25. Aldric

25

ALDRIC

I lean against the wall, my eyes never leaving Elowen's face. The rise and fall of her chest is steady now, a far cry from the ragged breaths that haunted me days ago. My wings twitch, aching to stretch, but I refuse to move. Not until she opens her eyes.

The door creaks open, and Selene's scent wafts in. She moves to Elowen's bedside, her pale fingers brushing a stray lock of fiery hair from the human's forehead. She comes by regularly. She might not be a healer, but she once had none and learned to care for herself, and she was close to Elowen.

"She's doing well," Selene murmurs, her amber eyes flicking to me.

"She has a fever," I grunt, trying to hide the pain in my voice.

She shakes her head. "I think it's going to break. I can feel it. You just need to give her time."

I don't respond to that. The hope clogs my throat, and I'm not sure I could answer if I wanted to.

She looks me over. "You, however…" Selene straightens, fixing me with a stern gaze. "Aldric, you need to feed. And rest. You're no good to her like this."

I shake my head, my jaw clenching. "I'm fine."

"You're not," she argues, stepping closer. "Look at yourself. When's the last time you slept? Or fed?"

I wave her off, my eyes never leaving Elowen's face. "I said I'm fine."

Selene sighs, exasperation clear in her tone. "Stubborn fool. She wouldn't want this, you know. She'd kick your ass if she saw you like this."

A chuckle escapes me before I can stop it. She's right, of course. Elowen would be furious. But I can't bring myself to care.

"I'm not leaving her," I growl, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Selene throws her hands up in defeat. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you collapse from exhaustion."

She turns to leave, pausing at the door. "At least let me bring you some blood. You look like death warmed over."

I nod, not taking my eyes off Elowen. Selene's footsteps fade, leaving me alone with the steady rhythm of Elowen's breathing.

I can't leave her side. Not now. Not when she's fighting so hard to stay alive. Every breath Elowen takes is a victory, and I'm here to witness each one.

Selene does return with blood that I down, feeling rejuvenated. I thank her as she tells me to get some rest again and leaves. But I don't dare move when I see Elowen stir, murmuring and fighting, her body glistening with sweat.

"You're doing great," I murmur, gently dabbing her forehead with a cool cloth. Her skin burns with fever, but I know her determination blazes even hotter.

I adjust the blankets around her, careful not to disturb her wounds. My fingers linger on her arm, tracing the scars she's earned in battle. Each mark tells a story of her strength, her resilience.

"Water," she croaks, eyes fluttering open.

I'm there in an instant, supporting her head as she sips from the cup. "Easy now. Small sips."

Her green eyes lock onto mine, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "You're still here."

"Always," I promise, my voice rough with emotion. "I'm not going anywhere."

As she drifts back to sleep, I take her hand in mine, marveling at how small it seems compared to my own. Yet this hand has fought battles, both literal and figurative. It's a warrior's hand.

Days blur together, but I remain vigilant. I change her bandages, apply healing salves, and whisper encouragement when nightmares plague her sleep. When she's lucid, I read to her from the old Vrakken texts, sharing stories of our history and legends.

"Tell me about your childhood," she asks one evening, her voice stronger than it's been in days.

I hesitate, then begin to speak. I tell her of the dark tunnels where I grew up, of the harsh training that forged me into a warrior. But I also share the moments of beauty - the bioluminescent caverns, the underground rivers that sang in the darkness.

As I talk, I notice the tension leaving her body. Her breathing evens out, and she relaxes, like listening to me brings her comfort she needed.

"Thank you," she whispers, squeezing my hand.

I bring her fingers to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "Rest now. I'll be here when you wake."

And I am. Through fever spikes and pain-filled nights, I remain by her side. I've faced countless battles, but nothing has tested my strength like this vigil. Yet with each day, as color returns to her cheeks and strength to her limbs, I feel my own resolve growing.

I love her. The realization doesn't come as a shock, but as a simple truth. As natural as breathing. As inevitable as the dawn.

I barely notice Raziel enter the room, my eyes fixed on Elowen's sleeping form. Her chest rises and falls steadily, each breath a small victory.

"Aldric," Raziel's voice is low, respectful of the quiet.

I turn, acknowledging him with a nod. "How is everything?" Raziel has been keeping me up to date on the rest of the base, on my other warriors so I don't have to leave Elowen.

He moves closer, his wings folded neatly behind him. "We've kept scouts posted by the portal. No more dark elves have come through."

