A Bond of Hate

Chapter 5

The trunk was cramped, and the smell of rubber and dust filled my nostrils, but I couldn't risk making a sound. The car sped through the streets, the engine humming, each bump in the road jostling me against the hard edges of the trunk. I strained to hear anything outside—voices, footsteps, a door slamming—but the only thing I could focus on was my pulse, loud and insistent in my ears.

Suddenly, the car slowed, and I felt it make a sharp turn before coming to a stop. My heart raced as I heard muffled voices outside. I couldn't make out the words, but I recognized Caspian's authoritative tone. It sounded like he was issuing orders, his voice tense and clipped.

I waited, holding my breath, until I was sure the car had stopped for good. When the silence stretched on, broken only by the occasional murmur outside, I decided it was now or never.

The first thing I saw was a crowd—dozens of people gathered behind a line of police cars, their attention focused on the hospital's entrance. A group of policemen was busy securing the area with yellow tape, cordoning off a large section of the parking lot.

"Wow! What happened here?" I exclaimed, peering out of the car window at the scene.

Caspian, whirled around at the sound of my voice, his eyes widening in shock. "Son of a b***h!" he swore, his expression a mix of surprise and exasperation.

I grinned, relishing his reaction. "So... are you getting out or not?"

He growled under his breath, clearly annoyed, but didn't waste time arguing. He yanked the door open and stepped out, and I followed suit, though my exit was far less graceful. I clambered over the back seat, nearly tripping over myself as I tumbled out of the car.

I could hear Caspian already on his phone, barking orders at someone. "...the poisonous leech has escaped... Yes, she's here... It was a mistake trusting Nox and Trent with a wild animal.... Yes, yes. I know it's my fault. I underestimated her brand of crazy..." The last bit he glared down at me just as I settled against the car and squinted up at him in the bright sunlight.

"Are you just about done throwing a tantrum? I'm ready to know why we're here."

Caspian shot me a withering glare, one that would have sent lesser souls running for cover. "And I'm just about to pay whatever demon sent you to plague my life to take you back."

"Sorry," I replied cheerfully, "he doesn't take refunds."

He muttered something under his breath that I didn't catch. With a huff, he turned on his heel and started walking toward the hospital's back entrance. I limped after him, wincing with each step as my right ankle throbbed.

It wasn't long before Caspian noticed my awkward gait. He stopped abruptly, turning to face me with narrowed eyes. "Why the hell are you limping?" he demanded.

"Oh, this?" I waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing to worry about." But before I could brush him off entirely, he reached out, grabbing me by the waist and lifting me off the ground with unsurprising ease.

I barely had time to react before he had me sitting on the edge of the car, my legs dangling out. A flutter of butterflies stirred in my stomach, but I quickly squashed them down. This was not the time for that.

"I sprained it... escaping..." I trailed off as Caspian crouched down, his fingers gently removing my sneaker. His touch was firm but careful, and I bit my lip as he revealed my angry reddened ankle.

"How?" he demanded, his eyes snapping up to meet mine.

I sighed, realizing he wouldn't relent until I told him the truth. "I jumped out the window in my room," I admitted, avoiding his gaze.

His head snapped up, disbelief and anger flashing in his eyes. "It's three f*****g stories high! How the hell did you manage that without breaking your neck?"

I shrugged, trying to downplay it, but my bravado faltered when he pressed gently on my ankle. A sharp hiss escaped my lips as pain shot through me.

"And it's swollen," he observed, his tone tight with concern. "We need to get this checked out."

"We?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, we," he snapped, "because clearly, you're not domesticated enough to be trusted on your own."

Before I could retort, he called over one of the doctors standing just outside the yellow tape. The man approached, bowing respectfully to Caspian before turning his attention to my ankle. He examined it quickly, his fingers probing the tender area, and I winced as he did so.

"It's a sprain," the doctor confirmed, reaching into his bag and pulling out a roll of gauze. He wrapped my ankle with practised ease, securing it tightly before handing me an ice pack. "This should help with the swelling. Take some of these for the pain." He handed me a small bottle of pills, and I nodded in thanks.

"Can you walk now?" Caspian asked, his voice gruff, but there was a note of concern that made me glance up at him curiously.

I nodded, testing my weight on the injured foot. The pain was still there, but it was manageable now. Caspian helped me down from the car, and we made our way toward the hospital entrance. As we ducked under the yellow tape, Caspian reached out to steady me, and I couldn't help but notice how his hand lingered on my arm for just a tiny moment longer than necessary.

The inside of the hospital was cold, and the sterile scent of antiseptic was heavy in the air. The halls were eerily quiet, and the usual hustle and bustle of a busy hospital was absent. A detective approached us as soon as we entered, his expression serious as he greeted Caspian with a nod.

"Your Highness," he said, "thank you for coming. The crime scene is in the Pediatric Medical 1."

I felt a chill run down my spine at the words. The Pediatric Ward? What could have happened there? I exchanged a glance with Caspian, but his face was unreadable, his focus entirely on the detective.

The detective led us down a series of corridors, the fluorescent lights flickering ominously overhead. When we reached the Pediatric Ward, the detective stopped and turned to me. "What do you notice here?" he asked, his voice quiet.

I looked around, taking in the scene. The ward was deserted, the beds neatly made, toys and books scattered about as if the children had just been playing moments before. But something was off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it until it hit me.

"All the kids' stuff is here," I said slowly, "but I don't see the kids."

The detective nodded, his hands clasped behind his back. "Twenty-six children were taken from this ward an hour ago."

My eyes widened in shock. "How can someone smuggle twenty-six kids out of a hospital without anyone noticing?"

"Oh, it's possible," the detective said grimly.

I stared at him, my jaw dropping. "It's happened before?"

He nodded. "It's been happening all over Tethan. Two hospitals have been attacked, and thirteen houses broken into, with children taken in the dead of night." The detective went on, "In this case, and some of the other hospitals, we found traces of chloroform. We can guess that they're lacing the vents with the drug, knocking out the staff and kids, then abducting them."

"What's the link between the victims?" I asked, dread pooling in my stomach.

"The perpetrators seem to be targeting children under the age of ten, all of whom are presumed to be on palliative care," the detective replied.

"Are you saying children with terminal illnesses are being stolen?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Yes, I am," the detective confirmed. "Miss...?"

"Farryn," I said, my voice flat. "Just Farryn."

The detective offered a small smile before one of his colleagues called him over. He excused himself, leaving me alone with Caspian.

"So, this is why you ran out of the Ruby Room," I said, turning to Caspian. "How long has this been happening?"

"Today makes it a month," Caspian replied, his tone heavy with the weight of the situation.

"A month?" I echoed, disbelief colouring my voice. And how am I hearing about it now? He must have been using some serious manpower to keep this from the news.

"And there isn't any kind of pattern to how they're taking the children?"

"None that we've observed," he admitted, his frustration evident.

I let out a breath, running a hand through my hair. "What the hell did I get myself into?"

Caspian glanced at me, "I didn't tell you to come along."

"And I told you, you don't order me around," I shot back, though my tone lacked its usual bite. I was already in too deep, and we both knew it.

With a resigned sigh, I looked up at him, determination hardening my resolve. "So where do we begin, Your Highness?"

Caspian regarded me from the corner of his eye, and for a brief moment, our gazes locked. I could have sworn I saw something like respect flicker in his eyes before he looked away. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the same guarded expression he always wore.

"Follow me," he said, his voice gruff once more as he turned and led the way deeper into the hospital.