"I've battled monsters / wrangled beasts / fought through flames / to be with you. / And I will fight crowds/ war with my own / push through all odds / to stay with you."

—With You, Katherine Slater, With You Single

This was it. His grand finale.

Demitri didn't want it to be. A part of him desperately wanted him to continue this life, no matter how bruised and beaten it left him. The other part of him knew better. He'd given this world, this kingdom, as much as he could.

He put his hand up. Lady Elizabeth paused, her fingers stopping just inches from his arm.

Maybe he could give the kingdom one last gift.

"I'm not the one who needs this right now," he told Lady Elizabeth.

She frowned down at him, her dark red hair coiffed into a perfect halo around her head. Like an angel. This woman felt like an angel, or how an angel would be if he believed in them.

"Your Majesty?" Galina asked from his other side. "Are you alright?"

He'd never been better. And now, hearing Lady Elizabeth's explanation of her abilities, he'd solidified his decision.

She was a healer.

The only known healer in generations. There were legends of healers passed through the years. Their society whispered of them, though they'd hadn't had a confirmed healer of Lady Elizabeth's capacity in generations.

It surprised him that the Sarians did not have more intense security on her. In the wrong hands, an Ace with any kind of healing ability could be taken advantage of. At best. He didn't want to imagine the worst.

Lady Elizabeth had seen him in his condition, and decided to come help him. Him, of all Aces.

Maybe she was an angel. Sent by the Stars themselves.

"There is a woman on the other side of the kingdom," Demitri told her weakly, "who deserves your gift more than me."

Lady Elizabeth glanced at Prince Ethan Alexander at her side, his hand on her elbow. Then she turned back to him. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"My niece," Demitri explained. "I've finally found her. But she is not in good condition."

"Your Majesty," Galina's eyebrows shot upward. "What—?"

"I think I've done everything I can for this kingdom," Demitri told Lady Elizabeth. "But Driana hasn't. She deserves this second chance."

Lady Elizabeth softly shook her head. "I can't let you die."

"You can," Demitri told her. A cough wracked his frame. "I've served my purpose here. Not every life is meant to be lived forever. Some of us have shorter journeys." He thought of his niece. "But her journey was too short. She deserves this more than I do. I would only wish that you'd spend your time, and your ability, on her."

Prince Ethan Alexander, clad in a pair of dark jeans and a black button down, stepped closer to the bed. "Driana? Princess Driana?"

Lady Elizabeth looked between the two of them. "I thought—Isn't she...?"

Another cough shuddered through him. His hand came away wet, but he tucked it away at his side.

He explained the details he knew, and although he'd been unable to recall all the information the way Reese could, he knew the most important details. When he was finished, Lady Elizabeth's eyes were wide, and she had her fingers gripped into Prince Ethan Alexander's button up.

On his other side, Galina had her hands clasped together, her forehead pressed to them as if in prayer.

Lady Elizabeth looked to Prince Ethan Alexander. "I can't..."

The prince answered for her. "We don't know how much Lizzie will be able to heal. Even this healing now—we can't heal you both."

If he had the strength to shake his head, he would've. But the emotionality of the day, and his own condition, worked against him. "I would prefer you choose Driana."

"You would give this chance away?"

Demitri tried to smile at Lady Elizabeth. "I would give this gift to someone more deserving."

Lady Elizabeth perched on the chair next to his bed. She held a hand out, palm forward, and waited for him to close the distance. He did. "Recovery could take a long time," she told him gently. "For Driana and for me. I can't guarantee I'd be able to heal more than one of you."

He nodded. He knew that. "I understand what I'm giving up."

The way she looked at him then, the shine in her eyes, made his throat ache. She squeezed his arm gently. "The love you have for this kingdom and your family is admirable."

Lady Elizabeth placed both hands on Demitri's arm and scooted forward in her chair. "I need you to be sure, King Demitri."

He'd never been more sure in his life. This was it. This was what he was meant to do. This was his opportunity to make it right. It wouldn't be enough. But maybe years from now, Driana could find it in her to forgive him for giving up on her.

"I'm sure," he told Lady Elizabeth.

Her gaze darted from one of his eyes to the other. Finally, she nodded. Then sat back. "Ethan, we have another plane to catch."

~

A brief tap at the door had Wylan sitting up in his chair. Reese Garrick entered, closing the door tight behind him.

He blinked. "Dad?"

It was nearing two in the morning. The only reason Wylan knew was the enormous clock that mocked him on the other wall. He'd glanced at that clock over and over, wondering when it would actually laugh at him.

Reese Garrick's gaze swept the room before landing back on him. Instead of taking a seat, he stood next to Wylan's chair. "The Daniel's?"

Wylan pressed his lips into a fine line. "I called them and told them it wasn't safe for them to come by. They fought, but I told them once we get her in a secure location they can visit."

His father raised his eyebrows slightly. "I'm sure that conversation went well."

Wylan shrugged. Mary Daniel's words still ripped through his memory. They'd been beyond mad. He still expected them to show up here. But he couldn't let them do that until they figured out Iris' security plan and where they would move her long term.

Reese squeezed Wylan's shoulder. Wylan absorbed the touch. His father wasn't the hugging type normally. But after not seeing his father in person for months, he'd take what he could.

He gave his father a lot of shit. But... a small thread of warmth spread through the cold, wet grief. He was here now.

When it mattered.

Wylan kept hold of Iris' hand and sighed. "I need to do another floor sweep soon."

"Leave it. I've brought additional security on my way over. I have instructed them to keep this floor locked down."

The emotion tried to flood into his face, but he kept it reined in tight. "Thank you," he whispered.

