Chapter 252


    #Chapter 42 Exposing evil


    William POV


    “Doris—“ William breathed as he moved up to take her in his arms. She stared down at the broken


    ne with a dazed look.


    “Is....everyone okay?” She whispered. Her voice was hoarse and she looked startled to even be awake.


    Suddenly, she threw she ne far away from her as if it burned to touch. He wanted to throw it into


    the ocean but that still wouldn’t be far enough away from her.


    “Everyone is fine... are you okay?” William asked as he brushed the hair from her face. Besides Alec,


    she was the only one he ever wanted to be gentle with. No one else mattered as much as she did. He


    felt her pain as if it was his own. It drummed inside his veins and pushed him to be better.


    “Y-yeah... I thought I had died.” She admitted. “It felt like my life was draining out of me and—I heard


    your voice.” Doris’s whispered. Her eyes were wide as she looked up at William. “I heard your voice


    through the darkness. I ran towards it. I couldn''t stop running until I got to you. I heard everything you


    said.”


    Doris gripped his arm hard enough that he leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth. He kissed her


    slowly, hard enough to remind her she was alive and here with him. But gentle enough to remind her


    how he loved her.


    “I love you too, William.” She whispered. Her fingers brushed gently against his jaw before they fell


    against the bed. “I love every inch of you. Even theplicated ones.”


    William smiled a little at Doris as she clenched the sheets around her. She looked so drained and tired,


    William helpedy her back against the bed. “You’re here with me. I’ll make sure that ne never


    gets near you again.” He had to bite his lip to stop from lecturing her. He would eventually, but she


    didn’t need that now.


    “I think Daemon knew what wasing.” She blurted. Just the sound of his name made William angry.


    He had to swallow the rage that tried toe out along with everything else that was bubbling up


    inside him. “That was why he left that for me. He wanted to give me the strength to fight it. Don’t you


    think? I can’t understand why else he would have left it especially since he also gave me the book to


    understand it.”


    “Or he hoped it would drain the life out of you since he knew you weren’t experienced enough to handle


    it.” William snapped. Doris closed her eyes andid her head against the pillow. “He is not worthy of


    your kindness. He does not deserve you seeing the bright side of things on his behalf.”


    “I know.” Doris whispered. William let out a breath and kissed her head. “I think he is the one that really


    killed that guard.” Doris admitted quietly. William said nothing, but he had thought the same thing.


    “Rest. I will be back soon.” He whispered before leaving.


    “How is she?” Beth asked the moment he stepped out of the room. “Can I see her?”


    “You can sit with her. She’s resting —make sure she’s dressed before anyone else sees her. I will be


    back soon.” William said. He kissed Alec’s sleeping forehead before he left down the hall. Now that he


    knew Doris was safe, he had to take care of something else. His guards fell into step beside him and


    followed him down the long, dark halls.


    “The army is in the vige, they’re going to help rebuild in the morning. All of the vigers were given a


    ce to stay in the visiting part of the pce.” His guard filled in for him.


    “Good. I need the royal court woken immediately. We have matters to discuss.” William said.


    “Yes sir.”


    Within the hour, the room was filled with tired looking men and women. Their patience could run thin,


    but William didn’t care.


    “The kingdom of Eldon has attacked my vige and imed that it was my doing. This is enough to


    bring a war.” William stated. A few gasps rang out around the table but he kept on before anyone tired


    to put their opinion in. “But I don’t think it’s necessary. I think we have already won.” “What do you


    mean by that?” Someone asked. William didn’t even bother to lift his gaze to see who. “We can’t let


    them disrespect our kingdom like that — “


    William dropped down a pile of papers that had been brought to him by his spy. “My messengers are


    already on their way to their viges to let them know how much money their rulers have stolen from


    them. They made thousands of their people homeless because of their debt. Many had died from


    starvation and the cold but none of them cared. They only wanted a cheap fix to get crime lords off their


    backs.”


    It was silent for a long moment. “It’s true?” “Every word. I have proof that dates back years and record


    of all the viges they took from. By morning, their pce will be swarmed with angry vigers.” William


    leaned back in his seat as they started to go through the papers and passed them around.


    “Those rulers thought this kingdom would be an easy steal. They knew we had no debts like that and


    that we might be able to win over my people by making them distrust me. I’m sure they had more


    nned than just this, but it ends tonight.”


    “We will make sure this is taken care of, your majesty. Don’t worry about this.”


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    William stood. “I don’t want to hear of their kingdom again unless it’s to tell me of their downfall. They


    are not wee in mynd any longer and will be dealt with if spotted. Let it be known to all who patrol


    the boarder that they are not to cross.”


    “Yes, your majesty.” The room said. William left before they could say anything else. He had to stop


    himself from riding all the way to their pce himself to set it aze. He wanted to watch their home


    turn to ash just as they made William’s vige. They could have been the reason Doris never woke up


    and—they’re lucky she did. If she didn’t, their fate would be much worse than some angry vigers.


    He hurried down the hall back towards the medical wing. He hadn’t been gone very long, but every


    second away from her felt like hours. When he entered, Alec was asleep in a small crib near her bed


    and Doris was speaking softly to Doris. Beth smiled at Doris and stood to leave when she saw William.


    “I''lle byter. Get some rest.”


    “You need rest too, Beth.” Doris said gently. William came to sit on the edge of her bed and took her


    hand once Beth was gone. Doris smiled at him and suddenly he forgot all the anger he ever had. “Are


    you okay?” She asked him as if she had a right to say such a thing when she was the one in a hospital


    bed.


    William kissed her hand and held it to his chest. “ I want to get married tomorrow.” He said.