Selene's POV
I thought I had seen enough blood for one night.
But then Damien's nose began to bleed.
It was sudden, a thin crimson line slipping down the side of his face, staining his pale skin, and something inside me broke. I scrambled forward, catching it with my sleeve, my heart hammering so violently I thought it might rip through my chest. His breathing hitched, shallow and weak, and I could almost see the poison tightening its grip inside him.
"No, no, no..." My voice cracked. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely keep the fabric pressed against his face. "Stay with me, Damien. Don't you dare..."
The doors banged open.
The physician entered, flanked by four others. They carried satchels, jars, long rolls of cloth, and strange metal tools I didn't recognize. Their steps were quick, rehearsed, purposeful as though they had done this before, in secret rooms where lives hung between silence and screams.
"Your Majesty," the physician said, rushing toward me. His face was set, serious. "We must begin at once. The poison is advancing faster than expected."
"I'm not leaving him," I said immediately, my voice hoarse.
He glanced at the men behind him, then at Damien. "Your Majesty, you cannot stay. What must be done to purge the Venorix will not be… easy to witness. It is delicate work, and we cannot be distracted."
"You think I'd be a distraction?" I spat. My palms pressed tighter around Damien's cold hand, as though I could anchor him. "He's my brother."
"Yes. Which is why it will hurt you most to watch." His voice softened, but his urgency sharpened. "Please, Highness. Trust me. Let us do what must be done. He needs every moment now, and we cannot hesitate."
My throat closed. My nails dug into Damien's skin as if I could tether him to me with sheer will.
"I won't leave him," I whispered again, but it sounded weaker this time, a child's plea.
The physician bent low, meeting my eyes. "I promise you, Princess, I will try everything in my power to save him. But if you remain, your grief may hinder us. Spare yourself this torment. Let us work."
Behind him, Kael stepped forward, his face grim. He moved closer, but not too close, not with the others watching. His voice was low, firm. "Selene. Come with me."
I shook my head violently. "No..."
"Your highness." His eyes caught mine, steady and grounding. "Let them do their job."
My heart twisted. My body screamed to stay, to fight, to protect Damien the way he had always protected me. But Kael's gaze held me still, and for the first time, I realized how tired I was. How utterly powerless.
I bent down, pressing a trembling kiss to Damien's forehead. "Please fight, brother. Please."
Then Kael's hand brushed mine, just for a second, just enough to guide me and I let him lead me out.
The door closed behind us with a final, suffocating sound.
I broke.
The tears I'd been holding back fell in torrents, hot and unstoppable. My shoulders shook, my chest heaved, and though I tried to cover my face, the sobs came anyway.
Kael didn't touch me, not directly. Too many eyes lingered on us in the hallway, too many whispers already waited in the shadows. But he produced a small linen cloth from his pocket and held it out.
"Here," he said quietly.
I snatched it, pressing it to my face, muffling the ugly sounds that kept breaking free. My hands trembled so badly that the fabric was damp within seconds.
"He's all I have, Kael," I whispered. "If he dies…"
"He won't." His voice was steady, even if his jaw was tight. "Damien isn't weak. He'll fight through this."
I shook my head, biting back another sob. "You don't know that."
"Yes, I do." His eyes softened, just a fraction. "Do you remember when we were children? He was always the last one standing during training. Always the one who kept going, even when everyone else collapsed. You used to cheer for him until you lost your voice."
A watery laugh escaped me, though it quickly turned into another sob. "And he used to tease me for sounding like a crow."
Kael smiled faintly. "But he loved it. You gave him strength. You always have."
Silence lingered between us, filled only with the muffled sounds of footsteps, the distant shouts from outside as guards reorganized after the attack.
"Do you remember," Kael continued softly, "the time we snuck down to the river? You and Damien insisted on swimming even though it was freezing. I thought I'd die just standing in the water."
I wiped my face, a shaky smile tugging at my lips. "You refused to go deeper than your knees."
"Because it was ice!" His eyes glinted with amusement. "But Damien carried you on his back straight into the middle. He said if the cold killed him, at least you'd die laughing."
I let out a broken laugh, my tears still streaming. "He's always been reckless."
"Reckless," Kael agreed. "But never weak. He'll come back to you, Selene. I promise."
I stared at him, my chest tight. His words were an anchor, something solid amidst the storm raging inside me. For a moment, I almost believed him.
"I hope you're right," I whispered.
"I am."
Silence stretched again, but this time it wasn't crushing. It was fragile, soft, as if the memories themselves were keeping us afloat.
Finally, I sighed, shaking my head. "Look at that physician, though. Marching in here with four people like some little cult."
Kael's lips twitched, fighting a laugh. "Did you see the way they all bowed at once? Like puppets on strings."
Despite myself, I laughed, a real laugh, though it was laced with tears. "If Damien wakes up and sees that, he'll make a joke about being sacrificed."
"He'll probably call them his 'poison priests.'"
That made me laugh harder, my shoulders shaking. I covered my mouth quickly, muffling the sound, but it was too late, the relief of it broke through the grief like sunlight through clouds.
Kael's smile lingered, faint but warm. He didn't touch me, not with others watching, but his eyes never left mine. And in them, I saw something steady. Something that told me I wasn't alone.
I clutched the linen tighter, breathing in shaky bursts. "Thank you, Kael."
"You don't need to thank me."
"Yes, I do." My voice wavered. "You always know what to say."
His eyes softened again, though he quickly glanced away as footsteps echoed nearby.
"That's only because I've been listening to you both since we were children. You never stopped talking."
I laughed again, weak but genuine. And for the first time that night, I let myself hope.
Hope that Damien would fight.
Hope that Kael was right.
Hope that this wasn't the end.