Elion guided Raelynn toward the edge of the lake, keeping a firm grip on her as they moved through the chilly water. She shivered slightly but managed to shoot him a small, reassuring smile. "I'm fine, really," she insisted, though her trembling legs betrayed her.
He shot her a look, clearly not amused. "Sure you are."
When they got to the shore, Raelynn dragged herself out, gripping the soggy flower like it was sothing precious. She looked like a drenched ss, but her eyes stayed locked on the flower as if nothing else mattered.
"Are you seriously dragging that thing around?"
Raelynn glanced down at the soggy flower in her hand and then back at him. "It's my flower," she said stubbornly.
Elion sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "Raelynn," he said, his voice softer now, "just leave it. I'll get you another one later."
She blinked, uncertain. "But—"
"I'll get you another one," he repeated, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "More beautiful, and more of them. As many as you want."
Raelynn hesitated for a mont, then sighed, and finally let the wilted flower fall. "Fine."
Before she could utter another word, Elion scooped her up in his arms. "You can complain later," he said flatly, ot slowing down as he headed for the car.
Raelynn sighed, her face heating—not from the cold but from the proximity. "I really can walk, you know."
"Save your breath," Elion replied, his voice softer this ti. "You'll need it to tell Sloane why you thought falling into a lake was a good idea."
The ride back to the estate was quiet, broken only by Raelynn's occasional sniffles. She tried not to glance at Elion, but the tension in his posture was hard to ignore. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his focus entirely on the road ahead.
When they pulled up, Sloane, who'd been lounging by the front, imdiately jumped to her feet.
"What the hell happened?" Sloane demanded, eyeing the drenched pair. "Why do you both look like you wrestled a sea monster?"
"Long story short," Elion said flatly, walking by with Raelynn in his arms, "soone fell into the lake, and soone else had to help. You can probably guess who's who."
Sloane rolled his eyes. "I can guess."
The noise caught Hera's attention, and she quickly entered the foyer, looking both curious and worried. "What's going on? Why are you both soaked?"
Elion ignored her question, addressing Hera instead with his usual commanding tone. "Hera, help Raelynn clean up. Make sure she's warm and comfortable."
Hera seed taken aback but gave a firm nod after a brief pause. "Of course."
"And you," Elion said, turning back to Sloane, "check on her after she's done."
Sloane's eyebrow shot up, clearly unimpressed. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically, but Elion ignored him, his focus already back on Raelynn.
Hera led Raelynn away, leaving Sloane and Elion alone in the foyer. Sloane glanced at her childhood friend, noting the tense lines in his face.
"You're dripping everywhere, Elion," Sloane said with a smirk. "Go clean up. It's no use standing here like a soggy statue and worrying."
Elion hesitated, glancing toward the hallway where Raelynn had disappeared. With a brief nod, he turned and headed to his room.
By the ti Raelynn was cleaned up and dressed in warm, dry clothes, she was already feeling more like herself. Hera fussed over her like a mother hen, making sure she was wrapped in a thick blanket before Sloane arrived to do his examination.
Elion ca back soon after, his wet hair pushed back but still a bit ssy, his expression neutral as he stood by the door.
Sloane took her ti examining Raelynn. Elion hovered nearby, his arms crossed and his sharp gaze fixed on every movent.
"Well?" Elion demanded when Sloane finally stepped back.
"She's fine," Sloane said, though her tone was cautious. "But her immune system is already strained because of the pregnancy. She needs to rest and keep warm."
Raelynn waved her hand. "I'm fine, really. It's just a little water."
Elion's frown grew more pronounced. "You heard her. You need a lot of rest."
Raelynn rolled her eyes but caught the serious look on Elion's face. She sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll rest."
Suddenly, her eyes widened as she looked at Elion's still-damp hair. "Wait a second! You fell in the water too. Sloane, you should check him as well!"
Sloane snorted, crossing her arms. "Elion? Please. I've never seen the man sick. "Even if he was, he'd never show it—gotta maintain that 'unbreakable guy' act."
Elion smirked, but his eyes softened when they landed on Raelynn. "I'm fine," he assured her. "The most important thing here is you."
Raelynn huffed, narrowing her eyes. "Still, you should—"
"I said I'm fine, Raelynn," Elion interrupted, stepping closer.
Sloane groaned dramatically, throwing her hands up. "Great, now you're both going to start fussing over each other. Hera and I are leaving before this turns into a soap opera."
Hera laughed as she followed Sloane out of the room. "Please take care of her, Mr. Vaelorian. And Raelynn, have a good rest."
Once they were gone, silence settled over the room.
Raelynn glanced at Elion, suddenly aware of how close he was standing. "You didn't have to jump in after , you know," she said softly.
Elion tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "What kind of man would I be if I just stood there and watched?"
Raelynn's cheeks ward, and she quickly looked away, fiddling with the edge of the blanket. "Well... thank you. I an it."
Elion stared at her for a second longer, then pulled back, his calm deanor slipping back into place. "Get so rest. I'll check on you later."
As he turned to leave, Raelynn called out, "Elion?"
He paused, glancing over his shoulder.
"I... I'm really fine," she said, her voice softer this ti.
Elion's smile was faint but genuine. "I know."
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