Chapter 55: The Price of Saving Him

Alexander lay in Lena’s arms—

breathing shallow, trembling violently, his veins glowing like threads of molten gold beneath his skin.

The purge mark was killing him.

Elias knelt beside them, breath ragged, eyes sharp with panic he tried to hide.

Lena cupped Alexander’s face, sobbing. “Alex—Alex, stay with me—please—!”

Alexander’s eyelids fluttered.

His voice was barely a whisper, strained and broken:

“Lena… I’m sorry…”

“No!” she cried. “Don’t you dare say goodbye to me—don’t you dare—”

But his body convulsed again, golden light pulsing through him in painful waves.

Elias grabbed Alex’s wrist, checking the flickering pulse.

“This is bad,” Elias muttered. “He activated the purge for too long. His nervous system is… collapsing.”

Lena looked up at him, eyes wild with fear. “Fix him! You have to fix him!”

Elias swallowed hard.

He didn’t answer.

Not at first.

Then he said it.

The truth she wasn’t ready to hear.

“There’s only one way.”

Lena shook her head. “Tell me. Whatever it is—tell me.”

Elias looked her directly in the eyes.

“You take the purge into yourself.”

Lena froze.

Her breath stopped.

Alexander shook his head weakly from her lap. “No… no, Lena, don’t listen…”

But Elias continued, desperate.

“The purge is energy. Deadly energy. It’s burning him from the inside. But it can be transferred.”

Lena wiped her tears. “Transferred? How?”

Elias held out his hand — trembling just slightly.

“Through the bloodline.”

Lena felt her throat tighten. “But I’m not blood—”

“You ARE,” Elias snapped. “Your mother’s line is the only one strong enough to channel it. She was the original heir. And you’re her daughter.”

Lena’s eyes flicked to Alexander’s glowing veins.

The truth sank in.

She could take the purge energy…

but it would enter her body.

Her mother’s voice echoed in her memory:

“If you choose peace… it will hurt. But it will save him.”

Lena looked at Elias. “What happens to me?”

Elias exhaled slowly.

Painfully.

“Your heart stops,” he said. “If you’re lucky, it only restarts once the purge finishes transferring.”

Lena stared at him.

Her hands shook.

Her heart pounded.

Alexander grabbed her wrist weakly.

“No… Lena, no… don’t do this… I can’t lose you…”

Lena bent close, her forehead touching his.

“You won’t lose me,” she whispered. “I choose you. I choose us.”

He shook his head, tears streaming. “I promised to protect you… not let you die for me…”

“You protected me,” she said, sobbing. “Every day. You saved me. And now it’s my turn.”

Alexander’s lips trembled. “I love you…”

Lena broke.

Completely.

“I love you too.”

Elias looked away, jaw tight — grief and regret in his eyes he couldn’t hide.

Then he spoke, firm but gentle:

“Lena. If you’re doing this… we don’t have much time. His pulse is fading.”

Lena inhaled deeply, forcing her fear down.

“What do I do?”

Elias pulled a small, sharp blade from his belt.

“You cut your palm,” he said. “And press it to his heart. The purge will recognize your blood.”

Alexander tried to rise. “NO—Lena—please—”

But he couldn’t move.

He was fading.

Lena grabbed the blade.

Her hand trembled.

Elias reached out, stopping her for a second.

His voice softened.

“You’re braver than she was.”

Lena flinched. “Don’t say that.”

Elias nodded.

“You’re right. You’re stronger.”

Lena lifted the blade.

Her hand didn’t shake now.

“For Alex,” she whispered.

She sliced her palm open.

Blood dripped onto Alexander’s chest.

And—

The purge exploded.

Golden light burst outward, engulfing her and Alexander entirely.

Lena screamed—

her back arching—

her veins turning gold—

her heart pounding so hard it felt like her ribs were cracking—

Then her body collapsed forward onto his.

Alexander jolted, gasping as the purge ripped out of him—

and into her.

Elias grabbed both of them, screaming Lena’s name.

“LENAAAA! STAY WITH ME—DON’T YOU DARE—”

But Lena’s eyes were rolled back.

Her breathing stopped.

Her pulse stopped.

Her body went limp.

Dead.

Still.

Silent.

Alexander’s glow faded completely.

His pulse returned.

His breathing steadied.

He lived.

And Lena—

did not.

Elias fell to his knees, gripping Lena’s lifeless body, shaking with rage and grief he couldn’t contain.

Alexander sat up slowly, eyes wide in horror.

His trembling hands reached for her face.

“Lena…”

His voice cracked.

“Lena… baby, wake up…”

He pulled her limp body into his arms.

“No… no, no, no—PLEASE—”

He shook her gently.

“Lena—open your eyes—please—please—”

Elias stood over them, eyes burning with fury and sorrow.

“She chose you,” he whispered.

Alexander sobbed into her hair.

“I didn’t want this—God, I didn’t want this—”

Elias looked up at the night sky.

And whispered one word:

“Cassandra…”

Because now—

Lena could only be saved

by someone who had cheated death before.