Chapter 14
Alyx was in the middle of another sorting session with Lissandra, going through all the information they had, when the doors were thrown open.
Sleepily, Alyx, Lissandra, and Lord Ethan looked up at Edmond who was heaving deep breaths in.
"Come!" He shouted.
Alyx was on his feet and down the stairs so quickly, he didn't even remember moving. Something had a hold of him but he wasn't sure what it was. Excitement wrapped up in terror with a healthy dose of anxiousness thrown in.
Then someone was putting him on Ranger and he was shouting at the others to move out of his way. Ranger was fast and though she was sweet, she easily knocked the other people and horses out of her in her urgency to move. It was all too fast for Alyx to process. He realized it was because there were only two things that would cause such a commotion in the castle.
An attack.
Or Evander was back.
In the distance, he saw Eamon riding hard for a familiar black horse in the distance. There was a strange figure on the back, short and wide and strangely formed, and Alyx could not make them out, but urged Ranger on faster. Eamon and Alyx rode for the horse and her rider from different directions, easily outstripping the others and Eamon arrived only seconds before Alyx did. As Alyx approached he realized that it was Paige on the horse. She was pale and her eyes darted around wildly and Alyx could see the sweat on her forehead.
"We're home, we're back, we're here," Paige was chanting and Alyx barely recognized her and did not understand who she was talking to. The cape that was tied around her was large and lumpy and Eamon jumped off the back of his horse before he was even completely stopped.
"Paige!" Eamon called.
"We're home, we're home, we made it, we're home," she said and Alyx wondered if her time in Nightfell had driven her mad. She didn't even acknowledge Eamon when he called her name. Her head was tipped back to the sky and she looked like she was crying.
"Paige, where is Josette?" Alyx demanded.
"We're home," she said again and began sobbing so hard, her entire body shook.
"Child, come," Eamon said and struggled for a moment to untie the cloak around her.
When he did, he barely had time to catch the body that accompanied it, the one that had been slumped over Paige. He fumbled and Eros blocked Alyx's view and then Eamon cried out, a wordless cry, not that Alyx could understand over Paige's whimpering of, "Home, home, home."
Alyx swung down and joined Eamon.
And saw Evander in his arms.
Beaten, bloody, and starved, but it was Evander.
"Alyx-" Eamon whispered.
"Alyx, protect us. They were coming for us- please, I do not know how far behind they are," Paige babbled. She was looking around now, more aware of her surroundings.
Torn between the two, Alyx looked to Eamon.
"Go," Eamon said and helped Evander up on Alyx's horse. His men joined them and Willhelm plucked Paige off Eros and another led Eros away. Eamon began barking orders and Edmond was echoing him, but Alyx could only focus on Evander, in his arms. He felt so small and broken, like he spent the last months in the underworld and now returned to him.
"Alyx?" Evander asked. One of his eyes was still shut but the other opened enough to see Alyx and there was an awareness there that made Alyx want to weep and burn the whole world down around them.
"Hello, Evander," Alyx whispered.
"Did I- Did Paige-?"
"No, you're home. You're home and I will kill them all."
Then Evander was closing his eyes and Alyx was riding back for the castle.
∞∞∞
The healers deferred to Lissandra. It seemed like the Princess's education outstripped their own and Alyx wanted to strangle them all. He was beginning to wonder if he should not send others to be schooled by Lissandra so that they might have decent physicians in their midst.
"We haven't the time," Lissandra said when she saw the fury on Alyx's face when he heard what the healers said. Alyx laid Evander out on the table.
"His clothes," she ordered as she pulled her hair back and out of her face.
Alyx tore the remnants of his clothes from his body and then stepped back. The bruises on his face were doubled all over his body and the injuries that Alyx could see plainly with his eyes were probably nothing compared to what Lissandra would find.
Lissandra pressed an ear against his chest, above his heart, and then the other side.
"Blankets, water, a thin broth," she ordered.
Alyx turned but Avelina was already there, rushing out.
Gael, Cade, and Auelina rushed in.
"How-" Gael asked.
Alyx shook his head. "Paige."
They gathered around Evander and Lissandra counted his breaths, his heartbeats. She cupped his head in her hands and then pried his eyes open.
"Okay," she nodded and turned.
Nicolas was there, waiting on her every command, like he had done for the past two weeks.
"In my room. In my trunks. There is a red trunk. Bright red. Take everything out. At the bottom is a long, black box."
"Red trunk. Black box."
"Bring it to me, but be very, very careful."
Then Nicolas was gone.
"Is he- Will he live?" Alyx asked.
"Yes," Lissandra said. "But it will not be pretty."
"I don't care," Alyx whispered.
∞∞∞
There was nothing outside of the pain. It began somewhere in his chest and radiated outwards to his shoulders, his hips, his legs, his fingers, until his entire world was soaked in it.
"Are you awake?" A voice whispered. "I’m here. I'm not going anywhere."
The voice was familiar, but far away. It was comforting, that he was not alone. He spent so much time alone, locked up, that he wasn't sure he could go much longer without a kind word or a gentle hand. Soothed, Evander fell back asleep.
∞∞∞
The pain was a little better this time or perhaps he was numbed to it. There were hushed voices, more than two, and Evander could clearly understand orders were given.
