Ethan
Ethan clenched his jaw as he fastened the last button of his shirt, each movement a battle against the lingering weakness in his limbs. He feels the layer of sweat breaking out over his body. His body still betrayed him, muscles stiff, his breathing just a fraction too shallow, but he refused to let it stop him. He had spent too long lying in that bed, watching the world move beyond him while his body struggled to recover. His mind a mess, the recent events and that of thirteen years ago playing over and over before his eyes. He couldn't do it anymore.
Rowan kept him updated about the investigation. The attacker not found by the Dominion yet. What they did find was that the poison had been meant for her, for Elena. The dosage, the formulation—if she had been the one to take the blade, she wouldn't have stood a chance. And yet, here he was, alive, breathing. It hadn't been his fate to die this time. That alone was enough to send a ripple of unease through him, an itch in the back of his mind that wouldn't let him rest.
Was this fate sparing him? Or was it mocking him?
His hands shook slightly as he reached for his jacket, the tremor barely visible, but enough for him to feel the failure woven into his skin. He had intervened. He had put himself in the way of a death meant for someone else, just like Luelle did years ago.
The past had come roaring back—the memories of a different attempt, a different day when death had come too close. Thirteen years ago. The load bang of the gun had taken her, Luelle, his first love. He only allowed himself to be close to her once, that night at the ball, the night he kissed her. He did not even tell her how he felt. Her name had vanished from his mind, locked away by grief and time. Until now.
This close call with death brought the memories back. When he first woke, fevered and drifting in the haze of sickness, her name had been the only thing on his lips. Luelle. The girl who had died alongside his past. The girl his mind had buried because remembering was too painful, except for in his dreams, because now he realize – that is who Ghost Girl is and that is what his nightmares was about. Luelle.
Laying in this hospital bed made gave him a lot of time to think. He remembered her. Her laughter, her presence, the way she had fit so seamlessly into his life before everything shattered. And with those memories came the weight of loss, crashing into him with the force of something unresolved, something unfinished.
Ethan exhaled sharply, gripping the chair beside him to steady himself. He didn't have time for this. He couldn't afford distractions. Not when the attack had raised more questions than answers. Not when the enemy was still moving, still lurking, planning their next strike.
The door swung open, and Rowan entered, stopping short at the sight of him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rowan snapped, his sharp gaze taking in Ethan's half-buttoned shirt, his unsteady stance, the jacket hanging loosely in his grip.
Ethan didn't answer immediately. He took a slow breath, forcing himself upright, willing strength back into his limbs. "I'm getting dressed."
Rowan stepped forward, crossing his arms as irritation flashed across his face. "You need to get back in bed."
"No." Ethan's reply was flat, final.
Rowan narrowed his eyes. "You're still weak."
Ethan let out a short, humourless laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah? Tell that to the people who tried to kill Elena."
Rowan's jaw tightened. "I will—right after I make sure you don't collapse before you get the chance."
Ethan set his jacket down, rubbing his temples as frustration pooled beneath his skin. "I need to know who did this."
"You need to rest, the Dominion is investigating" Rowan countered, his voice edged with warning.
"I almost died," Ethan snapped, his voice raw with something deeper—anger, exhaustion, fear he refused to name. "But I didn't. And I need to know why."
Rowan studied him, his posture shifting slightly. "You already know why. You stepped in front of something meant for someone else."
Ethan's chest tightened, the truth pressing down on him. "Then I need to know who wanted her dead."
Rowan sighed sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. "You're not ready to deal with this."
"I don't have a choice," Ethan shot back. His voice was quieter now, more controlled, but the weight behind it hadn't lessened. "Do you think they're done, Rowan? Do you think they'll stop just because they failed the first time?"
Rowan's gaze darkened, his silence telling Ethan everything he needed to know.
"They'll try again," Ethan continued, shaking his head. "And if I don't start looking for answers now, I'll never see it coming."
Rowan exhaled slowly, crossing the room and leaning against the wall. "You're impossible."
Ethan managed the ghost of a smirk, though there was no humour behind it. "You're not the first to say that."
Rowan huffed, shaking his head. "Fine. But you're not going anywhere alone."
"I wasn't planning to," Ethan murmured, gripping the edge of the chair again, steadying himself.
Rowan hesitated, then nodded once. "Then let's start figuring this out. Before it's too late."
As they left the hospital, Ethan noticed more guards following. He turned to Rowan, "Do they think more guards will help? Did they assign extra people to Elena?"
"She accepted only two guards. She has her own security detail and didn't want more Dominion guards invading her privacy," Rowan replied.
"Does she understand the risk?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, Aria practically yelled at her when she refused more guards," Rowan said. "They bonded while you were in the hospital, though Elena still keeps to herself."
Ethan pulls out his phone. "Elena where are you?" he barks. Rowan remains silent as they get into the car. Ethan ends the call and gives the driver an address.
"We need to deal with Elena first," he says curtly.