Shock flitted across Alicia's face. She didn't expect that Abi was hiding something this grave. And she actually didn't tell this to her husband?
Alicia couldn't help but feel the same immense unease that Abigail was feeling. She knew that Abigail's dreams were never just nightmares. They were prophecies that never goes wrong!
"Abigail, did Alexander ask you about what is bothering you?" Alicia asked as she held her arms.
"He did, but I lied to him." Abigail looked down, and guilt painted her face. "I told him that I saw him so badly hurt and unconscious in my nightmare."
"And he believed it?" Alicia narrowed her eyes. When Abi nodded, Alicia glanced at the still serious Alexander, who was busy speaking with Kai and the rest of the vampires.
"Look, I didn't tell Alex because I am sure he will not let me join this battle. If I told him, I might be in Reign's castle right now. He will do everything to keep me safe! I don't have a choice, Alicia."
"But now that there's no more turning back, you are planning to tell him?"
"Yes, but…" Abi trailed off. "I am afraid this will destroy Alex's focus. I don't want him to…"
Alicia squeezed Abi's arms. She understood Abi's fear. And even though Alexander will know about her dream, could they change Abigail's future? Could they prevent this from happening? What if Abigail's decision of not telling Alexander about her dream was the right decision that could save Abi? Did Alexander really believe Abigail's lie?
For some reason, Alicia couldn't believe that Alexander was really unaware. Alicia had been observing the couple's actions since they left Country V because both of them were a little different from usual. Alexander was never this serious. He was always the reckless type who don't care about plans and strategies, but here he was, being all serious and finally acting like the almighty king that he used to be. Alicia heard his plans, and she was surprised at how cautious and guarded Alexander was for this battle. And Alicia could tell that his priority was not to kill the enemy; it was protecting Abigail. This gave Alicia the feeling that Alex must have known that something would happen to his wife. That was why he was doing his best to come up with a plan that would let him both fight the enemy and, at the same time, protect his wife.
Glancing at Alexander again, Alicia took a deep breath and stared intently into Abi's eyes. She had to do something too. They will be doomed if Abi's dream will really happen. In fact, the whole world will be put in grave danger if Abigail will die in this battle. She was the last person they would ever let get hurt!
"Abigail, did you see anything else in your dream? Anything that happened before that?" Alicia asked her. "If we can alter the event before something happens to you, we might be able to prevent it."
What Alicia said made sense. So Abi tried to think about her dream again. She closed her eyes, knotting her brows tightly as she revisited the dream she had last night.
But time passed, and she found nothing. Her dream started and ended in that same scene, and she couldn't see anything before that.
When Abi opened her eyes and shook her head, Alicia pressed her lips tightly. She was afraid that Abi's death might be something that they couldn't prevent even if they were to back off now. This was huge trouble! What should they do to save Abigail? There must be something they could do!
Troubled, Alicia closed her eyes to calm herself and think of something or anything that she could do to help prevent Abi's death.
...
"Wife," Alex walked towards the two ladies. His intense gaze was locked on Abigail as he stood inches away from her. "Are you okay?" he asked, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.
Abi forced a smile at him. "I'm fine," she told him. "Just a little uneasy."
Alex stared at her as if he could already tell the truth behind her words. He pulled her in his embrace and kissed her head. Abi didn't see it, but Alex's eyes momentarily turned golden as he hugged her. But when he pulled away, his eyes were back to its dark color. He bumped his forehead gently against hers as he whispered, "don't worry, I am here. I will protect you. Here," Alex unsheathed his sword -the same sword that she used to wound Dinah - and gave it to her.
"Take this, from now on, this is yours," he added.
Abi held the hilt and lifted it with her right hand. She slashed it delicately at the air, and the reflection of the fading light danced within the cool steel.
As always, the sword felt light in her hands. And for some reason, the moment she held it, the unease inside her chest seemed to have evaporated. It almost felt like the sword had given her comfort and whispered to her that she had nothing to fear.
Her eyes finally lit up. She gripped the hilt of her sword harder before she looked up at her husband with willful eyes.
"I'm ready, Alex. I will put all the things you taught me to use," she said, her eyes burning with fierce determination. Alex's lips curved up in satisfaction as he lifted his wife's left hand and kissed them. He peered at her with his intense eyes.
"Good. As expected with my wife," he uttered, proudly. And then, he finally faced Alicia and the rest of the vampires with an authoritative gaze. Even though Alex's eyes were still black as night, the unspoken fierceness in them was enough to empower everyone. He didn't even need to give them any piece of speech because Alexander's eyes and the tremendous change in his aura were more than enough to fuel the fire in their eyes.
This man was no longer the reckless and bored immortal who knew nothing but treat them like his entertainment for many years. Tonight, they just knew that they would finally witness with their own two eyes just who this man really was and what he's really like when he became serious.