Chapter 220-A warning from a friend

Chapter 220: 220-A warning from a friend

"You all deserve each other..."

Varitreya couldn’t take it anymore. The moment the confrontation ended, she turned and stormed out of the eastern residence.

She ignored the attendants who bowed as she passed, ignored the guards who stepped aside for her, and ignored the confused greetings that followed her through the corridors.

She needed to get away from there; away from her mothers, Maisa and from the palace that suddenly felt like a place where everyone knew something about her except herself.

Her chest hurt, and the tears she had been trying so desperately to hold back finally escaped. She wiped them away impatiently, but more followed.

She had spent her entire life trying to be worthy of the crown. Every lesson, every sacrifice, every responsibility had been accepted because she believed it was preparing her for the day she would rule beside her mothers.

Yet they had taken that future away without even giving her the courtesy of an explanation and the worst part was that they seemed perfectly comfortable with their decision.

She stepped outside the castle, breathing deeply as she tried to steady herself. That was when someone appeared before her.

Kayden stood there in light robes and looked like he was moments away from falling.

For a moment Varitreya simply glanced at him, unable to react. Then, without giving it another thought, she rushed forward and threw herself into his arms.

"Kay!"

Kayden barely had time to open his arms before she collided with his chest. He immediately wrapped them around her, holding her close.

It was the perfect time for her best friend to show up. She needed someone who wouldn’t lecture her, someone who wouldn’t tell her to calm down or insist that she understand the decisions made by people who had hurt her. She just needed someone to hold her.

"They..." Her voice broke against his chest. "They all betrayed me."

Kayden lowered his head, looking at the vampire clinging to him. "Vari..."

"My own mothers betrayed me, Kay." Her fingers tightened around his clothes. "My own mothers."

He didn’t know what had happened. He had no idea what had driven her to tears or why she looked so devastated but he didn’t ask. He simply tightened his embrace, one hand resting against the back of her head while the other held her firmly around the waist.

His fingers were shaking. His complexion was paler than usual and there was something distinctly wrong with the way he was standing and even his breathing seemed uneven.

But he forced himself to remain steady. Whatever was happening to him could wait for her to be okay. Right now, Varitreya needed him.

"You’re alright," he murmured. "I’m here."

She shook her head against him. "No, I’m not," She denied. "I am not... Not okay."

Kayden closed his eyes briefly. He wished he knew what to say. He wished he could take away whatever had hurt her so badly but he didn’t even know where to begin. So he remained silent, allowing her to cry until she could breathe properly again.

For several moments, neither of them moved or spoke a word. Just then a familiar voice came from behind them. "Varitreya, hold up!"

Varitreya stiffened. She recognized the voice immediately. It was Maisa’s voice.

She pulled away from Kayden’s embrace and turned her head. Maisa was hurrying toward them, her expression filled with concern.

"Varitreya, please. We need to talk."

Varitreya couldn’t look at her. She had already heard enough explanations that morning. She couldn’t bear another conversation in which she was expected to accept that everything had happened for a reason.

Her gaze shifted to Kayden. Their eyes met. "Get me away from her..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Please."

Kayden studied her face for a second and then he nodded. "Sure."

He took hold of her arms.

"Wait!" Maisa called as she approached. "Varitreya, I’m not trying to..."

But Kayden was already moving. In a flash, the two disappeared. Their whiteblood speed was so extraordinary that Maisa barely caught a glimpse of them before they vanished from sight. She stopped abruptly, looking in the direction they had gone.

"Varitreya!"

There was no response from the former princess. Maisa stood alone outside the castle, her heart sinking.

She hadn’t wanted things to turn out this way. She hadn’t wanted to hurt Varitreya, and she certainly hadn’t wanted to take anything from her. But how was she supposed to make the others believe her when she couldn’t even explain what had happened?

Her hand drifted toward her stomach. The child, she still needed to find the child and now Varitreya was gone.

---

A few forests away from the palace, Kayden finally stopped.

