Adrian's POV
The freezing river swallowed us.
For several seconds, there was nothing but darkness, rushing water, and the deafening roar of the waterfall.
I held Eira tightly against my chest, keeping her head above the current as I fought against the violent pull of the river.
Her body was limp.
Too still.
"Eira."
No response.
I tightened my grip and pushed forward.
The moment my feet found the opposite bank, I climbed onto the rocky shore and carried her into the darkness beyond the waterfall.
I didn't stop until I found a narrow cave concealed behind a curtain of vines and jagged stone.
Secluded.
Hidden.
For now, it would have to be enough.
I carefully lowered Eira onto the cold ground.
Her clothes were completely drenched.
So were mine.
Water streamed from my hair and clothes as I looked down at her pale face.
She wasn't moving.
"Eira."
Nothing.
I touched her cheek.
Cold.
Far too cold.
I immediately gathered dry branches from deeper inside the cave and struck a flame.
The fire flickered to life, casting a warm glow across the rough stone walls.
I removed my coat and placed it beneath her head before carefully drawing her closer to the fire.
But the warmth wasn't enough.
Her body continued to tremble.
I took her hands between mine.
Ancient vampire energy flowed through my palms, gradually restoring warmth to her frozen fingers.
Then I placed one hand over her chest.
Her heartbeat was weak.
Uneven.
But still there.
"Come on, Eira."
My voice softened.
"Wake up."
I poured more of my energy into her.
"Please."
Her eyelashes fluttered.
I froze.
"Eira?"
Her eyes slowly opened.
Confusion clouded her gaze as she blinked against the firelight, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
Then her eyes found mine.
"Adrian...?"
I exhaled quietly.
Relief surged through me.
"You're awake."
She tried to sit up.
I immediately supported her.
"Slowly."
Her gaze wandered around the cave—the fire, the rough stone walls, the darkness beyond the entrance.
Then she looked down at herself.
Her clothes were soaked through.
She shivered.
"What... happened?"
"You were unconscious."
Her brows drew together.
"Where are we?"
"A cave."
She stared at me.
"How did we get here?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Something shifted in her expression.
Then she remembered.
The pain.
Her hand instinctively went to her chest.
Her breathing quickened.
"That pain..."
She looked at me.
"What happened to me?"
Her eyes suddenly widened.
"I heard something."
I remained silent.
"When I was unconscious..." She swallowed. "I heard fighting."
Her gaze moved over me.
Then she noticed the dark stain across one sleeve.
Her eyes widened.
"Adrian..."
I said nothing.
"Who were you fighting?"
I ignored the question.
Instead, I knelt beside her and handed her a small container of water.
"Drink."
She stared at it.
"Adrian, what happened?"
"Drink first."
Her frustration grew.
"Why won't you tell me what's happening?"
"Because we don't have time."
I looked toward the cave entrance.
"We aren't safe here."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"We have to leave."
She stared at me as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Adrian... what is happening to me?"
Her voice cracked.
"What was that pain?"
I said nothing.
"Adrian..."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Please."
My expression softened.
I reached up and gently wiped the tear away with my thumb.
"Listen to me carefully."
She looked into my eyes.
"There are people trying to kill you."
Her lips parted.
"Who?"
"I don't know yet."
"Why?"
I hesitated.
"I'm still trying to understand that myself."
Her breathing became unsteady.
"But I won't let them hurt you."
I held her gaze.
"While I'm here, nothing will happen to you."
Something in my voice made her go still.
"No one is taking you from me."
Her eyes glistened with tears.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she slowly nodded.
"Okay."
Her voice was barely audible.
She trusted me.
After everything she had just experienced, she still trusted me.
I looked away.
"We need to leave."
She nodded again.
But before she could move, her body suddenly weakened.
Her eyes fluttered.
"Eira?"
She collapsed against me.
I caught her before she hit the ground.
My hand immediately went to her forehead.
My expression hardened.
She was burning.
Not with an ordinary fever.
Her skin was almost scorching beneath my palm.
"Selenthayx..."
The power was surging through her again.
I lifted her into my arms.
"Eira, stay with me."
She barely opened her eyes.
"Adrian..."
I held her closer.
"I've got you."
