With This Ring

It was exactly two excruciating days later that I dared to ask Bianca if I could go visit Maxim.

“Freya … I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want to make things worse. With Maxim’s position, they’ve done their utmost to keep this news quiet, but in their world that is almost impossible. His father is furious and has been on the hunt for you.” She paused. “Also, his father has called your father. The big wedding to unite the two families is off, and there could be a war brewing right now.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. Levan is trying to calm his father’s wrath before anything more severe happens. So things are truly sticky right now.”

I shut my eyes. “I want to see him,” I whispered to her. “Even if it’s for a minute, and from afar. I don’t want to cause trouble, but I just need to see that he’s okay. I feel so guilty. So torn apart.”

“You can go now,” she said, “but please be careful. Levan is still with him so if anything goes awry please call him and he will help you out. I’ll text you the address of the hospital.”

My gratitude to her was boundless. “Thank you so, so, so much, Bianca. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, but there is a thing called karma and you will get your good turn somewhere down the line.”

Then I immediately grabbed my bag and less than an hour later, my taxi pulled into the hospital grounds. I found my way up to his floor easily, but when I arrived in the corridor however, I saw a couple of his guards in the hallway. His father was standing a little further away outside the door of one of the rooms. He had the most bitter look on his face. At the sight of him, my heart nearly gave out.

I waited, hoping that he would leave soon, but instead the door was slid open, and Levan appeared. The guards moved away and then they began to speak in very low tones. To my luck, they also began to take their leave. My heart jumped for joy and I waited, hoping that they would soon turn away from the corridor and soon they did.

I immediately began to walk as casually as I could towards his door. I placed my hand on the door handle and was about to open it, when another hand slammed down on mine. I turned around to see Levan staring down furiously at me.

“You’re here to finish what you started?” he rasped his eyes strained with anger and exhaustion.

“No. I never meant to hurt him. I’m so sorry… I just want to see how he is doing. Please.”

“Did you really think you could get in here without us spotting you? I had to move my father away to keep him from blowing your head off on sight. Please leave. There’s a limit to the leniency that I can afford you.”

I could see just how angry he was with me, but I couldn’t leave without seeing Maxim. “Please, Levan,” I pleaded. “Please I beg of you. Just give me a second and I’ll be out of there. I need to see that he’s alright.

“No!” he refused, and grabbed my hand to pull me away.

“Levan,” I cried, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

“This is something between me and him. Please, Levan. You know he will never thank you for keeping me away.”

He hesitated.

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was an accident,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears of desperation.

“Go on. You have five minutes, then I’m coming in.”

Without another word, he let go of me and began to walk down the corridor. I turned around and hurried into Maxim’s room.

Chapter Forty-Four

Maxim

She crept into the room like a thief… quietly and warily. But when she appeared by my bed I almost couldn’t recognize her.

She jumped the moment our gazes met. She was startled to see that I was awake. She immediately turned away to wipe the tears off her face but it was too late. I’d seen the distress in her eyes and the sorrow that she carried. She was grief stricken and full of remorse.

When she faced me again her face was different. “You’re awake,” she breathed. “I just thought I’d see how you’re doing.”

I wondered if she was upset because I had been hurt, or simply because she had almost killed someone. The first kill was always the one that haunted you forever.

“I told you not to show yourself unless I was okay.”

I saw the fear instantly cross her eyes. “But you’re awake.”

“I’m still lying here,” I replied, my voice hoarse and void of energy. “If you’re attacked there’s very little I can do.”

She lowered her head again and took a step forward, her hands linked together in front of her. “I’m really sorry I hurt you. You know, I didn’t mean to. I would never have shot you even if you had stopped me from leaving. It was all bravado.”