Chapter 624: The Kindness That Should Not Exist Here

Chapter 623: The Kindness That Should Not Exist Here

Sophia did not sleep that night.

She lay curled on the cold stone floor, her back pressed to the wall, her knees pulled to her chest, her fingers digging into the thin fabric of her dress as she listened.

She listened to everything.

Every footstep that passed.

Every voice that echoed faintly through the stone.

Every distant sound that made her heart jump.

Time passed slowly, and she stayed awake through all of it.

Waiting for a chance to slip out.

And eventually, she got the chance.

Sophia lifted her head slowly.

She stayed still for a moment longer, just to be sure, and then she moved, quietly and carefully.

Her small hands pressed against the floor as she pushed herself up.

Her fingers moved to the lock on the cell gate. She had observed Darius when he placed her in the cell. She was certain he didn’t think she was taking note of his movements, but she was.

The lock clicked, and the sound echoed in the silence. She paused and listened, just in case she had alerted anyone, but there was no sound. No one came.

She exhaled slowly.

Then she slipped out.

She didn’t waste time. She ran as fast as her short legs could carry her, taking every turn she had observed Darius take when they left that chamber.

Until finally, she reached it. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she stepped inside.

And immediately she did, she locked eyes with him.

Alaric.

His head snapped up, his eyes widening in shock the moment he saw her.

"Wh—"

She shook her head quickly.

"No," she whispered, rushing toward him. "Don’t speak."

Her small feet carried her across the cold floor, her heart pounding so loudly she was almost sure it would give her away.

"I’m going to get you out," she said quickly, her voice trembling despite the determination in it.

Alaric stared at her.

For a moment... something in his expression softened.

Sophia didn’t notice, though. She was already moving.

Her hands reached for the restraints around his legs, her fingers fumbling against the cold metal.

She pulled at it desperately, but it wouldn’t budge. She tried again and again and again, but nothing happened.

Her breathing grew uneven.

"No... no..." she whispered under her breath, her fingers moving faster now, trying to find something, anything that would make it loosen.

It didn’t.

Her hands shook.

"I... I can do it," she muttered, more to herself than to him.

She tried to pick at it.

Her fingers slipping.

Her nails scraping uselessly against silver that refused to move.

Tears filled her eyes, and before she knew it, they were spilling down her face.

One after the other.

"I can..." her voice broke. "I can do it..."

She couldn’t.

A small, frustrated sound left her, somewhere between a sob and a groan.

"Sweet girl," he called out, his voice soft and gentle.

Sophia stilled.

"You know you don’t have to help me, right?" Alaric said quietly.

Sophia shook her head immediately, her curls shifting with the motion.

"It’s because of me," she said, her voice trembling. "You’re here because of me."

Alaric’s gaze softened.

"I doubt that," he replied. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Sophia shook her head again, more forcefully this time.

"It is," she insisted, her voice small but stubborn.

There was a pause.

Then Alaric spoke again.

"What’s your name?" he asked.

Sophia blinked, caught off guard.

"...Sophia."

"How old are you?"

"Four."

He nodded slowly.

Then his gaze shifted slightly, studying her in a way that was not unkind.

"Have you met my son?" he asked.

Sophia hesitated.

Then she nodded.

"I’m sorry," she whispered.

Alaric let out a quiet laugh.

"There’s nothing for you to be sorry about," he said.

Sophia’s fingers curled into her dress.

"But—"

"No," he said gently, cutting her off. "There isn’t."

He watched her for a moment.

Then his voice softened further.

"You should leave," he said. "Before you get hurt."

Sophia didn’t move.

"But even as I say that, I’m also greedy," he said with a sigh.

"I want to know the girl my son called an angel," he added.

Sophia froze in shock. She didn’t know the boy had told his father about her.

Then she shook her head quickly.

"I’m not an angel," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alaric chuckled.

"From what I’m seeing," he said, "you really are."

Sophia stared at him, confused.

Alaric exhaled slowly.

"He didn’t tell me that he met you," he continued, his voice quieter now. "Not directly, at least."

Sophia listened.

"But I knew," he said. "He came back different. Asked me how I met his mother. He was humming too, talking under his breath about an angel with hair that was both black and white. And how cute she was. I overheard him when he thought no one was listening."

Alaric chuckled softly.

"That’s how I knew it was you," he told her.

"Sophia," he said gently, "what happened to the Nightshade pack... it’s not your fault."

Her breath hitched.

"You should get that thought out of your head," he continued. "And you should stop listening to your mother."

Sophia’s lips trembled.

"This..." he exhaled slowly. "This was bound to happen."

The words settled heavily in the air.

Then he tilted his head slightly.

"Do you know my son’s name?" he asked.

Sophia shook her head.

"We didn’t exchange names."

They had promised to meet again, but that was the day the boy had run into her mother in the garden.

Alaric chuckled softly.

"His name is Orion."

"And even after everything," he continued, his voice quieter now, "I hope you meet him again."

Sophia’s fingers tightened.

"And when you do," he said, "tell him I love him."

Her throat tightened.

"And his mother..." he added, his gaze distant for a moment, "she loved him too. Until her last breath."

Sophia’s vision blurred again. He spoke as if he was going to die.

"And this," he gestured weakly, chains clinking softly, "what happened to us... it’s not his fault."

His gaze returned to her.

"And it’s not yours either."