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After the nurse cleaned her, she swaddled her in a blanket, and handed her over to me. I couldn’t contain my excitement and couldn’t take my eyes off her sweet little face. When I looked at Gabriel to show him our daughter, he had already left.
“Where is Gabriel? Did he see our daughter?” I asked the nurse.
“Yes, he saw her and said he will return soon,” the nurse said.
“But where did he go? He didn’t tell you?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“Unfortunately, no. But it’s best for you to rest now, Milady. I’m sure he will be back soon.”
But Gabriel didn’t return that day or the next. When Troy and Kira came to congratulate us, I asked about him. Both seemed surprised by such unusual behavior. After a week, I began questioning everyone I met at the castle. But everyone simply shook their heads and continued minding their business. He even took Shadow with him. It was I, the baby, and the staff in a giant castle, all alone with no king in sight. In the end, Gabriel didn’t even help decide on her name. I went with Athena Dawn Stoica. A perfect name for a warrior. Gabriel would’ve loved the name if he only returned.
My parents, on the other hand, called every day, overjoyed to see their granddaughter. And every time, they would ask where Gabriel was and when we were going to visit. I didn’t have an answer for either of those questions, so I always said I was too tired to talk and hung up.
The silver lining in this situation was my wonderful Athena. Her features resembled a perfect blend of us both. At the same time, the contrasting eye colors made her look ethereal. I enjoyed every second I spent with my daughter I never expected to have, which made the time pass easier. But the heaviness of his disappearance weighed on me every time I went to sleep.
Kira remained my loyal friend and would always bring news of where Gabriel was. Either he was in Dubai, Singapore, or Peru. The man traveled the world at the speed of a rocket. Further away from us as possible. I kept badgering Kira numerous times to tell me why Gabriel didn’t wish to return to the castle, but her puzzled look told me she had no idea.
A month went on, and my sweet pea, Athena, had grown into a plump marshmallow. I enjoyed her presence so much that I hardly left her side. Till one evening, the nanny said, “Milady, I believe you need some rest too. How about you go to sleep in the adjacent room? Baby Athena is in good hands.”
The nanny was right. She hardly had any work to do, and it wouldn’t hurt to be more rested.
I went into the next room, which was mostly decorated in a dark purple color. During the night, the same nightmare woke me up. I’d rather be woken up by my baby’s cries than scary beasts. I couldn’t sleep any longer, so I decided to return to the bedroom where Athena’s cot always stayed.
Once I entered the room, the nanny was nowhere to be found. When I looked in the crib, I found Athena sleeping peacefully, swaddled in a soft blanket. I took her into my arms and went to bed. “If I don’t stand a chance at sleeping tonight, I might as well enjoy Athena’s sleep,” I thought.
Slowly, in a smooth motion, I took Athena in my arms. Her cute nose wiggled a little, but she didn’t wake up. I laid Athena on the bed and then lay next to her. I loved seeing her sleep. It became my recent favorite occupation. But somehow, during my watch, slumber took over me as well.
The creak of the door startled me. At first, I assumed it was the nanny, but soon I realized I was wrong. A man walked inside our bedroom, and something told me he wasn’t there for a good reason. The man walked deliberately toward the crib, but when he saw the baby wasn’t there, he became disconcerted, as if his plans got ruined. He then walked toward the bed and saw Athena and me. I pretended to sleep but held her like a hawk. The intruder continued his deliberate steps until he reached the edge of the bed and stopped. Even though the room was enveloped in darkness, the skylight beaming between the curtains was enough to let me see his body but not his face. Whatever plans this man had, I had to think of a way to escape. Where was my trusty dagger when I needed it? It was in the Petra Museum. Too far, too late.
When he moved closer, I heard him crying. Why would an intruder cry? Quite a peculiar behavior. He stayed in the same motionless position for a long time, shedding tears over Athena. “I am sorry, my sweet child,” the man said. His voice sounded so familiar, but my mind didn’t wish to recognize the man it belonged to. After he made another step, the light beamed across the intruder’s face, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Before me stood Gabriel. He was half-human, half-beast. His facial features were distorted, and his eyes sparkled in silver. Gabriel probably was fighting his inner demons. But why? Why would he suffer so greatly? Was it I or Athena who made him like this? Soon I was about to find out.
He hovered over the baby and looked at her for a long time. Then, he placed a beastly-looking hand over Athena’s nose and mouth. No, no, he wanted to suffocate our daughter. I pulled my baby close to my chest and said, “Over my dead body.”
The stunned look on Gabriel’s face told me he didn’t expect to find me here. That traitor of a nanny was in on it.
“What are you doing here, my love?” Gabriel asked as he reverted to his human self.
“What are YOU doing here?” I asked, slowly creating distance between us. “And why are you trying to hurt our baby?”
“I meant her no harm. Please believe me,” Gabriel pleaded.
“You’ve been hiding something from me since the moment you found out I was pregnant.” I walked closer to the walls trying to get out of the room as fast as possible.
“You are mistaken, Milady. I was surprised by the news. I love you and our baby more than anything.” Gabriel didn’t move, giving me enough space to reach the door.
“The more you talk, the less I’m inclined to believe you,” I said and ran away.
The last thing I heard was Gabriel saying, “Catch them now.”
Chapter 24
Iran across the hall while holding my baby close to my chest. None of the rooms inspired the confidence of a good hideout. I turned to see if Gabriel was chasing me, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. He could’ve gone supersonic but, for some reason, chose not to. The whole ordeal seemed weird and surreal. How could the love of my life, the man who sacrificed everything for us to be together, change so drastically? There had to be an answer.
Once I saw the study, I immediately knew it would be my best bet. Inside the dimly lit room, I noticed Shadow sleeping in his doggy bed. Thank goodness, he was still my friend. Otherwise, I would become his next meal. Shadow didn’t deem it necessary to wake up, but I still tiptoed around him and then hid behind one of the bookcases. Not including the life-and-death situation I was in at the moment, my sole regret had to be not reading all of the books in this study. I looked at Athena. She looked like an angel, calm and serene. Nothing close to the whirlwind of chaos brewing in my brain. I had to find a way out of the castle, but our chances leaned close to impossible. Everyone in the castle was already alerted to apprehend us. Returning, though, wasn’t an option either. Gabriel wanted to kill our baby, and I could never let that happen. Either we both died, or we both lived. Nothing in between.
Suddenly, I heard the door of the study swing open.
“I’ll search here,” said a voice I assumed was Kira’s. “Milady, where are you?”
