Reclaiming My Broken Luna (Astrid and Killian) novel Chapter 429

Astrid’s POV

The world felt distant, muffled by the thick fog of unconsciousness.

My body was heavy, weighed down by pain and exhaustion, yet my mind clawed for clarity, for awareness.

Then, all at once, reality came crashing down.

Elara.

My breath hitched, my body jolting as I forced my eyes open. A sharp pain seared through my back, but I ignored it, my heart hammering against my ribs.

My surroundings swam into focus—the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the stone walls, the scent of herbs lingering in the air.

I was in my room.

Someone had carried me here.

A shadow shifted beside me, and my gaze landed on Killian.

He sat in a chair beside the bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his golden eyes dark with something raw and unguarded.

His face was drawn, his usual sharp confidence buried beneath an overwhelming weight.

The moment he saw me stir, he straightened. “Astrid,” he breathed, relief washing over his features.

But I barely heard him.

“Elara,” I gasped, my voice hoarse. The panic surged through me like wildfire, burning through every ache and pain.

I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak, trembling beneath me.

Killian was there in an instant, his hands catching my arms, his grip firm but gentle. “Astrid, stop,” he said, his voice low, steady.

I shoved against him, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. “Where is she? I have to go—”

“Astrid, listen to me.” Killian’s hands tightened, his golden eyes locking onto mine. “She’s gone, but we’re tracking them. My men are already on their trail.”

Gone.

The word slammed into me, stealing the air from my lungs. My vision blurred, my pulse roaring in my ears. I shook my head violently, my nails digging into Killian’s arms.

“No, no, I have to—”

“You can’t,” he said, his voice strained. “You’re injured. The doctors just treated you—you had wolfsbane in your system. If you go after them now, you won’t make it past the border.”

“I don’t care,” I choked, a sob breaking past my lips. “She’s out there, Killian! Alone! She’s scared—what if they hurt her? What if we’re too late?”

The thought of Elara in their hands, terrified and crying for me, shattered something inside me.

My body trembled violently as I tried to fight against the hands that held me back. My arms felt weak, my muscles screaming in protest, but I didn’t care.

I needed to get to her.

I had to.

Killian pulled me into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around me tightly, locking me in place as my sobs wracked through me.

I fought against him at first, my fists weakly pushing against him, but he didn’t let go.

And then, slowly, I broke.

I collapsed against him, my body shaking as the dam inside me burst.

“I promised her,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I promised her she’d always be safe with me.”

Killian’s arms tightened around me, his jaw pressing against my temple. “She will be safe,” he murmured, his voice filled with a quiet, unrelenting conviction. “I swear to you, Astrid, we will get her back.”

“But what if—”

“She’s strong,” Killian interrupted softly, his hands smoothing over my hair. “She’s our daughter. And we are going to bring her home.”

I gripped his shirt, my breath coming in uneven gasps. “I should have protected her.”

Killian exhaled shakily, his voice breaking slightly. “No, Astrid. This wasn’t your fault.”

I lifted my head, my eyes burning as I searched his face. “You promised,” I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips.

Something in Killian’s expression shattered.

His jaw clenched, his golden eyes shining with grief and fury. “I know,” he said hoarsely. “And I failed you.”