As the Demon Demands ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Three

Evangeline began to stir. Her body felt heavy and weak, and everything was wrapped in a comfortable warmth. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep. Her vision was still a little fuzzy, and she couldn't recognize where she was. It wasn't the dirty cell she had been sleeping in the past couple of weeks, but it wasn't her room either.

As her eyes adjusted, she could see that it was definitely a spacious, regal room from the palace. The delicate wallpaper, the fancy curtains, the expensive artwork... And as she gained more feeling, the mattress she was lying on was so soft she thought she would sink into it. The sheets were silk, the blankets were warm and thick, and everything was just so comfortable.

Then she heard hushed voices to her left. Blinking, her blurred vision finally cleared up and she managed to turn her head. A man and a woman had their backs turned to her, whispering to themselves frantically. She wanted to call out to them and ask them a hundred questions, but she found herself too tired to do anything other than groan softly.

"Your Majesty!" a young voice cried. "Oh thank the Gods! She's awake!"

Evangeline looked to see one of her maids, Catherine, at the other side of her bed. She was holding a damp towel, her eyes wide as she looked at her with relief and joy. She would have asked her what was wrong when a shadow came over her, arms wrapping around her neck.

"Eve!"

She recognized that voice, though she couldn't see his face. His arms trembled lightly around her, even his shoulders beginning to shake. It only made her give a weak smile and pat his head. Skylar was standing behind him, looking just as relieved to see awake. And aside from Catherine, she saw Vala as well, who was holding a pitcher of water.

Then she felt her shoulder grow damp, her eyes falling back to her brother as his arms tightened around her. Instinctively, her arms came up to hug the man who had called her name.

"Sebastian..."

"Gods, Eve-!" Her brother pulled back from the hug to look at her, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. His expression was mixed with relief and exhaustion as he and Catherine helped her sit up against the pillows. She shifted a bit uncomfortable, feeling some mild pain in her back. "Mother of the Gods, I thought you would never wake up..."

She opened her mouth to speak, only to start coughing. Each cough hurt her back, but her throat felt dry and coarse, and she found herself unable to stop.

Sebastian cursed under his breath and turned to Vala, waving her over. She quickly sprung to action, getting a glass of water before handing it to Sebastian. He helped her sit up, gently resting a hand on her back as he brought the class to her lips. With some difficulty, she drank the entire glass, not realizing how parched she had actually been.

"You should have some more." Skylar's voice caused her to look at her lady-in-waiting, who waved her hand at her glass. Soon, it filled up with water again, and Evangeline couldn't help but take another sip. "You've been unconscious for three days."

That nearly made her choke on her water. Sebastian pulled away from her to give an order to both Vala and Catherine, who quickly left the room. Managing to only cough once, Evangeline turned to Skylar with wide and confused eyes. "Three days-?!"

Skylar nodded. "You spiked a fever from  malnutrition and your wounds. Fortunately, your fever broke this morning, and we've treated your injuries... But we were growing concerned the longer you remained unconscious."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Three days? She had been out for three days with a fever? And she hadn't eaten any food or had much water? Panic came over her as a hand dropped to her stomach. Gods, her baby. A lot could happen in three days, and considering everything that had been going on before, it wasn't unreasonable to assume the worst.