Chapter 421
Four hundred and twenty Three
Alexander POV
The iron latch on my cell door gave a metallic rattle.
“Rogue. Get up p>
The guard outside wasn’t one of the usual snickering wardens. He was older, and though his voice carried the hardness expected of a guard, he lacked the sadistic gleam in his eyes. He was the closest thing to human this place had to offer.
“You’ve got a visitor,” he grunted, unlocking the door. “Some riffraff from the border roads came in throwing a fit. He demanded we arrest him just so he could see his ‘Lord.’ We didn’t cuff him, but he’s under heavy watch p>
Every movement felt like pushing through ice. The cold made my lungs ache with each breath. I dug the heels of my hands into my sternum, pressing over my heart to stop the frost from spreading.
Biting back a wince, I got to my feet. The floor swayed, and I steadied myself against the wall before stepping into the corridor.
Walking was a trial. My joints were stiff from the fever. I dragged myself down the hallway toward the visitation
room.
The room was split by a wall of reinforced glass, smudged with fingerprints. Lucas sat on the other side.
The moment I sat on the metal stool, Lucas pressed his hands against the glass, his face twisting with horror and rage. 1
“God, Alexander.” His voice was low through the perforated speaker. “Look at you. You don’t look good at all p>
“I’m fine,” I rasped. I didn’t have time to dwell on how I looked. “Did you bring my medication p>
Lucas reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a paper packet.
“The heating herbs. I brought enough to last you a few days. That’s all Kamala has p>
He slid the packet through the metal tray in the base of the partition. Before my hand could touch it, a gloved hand slammed down and snatched it away.
I looked up. One of the wardens, the same one who’d mocked me at dawn, held the packet to the light.
“Those are my chest medications,” I said, keeping my voice even. “He brought them for my condition p>
“Medication?” The warden barked a laugh. “Looks like contraband to me. Could be poison. Could be an escape agent. I’m confiscating it p>
On the other side of the glass, Lucas shot to his feet, glaring. I gave him a warning look through the pane, telling him to back down before the guards drew their batons. He gritted his teeth and sat back down, shaking with fury.
I turned back to the warden. “It’s dry root,” I said, swallowing my pride. “You can see I’ve been sick. I’ve had chills since yesterday. I’ll eat it right here in front of you if you want p>
The warden leaned close, his breath smelling of stale meat and alcohol. He smirked and stepped back.
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“You want your little weeds, rogue? Get down on your knees and ask nicely p>
A chuckle ran through the two wardens by the door. They gathered around, enjoying the spectacle.
Across the glass, Lucas pressed his face to the partition. “Don’t do it, Alexander p>
Pride didn’t keep a man alive in the dark. Survival did.
I lowered both knees to the stone floor and looked the warden in the eye.
“Please,” I said. “Let me have the medicine p>
The warden’s grin broadened. He unsealed the packet with his thumb and sniffed the leaves inside.
“Hmm. Still doesn’t look safe. Can’t just let you swallow random plants. We’ll run this through the facility doctor first for a full check p>
“That’ll take days,” I rasped, my hands clenching into fists on the floor.
“Then you’d better hope your chest holds out until then,” the warden sneered.
He pocketed the packet and turned to Lucas. “Visitor. Your two minutes are up. Move p>
Lucas leaned toward the partition, his eyes on mine. “Alexander, we can break into this place and get you out. Just say the word p>
“No,” I whispered back. “I’m not a criminal. I’m not running p>
Lucas frowned. “They’re trying to humiliate you to death in here. Why stay p>
“Because my father’s royal guard is here. I was drugged the night my father died. He was there p>
Lucas’s eyes widened. The guards behind him stepped forward and took him by the arms to haul him out.
“Go to Creek Keepers pack,” I muttered as he was pushed back. “Find Anna. She was the head cook. Find her. Abduct her if you have to, but make her talk p>
Lucas nodded just before the door shut between us, leaving me alone.
Five minutes later, I was dragged back toward my cell.
Just before we reached my door, the older guard who’d brought me out stepped into my path. He glanced over his shoulder at the empty corridor, then reached into his jacket pocket.
Without a word, he pressed a packet of herbs into my trembling palm.
“Use it now p>
I closed my fist around it. “Thank you p>
“Don’t thank me,” he grunted, unlocking my door and shoving me inside. “Just don’t die on my shift p>
The moment the door locked, my hands shook so hard I could barely unwrap the paper. I stumbled to the pitcher of water in the corner, knelt, and threw a pinch of crushed root into the cup, swirling it until the water turned brown.
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I lifted the cup to my cracked lips and drank in gulps.
Heat hit my stomach at once, a sharp burn spreading through my torso. I collapsed onto the mattress, clutching my chest as the herbs fought the frost in my veins. My body shook as fever and remedy collided, and I closed my eyes and let the dark take me.
When I opened my eyes again, hours had passed.
The bite in my chest had faded to a dull ache, but the fever remained, leaving my head heavy and my thoughts foggy.
I dragged myself to the bars and looked toward the courtyard corridor. The exercise call had come and gone, and I hadn’t been let out. Worse, when I scanned the line of prisoners through the gap in my door, Kobe wasn’t there.
He’d been right. Zachary was watching me, and he’d quietly cut off my only contact in the ward.
That afternoon, a commotion echoed through the halls. Dozens of bootsteps marched down the main avenue.
“All prisoners to the grates. Attention for the Alpha p>
The bar on my cell door lifted, but the door stayed shut, leaving only the narrow viewing slot open.
Through the bars, I saw Zachary walking down the central walkway, dressed in fine leather, flanked by six enforcers.
He stopped in front of my cell.
I stayed slumped against the wall, my head resting against the stone. The herbs were still working through my system, sending heat and exhaustion through my limbs. I felt like I was floating.
“Here lies the Lord of the Rogues,” Zachary sneered, loud enough for the neighboring cells to hear. He leaned against the bars, smirking in at me. “Lying in the dirt like a sick dog. You thought you were invincible out there in the wild, didn’t you, Alexander? You thought you could burn my trade trucks and run forever p>
I barely looked at him, my eyes half-closed.
“The council hearing is coming up,” Zachary taunted, tapping his ringed fingers against the bar. “And when it comes, you won’t even have the strength to stand and defend yourself. You’ll die in this cell, nameless and forgotten, while your compound burns to the ground p>
The wardens around him laughed.
I closed my eyes. Zachary’s voice faded into the background, a meaningless buzz.
The gears were already in motion. That was all that mattered.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.