Blood Series: Yellow - Chapter Thirty-Four

Zayn left Adara’s room and went down to the mortuary. He checked in with the attendant and signed a few papers before he was brought the container that held Alec’s remains.

“I am so sorry for your loss, Mr. Kadin,” the human said to him.

“Thank you, but the loss really goes to my sister. This man was my sub… my supporter for my campaign. “

“Ah, well I see. Please give your sister the condolences of this hospital, and hopefully we won’t have to see you again anytime soon.” The human turned around and walked back into his office. Zayn stood there for a moment holding the silver canister. At least Nikole would now have something that they’d never gotten with their parents. Closure. She would be able to do what she wanted with his remains. If Zayn knew her well enough, she would sprinkle the ashes along his mountainside and then keep some for herself. That was if he didn’t have a will already laid out with instructions. Zayn made a mental note to check with the local Algula attorneys to verify Alec’s estate, but that was business left for another day.

Zayn took the silver canister and made his way down the hall. He ducked into a darkened side hallway where he would be in the shadows before starting the journey transporting himself to his home.

Walking through the front foyer, he noticed the stillness in the air. No one was around, and the quiet was unnerving. He took the steps two by two. He hadn’t really had time to review the repairs to the mansion since his destruction of it. He was taking that moment to realize the wood on the banister had been refinished to its original state, and the carpet had been replaced with the closest replica he’d seen.

At the top of the stairs, he looked down the hallway and saw Mehmet sitting in the chair outside of Nikole’s room. He was a good Ghul, one of his better warriors. He was shocked that Mehmet had allowed Nikole to escape him earlier, but she was a resourceful woman. She always did what she wanted; she acted first and never thought about the consequences. But that was how all of this had started, Nikole’s lack of foresight into her actions and their consequences. This wasn’t the time to dwell on those thoughts, not while the grief was fresh and there was still so much unknown. Besides, he didn’t want to consider his own selfish behavior while he’d been away.

Maybe it was a family trait? Maybe something in their make-up prevented them from being logical. Or maybe was just the stress of ruling a kingdom. No one really knew what he went through, the weight of so many subjects depending entirely on his choices, protecting the only family he had left, carrying on a name that they couldn’t let die off. Yes, no one knew of the internal stress being in the Royal Family caused, but it wasn’t his job to complain, just to protect. He had left his people and let them all down, and now it was time to regain the pride that the Kadin name deserved.

“Mehmet, you can relieve yourself for a minute; I need some time with my okht,” Zayn said as he approached him. He felt his mind start to tingle when Nikole’s thoughts of this alone time with her came in loud and clear.

“Yes, sire, she’s not moved since I brought her home. She doesn’t want anything.”

“Thank you, I’ll call you when I leave so you can come back and keep watch. In the meantime, rest.”

Mehmet stood and bowed to Zayn before walking down the hallway and down the stairwell. When he was out of sight, Zayn knocked once on the door before opening it.

“Little okht?” he said softly as he opened the door.

“Go away.”

He ignored her wish and came in, shutting the door behind him before he walked over to her bed. Placing the silver canister on her bedside table, Zayn sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve brought him home to you, Nikole.”

“This isn’t his home; he didn’t want to claim it as his.”

“You were his home. I could tell in how he looked at you, even that day I came and picked you up from his cabin. You were where his home was.”

“No, Zayn, I wasn’t. I lived with him for three months while you were gone. His home was in the cabin with his dead wife. As much as I loved him, I was never meant to have him as mine. We were doomed.”

“You can’t believe that. After everything Nikole, he loved you.”

“Not like I loved him.” Her tears were steadily rolling down her cheeks. She looked up from the pillow at her akh, and unexpectedly, she sat up, leaning over to embrace him.

Zayn stroked her hair and held her; he listened to her sobs, her heart beating.

“I’m sorry, Nikole. I’m so sorry.”

“I know you are, Zayn. It’s not your fault. Now he can at least be in the afterlife with his family.”

“Maybe if I hadn’t left, none of this would have happened.”

“This is Haydar’s fault. He puts everyone in danger.”

He continued to stroke her hair and rock her back and forth. He looked to the canister and pointed. “Do you want me to take care of that?”

She shook her head no and sat up, wiping her eyes. She reached for the canister, pulled it into her lap, and held onto it. “He deserves a warrior’s sendoff; I will have Mehmet make the proper arrangements. We can call in one of the Algula priests, and they can perform the Raheel Ritual.”

“You want to call in the clergy? We haven’t spoken to them since we brought them over from Lebanon to keep them safe. We haven’t practiced any of the traditions since Omm and Abb were killed.”

“I know, Zayn, but maybe it’s time we brought some of our traditions back. I think Omm and Abb would want us to, don’t you? And you are going to be a baba! We have to carry on how we were raised for the next generations, right?”

Zayn listened to her talk and was taken aback. Even in her state of mourning and grief, she was thinking of the people and their future. Maybe she had grown up and changed. “You are right, little okht. We need to bring our traditions back. You and Mehmet can do what you need to for Alec. He deserves that.”

The serenity of the moment was broken when his cell phone went off. “Sorry, let me see who this is.” He pulled out the phone and answered it.

“Hello, this is Zayn,” he said, his eyes centered on the wall as he spoke. “Yes, thank you for calling to keep me informed. Is she all right?”

Nikole listened to him talk; her mind went straight to Adara and the baby sitting in the hospital.

“Yes, please continue with the exam. I don’t need to be there, that’s fine. Let me know what the results are and if she can come home in the morning. Thank you, Doctor.”

Zayn hung his phone up and slipped it back into his pocket. He looked at Nikole’s expression and could tell she wanted to know what was going on. “They are going to examine her one more time, and then if she passes, she will be able to come home tomorrow morning. I’m going to bring her back here where the staff can keep an eye on her.”

“That’s good; she needs to be around people who can protect her until she delivers.”

“Exactly. The doctor mentioned that she will be on bed rest until the baby comes, but after that, I plan on having the nexus and crowning ceremony.”

Nikole nodded as he spoke. She didn’t know what she wanted to say exactly, but she knew that talking about her akh’s happiness in the midst of what she was going through wasn’t on the top of her list.

“I gave her the family ring, I hope you don’t mind?”

“It was yours to give. Zayn, I think I want to be alone with Alec, if you don’t mind?”

Zayn reached over and grabbed her hand; he squeezed it, trying to comfort her.

“No, that’s all right; I need to get things ready for tomorrow. I’ll send Mehmet back up.”

“I’m surprised you assigned him to me after…”

Zayn raised his hand to stop her; he didn’t want her to finish that thought. “He’s one of the best warriors we have, and I want you protected at all times. The past is in the past, and he knows that’s where it stays, so until this all blows over with Haydar, you are not to leave the house without protection. Sleep well, little okht, and I’ll check on you in the morning. Love you, Nik.”

“Love you too, Zayn.”