Betrayed By One. Bound To Three-Chapter 74: A Piece Of Our Hearts

The violence left her slowly.

At first, it was almost too small to notice. The force in her movements began to weaken, little by little, as if whatever held her body so tightly was starting to lose its grip.

The stiffness in her limbs eased, not all at once, but in a slow, uneven way that made it hard to trust.

Her breathing followed.

What had been sharp and broken began to stretch into something deeper. It was still rough, still unsteady, but it no longer sounded like it would snap at any second.

Edris felt the change before he fully saw it.

Her arms no longer fought against his hold with the same desperate strength. The struggle was still there, but it had sunk lower, no longer tearing through her.

"Healer," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on Selena’s face. "What is happening now?"

The healer was already watching. Her fingers rested lightly against Selena’s throat, feeling the rhythm of her pulse. Her expression stayed serious, but there was a sharper focus in her eyes now, as if she was following every small shift and trying to understand it.

Selena’s breath caught once, tight in her chest, before leaving her in a long, uneven exhale. Then it came again, deeper this time. Not steady yet, but no longer on the edge of breaking.

Kael let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little as he adjusted his grip on her.

"She’s calming," he said, his voice low, almost careful.

Time passed in quiet moments.

Then slowly, her body gave in.

The tight arch of her back relaxed, and her limbs grew heavy in their hands. The fight drained out of her, leaving her still in a way that felt almost unreal after everything they had just seen.

Her head fell back against the blankets. The strain in her face softened, as if whatever had been tearing through her had finally let go.

Her eyes opened briefly, unfocused, before closing again.

A quiet settled over the clearing.

It was not peace, not fully, but it was the first calmness they had felt since they broke out of the dungeon, and it was enough to make them pause.

The healer did not move. Her attention stayed on Selena as she watched her carefully.

"I think she needs some rest," she said after a moment. Her voice was calm, but thoughtful. "Hopefully, she gets better when she wakes up."

Edris glanced at her. "Hopefully?"

The healer took a second before answering.

"I have only heard of vermora in stories. I have never seen anyone survive it."

Kael frowned slightly. "So she is getting better?"

"I cannot say that yet," the healer replied. "The antidote may be helping her, or it may only be slowing what is already in her."

The words settled heavily around them.

Ronan let out a slow breath and ran a hand through his hair. "But she is not getting worse," he said, holding on to that.

The healer nodded once. "No, she is not."

It was not comfort, but it was something they could hold on to.

They stayed close to her.

None of them had the strength to move far.

Kael remained seated beside her, his eyes never leaving her face. The restless energy that usually followed him had gone quiet, replaced by something steadier.

Edris stepped back just enough to give himself space, though his attention never really left her.

Ronan stood a little away from them.

At first glance, he looked the same.

But Edris had been watching him for a while now, and in the quiet that followed everything, it became harder to ignore.

There was something different.

Not in any clear way, not something easy to point at, but something that did not sit right.

Edris studied him for a moment before speaking.

"Ronan."

Ronan turned. "What is it?"

"Let’s talk," Edris said, then glanced at Kael. "All three of us."

They moved a short distance away from where Selena and the healer were.

Edris met Ronan’s gaze. "What is happening with you?"

A small frown appeared on Ronan’s face. "I do not know what you mean."

"You have been different," Edris said.

Kael looked at him. "He is right. I noticed it too. Like how you forgot the water you were supposed to get for Selena. It does not feel like you."

Ronan stayed quiet for a moment.

Then he exhaled.

"I do not understand it either," he said.

His voice was slower than usual, as if he was trying to make sense of it while speaking.

"It started a few hours ago. Before I went to get the water. I felt something."

Edris’s eyes narrowed slightly. "What kind of something?"

Ronan hesitated.

"It felt like something pressed against my heart," he said. "Not pain. Just a sudden, sharp sting. And since then, I have not felt like myself."

His gaze moved to Selena for a brief second.

"Especially when I am close to her."

Silence followed.

Kael and Edris exchanged a look.

Ronan noticed.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice tightening. "You both know something."

Neither of them answered immediately.

"Say it," Ronan added.

Edris let out a slow breath. "It is the witch."

Ronan frowned. "What about her?"

"She did not give us the antidote freely."

Ronan’s expression hardened. "What did she take?"

Edris did not look away. "A price."

"What kind of price?"

Kael looked off to the side.

Edris answered, steady. "A piece of our hearts."

Ronan stared at him.

"And you agreed to that?"

"We did not have a choice," Kael said.

Ronan’s gaze moved back to Selena, then to them again. "And you think that is what this is? What I am feeling?"

Edris shook his head. "I do not know. But it was not a normal request."

Ronan stood there for a moment, thinking.

Then he let out a breath.

"It does not change anything," he said.

Kael frowned. "How does it not?"

"Because she is here," Ronan replied. "Whatever it cost, she is alive."

His voice softened slightly.

"That is what matters."

Neither of them argued.

Ronan looked at them again. "We do not tell her."

"Tell her what?" Edris asked.

"Any of this," Ronan said. "She does not need to carry the burden."

Kael nodded. "Agreed."

Edris gave a small nod as well. "She will not hear it from me."

Ronan seemed satisfied with that.

Then the healer’s voice called out.

"Triplets."

All three of them turned at once and hurried toward her.

Kael was the first to speak. "What is it?"

"She is awake."

They reached her quickly and were surprised to see Selena was now sitting up.

For a moment, none of them moved, as if they were afraid the smallest thing might change what they were seeing.

Color had returned to her face. Her eyes lifted, and she smiled

Relief came all at once.

Kael let out a breath that turned into a quiet laugh as he stepped closer. "Selena... you are okay."

Ronan shook his head, a small smile breaking through. "You really scared us."

Edris said nothing at first. He just looked at her, taking in the way she held herself, the steadiness in her breathing.

Then the tight feeling in his chest eased.

The healer spoke softly behind them. "She is stable. The antidote is working."

Kael closed his eyes for a brief second before opening them again. "Good," he said, his voice lighter now.

Ronan let out a small laugh. "We made it."

Selena looked at them, her smile still there, though softer now. "You all look exhausted."

Kael shook his head. "We are fine."

Edris stepped closer. "How do you feel?"

She thought about it before answering. "Better. Just tired."

That was enough.

The three of them exchanged a quiet look. The fear they had been holding slowly loosened.

Kael sat beside her, close enough to reach her easily. Ronan lowered himself to the ground nearby, letting out a slow breath. Edris stayed close.

Selena was alive and for now, that alone was enough to make them dare to breathe again.

Then came the sound: leaves snapping under too many feet, moving fast, cutting through the calm.

Edris froze, every muscle taut, eyes darting toward the forest.

"You hear that," he whispered.

"Loud and clear," Kael added, his voice low.

And just like that, the relief they felt only a moment ago vanished.