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“If an apology isn’t enough, <b>then </b>take me <b>too</b>. I’ll <b>give </b>myself to you. From now on, whenever you want to hit me, you can. I’ll be your punching bag for the rest of my life.”
At that, Alicia broke intoughter through her tears. Sheughed until it hurt, and then she wept again.
She had gambled her life on one wild bet–whether she could ever win Zeke’s love. And after all these years, after decades of waiting, she had finally won.
From childhood she had carried feelings for him, growing from innocent affection into relentless devotion. Loving him, waiting for him, had be as natural as breathing. And now that he had finallye to her, her heart swelled with both bitter ache and overwhelming relief. Tears streamed down her face, unstoppable.
“Enough crying, Alicia,” Zeke murmured.
He brushed her tears away with <b>his </b>thumb, then leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss, trembling with emotion, but it was real. His confession, his vow. Their first true kiss as lovers.
<b>“</b>Come back with me.” Zeke whispered, holding her hands tightly. “From now on, wherever I go, you’ll be with me. We’ll never be separated <b>again</b>. Please?”
Alicia nodded through her tears, joy shing in her eyes.
“Let’s go. I <b>want </b>you to meet Caitlin
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders <b>and </b>led her <b>back</b>. Caitlin watched them <b>approach</b>, her lips curving <b>into </b>a smile, “Congrattions. Two souls who belong together, finally
“<b>Thank </b>you.” Zeke said quietly, ncing down at the woman in <b>his </b>arms.
Alicia stepped <b>forward</b><b>, </b>sping Caitlin’s hand. “Thank you”
The bitterness of their past had long since faded. Alicia no longer <b>saw </b>Caitlin as a rival, but as someone who had unknowingly helped her find her way <b>back </b>to <b>Zeke</b>. If not for Caitlin discovering her and calling Zeke, who knew how long she would have stayed hidden, lost in her own pride and pain.
“<b>How </b>did you even find me on Ebonreach Isle?” Alicia asked, curiosity mingling with wonder.
“I <b>came </b>here looking for my mother.” Caitlin exined. “I never expected to run <b>into </b><b>you</b>. And now… my brother has been poisoned. Since you’re here, will <b>you </be take a look <b>at </b>him?”
<b>Alicia’s </b>expression sobered instantly. She nodded. “Take me to him”
They hurried back to the hospital. Sebastian, seeing Alicia <b>walk </b>in, quickly pieced together that she <b>had </b>never lost her memory at all.
Introductions were made–Alicia meeting Kelly, Sebastian, and the others–before she turned her focus to the bedside.
Jamesy unconscious, his body marked by bruised veins and faint discoloration around the wound. Alia knelt to examine him closely. From her pocket, she drew out a small kin: a sampler, reagents, a prirtalide toxin analyzer
She worked quickly, and when the tool disyed its results, her delicate brows knit tightly.
Caitlin’s stomach dropped. The heaviness in Alicia’s face was worse than words. The entire room seemed to still, everyone holding their breath.
“Alicia?” Caitlin <b>finally </b><b>asked</b>. “How bad is it?”
Alicia put her tools away, then produced a single pill and slipped it gently into James’s mouth. Only then did
she answer.
“It’s apound poisoning. Part of it was inhaled through the nose–he must <b>have </b>breathed in a toxic fragrance before he <b>was </b>wounded. The de on his back carried the rest, pushing the <b>poison </b>into his system.
“Once mixed together inside the body, the toxins create a slow–acting effect. They paralyze the nervous system, forcing the victim into a deep, prolongeda.
“I’ve just given him a detox pill. It will slow the spread, but the only real solution is to neutralize itpletely. And you need to be prepared. Even if we seed in purging it, there may be permanent aftereffects.”
Her words struck Caitlin like a blow. Her knees buckled, and Sebastian caught her before she fell
Tears stung her eyes. She stared at her brother’s pale, motionless <b>face</b>, her voice breaking. “What do we do? What do we do <b>now</b>?”
If even Alicia couldn’t identify the exact mixture, who could possibly save James?
Zeke spoke up. “What about Aurelius? Would he know how?”
Alicia nodded reluctantly. “It maye down to him. Either that, or finding the person who made this poison. If the one who prepared it is still alive, the antidote may exist.”
Tyler frowned. “The one who cut James was a man in ck. But I put him down myself–he fell and died.”
Caitlin’s eyes widened. “No. There’s someone else. Do?a Dolores. If we can find her, we might find the cure.”
“Do?a Dolores?” Zeke asked sharply.
“She’s the one behind my mother’s abduction<b>,</b>” Caitlin exined. She turned to Kelly. “Mom. You must know something about her, right? You were held for years. You must have seen her.”
Kelly shook her head sadly. “I never met her. The only one I saw was Mr. ck. But even he didn’te often. It’s been a long time <b>since </b>Ist saw him.
“As for the poisoning- I think it came from those portraits.”
“Portraits?”
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“The room they <b>kept </b>me in <b>was </b>full of paintings of me. Anyone who stared too long at them would get dizzy ill. I heard the paints wereced with a fragrant toxin, something meant to repel insects but dangerous to humans it inhaled. I never thought Harrison would be exposed…” Her voice cracked<b>. </b>“I never thought he’d be poisoned”
Caitlin’s heart sank. “Mr. ck is ck Hawk. Sebastian–contact Felix. Tell him to press ck Hawk for
answers.
“On it.” Sebastian <b>hurried </b>out to make the call..
“I’ll head back to <b>that </b><b>estate</b>. Tyler volunteered. “I’ll take King, Vaughn, the others. Maybe there’s still evidence we can use.”
“Go.” Caitlin urged.
The room fell heavy again. Zeke ced a hand on Caitlin’s shoulder. “We’ll find <b>a </b>way. Don’t lose hope.”
Alicia added softly. “What I told you is only the worst–case scenario. Right now, the toxins are only numbing his nervous system. He’s stable. He won’t die. We still have time.”
Caitlin forced herself to breathe. “Then I need to n for both oues. If we can’t find the antidote here, we’ll take James to S country. Aurelius will be ourst hope.”
Sebastian returned, phone still in hand. “I reached Felix. He’ll interrogate ck Hawk as soon as possible <b>and </b>get back to us<b>.” </b>
Zeke’s jaw tightened. “Then Caitlin’s right. Searching here is a waste of time–we don’t know who’s pulling the strings. ck Hawk may not know either. We need to decide fast. Do we leave for S country now, and take James to Aurelius?”
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