Chapter 608
The moment Gabriel stepped into the ward, he stopped, realizing his entire family was gathered in that small space; both his parents and Amelie’s stood like sentinels near the bed, with Amelie’s sister huddled close by.
“Gabriel is here,” Casaio announced softly, drawing every anxious face toward him.
“What happened to her? Gabriel, tell us,” Mabel and Samyra pleaded in a frantic unison.
Gabriel looked at Amelie, and felt a sharp ache in his chest. “She’s unconscious,” he replied. “The impact… The attack… It was just too much for her p>
Seeing Gabriel struggle to hold it together, Casaio stepped forward to offer a steadier explanation. “The doctors say it was the shock that caused her system to shut down,” he added gently, trying to soothe the rising panic in the room. “There’s no permanent damage. She’s just resting, and she’ll wake up as soon as her body is ready.” He gave Gabriel a quiet, supportive glance, sensing that his younger brother was currently drowning in his own guilt.
“That’s a relief,” David murmured, his gaze drifting back to his daughter’s pale face.
“Where is Nick?” Raidan asked.
“He’s in the adjacent ward,” Casaio answered quickly, trying to maintain a sense of order. “He’s also unconscious, still recovering from the injury on his shoulder p>
“We should check on the Prince as well,” David suggested, gesturing toward the door.
“Please, follow me,” Casaio said. He caught his parents’ eyes for a brief moment before leading the way. David followed closely behind, pausing only to tell his wife that he needed to see Prince Dominick for himself.
Once the room thinned out, Flora turned to Gabriel. She took in his hollowed eyes. “Is the witch finished?” she asked.
“Yes. She no longer exists,” Gabriel answered. He gestured toward the door to signal the hospital’s rules. “The doctor mentioned that only two people are allowed to stay in here at a time p>
Samyra’s eyes immediately darted toward the door where the Prince lay. “Then you should stay with p>
“No,” Gabriel interrupted. “You and Flora stay with her. I’m going to the palace to check on Noah p>
“Noah is safe with Princess Katelyn and Sage,” Flora reminded him gently. “Why don’t you take some rest instead? You look exhausted, Your Highness p>
“I don’t wish to rest,” Gabriel replied tersely. Without another word, he turned and stepped out into the hallway, followed by Karmen and Carlos.
“I’ll stay with my cousin,” Carlos told them, peeling away from the group to head toward Mona’s room.
“Gabriel, you can’t teleport, can you?” Karmen asked.
He shook his head in refusal. “I feel drained after that physical altercation with Ophelia. We have to take a taxi. Let’s hurry because I’ve to return soon p>
Karmen nodded and they both left for the palace.
“Noah, why aren’t you drinking? Aren’t you hungry, little one?” Katelyn asked softly, watching as the infant pulled his face away from the bottle once again.
“Maybe he’s just full,” Sage suggested, though he sounded unconvinced. He turned toward the nanny. “Ashna, do you have any idea why he’s refusing his milk p>
“The little Prince likely misses his parents,” Ashna answered knowingly. “He gets restless whenever they are away for too long. He can sense they aren’t here p>
“Oh… that makes sense,” Katelyn murmured. She looked down at Noah, realizing he hadn’t smiled or babbled once since waking up. He had cried earlier, but it wasn’t the sharp cry of hunger or the fussing of a dirty diaper; it was a low whimpering.
“Amelie and Gabriel won’t be back until tomorrow morning, but we can’t have him staying awake and upset all night,” Sage muttered, his brow furrowed with worry. “Maybe a change of scenery would help? I could take him outside.” He began gesturing for Ashna to bring Noah’s heavy winter clothes.
“It’s the middle of the night, Sage,” Katelyn countered, shaking her head firmly. “It’s freezing out there. If you take him outside now, he’ll catch a cold for sure. We have to find another way to soothe him p>
As if understanding her words, Noah’s little lip began to tremble. He started thrashing his legs against Katelyn’s embrace, his tiny chest heaving before he broke into a heartbroken weep. Big tears pooled in his eyes, falling as though he had finally realized his parents weren’t coming back for him tonight.
Katelyn quickly shifted him, tucking his small face against her shoulder and rhythmically patting his back, but the sobbing only intensified.
Desperate to distract him, Sage lunged for a plush toy on the sofa. “Don’t cry, little man! Look, your ducky is here!” He shook the toy in front of Noah, trying to coax a tiny hand to grab it. Instead, Noah swiped at it with a burst of frustrated strength, sending the duck flying across the room, straight toward the door.
The toy thudded softly against Gabriel’s knee just as he stepped inside. He instinctively reached down, his fingers closing around the yellow plush.
“Daddy is here, Noah. Don’t cry p>
Gabriel’s voice reverberated through the room. Every eye in the room locked onto him, including Noah’s, whose sobbing had slowed to jagged, hitching breaths. Gabriel returned the sword to its rack and quickly sanitized his hands with the wet wipes from the table, his eyes never leaving his son.
“Come to Daddy,” Gabriel murmured, reaching out.
Katelyn leaned forward, carefully transferring the small baby into her brother’s arms. The moment Gabriel’s hands closed around him, Noah’s arms were already outstretched, clinging to his father’s shirt as he was pulled into a firm, familiar embrace.
The relief was instantaneous. Noah slumped against Gabriel’s chest, his cries dissolving into a series of frantic, muffled babbles, a desperate language of his own as he tried to explain his long, lonely evening.
“Ma?” Noah asked suddenly, pulling his tiny head back to search his father’s face. His eyes were wide and brimming with a silent question for Amelie.
“Your mother is sleeping, Noah,” Gabriel said, his voice softening with a touch of weary tenderness. He began to pace slowly, rhythmically patting the boy’s back. “She needs her rest. And you need to sleep, too. If you close your eyes, both your mother and I can finally be at peace. Let’s get you to bed p>