I looked toward the cave entrance.
We couldn't stay.
Not here.
Not when they were searching for her.
Not when I didn't know how many others had already sensed the awakening of Selenthayx.
I carried her into the forest.
The night air struck us as I moved through the trees, Eira lying weakly against my chest.
Her head rested against my shoulder.
Every few moments, I glanced down to make sure she was still breathing.
Then I remembered what Selenthayx truly was.
The Stone of Immortality had been created for the werewolves.
Its power was bound to them.
And now it was awakening inside a human girl.
Her body needed something capable of harmonizing with that power.
Something infused with wolf energy.
She needed it.
And I knew exactly where I could find it.
I increased my pace.
Branches tore at my clothes as I moved through the forest.
Eventually, a secluded villa emerged between the trees.
I approached the back door and knocked.
Once.
Twice.
The door opened.
Drek stood there.
His expression changed the instant he saw me.
"Adrian?"
His gaze dropped to the woman unconscious in my arms.
His face drained of color.
"What the hell...?"
He looked at Eira again.
"What is going on?"
I walked past him without answering.
"Adrian!"
I carried Eira into the villa and placed her gently on one of the beds.
Drek followed, still trying to comprehend what he was seeing.
"You disappeared from the college party for hours, and now you show up carrying an unconscious girl?"
I ignored him.
My attention remained on Eira.
Then I turned toward another room.
The room was filled with ancient bottles, dried herbs, sealed jars, and weathered medicinal texts.
I began searching through them.
Drek stood in the doorway.
"Are you even listening to me?"
Nothing.
"We were waiting for you in the forest."
Still nothing.
"Mike is furious with you."
I continued searching.
Drek folded his arms.
"What are you looking for?"
I pulled several bottles from a wooden cabinet and examined their labels.
"Adrian."
No response.
"Why are you taking those?"
I didn't answer.
Drek's eyes narrowed.
Then he noticed the ingredients in my hands.
His expression changed.
"Those are for werewolves."
My hand stopped.
Silence settled between us.
Drek slowly glanced toward the bedroom.
Then back at me.
"Wait."
His voice dropped.
"Is she...?"
I slowly turned toward him.
Realization dawned across his face.
"She's the one."
I said nothing.
"The one carrying Selenthayx?"
"Enough."
Drek stared at me.
"You've lost your mind."
"You brought the princess's daughter here?"
His voice rose.
"She has Selenthayx inside her!"
"Keep your voice down."
"Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
Drek stepped closer.
"The vampires want to kill her. The werewolves want what's inside her. Everyone who knows about that Stone will come after her."
His gaze darted toward the bedroom.
"And you brought her here?"
I turned back to the table and began preparing another mixture.
"Adrian, you don't understand."
I crushed the herbs into a fine powder.
"No one will find her."
Drek's expression hardened.
"You actually think you can hide her?"
"I know I can."
"Because she's carrying the most dangerous power in existence!"
His voice echoed through the room.
"If the vampires discover she has Selenthayx, they'll kill her."
I stopped.
Drek continued.
"And if the werewolves find her, they'll tear this entire place apart to get to her."
I slowly lifted my eyes.
"No one will touch her."
Drek studied me, disbelief darkening his features.
"You can't guarantee that."
"I don't make guarantees I can't keep."
His expression tightened.
"How?"
My voice turned dangerously quiet.
"Because I won't give them the chance."
Drek shook his head.
"Have you completely lost your mind?"
He stepped closer.
"You're risking everything."
"Your life."
"Your position."
"The entire vampire kingdom could turn against you."
I looked toward the bedroom.
"Let them."
Drek fell silent.
My voice softened, but my resolve did not.
"Nothing will happen to her."
Drek studied me for several seconds.
"You're serious."
"Completely."
"And you expect me to keep this secret?"
I met his eyes.
"You will."
Drek glanced toward the bedroom.
"She can't stay here forever."
"I know."
"For now, she needs to recover."
I held up the prepared medicine.
"She needs this."
Drek hesitated before finally nodding.
"How much?"
I told him the dosage.
He took the medicine from me.
"We'll have to wait a few hours."
"I know."
Drek looked at me one last time.
"You'd better know what you're doing, Adrian."
