Chapter 174
Killian’s POV
“How?”
My knees felt weak as I took in the scene before me. My eyes darted wildly between the ones I loved, knowing one of them had to be sacrificed. Everyon bowed their heads in shame and sorrow, everyone except my youngest son.
Is this why he wanted to take my place? Did he really have the solution?
“Impossible.”
Elias’s radiant smile slowly faded into a frown. He glanced at his mother, lying peacefully in bed, healthy just waiting for the right moment to open her eyes and face the world again. It was a moment that brought both joy and dread. Because the gods know what I’ve done.
“At first, I thought the same. I’m not a wizard or anything,” he began.
“I’m still young. I won’t pretend otherwise,” said Elias, his thumb gently brushing the edge of the baby’s blanket. “But that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of being wise or mature. Once I understood what my parents were going through, I started researching. Imagine within time as fragile as tissue paper, I had to find a way to save three people.”
My forehead wrinkled. “T–three people?”
“Yes, you’re part of this too, dad. Did you really think our family would ever be the same after all that’s happened?” he asked sharply.
That question hit me like a punch to the gut. Nausea and dizziness swirled at the horror of it all. Harmony would be lost. The love that once glowed like a sunset would be replaced by a blizzard in the Arctic. And then, a daily serving of disappointment laid out on the dinner table.
Maybe it wouldn’t last forever. But how high was the cost?
“I’m not angry, like I said before. You’re a king and a husband. You’re caught between two cliffs, both ready to swallow you whole. So, well, here we are.”
The tip of his shoe scraped the floor. A soft red hue flushed the edges of the teenage boy’s ears.
“I want to help you.”
That feeling of love filled me, pushing out the darkness inside me Kittle by little. My mouth was almost numb unable to speak. I looked at him with the pride of the luckiest father in the world. Just moments ago, I had thrown him a glare full of fury, vowing endless retribution. The people saw it and trembled. They fell to their knees, begging for mercy, weeping for the fate that now hung at the edge of the executioner’s spear.
The scholars narrow–minded and foolish. The entire cause of this disaster rested on their side. If not for Elias’s intelligence, I would have remained forever deceived by them.
“Dad, it’s enough. Everything is safe now.”
I wanted to protest, only to be silenced by Elias’s disapproving stare. I froze where I stood as he offered to hold the innocent baby in his arms.
“No, Elias. I no longer have that privilege,” I said softly.
“That’s foolish thinking. This baby sibling of mine/still forgives you and still loves you.”
“I’m sorry, Elias. I can’t.”
I snapped my fingers, ordering all the foolish healers to leave, keeping only one behind in case Ruby suddenly awakened.
“If you feel indebted, then do this to repay me. Take this. You also have to work hard to win Mother’s heart again. So start with this!” he declared firmly.
Chapter 174
The offer was tempting. Everything he said was inevitable anyway. Elias extended the baby toward my chest, Swallowing haid i imani around the small, delicate body. I held him tightly carefully. A trembling sensation ran through me, terrified that I might drop him or crú bones. These hands had taken too many lives from mortal bodies.
“See, dad? The baby is so happy in your arms.”
Tears welled up around the corners of my eyes. There was no pride left in this tyrant. My sobs gradually grew into a full, roaring cry. The only words I could offer to my own flesh and blood were words of remorse.
I walked while holding him close and laid him in the cradle beside his mother.
“Elias, no words of gratitude will ever be enough. As a king, I now owe you a life debt. Keep it and use it only when you truly need it,” I declared firmly,
He was stunned. “Y–you can’t be serious! I did it for all of you, dad. You’re my family!”
“Your noble heart is so pure, Elias. Heaven will be your final reward. But I won’t take back my words. Please, recognize your own efforts.
I shook my head gently and cupped Elias’s face in my hands. In that moment, he looked so vulnerable.
“You can explain it all to me later. For now, just accept my offer.”
He looked like he was about to argue. Nevertheless, his protest faded into a shy grin as I showered him with praise. Still, he kept glaring at the head healer, growling every time their eyes met. His sharp tongue lost all restraint, hurling curses and insults at their incompetence. I couldn’t help but enjoy hearing it, except that he’s my son, and I still want him to grow up with good manners.
Not to repeat my faults.
I took on the duty of caring for the baby. The nanny I hired would watch over or take my place whenever I was needed elsewhere. Ruby hadn’t regained consciousness all day. A small sense of anxiety lingered. Elias had said it was normal breaking the curse had taken more strength and caused more pain than childbirth itself.
The twins arrived, flanking Elias on either side. The three of them stood together, waiting for their mother. Elias groaned in exasperation that his older siblings still treated him like a little kid, insisting that he still needed to be looked after.
I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into a bed of needles. A moments later, those eyelids fluttered open. Bile rose in my throat.
What if Ruby rejects me once our bond is restored?
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