Lucien dashed through the corridors of the Everrie palace, his legs carrying him as fast as they could while his arms clutched tightly to the figure in his hands.
Blood covered him—warm, slick, and unbearable, and he pressed his palm harder against the wound as though sheer will alone could stop the bleeding.
Aries lay cradled in Lucien’s arms, gathered helplessly against his chest, looking as though life itself had finally decided to bid him farewell.
His face was deathly pale, like freshly fallen snow while the rest of his body was a cruel contrast. Blood continued to drip steadily, splashing against the hard floors of the palace as Lucien ran, leaving behind a trail.
Behind him ca hurried footsteps—officials, princes, guards, and most importantly, the king himself. When the incident the king had later terd a phenonon occurred, confusion and shock had rippled through the entire hall.
Few truly understood what they had seen. So could na it; many could not. To most, it was nothing but chaos, sothing unnatural and unsettling. And when the king himself ran after Lucien, who was racing toward his chambers in desperate search of a royal healer, nearly every official present followed without hesitation.
The doors to Lucien’s quarters burst open with force as he stord inside. He rushed to the bed and carefully lowered Aries onto it, his movents gentle despite the panic burning in his chest. Roger was already there, standing at his side, and he didn’t ask a single question. Instead, he quickly moved to arrange the bed, raising the pillows properly to support Aries’s back.
Lucien eased Aries down, ensuring his body lay flat and steady.
Aries’s breathing was faint—so faint it frightened him. His lips parted and closed slowly, struggling to draw in air, each breath shallower than the last.
Lucien turned sharply to Roger, his voice breaking as he barked,
"Where is the physician? Get the damned physician now!"
"My lord, he’s on his way," Roger replied at once. Still, he didn’t remain idle. He turned and ran toward the door, intent on speeding things along, but froze when sothing or rather, soone entered his vision.
As he was about to rush out, the king arrived at the entrance and stepped inside the chamber.
A stunned silence fell over the room.
Everyone present was shocked. It was unheard of for the king to enter a private chamber without formal announcent or the customary greetings. Whispers died instantly as the weight of his presence settled heavily over them.
Lucien, however, was oblivious. His eyes never left Aries’s body on the bed. He hadn’t even noticed the king’s entrance until Roger lightly tapped his shoulder.
He turned, and his breath caught.
Surprise surged through him. Yes, he had expected curiosity over a human being, especially one revealed so suddenly, but the way his father looked at Aries was... different. It was as though the king had known of humans long before this mont, as though he had been waiting for them, and seeing Aries now only confird sothing long buried within him.
Lucien swallowed, then bowed.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," he said, his gaze still drifting back to Aries even as he straightened.
The king acknowledged him with a simple nod.
Just then, the long-awaited physician finally arrived.
The officials parted quickly, allowing him through as he hurried into the room. But the mont his eyes t the king’s, he faltered and dropped to his knees in shock.
"My great Majesty," he exclaid, bowing deeply. His heart raced wildly. He already knew this incident would be the talk of the entire kingdom.
The king studied him closely.
"Who are you?" he asked, his tone calm but commanding.
The royal physician was nowhere to be found in his office—that much was already known. Roger had been forced to bring in a physician from outside the palace, which explained the delay. Under the king’s piercing stare, the man trembled.
Lucien stepped forward, unable to wait any longer.
"Your Majesty, there is no ti to waste," he said urgently. "He needs treatnt now."
The king shifted his gaze away from the physician and nodded once.
"Is the royal physician missing?" he asked.
Lucien’s eyes instinctively flicked toward Kenzie, who stood quietly at the edge of the room. He didn’t need confirmation. If soone wished Aries dead, it would be his brother, the sa brother whose connection to Aries remained shrouded in mystery.
Roger stepped forward and answered, his voice firm.
"Your Majesty, we fear there are those who oppose treating Aries. It is possible the royal physician was kidnapped. This is only speculation for now, but if you grant permission, I will uncover the truth."
"Hm..." the king humd thoughtfully. "Investigate," he ordered.
Then he turned to the trembling physician.
"Get up. Examine him."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the man replied shakily as he rose. His knees still felt weak as he had just been interrogated by the king himself.
As he reached Aries’s side, his breath nearly seized in his chest.
So many eyes were fixed on him—the king’s, the prince’s, the officials’. His hands trembled as he unpacked his tools.
’Who is this person?’ he wondered inwardly, glancing briefly around the room.
’Who commands the presence of the king, princes, and officials alike?’
’He isn’t even kin...’
He laid out clean clothes, sewing instrunts, and various tonics, then turned to those gathered.
"I will need as much manpower as possible," he announced. "I ca without assistants."
"What do you need?" Lucien asked imdiately, stepping forward.
"Good," the physician replied, beginning to give instructions.
As ti passed, beads of sweat coated his forehead, and the sa was true for those assisting him. The severity of the situation beca clearer with every passing mont. He had never encountered a case like this before.
To stabilize Aries, he used multiple tonics, employed unfamiliar thods, and even requested information from the royal archivist mid-treatnt.
And all for one reason, the patient was... odd.
Yes, the injury was to the stomach, but the placent of the arteries and organs made no sense. It was unfamiliar, almost alien. The surgery bordered on impossible, and yet, failure was not an option.
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