Chapter 19 #2
I opened my mouth but failed to answer before we were swarmed.
“Healers!” Azurill called as he approached us, cataloguing our various injuries. “Ladies, congratulations, you’ve managed to be the second group to arrive back.”
His wide, charming smile fell a bit flat, and I could read the concern on his face as the healers came over. Amatista gave me a knowing smile before dragging her healer to the side. I glared at her as she left me to the mercy of Azurill and the other healer.
“Come sit, Lady Jacinth,” Azurill said, his hand finding my elbow and leading me over to one of the nearby benches.
“I’m fine,” I argued, and the opal-haired healer gasped before I realized my mistake. “Your Majesty.”
Azurill chuckled, dipping his head down to hide his smile from the offended healer. “Here, let me assist her.”
He reached for the potion the healer was mixing, her eyes going wide. “Your Majesty, I can help Lady Jacinth without issue—”
“I’m sure you can, Healer Takara, but you’ll be quite busy as the other ladies start arriving. I can handle this one,” he promised, gently taking the potion ingredients from her.
“She’ll need more of the opal than the onyx—” she directed in a rush, but Azurill shook his head.
“We’ll be fine. I can mix a healing potion.” He laughed softly, surprisingly gentle with her.
“Right, of course, Your Majesty.” She smiled slightly, reaching up to pat his cheek. “You were always my best student.”
To my surprise, a blush bloomed across his cheeks, and I had to bite my lip to hide the smile rising at his obvious embarrassment.
“Thank you, Healer Takara.” He nodded, and she finally left, leaving me alone with the high king himself.
He cleared his throat, his eyes skittering away from my amused ones. “Forgive her. She was my teacher for all my health-related classes growing up and has always been protective.”
“She’s adorable,” I admitted, shaking my head. His surprise flashed over his face quickly, and I was the one to look away this time.
Azurill began to fiddle with the two bottles of gem dust as he mixed the right amounts together for the healing potion I needed.
I found myself watching his actions carefully, following the movements of his hands as they gracefully poured each ingredient in.
The harsh shake of the potion bottle that followed jolted me out of the near trance I’d fallen into while observing him.
He uncorked the bottle again, and it quickly began to smoke, indicating its readiness, thanks to there being such small amounts of each gem.
“Here, drink this,” he said gently, putting the potion bottle to my mouth.
I parted my lips, and he tipped it back, our eyes meeting as I swallowed the potion down.
It felt uncomfortably intimate, and it was a good thing I was forced to swallow the liquid, or my very obvious need to swallow would have been as obvious as Azurill’s, whose throat bobbed in tandem as he watched me.
He pulled the bottle away when I finished the potion, before looking down, taking in the rips to my clothing as he fruitlessly tried to evaluate the skin under them a surface look alone.
“May I?” he murmured in a husky voice, and I dipped my head in a slight nod.
His long fingers circled my wrist, lifting my arm up toward him.
His other hand reached for the torn leather and pulled it back, his finger tracing down the now-healing skin with a feather-light touch and leaving chills in his wake.
“Perfect,” he whispered, and my breathing seemed to become heavier. I began repeating the name of every person lost because of him in my head until it finally regulated. He slowly dropped my arm, but our eyes didn’t leave one another’s.
“You did an amazing job today, Mini-Dite.” He smirked slightly, but the honesty in his eyes, not to mention his voice, threw me completely.
I cleared my throat uncomfortably, looking down. “Zumra and Safira still beat me here.”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “I’m certain their families would have assumed the Forest of Discontent would be included in some way and trained them on how to get out.”
“Isn’t that cheating?” I asked, my brows scrunching together.
“Technically—no.” He smiled ruefully, a sad look in his eyes. “It would certainly make my life easier if I could eliminate them for cheating, though.” I couldn’t help the chuckle I let out, a smile creeping up on my face.
“Why, Veri,” I gasped dramatically, putting a hand over my heart as if in shock. “Are you telling me you aren’t enjoying the attentions of two such noble ladies?”
His laugh was bright and loud enough that I could feel Zumra’s glare like a concentrated beam of light focused directly on my head, trying to burn its way through.
I couldn’t begin to reconcile the man before me with the image I’d had of him my whole life. How could this warm and charming man be the same one who ruthlessly ordered the murder of my family?
“I find that the longer I’m forced to endure their presence, the shorter my patience grows, if you can believe it,” he leaned in to whisper in my ear.
My smile grew as he pulled back, and I opened my mouth to respond when Prince Ruri appeared by his side. I stiffened, sobering immediately with the knowledge that the prince was the one I needed to be careful of. His testing was too pointed for comfort.
I didn’t know what would be worse: him finding out who I really am or finding out why I was actually here.
“Lady Jacinth, congratulations on overcoming the second trial.” Prince Ruri smiled brightly as he handed me a glass of sparkling blue champagne. I took it carefully and tipped it against his glass as he congratulated me. “You must be very proud.”
“I’m certainly pleased to have gotten out with my life intact anyway,” I told him with a wry smile. Azurill chuckled, laying an arm across his brother’s shoulders.
“I was very impressed with your control in the obstacle course. How did you learn such resilience?” Prince Ruri asked me, his eyes boring into mine.
I forced myself to smile despite wanting to throw my glass of champagne in both of their faces.
“Unfortunately, the world is an unkind place, full of unkind people, Prince Ruri.” I stood, meeting his eyes. “I hope you never have to learn in the same way.”
Something told me it was a slim chance.