Chapter 132: Chapter 132: The King's Surprise

The first thing I do when I’m finally released from the hospital is look for Zadok.

Even if he’s unconscious, I need to see him with my own eyes to believe he’s still breathing, still alive.

Nothing else matters to me. I don’t care what people are hiding from me, if that’s even what is going on. Maybe my brain was affected somehow, I don’t know.

According to one of the healers who was treating me, Zadok is staying at the palace instead of the royal hospital.

At first, I was shocked to hear it. Why would he not be at a hospital, given his condition?

The healer told me that they had already given him all possible treatment, but he has yet to wake up. Then the king offered for him to stay in a comfortable room at the palace, where he could still get all the medical attention he needed without having to be stuck to a hospital bed.

It made me feel so happy to know that my grandfather was kind and thoughtful enough to do that for Zadok.

But still, my chest tightens when I push the door open and find Zadok in it, his eyes closed and his expression peaceful as if he’s simply asleep.

His torso is wrapped in a huge bandage, and there’s a small stain of blood close to his abdomen. It’s almost imperceptible in the dim light, but it doesn’t go unnoticed by me.

Tears blur my eyes as I step inside, and the door clicks shut behind me.

I take a deep breath before approaching him and grabbing his hand in mine.

He’s so cold…

I choke on a sob when the memory of the Shades hitting him at the beach invades my mind again. The look in his face before he collapsed… I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

“Hey, baby…” I start, unsure of what to say. I never even called him baby before.

Which, now, I regret. I regret not showing him enough affection when all he ever did was look out for me. Even when he was under the king’s orders to watch me, he always took care of me without having to.

“I’m here. They just released me from the hospital,” I tell him, even though I’m not sure he’s listening. “They said you’re being strong and fighting, but can you please fight a little harder? I need you to come back to me.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, blinking away the tears and forcing myself to get composed.

I need to remain strong for him. I need to have faith, that’s what Hans told me.

Zadok’s alive and strong. He’ll wake up.

I have to believe this; otherwise, I don’t think I’ll be able to move forward.

I sit beside him on the mattress, watching his beautiful face. Slowly, I caress his cheek, pushing his soft curls away from his forehead.

“Grandpa is throwing a dinner party soon to celebrate our victory. I won’t attend it without you, hear me?”

I feel stupid for talking alone, but the doctors said there’s a slight possibility of Zadok hearing me, and that it could be helpful for his recovery, so why not try?

A soft knock on the door brings me back to reality. I dart my head toward it to find Romy peeking her head inside.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but I need you to come with me. The king has a surprise for you,” she informs me, looking incredibly sorry for having interrupted me.

I nod at her, then take one last look at Zadok.

“I’ll be back every day, okay? You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

I place a soft kiss on his cheeks then leave the room with Romy.

I’m silent most of the way, and I’m super grateful that she hasn’t bombarded me with questions. She came to visit me once while I was at the hospital, and we talked a little, but Romy didn’t pry or ask me more than I was willing to share.

I feel like she already knows everything, though, since the king has trusted her with my secret since day one.

“What’s the surprise?” I suddenly turn to her, noticing how uncomfortable she seems to be by my side, unsure of how to behave.

“I can’t tell you, or it won’t be a surprise, right?” she jokes, throwing me a soft smile.

I roll my eyes at her. “You’re no fun. I’m not really fond of surprises.”

I remember when Zadok took me on our first date. He laughed at me for not being patient as I tried to figure out where he was taking me.

“Well, the king ordered me to keep it a secret, so you should warn him about that the next time,” Romy adds when we reach my bedroom door.

I frown and look at her.

“The surprise is inside. I’ll be back soon with something for you to eat,” she informs me before turning around and vanishing down the hallway.

I sigh, turning on the doorknob, wondering what the hell Grandpa has decided to surprise me with. I hope he didn’t decide to give me an entirely new wardrobe or anything like that. I have yet to use all the clothes he’s gotten me.

But as soon as I step into the room, my jaw drops as I meet three familiar faces staring back at me.

Gia and Francesca are sprawled on my bed, talking excitedly about something, while Hans is by the window, his arms crossed and his face contorted as if he’s been tortured listening to the two speak.

As soon as they see me enter, Gia and Francesca jump out of bed and rush toward me, engulfing me in a tight hug.

My eyes fill with tears instantly, but this time for a different reason.

“I missed you guys so much,” I mumble, my eyes meeting Hans from over their shoulders. He smiles sideways at me, giving me a nod as if checking if I’m okay.

“Girl, you almost gave us a heart attack,” Gia half scolds, but I can tell by her tone that she’s more concerned than angry at me.

I chuckle. “I’m sorry.”

“If you ever pull that on us again, I’m quitting being friends with you,” Francesca complains, pulling away from me to stare into my eyes. Only then do I notice she’s also crying.

I grab her hands and squeeze them hard. I’ve never felt more grateful in my life.

Having my friends here with me now means the world. I was desperately needing a piece of normalcy in my life for a change.

For the next few hours, we all lay spread in my bed, talking about everything that happened. Then I ask them to tell me how school was during this time away, and just hearing about it makes me want to go back to it immediately.

If only Zadok were awake and things could go back to normal…

“So, what are your plans now, Hettie?” Gia asks, curious.

Her question catches me off guard, because I suddenly realize I have no answer for her.