Chapter 24
“Adeline,” Prince Archie calls as Henry and I walk back from the forest.
My whole body locks up, fists clenching as I turn to look at him.
“Prince Archie,” I say and slightly bow. “What can I do for you?”
He looks up and down my body. “I wanted to see how you are healing… physically and mentally.”
“She was reinjured,” Henry says before I can utter a word.
“Henry,” I hiss. “Stop.”
“You were hurt?” Prince Archie asks. “Where? How? Who did it to you?”
How am I supposed to tell him that Avira, the witch, came in my dreams and cut my leg? He doesn’t even know who the witch is. Prince Archie won’t believe me if I tell him what happened.
“Thanks a lot,” I mumble to Henry before turning to the prince.
“Where are you hurt, Adeline? Answer me before I lose my patience,” Prince Archie’s voice is hard. “Who did it to you?”
“A cut on my thigh reopened and I lost a lot of blood,” I tell him. “I don’t know how it reopened but it managed to.”
He eyes me for several seconds. “Tell the truth.”
My face pales, eyes darting around us as the nerves work through me.
“Prince Archie,” I say. “I really don’t know how it happened. I was asleep on my bed and I woke up with it reopened. Maybe when I was having a bad dream I clawed at it or I moved and it reopened.”
Please believe my lie, I chant in my head.
Sweets? Kieran says. Is everything okay?
I think, I mumble back, trying to keep my attention on Prince Archie.
“Really?” Prince Archie asks, tilting his head to the side.
I nod. “Yes, really. My mother woke up to me screaming in pain and helped me stitch it back up. I’m not lying to you. You can ask several other people. They probably heard my scream in the middle of the night.”
“Prince Archie.” Henry bows. “She is telling the truth. There is talk around town as to why she was screaming in the middle of the night and the guards from the night shift have said she never left the house and no one entered.”
“Very well,” Prince Archie says, rolling his eyes. “So you are still healing?”
“Yes, I am,” I reply. “I’m not able to put much weight on my leg right now.”
“Then why are you out in town and not resting at home?” Prince Archie asks.
“I needed some fresh air. I hadn’t been out in a while and desperately needed to get out, but we are going back to the house now.” I keep my tone even.
Adeline, what is Prince Archie asking you? Kieran asks.
He wanted to see how I was healing and just found out about the cut on my thigh thanks to Henry, I reply.
I wish I had spoken up before Henry did so I could come up with a better excuse and not be put on the spot.
“Are you telling me the truth?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes, Prince Archie. I would not dare lie to you.”
My hand tightens around the fabric of my dress as I force myself not to react to anything.
“I need to get Adeline back to her house. Her mother told her not to be too long,” Henry says before Prince Archie can say anything. “And with the cold and her new injury, she should not be outside for very long. She is still susceptible to getting sick again.”
Prince Archie waves his hand in the air. “You may go. And Adeline?”
“Yes?” I look into his eyes.
“Try not to get hurt again. I would really hate to push the wedding back again after everything that has happened.” He gives me a pointed look.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I will try my hardest not to get hurt again.”
Prince Archie rolls his eyes and leaves. I immediately look over at Henry, blatantly glaring at him.
“What?” he asks.
“Next time don’t talk before me. I didn’t know how to explain it to him. You backed me up into a corner and it could have gone very badly,” I lecture him.
“I’m sorry,” he replies. “It wasn’t my intention to do that to you. I was just trying to help.”
“Just think next time.” I sigh. “I’m too exhausted to go through this all the time.”
I grip onto his arm as I relieve pressure from my injured leg. I’ve been standing up for far too long and need to sit down.
“Let’s get you back home,” he says and starts walking.
I look back at the Fae to see them already looking at me, concern written all over their faces. I force a smile on my face before turning back, focusing all my energy on putting one foot in front of the other.
Tell the Fae not to do anything if they see Prince Archie talking to me, I beg Kieran.
If they can just hold off a little longer.
What happened? he asks. I wasn’t able to get free and come to see what he was saying to you.
He just told me not to get hurt again and he would hate to postpone the wedding again.
“Here you are,” Henry says, pulling me from my conversation.
“Thank you,” I mumble.
He opens the door for me and I walk in.
“Adeline!” Mother calls out as I limp to the table. “Why were you out for so long? Didn’t I tell you not to be long?”
“I couldn’t help it.” I wince in pain as I sit down. “Prince Archie saw me and stopped to talk to us.”
“Did he find out?” she asks, her face full of panic.
“He found out that I reopened my cut but he doesn't know how,” I reply.
“What did he say?” Mother sits down in front of me. “Did you get into trouble? What happened?”
“He told me not to get hurt again,” I reiterate for the second time.
If only I could have everyone in the same room so I could update them all at once instead of telling them one by one. I didn’t realize how exhausting it was to explain it to everyone over and over again.
“He also said that he would hate to postpone the wedding again,” I finally tell her.
“You are still going to marry him?” Mother asks.
“Hopefully by the time the wedding comes around they have found out how to break the curse. It could be any day now,” I say. “They are working on it actively. I trust that they will figure out how before the wedding happens. He won’t allow it to happen.”
“I’m surprised he agreed to it.”
I wince and rub the back of my neck. “He didn’t really have a say in it,” I mumble.
“Right, you made the deal in the heat of the moment and he couldn’t say anything.”
I nod.
“Let me get you some food and then you can go lay down on the bed.” Mother stands up.
“Mother,” I call out.
“It’s not in your room. You will be sleeping in my room. Everything is going to be okay. You don’t have to worry.”
I don’t think she really grasps how bad this whole situation is. If the witch can come in my dreams, then how would it stop her from coming to me right now?
Avira must have slipped you something and gotten into your dreams that way. She shouldn’t be able to do that, Kieran says.
How did you know I was thinking about that? I ask.
You were broadcasting it to me. He chuckles.
Again? I groan.
It’s cute and I’m glad that you do it.
Then why don’t you do it with me? I inquire. It seems like I’m the only one who does it and it doesn’t seem fair.
Because before the curse was placed, I could communicate with my parents and a couple other people so I had practice not to blast my thoughts to everyone. You on the other hand can only talk to me and you haven’t had practice, he explains.
How long did it take for you not to do it?
Several years. Thankfully I was really young so my thoughts weren’t much of anything, but I didn’t get away with anything back then. I don’t want you to stop doing it. I find it cute and it makes me feel like I am right there with you as if you were talking to me about anything and everything.
But what if I want to keep a secret from you?
We shouldn’t be keeping secrets from each other.
What if in the future it’s for your birthday or our anniversary or something? I ask. I need to practice so I can keep those things a secret.
Hmm, I don’t know if I like that. If you learn then I won’t hear it any more.
Chuckling, I relax into the chair even more.
“Talking to him?” Mother asks. “You just saw him.”
“I never want to stop talking to him,” I say before I think about it.
Mother shakes her head. “You sound just like your father and I when we first met. Always wanting to be near each other and never wanting to stop talking. But we never had what you two have.”
“I don’t know how I would have survived if he and I couldn’t talk to each other through the bond,” I say honestly. “I think I would go a little crazy if I had to wait days in between just to see or talk to each other.”
Mother chuckles. “Eat this and then go lie down and rest. You need it.”