All I Need ✔️

Chapter 81

This chapter contains reference to sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Third Person POV

Two women immediately burst in after Cassius, restraining him. "Please, I have to see her," he begged them.

"Your highness, you need to let Layla do her work. You will get a chance to see her, but you need to be patient," one of the women told Cassius.

Recovering from the shock of seeing Cassius alive, Ari jumped in. "Why don't we go for a walk your highness," he suggested. "I think we have a lot to discuss."

"Ari?" Cassius said, finally noticing him. "Thank god you're alive. Did they bring you back too?"

"Did who bring me back?"

"The elementalists? They went to rescue Safania," Cassius replied.

"Emalina, Liasa, Alton and I rescued Safania," Ari told him, confused.

Cassius looked to the two women, confused. "We're contacting the rescue team now," one said. "It seems like your friends beat us to it."

"Wait, so you sent people to rescue her too?" Ari asked. "And how are you still alive? Multiple people saw you executed..."

Cassius sighed. "Why don't we go for that walk?" he agreed reluctantly. "We do have a lot to talk about."

"I think that's a great idea your highness," one of the women said encouragingly, handing Ari a clean shirt so he wouldn't have to put on his old, bloody one.

"I'm coming back," Cassius warned them, before leaving the tent with Ari.

Ari and Cassius walked through the camp. The sky was darkening, with the last rays of the sun streaking the horizon, making it look as though it were on fire. Small torches outside helped illuminate their path.

"So you've seen her then?" Cassius asked as they walked.

Ari nodded.

"How is she?"

Ari sighed. "She's..." He stopped. How was he supposed to tell Cassius that Safania couldn't tell the difference between reality and hallucinations? That she would sometimes randomly start yelling about wanting to be back with Alterius? That she had lost control of her abilities and had nearly killed them several times on the way here?

"Just tell me the truth," Cassius said, watching Ari struggle.

"She's in pretty rough shape," Ari said finally.

"Rough shape how?" Cassius pressed him.

Ari sighed. "The physical injuries she has will definitely heal. But your brother did something to her...her mind is...I don't really know how else to say it other than damaged."

"Did she say what he did to her?" Cassius asked.

Ari shook his head. "She slept for most of the trip, and whenever she woke up, she was in a lot of pain. She hasn't been in a place to talk about it."

Cassius kicked a stone off the path they were walking on. "I told them they should have rescued her. Not me," he said angrily.

"What exactly happened?" Ari asked. "I mean...people supposedly saw you get beheaded."

"They did see me get beheaded," Cassius replied. "That's just not what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"When Zamari got back to the camp after leaving the Western Fort, she told the elders what had happened - the pregnancy, our plans for marriage, everything. Some of them were upset that she had left the camp, but others were upset that she had returned. In their mind, I was one of the only legitimate possibilities to make the world safe for them in the near future. Irado is terrible, so are my brothers...but if I was in power, they thought I might make it safe for them to come out of hiding. They still couldn't convince Zamari to go to the wedding, so some of the elementalists, including some of the elders, decided to go themselves instead to show their support."