Chapter 89
Chapter 89
When Lucianne started breathing on her own again three hours later, the doctors removed the air mask and reported the improvements. Her vitals are nearing normal, and she would most likely wake up in the morning. Everyone was relieved. Toby slumped to the ground and looked at the ceiling as he uttered in immense gratitude,* Thank you, Moon Goddess."NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.
Tate and Lovelace managed a relieved smile despite their still-glistening eyes.
Juan's pale face started to regain its color as he linked Hale. Christian and Annie felt like a huge weight was taken off their shoulders, and Annie started explaining to Russell that Lucianne was going to be alright. Raden and Sylvia relaxed visibly, their bodies slumped against the wall from their tensed slouching positions.
By far, the most relieved, but the most guilty, was Xandar. The cousin he had always wanted to replace was right. What the hell was he doing?! He was supposed to protect her! And he failed. Again. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and tears formed at the comers of his already teared-strained eyes as he conveyed his gratitude and remorse, 'I am so sorry, Moon Goddess. Thank you for saving her. I won't let her out of my sight again. I am so, so sorry."
Apart from Xandar, everyone said their goodbyes and reluctantly left the hospital floor. Russell wanted to stay, clinging onto Xandar's leg as he fought against Annie's attempts to pull him away. Xandar bent down and ruffled the little boy's head as he said with the warmest smile he could manage at the moment, "Russell, Aunt Lucy needs to rest now. How about you come see her tomorrow when she's awake?"
"NO! I WANT TO SEE AUNT LUCY NOW!"
Xandar tried again, "Aunt Lucy is really tired, Russell. You wouldn't want to disturb her now, do you?"
"NO! THAT'S WHAT MOMMY SAID ABOUT GRANNY! AND SHE NEVER CAME BACK! I WANT TO SEE AUNT LUCY! I WANT TO SEE AUNT LUCY NOW!"
Everyone was shocked at the words that just came out of the four-year-old's mouth. Xandar finally understood why Russell was being so stubborn. He kept his smile as he uttered, "Alright. We'll go in there and see Aunt Lucy. But you'll have to go home after that. Deal?"
The little boy nodded, and Xandar picked him up and carried him as he opened the door and went to Lucianne's side. Cautiously, he sat on the bed and his free hand reached out to touch his mate's slightly cold and motionless one as he muttered, "I am so sorry, baby."
He lifted her hand up to kiss it. But before he could place her hand back on the bed, Russell took his mate's hand from him and hugged it close to his small chest as he muttered, "Wake up, Aunt Lucy. I'll fight bad guys for you. Please, wake up."
Xandar's heart broke when he heard this. He then told Russell, "She'll wake up, Russell. The doctors said so. You can come see for yourself tomorrow."
Russell turned to face the King as he clung on to Lucianne's hand, "You promise?" Xandar smiled as he whispered, "I promise." After Xandar carefully took his mate's hand from the little boy and placed it gently on the bed, he brought Russell back out for Annie and Christian to take home.
Xandar then went back to his mate. He didn't know how long he stood there despite there being an empty chair right behind him. He just looked at his mate's unconscious body. Her face was getting back its color. He stroked her cheeks that he loved to see blush, and pecked a kiss on her lips which always responded before whispering into her ear, "I love you. Please give me another chance. I'll be better, Lucy. I promise."
After a few hours of standing, his legs finally gave in. He surrendered and sat on the chair. His fingers twined with Lucianne's as he stroked the back of her hand in slow motions, kissing it from time to time.
A little past midnight, a doctor peered through the window and looked at Xandar hesitantly. Xandar assumed that it was about Lucianne's condition so he got up and kissed her on her forehead before whispering, "I'll be right back, my love. I won't take long."
He exited the room, and the nervous-looking doctor adjusted his glasses before bowing and said, "My King, I am Dr Karr. We just finished analyzing the Oleander on the knife. But we also found this." He held up a transparent plastic bag with what appears to be a small sheet of paper with blood smudges. "We thought you might want to have a look at it before we tumed it over to the police."
Xandar took it, and held it under the light to read the writing in the dim corridor, which said: This is what you get for crossing me. I warned you. Take your child's death as the first taste of what I can unleash on you and your family.
Xandar's eyes snapped up to the doctor's as he said, "My mate wasn't the target."
Dr Karr nodded in agreement, "It appears not, my King. This paper was slit into the knife, like it was meant to be a message to whoever was stabbed with it. The Queen was most likely shielding the child that was with the Duchess, causing the Queen to be stabbed herself. A very noble act but it took a great toll on her body." he peered through the window before returning his sights to Xandar, who handed the note back to him.
The doctor then added, "The Kingdom is blessed to have her, your Highness. We'll look after her while she's here. If the Queen needs anything, do let us know." "Thank you." he nodded in the doctor's way and returned to the room to hold his mate's hand again.
Xandar kissed her nose before whispering with a small smile, "Told you I won't take long." He stroked her hand before he said, "Our Kingdom has to do better by you, Lucy. You just saved a child, you know that? I've never done anything close in my eighteen years on the throne." he kissed her hand again before uttering, "I love you, baby. I can't wait to see you again."