CHAPTER 48

**SOPHIA **

I am lying on the ground, my body exhausted, and my chest heaving.

The pain in my forehead throbs, and every time I breathe, the smoke seems to seep further into my lungs, suffocating me.

Then, I hear his voice, cold and sharp like a blade.

"I don’t understand why you defend the humans, Sophia. They can all be monsters."

A shiver runs through my body at the iciness in his words.

The prince’s voice is like ice, each word carrying an unforgiving truth I don’t want to accept, but he tries to force it into my mind.

I can’t respond, just trembling as I feel his cold hand touch my skin.

He is freezing; he always has been.

Even so, his touch makes me feel something I can’t decipher.

I blink, trying to keep my eyes open.

The world around me spins slowly, and the smoke suffocates me as my head throbs from the wound.

I try to force myself to stay awake, but I’m dizzy.

Everything around me is chaos, and my thoughts are foggy, but then I feel the weight of my body being lifted.

Someone is holding me with ease, and for a moment, I think it’s Adam.

But when I look up, I realize I’m wrong.

It’s the prince.

I groan softly, my body twitching in his arms as he carries me through the corridor like I weigh nothing.

My eyes meet his, those red eyes, as deep as the blood I’ve seen spilled.

“You saved me…”, my voice comes out weak, almost a whisper, but he hears it.

He glances at me briefly, his eyes scanning my body, searching for injuries, and adjusting my torn clothes from the man who tried to attack me.

“I just did what I had to do, Sophia.”

Those words confuse me.

I frown, my head softly falling against his shoulder.

My thoughts blend with the pain and confusion.

Behind us, Adam is still fighting, his sword gleaming as it cuts through the air, battling the men who continue to surround us.

The prince turns his head to look directly at Adam.

“Kill them all.”, he orders Adam, who nods and bows before the prince.

I see his golden eyes meet mine for a moment, a silent apology reflected in them.

He needs to kill them, and I understand that.

Even with the weight in my heart, I nod slightly, letting him do what he must.

Coughing more, my throat burns with the surrounding smoke.

The prince holds my body tighter, adjusting me in his arms as we begin to move away.

“Stay awake, Sophia.”, he commands, his voice hoarse, a demand that keeps me fighting against the unconsciousness.

I try to obey, but my lungs are burning, every breath is a struggle.

“Air… I need air, please…”, my voice comes out fragile and choked, but I don’t expect him to do anything.

The prince has always been cruel, and I know he shows no mercy, not even for me.

But, surprisingly, he starts to run.

I don’t know where he’s taking me, but the sudden movement makes me open my eyes again.

Adam continues fighting behind us, his sword cutting a path, eliminating the humans who still block our way.

Each blow he delivers is precise, and I realize he’s clearing the way for us.

Even though he fights for his own life, he still protects mine.

My thoughts scramble, and the only thing that echoes in my mind is that he saved me.

The phrase repeats, almost like a mantra, as the prince keeps running with me in his arms.

He saved me.

I never imagined the prince would do that for me, but now, here I am, safe in his arms as he takes me out of that hell.

“Keep looking at me, Sophia…”, he whispers, and I do as he asks.

My eyes lock onto his red pupils, an abyss that pulls me into something unknown, something I never thought I’d see in him.

He’s always been distant and ruthless, but now… there’s something more.

Suddenly, he stops running.

I look around and see a group of humans in front of us.

Their leader yells:

“Kill the prince and take the girl!”

Fear returns, invading me and making my body tremble involuntarily.

The prince looks at me before gently placing me on the ground and sitting me against the wall.

He removes his cloak and covers my body, shielding my exposed skin and fixing the clothes torn by the man who tried to hurt me.

The gesture leaves me stunned, and the care in his movements is so different from what I’ve always imagined of him.

“I’ll give you the air you need…”, he murmurs before stepping away, and all I can do is blink, still dazed by the pain and smoke.

Then, he moves forward.

What happens next is something I’ll never forget.

He is stronger and faster than anything I’ve ever seen.

None of the humans can even touch him.

He moves like a shadow, breaking a man’s neck with a simple motion before leaping onto another and biting his neck, sucking the blood with a cold, calculated ferocity.

I cough again, my lungs burning, and I realize I can’t see Adam anymore.

Where is he?

I wonder, but the scene before me takes all my attention.

One by one, the humans fall, and the prince stands, his lips stained with blood, but with an expression of total control.

He walks toward me without saying a word and lifts me again into his arms, as if it’s natural for him to carry me.

We start ascending the castle stairs, each step feeling like an eternity.

My head throbs, the pain was intense from hitting the ground earlier.

My eyes close, but before I pass out, I feel a gentle breeze on my face.

The prince pushes open a heavy wooden door, and I slowly open my eyes.

The fresh air surrounds me, free from the smoke.

I take a deep breath, finally feeling the oxygen fill my lungs.

The refreshing breeze brings with it an indescribable relief, and I can finally breathe again.

My head falls against his shoulder, and for a moment, all I can think is: He saved me.

A hero would sacrifice your life to save the world, but a villain would burn the world for you.