressed his lips to her forehead, his hands shaking as he held her close, feeling the warmth of her skin fading. “I’m here. I’m here, love. You’re safe now.”
But even as he spoke those words, his mind was racing. How had they let this happen? How had they let Esmera do this to her? Every second that Bella had spent in Nyxthorn’s hellish grasp, every wound that marred her body, felt like a personal betrayal. Kael could feel the rage building inside him, the need to make Esmera pay for what she had done to Bella threatening to consume him whole.
He could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching, and his body tensed, ready to fight anyone who dared come near them. But when he looked up, it wasn’t more of Esmera’s warriors. It was Misery and Lira, rushing toward him, their faces full of urgency.
“Kael, we need to stabilize her,” Misery said, her voice sharp but filled with concern. She knelt beside him, her eyes scanning Bella’s broken form. “Lira, we need your magic.”
Lira, her expression grim but determined, immediately began weaving her healing magic. A soft, glowing light surrounded Bella’s body, the warmth from the magic spreading across her skin as it began to ease some of the damage. Kael watched helplessly as the magic worked its way through Bella’s body, soothing the wounds, but not enough to take away the pain. She was still so fragile, so close to the edge.
“Don’t leave me, Bella,” Kael whispered to her, his voice cracking. He held her tighter, as though by sheer will he could keep her from slipping away. He could feel the faint pulse of her heartbeat, but it was still too weak, still too uncertain.
“She’s stable for now,” Lira said, her voice filled with a quiet relief, though the concern in her eyes remained. “But she needs real healing, Kael. We need to get her back to our camp, where we can fully restore her.”
Kael nodded, his jaw clenched with resolve. He couldn’t let her die, not like this. He couldn’t lose her. Not after everything they had been through. His grip on her tightened as he carefully lifted her in his arms. His eyes flicked to Misery, who was already on her feet, scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.
“Kael, we have to move quickly,” Misery urged. “Esmera won’t stop. She’ll come for you.”
Kael didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything other than getting Bella out of this hellhole and making sure she was safe. He could feel the heat of his anger rising again, and with it, the certainty that nothing would stop him from making Esmera pay for what she had done.
“She’ll pay,” Kael muttered through gritted teeth. His eyes narrowed, the fire in them burning brighter with each passing moment. “I’ll kill her for what she’s done. I swear it.”
Lira and Misery exchanged a brief glance, but neither of them said a word. They knew Kael well enough to understand the depth of his rage, the determination in his heart. They also knew that Esmera had just crossed a line that Kael would never forgive.
As Kael carried Bella through the compound, he could feel his body shaking with adrenaline, his mind consumed with thoughts of vengeance. He would destroy Esmera. He would hunt her down and make her suffer as Bella had suffered. There would be no mercy, no hesitation. Esmera had taken too much from him, and now, it was her turn to feel the pain she had inflicted.
But as he looked down at Bella’s pale face, her bruised and battered body, a dark thought gnawed at his mind. What if it was too late? What if the damage she had endured was irreversible? What if he couldn’t save her?
“No,” Kael muttered, shaking his head as if to rid himself of the thought. “I won’t let that happen.”
He looked up, his eyes hardening as he met the gazes of his warriors. “We move out. Now.”
Misery and Lira followed close behind, but Kael’s focus was on nothing but Bella. She was the only thing that mattered, and he would do whatever it took to save her.