Chapter 21 Sealing Mark
After I was kidnapped, the security around the palace had become so tight that I was not able to leave or make contact with Zhier for two days, which was making me anxious. Zhier has been very busy making sure that no one will come and take me away again.
When I called for him for the third time with a letter saying I would leave through the window if he didn't come, he came into my room right away. I was just having breakfast when he suddenly barges in, making me almost choke on my wooken spoon.
"Livia, you're awake!"
I cough, dabbing a napkin over my mouth. "For now." I cough again. "If you keep barging in like that, I might just fall asleep—permanently." I emphasize the last word before asking him to sit at the chair opposite the small coffee table in my room.
Zhier gestures for the servants in that room to leave before taking a seat. "You should be in bed." He says.
"I feel fine. I'm not injured or anything. Morever, what's with the long face?" I can't help but ask after I see that Zhier is having a hard time keeping his eyes on me. He's even scratching the surface of the wooden table absentmindedly.
"Livia," He says after a sigh. His eyes, which were so full of guilt and worry before, are now replaced with a set of determined ones.
"What happened the other won't happen again.
I promise you, so if you are so afraid that you are willing to leave through the window, please don't. I have ordered the guards to shoot any suspicious activity going in and outside of the palace. "
Well, damn. I feel like my life is shortening every second that I spend time in this realm.
Because of my dream the other night, I think I have completely forgotten that I was kidnapped. I guess I should tell Zhier that I'm feeling better before I talk about Klovis.
"I'm fine, Zhier. Thank you for worrying about me."
"What? Worried? I'm not—" He chokes, making me laugh.
"Right." I chuckle when the rules of the Fae take effect on him. "Zhier, you should be more honest with your responses." Even though this usually happens when Zhier tries to lie to hide his embarrassment, I still find it hilarious.
Zhier's face, which is not in a darker shade of blue from being flustered, slumps and looks away. "Why'd you want to see me anyway? Is it just to make fun of me again?"
Honestly, if I ever see the version of Zhier that took me to the fairy realm—the one that looks strict and menacing—I will literally die of laughter. After I have gotten to know him, I don't think that I can imagine seeing him in such a strict manner anymore.
Does that version of Zhier still exist?
My face turns serious as I prepare myself to ask him a favor. "Zhier, I need to tell you something. But before that, we have to see Faragon."
Even though it is a request from me, Zhier still seems unsure. Of course, he wouldn't have come if I hadn't hinted to him that the reason I want to see Faragon has something to do with the Unseelie Prince.
I know that I have Jade to protect me, but just for safety purposes, and after what Klovis told me in my dream, I can't be too sure.
I am not sure if Faragon has something to do with Klovis, but if he's the one behind it, I think I may need Zhier's help.
As shameful as it sounds that I am using the Seelie Prince as a shield, it's not like I know how to defend myself.
And whoever captured Klovis must be powerful enough to hurt the Unseelie Prince.
What I am trying to say is that I can't take any chances after knowing that Klovis's life is in danger.
But, just in case, I have a letter in my room that Jade will deliver to the unseelie fairies.
Faragon is in his office, the very same one where we first met him.
"Your highness, Lady Livia," Faragon looks surprise to see us walking into his office. He looks up from a batch of papers on top of his table with a quill pen in one hand that he places on its grip before getting up. "Do you need something?"
Zhier goes to close the door behind us before coming to join my side in front of Faragon's table.
"What's going on? You two look serious." Faragon sounds concerned, which makes me feel a little terrible that we are interrogating him like this. "Is something wrong?"
"Sorry for the sudden visit, Faragon, but it appears like Livia needs to talk with you." Zhier breaks the silence and gives me a nod of encouragement.
Thanks to Zhier breaking the ice, I finally got a little bit of courage. Before looking into Faragon's eyes, I take a deep breath. "Faragon, you know how I was kidnapped the other day?"
The elf nods. "I heard. Are you feeling better now? If you're here to ask me for a break on your studies, it's fine. Take as much time as you need."
"Thank you, Faragon, but what I want to ask you is about something else.
It's about prince Klovis." I can hear the heavy tension in the room when I mention the name of the infamous Unseelie Prince.
Zhie can't seem to decide where to look—to me or to Faragon.
"When you told Zhier that the Unseelie Prince was missing, were you telling the truth? "
"What?" Zhier whispers, looking at Faragon, probably realizing that he is not bound to the rules of lying as he is not a fairy.
Faragon's expression caught me off-guard.
Instead of feeling surprised, frightened, or guilty, he looks.
.. relieved?
"Prince Klovis is missing.
" Faragon smiles warmly and looks at us with his eyes, as if he wants to say something with them.
He starts to fix the collar on his neck.
"He is not in the fairy or human realm."
"Faragon, I am sorry, but that's not what I was asking. I was asking you if you were lying when you told—"
"The Unseelie Prince," Faragon snaps, closing his eyes when he readjusted his collar a second time. "Is missing."
What is with him? He is acting rather strange.
I turn to Zhier, expecting him to say something that would straighten out Faragon and make him give us a straight answer, but as it turns out, he just kept staring at the Elf. His expression is starting to twist and contort.
I turn to the elf once more to get an answer from him. "Faragon, I—"
"Miss Livia," He cuts me off. "Do you need some assistance with your studies? Have you finished your homework that I gave you?" This is clearly his way of trying to avoid the conversation, but it is something that I do not like one bit.
"I haven't." I answer.
"I'll extend the deadline, but you should still practice your fairy language. Otherwise, it will get rusty." Faragon breaks eye contact just then and proceeds to arrange the papers on his desk. "Well, if that is what you all wish to ask me, I must apologize as I have more work to do."
I was about to open my mouth and ask him again, but Zhier places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me from asking further.
"Thank you for your time, Faragon. We'll get going then." Zhier starts to stir me out of the room. When I tried to resist, Zhier's grip became a little firm and he meets my gaze with a slow shake of his head.
"No problem. Take care on your way out." Faragon smiles pleasantly and waves us goodbye.
As soon as we are out of the house, I turn to Zhier, shugging off his hand off my shoulder.
"Why'd you do that? I still have more questions to ask him. You—"
"You tried to ask him because he is the only one in this palace aside fom you who can lie, right?" His cold question catches me off-guard.
"Y-yeah. That's the point." Is he upset that I did not give him a headsup? It's understandable, but to cut me off like that just when I want to press more questions to Faragon is not alright. I thought he wanted to find Klovis as much as I?
"That man, he has a sealing mark on his neck." He suddenly said that he is trying to justify his actions earlier. "As long as he has that mark, he cannot betray the person who places that seal on him."
Now that I think about it, Faragon seems to be adjusting his necktie a lot back there. Did he do it on purpose just so we could see it? Faragon showed it so discreetly that I did not even notice the purpose of his gesture. Without Zhier, I don't think that I would have ever noticed.
I guess that it is a good thing that I brought him with me.
"T-Then his mark, who do you think placed it on him?
If we can find the person who placed it on him, maybe we can find Prince Klovis.
" I thought that by confronting Faragon, we would be able to rescue Klovis right away.
This is a major setback for us, but you know what?
Maybe we can still turn this situation around.
I just hope that we can do it as soon as possible.
"I don't think you have to worry about that because that person—or faerie—is much closer to us than you think." Zhier laughs in a sinister way that makes me uneasy. There's something about his laughter that makes it hard for me to tell if it's threatening or sarcastic.
"W-Who?" I curiously inquired.
"The very person that he is working for." He says as his expression grows gloomier as he looks at me. "My mother."