241 For your own good

Morning came, and Nathan woke up, feeling rather groggy. Placing a hand on his head, he groaned as he sat up on his bed. 

"W-what the…"

Blinking, the King felt a rather potent cocktail of emotions at the sight before him. Gone was Raine; her touch, her warmth, her smell. Even the very room they've made love in numerous times was replaced by something that he rarely ever saw even during his time as a king.

"What is this…" he whispered out.

Looking around, the white and sterilized walls of the safe room enveloped his very presence. Beside decidedly unassuming his bed, four familiar figures were looking at him as if they had something very untoward to tell him.

"You're awake," Aspen greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Questionable," Nathan groaned out in reply with a frown. "Where am I? Where's Raine?"

Seeing Aspen's face fall, a gnawing dread began settling in the King's stomach as his eyes darted towards the exit.