Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 430: A Price to Pay

Astrid's POV

The walls of the Packhouse had never felt so suffocating.

Days had passed since Elara was taken, but time had lost all meaning.

The world outside moved on, but inside these walls, inside this nightmare, everything was frozen-suspended in a relentless cycle of fear, exhaustion, and waiting.

Waiting for news. Waiting for a sign. Waiting for something, anything, to bring my daughter back.

But all I had were the heavy, sinking hours in between, where every breath felt like a struggle, where every shadow in the room felt like it was closing in on me.

Ryker's condition wasn't improving.

If anything, he was getting worse.

He barely spoke. He barely ate. When he did sleep, it was restless and fitful, his small hands gripping the sheets as if he were still in battle, as if he were still fighting off the monsters that had stolen his sister.

Every time he closes his eyes to sleep, he wakes up screaming his sister's name, tormented by nightmares.

Ryker is blaming himself for what happened to his sister, worsening his health.

And I... I was barely surviving.

I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Elara's terrified face, her small hands reaching

for me, the way her screams had echoed as she was ripped from my grasp.

I had failed her.

I had failed both of them.

I sat by Ryker's bedside, my fingers brushing through his damp hair, pushing it away from his forehead.

His skin was clammy, his breathing too shallow for my liking.

"Ryker," I whispered, my voice hoarse from days of disuse.

His lashes fluttered, but he didn't open his eyes.

I looked down at his hand resting in mine, so small, so fragile, and I felt the weight

easily I could lose him

me, and I

murmured. "I promise I

through my thoughts. "You can't keep going like this,

I didn't need

Killian.

only one keeping all of us

one making sure the warriors stayed on high alert, the one taking care of the

he is also suffering just like us, ridden by guilt and anxiety, but he had to be strong for us. Especially when all of us couldn't hold on any

the one trying

heard the exhaustion in his voice, the weight of his own

I couldn't afford to fall

around Ryker's. "He's getting worse," I

me. “Because he's worrying about Elara," he said softly. "And because he's worrying

That made me flinch.

lied, my voice

Killian exhaled heavily. "Astrid."

my eyes. "I don't care about me, Killian. I care

"And how do you think Ryker feels watching you like this? You haven't eaten in days. You barely sleep You're running yourself into the ground, and

turned to him then, my vision swimming with unshed tears. "What else am I supposed to do?" My voice cracked, "He's sick,

there, scared, alone. What do you want me to

QUMS

softened, and he reached up to cup my cheek, his warmth grounding me, steadying

you to survive this, Astrid," he said gently.

she's going to need her mother.

My chest tightened painfully.

he was

I wasn't doing

guilt-the crushing

my fingers over his

whispered. "I just

hand.

could respond, the door

stepped inside, his face grim, his presence enough to send my heart into a wild, frantic

Something had happened.

stood immediately, his body tensing.

his cloak and pulled out a folded piece of parchment, the edges rough, the ink smudged in

said quietly. “From

me

his jaw tightening as

his