Xavi and Josephine, with little Adris nestled in the middle, were still asleep peacefully, wrapped around each other. The morning silence was soft until Adris stirred. He turned a little bit and saw Josephine's face.
He yawned cutely and tapped her cheek.
"Jojo? Jojo?" Adris whispered.
Xavi opened his eyes and stretched, yawning.
"Hey, Adris," Xavi said groggily.
But Adris's small hand was suddenly wet, covered in blood.
Xavi's eyes widened. He stood up quickly.
"Josephine?!" he shouted, pushing her body. Her pillow was soaked with blood.
"ANESTHESIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" King Xavi roared.
"Josephine! JOSEPHINE!" He slapped her face, panic breaking through his voice.
Anesthesia rushed in with Xoni, Assia, Clara, Remy, and Queen Olydia.
"Jojo! Jojo!" Anesthesia cried, holding Josephine's bloodied face.
Xoni quickly lifted Adris, who was reaching out for Josephine.
Xavi pulled Josephine closer to himself. His voice was thunder.
"GET ME THE GRAND HEALER NOW!"
"Your Majesty… he is out of the Kingdom for six days. He will return the day after tomorrow," a guard stammered.
Anesthesia whispered urgently, hands glowing.
"Solar Embrace… Sol ardens corpus," she incanted.
Josephine's body glowed green for a second—then stopped.
Anesthesia pressed her palm to Josephine's head, her eyes glowing white as she scanned.
"The poison is spreading to her heart. Xavi—it's moving quickly. It's reaching her heart…"
Anesthesia wavered. Xoni rushed to catch her.
"I got you, baby girl," She whispered, steadying her.
"Change her!" King Xavi barked suddenly. He stormed to his room, bathed, dressed, applied perfume, and returned to Josephine's chamber.
Remy muttered under her breath, "What is he acting like she's important for? Let her just die then…"
Xavi froze. His hand lifted in fury. From across the room he clenched his fist—Remy's body jerked violently as her own blood bent against her. She screamed, choking.
"Don't ever say my Josephine should die… or you will die," King Xavi thundered, squeezing tighter.
"Stop, Brother!" Xoni pleaded.
Xavi looked back at Josephine's limp form on Anesthesia's back. He stopped, then moved quickly to take her into his own arms. He carried her out and straight into the carriage.
"Josephine—just open your fucking eyes, damn it! I don't want to lose you… I can't," he muttered brokenly, holding her tight.
The carriage arrived at the hospital. Nurses rushed her into the emergency room, elves and witches working swiftly. Xavi sat outside, his chest heaving.
Why am I this scared? he thought.
"Kara," he whispered.
All the way in King Nereon's castle, Kara vanished instantly and appeared in the hospital.
"What happened?" she asked sharply, eyes darting to Josephine.
"It's the poison—it's spreading fast," Xavi answered.
Kara snapped her fingers, a book appearing in her hands. Xoni, Anesthesia, Assia, Queen Olydia, and little Adris arrived too.
"My Jojo…" Adris whimpered, trying to crawl into the room. Xoni patted his back gently.
Kara flipped through the pages. "I can't find a cure…"
"Me too," Anesthesia said, defeated. "I searched every book."
The witch doctor emerged.
"How is she?" Xavi demanded.
"She's stable. We injected herbs into her body to reduce the internal bleeding. But… we detected three deadly flowers: Angel's Trumpet, Foxglove, and Deadly Nightshade. The foxglove and nightshade are spreading fast. They're breaking her down day by day," the doctor explained.
"We'll need a constant supply of her medicine."
"How much?" Xavi snapped.
"Five thousand golden coins," the witch said.
Xavi handed over one million golden coins instead. He ordered the entire supply shifted to his castle, hired a personal nurse for Josephine, and paid her eight million coins with strict instructions.
Xoni whispered to her mother, grinning. "Wow, Mom… your son is going insane for Josephine."
"I see it. Last night, he slept on her bed, mind you," Queen Olydia said knowingly.
"Really?!" Xoni and Anesthesia exclaimed together.
"Yes. But we still have four more tests to go," Olydia said calmly.
"I want to see her," Xavi said, worry in his voice.
"Is she your wife?" the doctor asked bluntly.
Xavi froze. Kara raised an eyebrow. Anesthesia began to speak—
"He's not—"
"Yes," Xavi cut in firmly. "She is my wife."
The room went silent.
"This is interesting," Xoni said with a huge grin.
"You can go," the doctor nodded.
Xavi entered the room. Josephine lay pale, her breathing faint.
"Josephine…" he whispered, sitting beside her, stroking her hair gently.
"Call me King Hendrick. And his family. Especially Ceillie," Xavi ordered a guard.
The guard bowed and sped to King Hendrick's castle.
Ceillie's plate clattered to the floor when she heard the news. The family immediately gathered and rushed in carriages to the hospital.
Xavi held Josephine's hand as a nurse entered.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. I will be her personal nurse. My name is Lyra."
Xavi gave her strict instructions without ever looking away from Josephine's face.
"Where is my Jojo?" Ceillie's voice trembled as she entered the room. She gasped at Josephine, pale with a medicine mask pressed over her face, inhaling the healing orbs. Ceillie sat beside her, patting her head gently.
"Her health is getting worse," Xavi admitted in a broken tone. "I am sorry…"
"It's not your fault, dear," Ceillie reassured softly.
The family gathered. Piere studied Xavi.
"You look… worried?"
"Yeah," Xavi admitted simply.
They whispered among themselves while Noah exchanged secret glances with Tess. Slowly, they grew closer, hiding their love from the family.
Then Josephine stirred. Her eyes fluttered open. She stretched weakly.
"Jojo, love?" Ceillie whispered, cupping her cheeks.
Josephine sat up suddenly, hugging Ceillie tight.
"Hey, baby," Hendrick said, kissing her forehead. She hugged him and then everyone else.
Meanwhile, Xavi pulled Hendrick aside.
"Make wedding preparations. I am not waiting eight months."
"But she's sixteen, Your Highness," Hendrick warned.
"At least wait until she's seventeen," Ceillie said firmly.
"…Fine. I will wait," Xavi conceded, jaw tight.
Three hours later, Xavi returned to his castle with Josephine. She bolted upstairs to see Adris, smothering his face with kisses.
"Hey! Get out of his room!!" Clara snapped.
Josephine ignored her, raining kisses on Adris.
"She's in your room, Xavi! Get her out!" Clara shouted.
"You get out," Xavi said coldly, slamming the door in her face.
Josephine turned to him and smiled.
Such a sweet soul, Xavi thought, smiling back before catching himself. Why am I smiling?
Josephine studied him. He looks so cute when he smiles. I wonder why he doesn't do it more often. Maybe I should make him happy.
He heard her thought and chuckled. "Good luck with that," he murmured.
Josephine grinned. I know what to do now! Jojo, you're the most intelligent woman on earth!!! she cheered inwardly, clapping her hands with Adris.
Xavi smiled again, amused by her mind.
But outside, Clara and Remy seethed in their rooms.
I need to get that girl out of this castle before she takes what belongs to me. King Xavi Roman is mine! they both thought.
By the window, Xavi stood, listening to their dark words. His eyes narrowed.
"Good luck with that," he muttered. "Now it's my turn to test them."