He released Varitreya’s arms, allowing her to regain her balance. The surrounding forest was quiet, with tall trees stretching toward the sky and sunlight filtering through their branches.

Varitreya looked around. They were far enough from the palace that nobody would casually stumble upon them.

"Thank you, Kay."

She wiped her cheeks again, trying to compose herself. It had been a long day and she feared the night was going to be longer.

Kayden didn’t answer her, instead, he stepped away and began pacing.

His movements were restless and almost frantic. He dragged a hand through his hair, stopped, turned around, and continued walking.

"Vari..."

Varitreya looked at him. "What is it?"

He stopped. "I need to tell you something."

There was something strange about his voice. It sounded strained as though speaking required more effort than it should. His shoulders were trembling, and his hands wouldn’t remain still.

Varitreya frowned. "Kay?"

He turned away again, taking several unsteady steps. "There’s something you need to know."

She watched him carefully. Only now, with the initial shock of seeing him again beginning to fade and her emotions settling, did she notice how unnatural he looked.

His face was pale, his breathing was uneven and his fingers were shaking so badly that he kept clenching them into fists.

Varitreya’s expression changed. "Kay, what’s wrong?"

He didn’t answer immediately. She stepped closer to him. "Are you hurt?"

"No..." He stopped pacing and pressed a hand against his chest. "Not exactly."

Varitreya’s brows drew together. "What does that mean?"

Kayden swallowed. His gaze seemed unfocused, and for a moment, he looked as though he was struggling to remember something important.

Then Varitreya’s mind suddenly caught up with the situation. She stared at him. "Wait."

Kayden lifted his head.

"Where the hell have you been for the past two weeks?" She asked, realizing that she hadnt seen him since Felor.

His expression changed. For the first time since she had seen him, something resembling alarm crossed his face.

"That’s..." He took a breath, but it came out unevenly. "That’s not..." He was struggling to breathe.

"Kayden, what happened? You disappeared without a word! Do you have any idea how long you’ve been gone?"

He shook his head. "Your daughter..."

Varitreya froze. "What?"

Kayden tried to step toward her, but his legs wavered. "Your daughter..." His voice was growing weaker. "You need to get her back from the old ones..."

Varitreya stared at him. Her heart gave a sudden, painful thud. "My daughter?"

Kayden’s knees buckled. He reached out as though trying to hold on to something, but his body gave way before he could take another step.

"Kayden!"

Varitreya lunged forward and caught him before his head struck the ground. His weight pulled her down, and she struggled to lower him carefully onto the forest floor.

"Kayden!" His eyes were closed. She shook his shoulder. She was desperate for him to wake up. "Kay, open your eyes!"

There was no response. Panic surged through her. She pressed a hand against his cheek. His skin was frighteningly cold, and his breathing was so faint that she had to lean closer to feel it.

"Kayden, what happened to you?"

She gently lifted his upper body and cradled his head against her arm. "You can’t do this. Not after disappearing for two weeks!"

Her eyes moved over his pale face, searching for some indication of what had happened. Then his last words returned to her. "You need to get her back from the old ones."

Varitreya’s blood ran cold. She looked around the empty forest as though expecting someone to emerge from the trees and explain what she had just heard.

Her daughter? She had no daughter at least, she had no memory of having one.

But the blood cocoon, the missing seven days and the strange flower that had withered after producing a child... were signs a child had been brought into the world.

Her heart began to race. Could Kayden be talking about the child? And if he was, how did he know?

More importantly, what did he mean by saying she needed to get her back from the old ones?

Varitreya looked down at her unconscious best friend. "Kayden..." Her voice trembled. "What were you saying about my daughter?"

She touched his cheek again. "Who are the old ones? Where is my daughter?"

But Kayden remained unconscious and beneath the quiet canopy of the forest, Varitreya realized that the mystery surrounding the missing seven days had just become far more terrifying.

Somewhere out there, a child existed. A child she had no memory of bringing into the world and apparently, the ancient beings had taken her.

"What in heavens name is going on?"