A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 414

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Chapter 414

Chapter 414

ALEXANDER

I stayed by the bed, watching Faye try to steady her breathing.

It wasn’t getting better in any way I could immediately fix.

That was the problem.

This wasn’t a wound you could bind.

Not an infection you could name.

Not something you could confront head–on and expect it to yield.

It was internal.

Unpredictable.

And worse–progressing.

My mind kept moving, trying to force structure onto something that refused it.

Dr. Adams.

That was the first thought that came.

But even as it formed, I knew the limitation of it.

Adams was good with conditions that had clear markers–clear symptoms, clear paths of treatment.

This-

I wasn’t even sure how to describe it in a way that wouldn’t sound like panic dressed up as logic.

And I couldn’t afford panic.

Not here.

Not with Faye like this.

I glanced at her again.

She had shifted slightly on the bed, her fingers curling against the sheets, then releasing again, like she couldn’t decide whether to hold on or let go of control entirely.

Her face was tight.

Not just in pain, but in resistance to it.

Faye had always been like that.

Even when things went wrong, she didn’t just collapse into it–she fought it. Even now, something in her

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Chapter 414

was still trying to hold on to composure.

But her body wasn’t cooperating.

I exhaled slowly through my nose and lowered myself into the chair near the bed.

Think.

I needed to think.

Calling Dr. Adams would escalate this beyond our walls.

It would bring attention.

And I wasn’t ready to involve the council in something we still didn’t fully understand.

More importantly-

My gaze dropped again to Faye’s wrist.

Even under the sleeve, I could tell where it was.

Whatever Helen had called it-

Whatever it truly was-

It wasn’t just sitting there anymore.

It was active.

I tightened my jaw slightly and leaned back just a fraction.

My thoughts were interrupted by movement at the door.

Helen returned.

I looked up immediately.

In her hands was a cup.

And before she even got closer, I could smell it.

The scent hit the air like a warning.

Strong.

Unpleasant.

Not spoiled exactly, but bitter in a way that made my instincts reject it before I could even analyze it

properly.

I frowned slightly.

“What is that?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Helen didn’t slow down.

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© Chapter 414

“It’s something I prepared,” she said simply.

She stepped closer, careful not to spill it.

“I had to make use of what was available in the kitchen.”

I looked at the cup again.

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The smell alone was enough to make me question the idea of it being consumed by anything living, let alone someone already in distress.

“You made that… here?” I asked, unable to keep the skepticism out of my voice.

Helen glanced at me briefly.

“Yes.”

I opened my mouth to ask what exactly she had used, because there was no way anything that smelled

like this came from normal ingredients meant for consumption-

But she stopped.

Her eyes shifted slightly toward me.

Not defensive.

Just… aware.

She had noticed my hesitation.

My doubt.

Then she paused fully.

“Do you want me to give it to her or not?” she asked.

Her tone wasn’t sharp.

But it was direct.

I looked at Faye again.

She was still on the bed, her breathing uneven, her face drawn with discomfort that was clearly not easing

on its own.

This wasn’t improving.

It wasn’t stabilizing.

And I had nothing else in my hand that could help her right now.

My jaw tightened slightly.

I didn’t like this.

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Not because I didn’t trust Helen… Okay, maybe I didn’t. But I knew she wasn’t going to poison Faye deliberately.

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But the main issue was that I didn’t like relying on something I didn’t understand in a situation I couldn’t afford to misjudge.

Still-

I had no better option.

“If it will help her,” I said slowly, choosing each word carefully, “and it isn’t harmful… then go ahead.”

Helen nodded once.

She didn’t argue.

Didn’t explain further.

Instead, she lifted the cup slightly.

Then, without warning, she brought the spoon to her mouth first.

I frowned sharply.

“What are you doing?” I asked, instinctively stepping half a pace forward.

Helen didn’t stop.

She took a small amount into her mouth.

My entire body tensed.

That was not what I expected.

She held it there for a second, then swallowed calmly..

Only after that did she lower the spoon.

“It’s safe,” she said simply.

I stared at her for a moment longer, still not fully convinced by the demonstration alone, but there was no time left for debate.

Faye let out a small sound on the bed again–pain pulling her attention back into herself.

That settled it.

I stepped aside.

Helen moved closer to the bed, positioning herself carefully.

“Faye,” she said softly, but firmly enough to cut through whatever haze Faye was drifting in.

Faye’s eyes shifted weakly toward her

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Helen guided the cup up.

I watched as she carefully helped her drink it.

I didn’t look away–not once.

Because whatever this was-

I needed to see exactly what it did.

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