"Paige?" Evander whispered.
The room fell silent.
He couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. It was too much to utter that one name as it was. But he had to know, if they were somewhere safe, if she was okay. He remembered her words, her vow to die with him if he would not get on the back of Eros. He had to know if she was okay too.
"She's here. She brought you home. Do you want me to get her?" Alyx whispered in his ear.
Relief flooded Evander so much that he could hardly breathe from it. He didn't dare hope that they were actually home, with his family, because it was so much to ask. Safety and Paige's health was enough for him, but here, home-
It was too much to bear.
"Alyx?" Evander asked.
"Yes, Evander."
"Alyx?"
"I'm right here."
"Please."
"I won't. I'm not leaving you. Sleep."
∞∞∞
They were all gathered in Alyx's quarters. Lissandra would not leave. Gael spent more time here than in anywhere else. Cade came in and out often and though Auelina was ordered to rest, she came in often as well. Gia made her first appearance for the first time in a very long time to see Evander and spent her days there, reading to him.
Lissandra monitored him constantly.
The healers came and took notes of what she used and that black case that Nicolas retrieved rarely left her sight. She poured tinctures down Evander's throat at regular intervals and assured Alyx that it was only for him to sleep through the pain.
No one should suffer through pain like this, she whispered more than once.
When his sleep was deep enough, she reset his fingers, his toes, his right ankle and his right shoulder.
For the shoulder, she required her brothers' help. By the end of the first day, she had tears on her cheeks but Alyx would swear that she did not know it.
Paige was sick.
Exhaustion sickness, Lissandra said. Avelina stayed with her and on the few occasions that Lissandra did leave Evander's side, it was to check on Paige.
She had a fever, she was delirious, and she spoke of a man that lived in the woods like he was a myth. She called out for Josette but Josette was in the woods and none could find her.
"If she does not want to be found, she will not," Lissandra advised.
"Is there no way to communicate with her?" Eamon asked.
"Not until she knows she is safe."
Alyx never left Evander's side. He refused to. There was no one that could move him, with the exception of Lissandra as she watched over Evander. Alyx took all his meals in their room and often slept with his head on the bed next to Evander. He did not occupy the bed, for fear of hurting him.
Five days after Paige and Evander arrived, Josette, Issat, Margrave, and Alik stumbled out of the forest and into the village.
Upon seeing Josette, all four were taken to the castle.
"Is Paige here?" Josette asked, over and over.
"She is here, she brought Evander," Edmond assured her as he carried her up and to Evander's room.
Lissandra was there, changing Evander's bandages and upon seeing her old friend, she cried out. One of the healers took her place and Lissandra went over to Josette where Edmond deposited her in a chair.
Then Eamon followed her in with Issat in his arms, and two more men helping both Margrave and Alik.
They were all dirty, bleeding, and had not seen a good meal in a long time.
"I'm fine, I swear it," Josette said and waved Lissandra off. Or tried to anyway. She was ignored as Lissandra ran her hands down her Josette's face, arms, and legs, frowned at the poorly wrapped wounds on her arms and shoulders.
Then she moved on to Issat who submitted to the examination quietly and without protest. Margrave was next and Lissandra frowned when she saw a wound just above his hip that was still oozing blood and was warm to the touch.
"I don't like it. Take him to Avelina's room," she told one of Eamon's men.
"I can go," Margrave snarled and waved off one of Eamon's men.
"Follow him, he doesn't know where he's going," Josette said.
Eamon's men did as they were asked.
"Where were you?" Eamon asked and crossed his arms over his chest.
"We don't answer to you," Alik snapped.
"We got lost, ambushed, lost again, ambushed again, captured for a few hours, lost, and then here," Josette said.
Alik glared at her. She snorted at him.
"Paige has been asking for you," Eamon said quietly.
"Where is she?" Josette asked and tried to stand up. Lissandra pushed her back down into the chair.
"Let her go," Alik snapped.
For the first time, Lissandra looked over at him and Alyx would never forget the chill that went through the room.
"You may be royal but your allegiance is still in question, Prince Alik. Do not presume to tell me what I can and can't do here," she said.
Alik stood up and Eamon got between them.
"I would be very careful, Your Highness," Eamon said.
"Because you protect your sister?" Alik asked.
"Do not be mistaken. I protect you from her."
"Please get out," Alyx said.
Everyone turned to him and it was like he and Evander had been forgotten in the room and they were just remembering them both.
"While I appreciate the help, the posturing does no good. I am exhausted. My husband needs rest. You all need food and a bed. Go. Find them. Do not return until you can all remember that you are adults in charge of running three separate kingdoms and not children fighting over the best toy," he ordered.
He pointed at the door.
Everyone, including Lissandra, was forced from the room.
They all stood in the hall and listened to the lock slide into place.
Alik shot Lissandra and Eamon one last glare before turning and marching away.
"Let me go check on Paige," Lissandra said.
"Are you going to tell Alik that that leads to a dead end?" Josette asked, limping after them.
"Let his Most Royal High and Mighty find his own way," Eamon sneered at Alik’s retreating back.
Josette sighed but followed Eamon and Lissandra to Paige's room.