I glanced toward Eira.
For the first time, uncertainty flickered through me.
"I don't."
Drek frowned.
"But I'll figure it out."
Later...
The fire had burned low.
The villa was silent.
Eira slowly opened her eyes.
For several seconds, she simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling.
Then the memories returned.
The forest.
The pain.
The river.
Adrian.
She turned her head.
He was sitting beside the bed, his back against the wall, his eyes closed.
He hadn't left.
Not once.
Eira watched him quietly.
There was something different about him now.
Something she couldn't explain.
He had always seemed distant.
Dangerous.
Unreadable.
But tonight...
He had carried her through the forest.
Protected her.
Stayed beside her while she was unconscious.
Her gaze softened.
"Adrian..."
His eyes opened immediately.
"You're awake."
She nodded.
"I think so."
He leaned forward.
"How do you feel?"
"Tired."
He placed the back of his hand against her forehead.
The fever had finally subsided.
His shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly.
"Better."
Eira studied his face.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Adrian pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders.
"You need to rest."
"But—"
"No questions."
His tone wasn't harsh.
It was simply final.
She looked at him.
"You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because you don't need more fear right now."
His gaze softened.
"You need sleep."
Eira studied him for a moment.
Then she slowly nodded.
Adrian carefully helped her lie back.
"Close your eyes."
She hesitated.
"Will you stay?"
His expression shifted.
"Yes."
"Promise?"
He looked directly into her eyes.
"I promise you this—while I'm here, nothing will happen to you."
His voice was quiet, but absolute.
"I won't leave you."
Something in his words eased the fear inside her.
Eira slowly closed her eyes.
Adrian pulled the blanket securely around her and remained beside her until her breathing became slow and steady.
Only then did he rise.
He took one last look at her before leaving the room.
I closed the bedroom door quietly behind me.
Drek was waiting in the sitting room, seated on the sofa with his arms crossed.
"She doesn't know."
"No."
"Not about herself?"
"No."
"Not about Selenthayx?"
"No."
Drek's gaze shifted toward the bedroom.
"Is she a werewolf?"
My expression hardened.
"No."
"A vampire?"
"No."
His brows drew together.
"Then what is she?"
I remained silent for a moment.
"She's human."
Drek went completely still.
"Human?"
"Yes."
He stared at me in disbelief.
"But she's Princess Lunaria's daughter."
"I know."
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know."
Drek looked toward the bedroom again, struggling to comprehend it.
"She isn't a vampire?"
"No."
"She isn't a werewolf?"
"No."
His voice dropped.
"She is human... and she's carrying Selenthayx."
"Yes."
Drek slowly shook his head.
"How is that even possible?"
"That is what I'm trying to understand."
A tense silence settled between us.
Then Drek spoke again.
"The vampires will kill her if they discover what she carries. The wolves will tear the world apart trying to get it."
My jaw tightened.
"I know."
"And that bastard Jake will tear the world apart to find her if he has to."
"Let him search."
Drek gave me a sharp look.
"You make it sound simple."
"It isn't."
"Then what are you planning?"
I looked toward the closed bedroom door.
"Keeping her alive."
Drek studied me.
"And she knows none of this?"
"No."
"You think that's wise?"
My eyes remained on the door.
"I do."
"Why?"
I remained silent for a moment.
"Because she can't expose what she doesn't know."
Drek fell silent.
"For now," I said, "her ignorance is the safest protection I can give her."
Drek studied me for a long moment.
"You're willing to risk everything for her."
"Yes."
"Even all the vampires?"
My expression hardened.
"If it comes to that."
Drek exhaled slowly.
"You're serious."
"I've never been more serious."
His gaze shifted once more toward the bedroom.
"Then you'd better be prepared for what comes next."
I turned toward the fire.
"I am."
I looked back at the closed bedroom door.
Eira was sleeping only a few steps away.
For now, she was safe.
For now, she knew nothing.
And perhaps that was exactly how it needed to remain.
I turned toward Drek.
He said nothing.
Neither did I for a moment.
Then I spoke.
"What is hidden invites people to search for it. But what stands openly before them... they never think to look for."
The fire crackled softly behind us.
Neither of us said another word.