Chapter 64
Felicity
POV
him, no matter what it took.
As we rode on horseback, the wind whipping through my hair, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Molly had warned us that the journey would last hours, and the weight of my baby in my arms felt heavier with each passing hour. But I knew I had to save "I don't know if we're going to make it in time," I said to Adrian.
"We have to try," he replied determinedly. "Molly said this flower is our only hope."
As we got closer to our destination, I could see the worry etched on Kyle's face. "Just stay positive," I said reassuringly. "We're going to find it."
Finally, we arrived at the spot where Molly said we could find the flower. It was a small clearing in the woods, surrounded by tall trees and wildflowers.
"Do you see anything?" I asked as we got off the horses.
Adrian scanned the area, his eyes searching for any sign of the plant. "I think I see something over there," he said, pointing to a patch of bushes in the distance.
We hurried over, our hearts beating with anticipation. When we reached the bushes, we saw a cluster of small pink flowers, each one delicate and beautiful.
"It's not it," I said, disappointed while seeing the photo that Molly had given us.
We searched around the area more, but we couldn't find the specific flower we were looking for. The sun was setting, and soon it would be too dark to continue our search. Kyle looked crestfallen. "We can't go back empty-handed," he said. "We can't let Phoenix die."
Kyle made the proposal to look a little further.
I turned to him and spoke urgently. "Kyle, wait! We should search together. It could be dangerous out there alone."
He shrugged off my concern. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me. I'll be back soon with the plant."
I hesitated. "But what if something happens? We need to stick together."
He seemed unphased. "Relax. Nothing is going to happen. I'll be back before you know it."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he interrupted me. "No buts. Just wait here and stay safe. I'll be back soon."
Kyle left us there, promising to return as soon as possible with the plant we needed. But as time passed, my baby's condition worsened.
"It's not looking good," Adrian said, worry etched across his face.
"I know," I replied, tears welling up in my eyes.
"I'm sure Kyle will come back soon with the flower," he reassured me.
"I hope so," I said, my voice trembling. "I don't know how much longer Phoenix can hold on."
Adrian grew increasingly restless, pacing back and forth as he watched my son grow weaker and weaker.
"We can't just wait here," he said, his voice filled with anxiety. "What if Kyle doesn't come back in time? What if your son doesn't make it?"
I tried to calm him down, assuring him that we had to trust Kyle, that he would come back with the flower. But as time passed by, I knew we couldn't wait any longer. We had to do something.
With a heavy heart, Adrian decided to leave to go search for the flower himself. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, his eyes filled with determination.
I watched him go, feeling scared and alone. With nothing else to do, I held my baby close and prayed to the moon goddess for strength and guidance.
I watched him disappear into the underbrush, feeling uneasy. Even if I trusted him, something about splitting up felt wrong. I tried to distract myself by studying the surrounding flora, but my eyes kept straying to the trail Kyle had taken. Minutes ticked by. I knew that Kyle was knowledgeable, but he was also...reckless. I imagined him tripping over a root or falling into a ravine, the plant forgotten in the chaos.
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I swallowed hard and chased away that idea.
But as I sat there, I noticed something strange. My baby had stopped crying and was now convulsing in my arms.
"Please, no," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "Not like this."
In a panic, I decided to go look for the flower in another direction, hoping that I might find it faster than Adrian. I stumbled through the woods, feeling more lost than ever. But then, I saw it. The flower we had been searching for. It was glowing in the dim light, its petals shimmering with different shades of purple and silver.
I picked it quickly and rushed back to my baby. Without hesitation, I rubbed the flower on his skin, his mouth and within moments, he stopped convulsing. It was a miracle.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Thank goodness," I whispered to my baby, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "We made it."
"I know," I replied, tears welling up in my eyes.
But as I sat there, basking in the relief of my baby's recovery, I suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Before I knew it, we were surrounded by men in uniforms.
"What are you doing here?" The man's voice was low and gruff, and I spun around to find myself face to face with a group of uniformed men.
"I-I was just looking for a flower," I stammered, holding my baby tight to my chest.
The man was eyeing me suspiciously, and I could feel my palms starting to sweat. "What kind of flower?" he asked.
"It's rare," I admitted. "But we needed it to save my baby. He's sick."
The man scowled. "And you think it's okay to just wander around here looking for plants?"
"No... But I've no other choice!" I said scared.
"You're lying" one of them said, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"I- I was just looking for a flower," I stammered, holding my baby close.
As the men closed in on me, their weapons glinting in the moonlight, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. "Please," I begged, holding up the flower. "We just needed this to save my son."
But they weren't listening. One of them snatched the flower from my hand, inspecting it closely. "This is a rare plant," he said, his eyes narrowing. "What are you really doing here?"
"I swear, we didn't mean any harm," I said, my voice trembling. "We just needed the flower to save our baby. Please, let us go."
But they weren't having it. They stepped closer, their weapons pointed at me. "This is our territory," one of them growled. "You have no business being here."
I tried to explain myself, but it was no use. They were getting dangerously close, their eyes cold and unforgiving. I backed away, clutching my baby tightly.
That's when I heard the shot. It echoed through the woods, shattering the silence. I turned to run, but it was too late. A searing pain ripped through my chest, and I collapsed to the ground, my baby crying beside me.
As I lay there, gasping for breath, I thought of Maximus. Was this how it was going to end? Would I ever see him again?
The men loomed over me, their faces twisted in anger. "You shouldn't have come here," one of them spat.
And then everything went black.