The Substitute Healer (BL)-Chapter 72: “Now, drop him.”

Just before they could reach their next destination, the situation rapidly spiraled out of control.

It wasn’t only the knights who began to fall ill but the horses reacted as well.

One by one, the animals grew agitated while stamping the ground and tossing their heads wildly with their pain and distress making them impossible to rein in.

Commands were shouted, reins pulled tight, but it was useless.

The horses eventually broke the formation, bolting forward or rearing violently.

The chaos erupted.

Some knights were thrown from their mounts while others were trampled beneath panicked hooves.

Cries of pain also rang out as bones snapped such as their arms broken, ribs cracked and legs crushed under the weight of armored bodies and frenzied horses.

Dizziness from the poison only made it worse while leaving many unable to defend themselves or even crawl away in time.

Amid the disorder, the healers moved.

Caelius, Gwen, and Irlian spread out quickly while scanning the injured and working without pause.

Light flared from their hands as they stabilized wounds, set broken bones, and eased the worst of the poison’s effects while moving from one fallen knight to the next despite the surrounding turmoil.

Soren, however, made a different choice.

Ignoring the chaos around him, he went straight to Alaric, prioritizing his employer above all else.

Cael was beside him as well with the poison’s effects reaching him more slowly but no less dangerously. Soren focused his energy on the two of them while steadying their conditions and keeping the symptoms from worsening, even as exhaustion weighed heavily on his body.

All around them, the unit struggled to recover.

And with every passing second, it became painfully clear that this was no simple disruption.

It was a calculated disaster unfolding exactly as planned.

’Damn it...’ Cael cursed in his thoughts as the golden light flowed from Soren’s hands as he healed him.

Cael then lifted his gaze to watch the situation around them, but his eyes landed on Soren instead. His expression was sharp and tense that made Soren flinched.

For a brief second, doubt crept into his chest as he misunderstood the look entirely, thinking Cael despised what he was doing and that his presence or his magic was unwanted.

The thought made his chest tighten, but he kept going anyway.

As the seconds passed, Cael began to feel better.

The nausea eased and the dizziness faded while his breathing slowly steadied.

"Haa..." Cael let out a tired sigh as he tried to straighten himself. He then glanced toward Alaric, who had already moved closer to Lyric.

Soren followed Cael’s line of sight for a moment before looking back at him.

"How are you feeling, Your Highness?" Soren asked simply, bowing faintly.

"I’m fine now," Cael replied. He also ran a hand through his hair in frustration and sighed again with irritation clear as his eyes drifted toward the snow-covered ground and the gray skies above.

"Alright. Then I shall attend to the other knights as well, Your Highness."

Just as Soren turned to leave, Cael reached out without thinking and caught his wrist.

Soren paused and looked back at him. "What is it, Your Highness?"

For a brief moment, Cael said nothing.

He couldn’t bring himself to admit it.

That Soren’s healing had been too soothing for him, that his body had responded far too eagerly and that a part of him wanted the warmth of that magic again.

The words refused to leave his mouth.

With a sharp breath, Cael released Soren’s wrist.

"...Nothing," he muttered, sighing once more. "Go do your job. Tch."

But the tone came out harsher than he intended, faintly sarcastic, but Cael didn’t bother correcting it.

Meanwhile, as Alaric remained occupied in conversation with Lyric, Gaspar, and Kaine who had just been healed by Gwen, one of the healers—urgent reports have arrived.

Three knights who are possibly the suspects had already fled while heading toward another location.

Alaric knew it could be a trap but the thought lingered at the back of his mind, sharp and persistent. Yet he could not bring himself to ignore it.

With fury flashing in his eyes. "Those bastards must be punished," he said coldly. "Mobilize everyone who can still fight. Lyric, you’re coming with the pursuit. We cannot let them escape."

Without hesitation, Cael echoed the command while ordering his men to move as well. Even as they followed Alaric’s plan, he remained wary, ensuring preparations were made in case something went wrong again.

Because this time, no one could afford another mistake.

As the pursuit continued, Caelius suddenly realized something was wrong.

The strange individuals he had been watching were gone so he narrowed his eyes. As he slowly turned in place, he scanned the area thoroughly but all he could see are knights who are still pale and unsteady with Irlian around them yet those figures were nowhere to be seen.

