Chapter Five: A Lift to Safety

LIANA

The metallic tang of blood mixed with the damp earth’s scent as I tried to push myself to stand. My legs gave out immediately, sending me crumpling back to the ground. Every nerve in my body screamed, and yet, somehow, humiliation hurt worse than the physical pain.

“I can walk,” I muttered, though even I wasn’t convinced.

“Really?” Reed’s voice was calm, yet the undertone of sarcasm was unmistakable. His shadow fell over me, and before I could protest, his hands gripped me gently but firmly.

I flinched at the contact, instincts screaming to pull away, but his arms were steady and sore, lifting me as though I weighed nothing.

“You’re bleeding,” he said matter-of-factly, his eyes scanning my legs. “Badly.”

“I’ll manage,” I shot back weakly, though my words held no bite. I hated feeling helpless, hated that I needed their help.

“Enough,” Reed said curtly. “You’ll make it worse.”

The warmth of his chest against my side contrasted sharply with the chill of the night air. I wanted to squirm, to make him let go, but a deep ache in my muscles kept me still. I turned my head slightly, my gaze falling to his pristine shirt. The stark white was already smeared with streaks of dirt and blood from me.

“Sorry,” I muttered, though I wasn’t sure why.

His brow furrowed, and he glanced down at me briefly before heading toward the waiting car. “Don’t be.”

Callum leaned casually against the car, his expression somewhere between amusement and exasperation. “Princess, if you’re gonna apologize for being a mess, you’re gonna be saying sorry for a long time.”

I shot him a glare that only made his smirk widen.

“Not helping, Callum,” Reed snapped.

“Fine, fine,” Callun said with a lazy shrug, pulling open the car door. “Get in. Let’s get out of here before the wrong people notice.”

Reed carefully eased me onto the leather seat, my battered feet brushing against the floor mat. Asher was already in the back, a quiet pressure that somehow felt more observant than the others.

The car started moving, the low hum of the engine breaking the tense silence. Callum drove with an ease that seemed at odds with the tension lingering in the air.

“You really went all out, didn’t you?” Callum said after a while, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “Running barefoot through the woods like a damsel in distress. Classic.”

“Callum,” Reed warned, his voice sharp.

“What?” I’m just saying, it’s a bold move,” Callum continued unbothered by his brother’s tone. “But next time, maybe pack shoes. And, I don’t know, maybe a plan.”

I clenched my jaw, willing myself not to react. I wasn’t about to let him see how his words stung.

“Callum, shut up,” Asher said quietly, his tone calm but firm.

Callum held up a hand in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. No jokes. Everyone’s so sensitive.”

The car fell silent again, save for the faint rustling of the trees as we sped past. I rested my head against the window, my reflection a grim reminder of everything I’d endured. My hair was a tangled mess, my clothes torn and filthy. Dried blood streaked my legs, though fresh drops trickled down with every jolt of the car.

“We’ll take care of you,” Asher said suddenly, his voice soft. I turned to look at him, but his gaze was fixed out the window. “You’re safe now.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to cling to the fragile hope his words offered, but trust didn’t come easily—not anymore.

When the car finally slowed, my breath hitched. Through the windshield, a sprawling mansion came into view, its towering façade bathed in soft golden light. The sight was surreal, like something out of a dream—or maybe a cruel joke.

“You live here?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Surprised?” Callum grinned as he parked. “What, you thought we’d bring you to some rundown shack in the woods?”

“Callum,” Reed said again, his tone weary.

“What? She asked!”

Reed ignored him and stepped out of the car, coming around to my side before I could even attempt to move.

“I can walk,” I said, though the memory of my earlier collapse begged to differ.

Reed raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “I’ll believe that when I see it.” Without waiting for a response, he opened the door and lifted me out as if I weighed no more than a feather.

Heat rose to my cheeks as he carried me up the stone steps, the grandeur of the mansion looming over us.

“You don’t have to—”

“Yes, I do,” he interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The front doors swung open, revealing an interior even more extravagant than the exterior. High ceilings, gleaming floors, and chandeliers that cast soft, shimmering light across the space. I felt like an intruder in a world I didn’t belong to, a smudge on an otherwise pristine canvas.

“Bring her to the sitting room,” Asher said, already moving ahead to prepare the space.

Reed carried me through the expansive foyer, his footsteps echoing softly against the marble. Callum trailed behind, his gaze flicking between me and the blood smeared on the floor.

“She’s going to ruin the rugs,” he said lightly.

“Callum,” Asher snapped this time, his usually calm demeanor cracking.

Reed placed me gently on a cushioned chaise in the sitting room, his movements careful as though afraid I might break.

“Maeve will be here soon,” he said, his tone softer now.

“Who’s Meave?” I asked warily, scanning the room for any sign of a trap.

“Our healer,” Asher answered as he entered with a glass of water. He handed it to me, his fingers brushing mine briefly. “She’ll take care of your legs.”

I hesitated, staring at the glass as if it held some hidden danger.

“It’s just water,” Asher said, his lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile. “You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to.”

I took a tentative sip, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat.

Meave arrived shortly after, a no-nonsense woman with sharp eyes and an air of authority. She took one look at me and clucked her tongue in disapproval.

“Sit still,” she ordered, kneeling beside me to inspect my legs. Her touch was firm but not unkind as she began cleaning the wounds.

The sting of the antiseptic made me wince, and I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying out.

“These will heal,” Meave said briskly as she worked. “But you’ll need to stay off your feet for a while.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Reed said from the doorway, his arms crossed.

Meave glanced at him, her expression unreadable, before returning her attention to me.

“You’ve been through hell,” she said, her voice softer now. “But you’re alive. That counts for something.”

Her words lingered long after she left, a strange comfort in their simplicity.

The brothers hovered as the night wore on, their presence both unsettling and oddly reassuring. Reed remained quiet but watchful, Callum paced with restless energy, and Asher stayed close, his calm demeanor a steadying force.

I didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into, but one thing was certain—there was no turning back now.