𝒯𝒽ℯ ℛ𝒾𝓈ℯ 𝒪𝒻 𝒜 𝒬𝓊ℯℯ𝓃

Chapter |60| Light In New Life

E L L I O T ' S P. O. V

It all happened in the blink of an eye, Hardin suddenly stilling his compelling speech, Arabella panicking as she tried to wake him from his horror filled trance, her scream, the sound of her head cracking against the sharp wood.

The look of shock plastered on her face, the horror that recoiled through my body when I realised that it was at Hardin's hands that she was injuried.

I was running before I even registered it. Dashing towards the stage, not caring about the cameras that were swiftly cut off, or the mass of people swarming in.

I only had one clear thing in mind. Arabella.

"Arabella!" I cried out, finally reaching her. She winced but managed to pull herself up, cradling her bump with one hand and her bleeding forehead with the other.

"Hardin!" She kept talking but I was too busy assessing her for any more injuries. I could hear Xander bellowing for a doctor and guards wary and unsure what to do.

Their King had assaulted their Queen. Who did they fight for? I prayed they would always choose the latter, I knew Hardin did too.

Arabella let out a strangled cry as Hardin sprinted away, leaving behind a wake of chaos and panic. "You need to see a doctor." To my horror and surprise, she shook her head and began to slowly rise.

Her knees failed her though, buckling and causing her to collapse to the ground. I caught her before the fall could injure her anymore.

"Arabella, see a doctor now." Xander thundered, his voice rippling authority throughout the room. Wyatt had already chased after Hardin, though I doubted he would be able to calm him down right now.

I knew how the man worked, he needed his wife.

"Go to him." It took me a moment to realise what she meant. "Go to him, please. Help Hardin, he needs you."

She sounded so desperate, so hoarse, so small. Pain clouded her vision and I knew she wouldn't leave until I agreed. Wanting to spare her from any further anguish, I nodded and slowly rose to sought out my old friend.

I made it to the staircase before a guard rushed over and informed me that Wyatt and Hardin were outside. "Any idea where?"

The brawny moustached man frowned for a moment, as if I had asked the most perplexing question. He rubbed his chin for a moment and gazed warily into the distance.

I cleared my throat to snap him out of it. "Ah yes, I believe he said something about seeing new heights? To be honest he just rambled and dashed." I dismissed the man, knowing he would be no further help.

New heights? New heights? New heights...hmm why did that sound so familiar? Oh shit.

Fuck, no no no. I barged past a cluster of guards and sprinted through the small forrest that led to the secret valley Hardin and I had found as children.

At the end of the valley was a very dangerous, steep cliff with sharp jagged rocks pointing straight up at you, down below. One slip of the foot, one tiny push and that was it. It was sayonara to you.