Before Dawn

ELOWEN'S POV

“Open the door. I'm his partner.”

Vesper knocked again, harder this time. three hard raps that shook the lock. I stared at the door, gripping my phone with both hands. Cassian lay on the bed behind me, close enough for me to hear every breath he took.

“Then explain why your message said you needed him out of the way.”

Silence.

For several seconds, the only sound I could hear was my racing heartbeat.

Then Vesper laughed softly. “You have no idea what you're talking about.”

“I saw the message.”

“Give me his phone.”

“No.”

The handle stopped moving. When Vesper spoke again, her sweet voice had become cold.

“You're making a mistake, Elowen. You don't belong in this family. You should know that by now.”

Her words hurt, but I refused to let them break me. I had swallowed so many insults and pretended they didn't matter. On any other night, I would have lowered my head, stepped aside, and perhaps even apologised for upsetting her. Not tonight.

“Leave,” I said firmly. “The doctor is coming.”

She said nothing. Then I heard her heels clicking the floor as she walked away. I waited until the sound disappeared completely. Even then, I stayed by the door for another minute, counting to sixty with my forehead pressed against the wood. Only when I was certain she was gone did I return to the bed.

+++++

The doctor arrived a few minutes later, carrying his medical bag. Alistair followed close behind, his tie hanging loose and his face pale with worry.

I stepped aside to give the doctor room to work.

He checked Cassian's eyes with a small light, felt his pulse, and placed a hand against his forehead. He examined him carefully before finally straightening up.

“It appears he's been given something that has affected his awareness,” he explained. “I can't identify the substance without running some tests. He needs to be watched closely and must not be left alone tonight.”

“Who gave him the drink?” Alistair asked, his voice breaking.

“We don't know yet,” I replied.

I took out my phone and showed him the photograph of Vesper's message. Then I reached into my purse, removed the folded note, and handed it to him. He read the message first before opening the paper.

His expression darkened. “Where did you find this?”

“It fell out of Cassian's jacket.”

He read the three words twice, his lips moving silently the second time. For the first time since I had known him, Alistair Thorne looked genuinely afraid and that frightened me. He was a powerful man who rarely allowed anything to shake him. Seeing him like this made me realise how serious the situation was.

He turned to the man waiting by the door and gave him several instructions. He wanted the ballroom security footage secured and the waiter found before morning.

Once the man had left, Alistair faced me. “You must not discuss what happened tonight with anyone.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Someone tried to hurt your son.”

“And we will handle it privately.”

“What if the person responsible comes back?”

His jaw tightened. “I said we will deal with it.”

I recognised that tone. It meant the conversation was over, whether I agreed or not. I looked past him at Cassian, who was still pale and weak on the bed. It was clear that following the orders of powerful people didn't mean I was safe. It had never meant that.

I didn't argue with Alistair. But deep inside, I made a promise to myself. I would no longer depend on obedience alone to protect me.

Hours passed slowly. The doctor checked Cassian several times while Alistair paced around the room, speaking quietly on his phone. Outside the windows, the darkness gradually faded into a dull grey.

Near dawn, the doctor finally announced that Cassian was stable. His pulse had returned to normal, and his body was no longer as hot as before.

“For now, he needs rest and close observation,” the doctor said. “We'll know more after the tests.”

Alistair remained in the room, making more calls and giving instructions.

I quietly went into the adjoining sitting room to collect my purse. As soon as I picked up my phone, the screen lit up. Six missed calls from my mother. I stared at them for a moment before deciding to call her back.

“Where have you been?” Seraphina demanded as soon as she answered.

“With Cassian. Someone may have drugged him.”

“Good heavens! And you were alone with him all night?”

I closed my eyes. “Mother, is that what you're worried about?”

“Don't raise your voice at me. People will talk.”

A strange laugh escaped my lips. It sounded so unfamiliar that I barely recognised it myself. “People are always talking, and you always care more about their opinions than what happens to me.”

She fell silent. I could hear her sharp breathing through the phone. Usually, I would have rushed to apologise whenever she became upset. I would have tried to make everything right, even when I wasn't the one at fault but this time, I let the silence remain.

“I'll leave this morning, just as you planned. But I won't come back simply because you tell me to.”

Before she could respond, I ended the call. My heart pounded against my chest. I had never spoken to my mother that way before. The thought of what I had just done frightened me, but beneath the fear I felt relieved. For once, I had said what I truly felt instead of swallowing my words to make her happy.

I picked up my purse and returned to the bedroom. Alistair was in the corridor with the doctor. A bedside lamp cast a soft golden glow in the room. Cassian was lying in the same position I had left him. His face pale, and his lips had not yet regained their usual colour, but his breathing was steady.

I approached the bed and looked down at him. “I wish you knew,” I whispered. “I wish you knew how much I love you.”

My eyes settled on his hand resting on the sheet. I had held that hand throughout the night while he was too weak to know who was by his side. But I wouldn't take another touch from him unless he willingly offered it.

I pulled the blanket higher over his chest and gently smoothed it down. “Goodbye, Cassian.”

I turned towards the door and reached for the handle.

“Elowen.”

The voice came from behind me. My hand froze on the doorknob.

For a moment, I couldn't bring myself to turn around. I was afraid I had imagined his voice. At the same time, I feared that I hadn't. Slowly, I turned back. Cassian's eyes were open. He looked weak and confused, his hair damp on his forehead, but his gaze was fixed on me.

“Are you leaving?”

I swallowed. “You need to rest.”

He tried to push himself up on one elbow but winced in pain. “Come here.”

I should have ignored him. I should have walked out and allowed the morning to carry me away from everything I had ever wanted. Instead, I walked back to his bedside.

His eyes moved to the moon necklace around my neck then to my face. “I remember something.”

My heart began to race. “What?”

He frowned, as though he were struggling to put the pieces of his memory together.

“The woman who brought me upstairs…”

My breath caught. He remembered a woman. I had helped carry him up those stairs myself, with the steward beside me. My arms still ached from supporting his weight.

Was he talking about me?

“What's wrong?” I asked quietly.

“She said something to me.”

I could barely breathe. “What did she say?”

Cassian looked straight into my eyes. “She told me not to trust you.”