"Good," I mutter, my attention already drifting back to Elowen.

"We dumped the bodies on the other side," Raziel continues. "In Protheka, but far from our portal. They'll be found. A message. But hopefully not turning more toward us quite yet. I'll have to send scouts soon."

I nod again, a grim satisfaction settling in my chest. Our battle was a success, but the cost... I look at Elowen, her face still pale but peaceful in sleep.

Raziel's hand on my shoulder startles me. "She's strong, Aldric. She'll pull through."

I meet his gaze, seeing understanding there. "And if she doesn't?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shakes his head. "She's a fighter. You have to believe in her." He shifts, and then adds, "I've been there. With Selene. Seen her hurt and thought she would never heal. It's painful."

I can hear it in his voice. "How did you get through it?"

He sighs, pulling up a chair beside me. "It wasn't easy. Loving a human... it goes against everything we've been taught. I'm not blind to the fact that I can withstand anything and she cannot. But Selene..." A smile touches his lips. "She changed everything. She makes it worth it. So I clung to hope and prayed like I never have because the other option…it wasn't one I would take."

"Elowen's different," I admit. "She's not like anyone I've ever known."

Raziel nods. "I see the way you look at her. It's the same way I look at Selene."

I run a hand through my shorn hair, frustration bubbling up. "What if I'm not strong enough? What if I can't protect her?"

"Aldric," Raziel's voice is firm. "You can't protect her from everything. And she wouldn't want you to. She's a fighter, just like you."

I look at Elowen again, remembering her fierce determination in battle. "Yeah," I say softly. "She is."

Raziel's words linger in my mind as he leaves. I settle back into my vigil, watching Elowen's chest rise and fall with each breath.

The room grows darker as day turns to night, but I don't move to light a lamp. My eyes, accustomed to the years of darkness in our underground home, have no trouble seeing her.

A soft knock at the door breaks the silence. Nikolai and Jessa enter, their faces etched with concern.

"How is she?" Jessa asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I gesture for them to come closer. "Stable. Her fever's down. No signs of infection."

Nikolai nods, his eyes scanning Elowen's form. "She's tough. I've seen her fight."

"Any news?" I ask, realizing I should be more concerned about our defenses, our warriors. Nikolai has been working closer with the warriors in my absence, and it is important that I do not forget my men.

"The base is secure," Nikolai reports. "Our warriors are healing quickly. Some wounds, but nothing life-threatening."

Jessa adds, "No sign of retaliation from the dark elves. We're hoping it stays that way for a while."

I nod, processing the information. It's good news, crucial even. But as I look back at Elowen, I realize something that shakes me to my core. The safety of our base, the state of our warriors - it's all secondary now. What matters most is right here, fighting for her life in this bed.

"Thank you," I say, my voice rougher than I intended. "For everything."

Jessa places a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "We're here if you need anything. Both of you."

As they leave, I'm left with the weight of this realization. My priorities have shifted, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. I've always put my duty first, but now...

I lean forward, my elbows resting on my knees as I watch Elowen's still form. The room is quiet except for her soft breathing. My heart aches with a pain I've never felt before.

"Elowen," I whisper, taking her hand in mine. "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to fight. I need you to come back to me."

My thumb traces circles on her palm, memorizing every line and callus. "I've been such a fool. I thought I knew everything about strength, about what it means to be a warrior. But you... you've shown me there's so much more."

I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "You're the strongest person I've ever met, Elowen. Not just in body, but in spirit. You've faced so much pain, so much loss, and yet you still fight. You still hope."

Emotions slam into me. I've spent so long ignoring them, so long burying them that I'm stunned with the wave of them. But I can no longer ignore them. Not with the intensity they are coming.

Battle is all I've ever known. To fight, to be a warrior. But the second that I saw her go down, I knew that none of it mattered. Nothing mattered more than her.

And I can't shake that realization. Just like I can't bring myself to leave her side. There is nothing on the planet or beyond that I want more than her.

I want her as my mate, and I can't hold that in anymore.

Deciding that Elowen needs to know this, too, I lean closer to her. "I love you," I confess, my voice breaking. "I love you, and I'm terrified of losing you. Please, Elowen. Please stay with me."

I lean closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I promise, if you wake up, I'll tell you every day how much you mean to me. I'll show you every day how much I love you. Just please, don't leave me."

My words hang in the air, unanswered. But I keep holding her hand, hoping that somehow, she can feel me here, waiting for her to come back to me.