Page 87 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

Terror runs through me as my eyes look around the room. Could she be in the room right now listening to everything being said? Was she behind my heart stopping when he left?

Kieran quickly hands the baby to my mother and cups my face with his hands, forcing me to make eye contact with him.

“We are not going to think like that.” Kieran gives me a firm look. “You are not going to give her any time in your mind.”

“How?” I ask. “Have you found her?”

I need to know the answer. The last thing I remember was her disappearing right before my eyes. Where could she have possibly escaped to?

“We haven’t found her yet, but we are going to. You don’t need to worry about it,” Kieran tells me.

“How can I not?” My voice breaks.

Anxiety runs through my body with all the scenarios going through my head.

“Because she cannot get into the palace,” Kieran says. “We have gotten rid of everything that she owned in the palace and cleaned the whole place so she can’t come back in. We have set up precautions that will work.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

He nods. “I wouldn’t lie to you. You are safe in the palace. She cannot enter here any longer. And while we haven’t found her, we are actively searching for her carefully so nothing bad happens to the people looking for her.”

“O-okay,” I mutter.

Kieran pulls me into his chest and holds me close, making my whole body relax into his embrace.

“I will see you later. You talk to your mate,” Mother gently interrupts.

“You don’t have to go,” I quickly say and start coughing.

“You are still healing and just woke up. Spend some time with him. I’m going to be in my room in the palace so I won’t be far,” she says and slips out of the room.

“Her room in the palace?” I ask.

Kieran nods as he helps me sit up in the bed. “It was one of the first things I ordered Elias to do. Get your mother and baby brother with some of their belongings and have them move in here so I could keep an eye on them better,” Kieran explains. “I didn’t want them to be in danger in case the humans found out you were my mate and they did something to your mother and brother in retaliation.”

“Do you really think they would do something like that?” I ask, worry running through me now.

What if we can never walk back in town without having guards with us?

“Anything is possible right now,” he replies. “Times like this are very unknown and if anyone is frightened enough, they will do anything to keep themselves safe.”

Just like me. At one point I was willing to do anything to keep my family safe.

“But you don’t need to worry about them. I am going to keep each and every one of you safe from harm. Whenever we go out we will have guards with us just in case.” Kieran kisses my forehead.

I sigh in relief as he holds me close to him. Oh, how I have missed being in his arms, and now we don’t have to hide it.

“How bad is it out there?” I ask. “Have I really only been out for three days?”

He nods. “It’s only been three days. I was worried you would be out for a week or a month or never woke up.”

Kieran completely ignores my first question. Is it really that bad out there?

“Don’t worry, you are going to be okay,” Kieran whispers.

“Kieran.” I manage to pull away from him and look up.

“Sweets,” he mumbles.