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Khalid
My eyes widened when Valeria tried to walk towards me, but fainted. I reached towards her, holding her arms and head from crashing before she fell. My heart rate increased when she didn’t wake up, Elena pushing me away to check her pulse and her head.
“Is she okay?” I asked, my voice low.
“She possibly has a concussion. If what she said is true, we need a doctor to check her olfactory nerve.”
I nodded mindlessly, stroking her hair and taking her to my room, being close to her.
What if she lost her sense of smell? And it all happened because of me?
* * *
“You look like shit.”
I raised my eyes from Valeria’s face to my brother. He was still wearing his clothes from the ceremony even though it was the next morning, bags under his eyes. Zain, Zayed and Elena had taken care of the break in while Rahim and Zara had managed to calm down the royal guests with the help of grandma.
I was too afraid to leave Valeria alone, even in my bedroom. I had stayed with her the entire night, hoping she would wake up soon.
“You don’t look any better,” I said, my voice hoarse.
Zain sighed and poured me a glass of water, and sat down on the chair beside me. I took a sip of the water and looked at her pale face. I had changed her into one of her comfortable tee shirts and sweatpants, tucking her in the bed.
“What did the doctor say?”
“That she will wake up soon.”
“Did he tell you the reason?”
I clenched my jaw and kept away the glass. I might have broken it from my hold. “It is most likely a concussion but Benjamin told me she used to get a headache that she had to stay in bed for a couple of days.” I had called her parents as soon as I had settled her in my bed, apologizing for not following with my promise of protecting her. Benjamin and Mabel were concerned about Valeria but wanted to make sure everyone in my family was safe.
“I sense a but coming,” Zain said, leaning back in the chair.
I looked down at the floor, clasping my shaky hands. “If she lost her sense of smell, then she fainted because of the shock. She was held against her will. A stranger manhandled her under our roof and hit her. Of course, it shocked her.”
And I wasn’t there to protect her. Keep her safe, like I had promised I would. She trusted me and I…
“And you are blaming yourself?” Zain guessed, concern lacing his voice.
I shrugged, flickering my eyes at her unconscious body. “I wasn’t there to keep her from harm.”
She must have felt so alone and scared when so many strangers crowded her personal space, mocked her, and held her against her will. Especially considering her past.
Zain spoke, “It wasn’t your fau—”
“I don’t want to hear about it,” I cut him off and straightened up. “How is Nasrin?”
“She is with Zara and Elena. Even though she is six months pregnant, she won’t sit down until I force her to stay in our room or lock her up.”
I smiled at him, the soft gleam in his eyes when he talked about his wife. “I don’t think that would work with her.”
He chuckled. “It never does. But I try.”
We didn’t say anything for a moment. He stood up, patting my shoulder. “Call me as soon as she wakes up. I want to apologize for not being a better host. Or Sultan.”
Before I could say something, he walked towards the door and paused. “It is not your fault, Khalid. Don’t blame yourself for what happened.”
I didn’t say anything. My eyes averting to the mirror of the vanity. I glared at my reflection.