Reese's hand squeezed again. "I've got a safe house stocked and outfitted to accommodate the machines. Transport has been arranged and is on standby."

His father's phone chirped. Then chirped again. With a grimace, Reese pulled it out of his pocket to glance at it.

Wylan focused on his Destined who laid on the bed next to him. Reese's hand fell off his shoulder.

While his father went off to handle business as usual, he made himself think ahead. Once the doctors determined her to be stable and ready for transport, he would have to get her moved. Under the radar.

And from there—

His heart and mind clenched. Wherever they put her was where she'd sit. For Stars knew how long.

Until they got the courage to cut the machines, or the Stars welcomed her home.

Wylan stared at Iris' gloved hand. He smoothed a thumb over the dark leather. Wishing she was awake to yank her hand away from him. Or give him that flat look when he annoyed her.

The door opened with another click, no doubt his father returning. A part of him was grateful for the security outside. He was in no condition to be on active security right now.

"Agent Garrick?"

Wylan glanced over.

Two faces stared back at him curiously. A wave of fire swept through him as he recognized them.

He shot to his feet. "Prince Ethan Alexander. Lady Elizabeth."

The Sarian royals were here. In Iris' hospital room. At 2 in the morning.

Wylan did a cursory check of the room, ensuring the exits and possible safety concerns he'd noted when they'd first put Iris in here were still secure. They were. The blinds of the hotel room were closed, and he'd had one of the initial security team take point on the roof across the street. The main door was also the only exit. Other than the window in the room, the room itself was incredibly easy to secure from the inside.

His father closed the door behind them.

Wylan looked to Reese. "What—? How—?"

Reese held up a hand. "We have little time. We need to get them in here to do what they can, and then get them and Iris out of this hospital as soon as possible. I've already got a team working on added transport and contacted a Loyalist physician."

Wylan's frown deepened. Confusion wasn't just an expression, it filled his whole body. What?

Reese ushered Prince Ethan Alexander and Lady Elizabeth closer to Iris' bed. Something that had Wylan's whole body tensing.

Lady Elizabeth smiled gently. "Wylan, right?"

Wylan swallowed and nodded, his eyebrows coming together as Lady Elizabeth made her way around the other side of the bed. "I apologize, I know it's late, but we're here to help Driana however we can."

Wylan glanced at his father, then back to them. Prince Ethan Alexander was pulling the other available chair from the other side of the room and guided Lady Elizabeth into it.

As she sat, she did her best to explain to him. "Wylan, my ability may be able to save Driana's life. If you don't mind Ethan and I being here for a bit, we'd like to see if we can help her."

Help her? He didn't need any more explanation than that. No one could do any more damage than what was already done.

Throat aching, he whispered, "Any help is great." Then, compelled and uneasy, he asked, "It won't hurt her in any way?"

"Her? No," Lady Elizabeth responded.

Her unspoken words were louder than gunshots. "... and what about you?"

Lady Elizabeth grinned and pointed towards the closed door. "I suppose it's a good thing we've got an entire building of doctors here, just in case."

He could've sat there and wept with the relief and the surging hope inside him. "Please. Whatever you can do. But..." he thought of Iris. "Iris wouldn't want you to hurt yourself to save her."

Lady Elizabeth's gaze warmed as she picked up Iris' ungloved hand. "A few of us are like that."

"I don't mean to rush anything," Reese said behind him, at the door. Guarding it for anyone who dared to enter. At some point, he'd have to ask his father how he'd snuck two famous people in here. But that could come later. "We have about thirty more minutes before the next shift change. Our best chance of getting back out undetected will be then."

"That's more than plenty of time," Lady Elizabeth assured.

Prince Ethan Alexander took Lady Elizabeth's other hand, then crouched next to her chair. "Small chunks, Lizzie," he told her. "Please."

Lady Elizabeth, Lizzie, squeezed his hand. "Promise."

Then Lady Elizabeth closed her eyes.

If something was happening, Wylan couldn't visibly see it. The only thing that hinted anything was the growing worry on Prince Ethan Alexander's face, and the way he smoothed his free hand over Lady Elizabeth's head and shoulder.

"Pieces," he kept reminding Lady Elizabeth. Lady Elizabeth nodded each time.

There were intervals where Prince Ethan Alexander would take a breath. Then he'd go tense again.

When he wasn't watching at Iris, Wylan would look at them. They were a well-oiled machine. Supportive. Giving. Bouncing off of each other. The prince warned Lady Elizabeth, and she listened each time. But still, he supported her as she used her ability, though it clearly made him tense.

The entire time, Wylan kept hold of Iris' gloved hand, worrying away the leather at the top. Minutes felt like hours.

Slowly, Lady Elizabeth sagged. Eventually, she began to sway in her chair.

Prince Ethan Alexander was there. "Enough, Lizzie."

Lizzie's eyes stayed closed.

"Lizzie, stop."

The gloved hand in his twitched.

His heart about launched itself out of his chest. "Iris?"

"Lizzie!" Prince Ethan Alexander barked.

Lady Elizabeth let go of Iris' other hand and sat back.

When she opened her eyes, they were entirely bloodshot. The red a stark contrast against the whites behind.

Wylan swore low.

Prince Ethan Alexander swung her up into his arms in a heartbeat. "We're going to need that doctor," he told Reese. "Right now."

Reese nodded, opened the door quickly to scope the hall, and ushered them out.

Wylan was about to follow them, but the hand in his twitched again. Everything inside him came to a halt. "Iris?"

Down the bond, he felt that thread lighten, just slightly.

Glorious hope swelled like a tidal wave over him. 

Iris opened her eyes.