Then, a cold unease settled in his chest.

He clenched his hand and walked toward Gwen, who was speaking quietly with Kaine nearby.

"Do you need something, Lord Rennovar?" Kaine asked, straightening at once.

"Yes," Caelius replied. His gaze never stopped moving. "Where is Soren?"

Gwen’s brows pulled together as he glanced at Kaine before answering.

"Two knights took him not long ago," Gwen said. "Lord Solven had to even replace him while he was healing someone."

Caelius stiffened, his fingers curled tighter at his side. "Just now?" he asked.

He looked around again, unease tightening in his chest.

Knights were scattered everywhere, some leaning weakly on their weapons and others sitting in the snow while breathing hard as they tried to endure the pain. Irlian stood among them, unsteady on his feet, yet still forcing himself to heal whoever he could.

Caelius searched the area once more, hoping to spot a familiar figure.

But Soren wasn’t there.

Gwen nodded. "They said His Grace and His Highness needed him during the pursuit. In case something happened."

Gwen’s jaw tightened. "Bold," he muttered. "Doing something like this while His Highness is present."

Then continued what he was saying as he shook his head. "I really can’t believe someone would dare..."

"Watch your tone," Kaine cut in calmly. "You’re speaking to Lord Rennovar."

Realizing how rude he was, Gwen froze, making the color drained from his face. "M-my apologies, my lord," he said quickly while bowing low but Caelius just lifted a hand, dismissing the matter without looking at him.

His attention had already shifted.

His gaze swept the field once more, sharp and calculating. If Soren had been taken so easily, then this was no coincidence.

"Dang it," Caelius muttered under his breath while the frustration in his chest was tightening with every heartbeat. Something was off, and he couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling of dread creeping through him. He turned to Kaine, fixing him with a sharp, serious gaze. "Sir Ashmoor, right?"

Kaine met his eyes without hesitation, matching the intensity while Gwen looked on, clearly confused by Caelius’s unusual behavior.

He then tilted his head slightly, as if trying to read what was going on in his mind.

"Yes, Lord Rennovar? Do you need me for something?" Kaine asked, voice steady and eyes alert.

"Yes, please," Caelius replied, his tone firm. "Did you happen to bring a messenger bird with you?" He kept his gaze steady on Kaine, but his mind was racing.

This small detail could make a big difference.

"That’s right," Kaine answered without hesitation, and Caelius nodded slightly, letting the tension in his shoulders ease just a fraction.

It was true. The bird had been lent to him by Gideon, a clever way for them to communicate while Gideon remained at the encampment for safety.

Caelius then took a slow breath and shifted his gaze while glancing at Kaine, Gwen, then back at the snowy landscape around them.

His stomach tightened with unease and every instinct in him screamed that something dangerous was waiting just beyond sight.

"Then... may I ask a favor?" Caelius finally said hesitantly.

Meanwhile, Soren was being dragged through the snow by two knights.

His hands were tied tightly behind his back, his feet were bound, and a rough gag pressed over his mouth. His robes scraped along the ground, tearing in places, and snow clung to his hair and face.

"Hmph! Hngh! Hmph!" Soren was trying to say something while the two knights was just casually continuing their job. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

They treated him like he was nothing more than a heavy sack, yanking him harshly with every step. He tried to twist and squirm, muffled sounds escaping from the gag, but it didn’t do any good.

Pain shot through his body from the scrapes and bruises, but it felt dull, since his mind and muscles had gone numb from pain.

Still, even as he was dragged along, part of him refused to give in. He stayed alert while looking for any chance to get free at any moment to turn things around.

"Fuck this bitch," one of them snapped while giving Soren a hard yank. "Can’t you stop wriggling? You’re making this harder for us."

The other scoffed and kicked snow aside. "Yeah. Tch. Someone paid us good money and said no matter what happens to him, he always cheats death. So, let’s see if you can escape it this time."

He leaned closer, grinning. "You survived falling off a cliff, didn’t you? Hah. Then let’s try drowning you in the water."

After saying that, they both laughed.

Hearing them, Soren’s eyes went wide. His heart pounded, and fear hit him hard.

Then, after a moment, the fear eased.

With tears running down his cheeks, he stopped struggling. If this was the end... maybe he would finally see his mother again.

"We’re here," one of the knights said. "Now, drop him."