Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1466

Once Rafael's injury had been tended to, Carissa personally saw Sebastian and Rowan out.

In a low voice, Sebastian instructed, "Remember, he must not use his inner force for now, not even in a fight. The injury is to his core, and he used his inner force when he shouldn't have. He also rushed back here before the wound had fully healed. When I examined him, he was still trying to sustain his energy. That's a deadly mistake. Right now, his body is as fragile as an egg. If anyone wanted to kill him now, it would be far too easy. So, be vigilant, Carissa. This is a critical time, understand?"

He paused before adding, "The fewer people who know about his condition, the better. The situation is already precarious. People can't always be trusted, especially in times like these."

Carissa knew Sebastian was thoughtful and always had their best interests at heart. His advice was meant to help them, so there was no reason not to appreciate it. She immediately agreed and promised to follow through.

Inside the estate, Jacob had dismissed the others, insisting that Rafael needed rest. The journey had taken its toll, and after enduring the bitter cold and constant battles, along with the strain of surviving on snowmelt, his stomach had suffered. He needed time to recover.

Jacob also knew when to step back. Tonight was a time for the couple to be alone.

Carissa accompanied Rafael to Helen's quarters, where they formally greeted her.

Having heard of Sebastian's visit, Helen had sent Gillian to inquire and had learned that Rafael was suffering from a stomach illness. Beyond that, she knew nothing.

Seeing her son so gaunt and weak, tears welled up in her eyes.

"My dear boy," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "No more of this. Let others go to the Southern Frontier and fight if they want to. You stay here. Settle down. Have children, perhaps. That way, there's something to hold you here, and you won't be off fighting all the time."

Helen knew he was loyal to the kingdom, that it wasn't really about fighting for the sake of it. But she also realized she didn't share the same sense of duty or awareness that he did. In her view, if he didn't go to war, others would. The kingdom wouldn't fall apart just because he wasn't there.

Rafael smiled gently, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, Mom. This battle, though hard-fought, has secured peace. From now on, I'll stay in the capital. I won't go anywhere."

Helen didn't believe there was such a thing as true peace. A prosperous nation was nothing more than a fat piece of meat—sooner or later, someone would want a bite.

She looked at Carissa, initially thinking of asking her to speak with him, but then remembered that Carissa was also a person of action—a woman of strength in her own right. It seemed the two of them shared the same spirit, after all.

"Never mind," Helen said with a sigh. "You should head back and rest. You two have been apart for so long, so there must be much for you two to talk about."