Upon arriving at the inn, Ka copsed to her knees as soon as she stepped out of the carriage, her legs numb and weak from exhaustion. She had endured so much, both physically and emotionally. Carissa helped her up as Ka said, "Hurry, take me to him."


    The greatest torment of Ka''s journey had not been the motion sickness or the jostling of the carriage, but the constant worry about Lawrence''s condition.


    Carissa supported her inside, and Rafael approached them. The couple exchanged a nce, and Rafael nodded, a silent assurance that Lawrence was still alive.


    Carissa breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she looked at him deeply concerned, noting how much weight he had lost.


    She assisted Ka up the stone steps and to the door of the room. Everyone stepped aside, allowing Ka to see her husband lying on the bed.


    She paused at the door, covering her mouth with her hands. Tears quickly blurred her vision, and they began falling inrge, heavy drops.


    Just when everyone expected her to break down in tears, Ka wiped her tears away with determined strokes. She eventually managed a faint, trembling smile as she approached her husband.


    She sat at the edge of the bed, first gazing at his face. After all the days of treatment, the swelling had mostly gone down, though bruises remained. The wounds at the corners of his mouth and eyes hadrgely healed.


    His face was covered in bruises, making it hard to recognize him. The sun had darkened his skin, and the bright red medicinal cream smeared across his face stood out against hisplexion. His lips were a deep purple, adding to the unsettling look. Seeing his broken appearance, Ka felt a pang of sadness.


    As if sensing her presence, Lawrence stirred from his deep slumber. He opened his eyes, which were initially unfocused. And then, as if something had suddenly grasped his attention, he fixed his gaze on Ka.


    He blinked in disbelief, and only when her hand touched his face did the reality of her presence sink in.


    Ka forced a smile, her trembling hands and lips somehow conveying vulnerability and strength. "My dear, I''m here."


    Lawrence tried to reach for her hand, but he couldn''t lift his arm. Ka quickly took his hand gently, noticing the fingers coated with medicine. Each finger was dotted with small punctures, and the nails were missing. Her heart ached intensely at the sight.


    Before the tears could fall, Ka quickly raised her head, regaining herposure. When she looked at him again, her smile remained. "I''m here. I''m right here."


    Lawrence had not spoken since arriving at the inn. Now, he moved his lips a few times before managing to utter two words, "I''m sorry..."


    His eyes never left Ka''s face, as if they were pinned there. The dreams he had cherished over the years were now realized, and despite his muddled state, he could still feel the encouragement she brought


    She had always been like this seemingly fragile, yet stronger than anyone.


    "I will... get better!" he said, each word a struggle.


    In the crowd, someone let out a sob.


    Although everyone watching this scene was on the verge of tears, Sebastian had been adamant these past few days about not crying.


    Who would dare to challenge Sebastian''s order?


    The men looked around for who had started crying, only to see Sebastian jogging out of the room.


    It took them a moment to realize that the sob they had heard was from Sebastian himself.


    With Sebastian breaking the silence, others couldn''t hold back their tears any longer-they began to weep openly.


    Carissa stood beside Ka at the


    bedside for a moment, feeling the weight of the situation in her chest. Overwhelmed and unable to hold back her tears, she turned and left the room.


    Rafael followed her out, taking her hand. They stood in silence for a while before he said softly, "I''ve missed you so much these days, more than ever." Carissa wiped her tears with one hand and turned to throw herself into his embrace, her voice thick with emotion.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "I''ve imagined myself as Ka so


    many times during this journey. I''ve missed you so much. It''s such a relief to know you brought him back. I can''t believe he''s actually O


    Septimus!" she cried.


    Rafael held her tightly, as if she were the most precious treasure. This was the first time she had openly expressed her feelings for him. Still, he felt the need to rify. "Lawrence is Septimus, but there are ten more people inside who are also Septimus."


    Carissa pulled back slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. "Wait, do you mean those men standing in the room earlier? I thought they were undercover soldiers escorting him!"