Chapter 30 #2
"If you weren't drugged, do you think you'd have been able to defeat the necromancer?" My question took away whatever mirth he had in his eyes.
"Perhaps, I could have, but I fear I would have been killed in the process.
" The prince paused and then lifted himself from my lap with the same gentleness he had.
His back faced me as he continued to speak.
"There is no use keeping this from you. You are no fool like myself when I'm around you and neither are you deaf.
You heard what the necromancer said. I do not have the kind of power the king and my sister wield.
Compared to them, I am utterly powerless.
" I remained quiet, listening closely and understanding his words as he spoke.
"The power I wield is a mere grace I may use in sudden defence.
It makes me feel as though bits of my soul are being ripped to shreds, making my heartbeat pump slower until it stops.
And believe me, I have tried to max out my power, not convinced that this is all I was graced with.
It all ends the same. Extreme pain. Difficulty breathing.
Blinding headaches. Intense nausea. Feeling as though I was being burned alive from the Apollon sun.
" I frowned at what he expressed. I couldn't believe I was actually. .. feeling bad for him.
The room was quiet, and the prince's usually upright posture slouched just a bit.
As if defeated from his loss of power. "Well.
.. at least you're scary enough to make it look as if you are the most powerful man on Terran," I said thoughtfully and smiled, knowing he wouldn't see it.
The prince's shoulders shook in silent laughter.
"With you at my side, warrior, I am," he answered.
My eyes widened at the answer, the prince turned to look at me.
"Don't get me wrong though, my fae attributes like my vision, sense of smell, hearing and speed are efficient enough.
To my family, however, it is merely nothing.
Thousands of years ago when true fae existed, they'd have called me a lesser fae if I had not been born a royal," he answered truthfully.
I took in his little confessions with great care and decided not to prod him more on it.
I was already pleased with getting this extra insight into his life.
And about himself. His eyes looked at me and then smiled lightly, reaching for my hair.
"I prefer your natural colour. It's magnificent.
How fitting for a girl named Morana." Dread washed my face as I then looked to the lock of hair he held. And then... I noticed my hair.
It had been my magic that had caused that. It did not want me to be concealed any longer.
Panic swept my mind, the shadows immediately coating my heart, trying to calm me. I touched the onyx black hair that waved down to my breast. I wanted to cut it off, I didn't want to look at it.
“Do not be ashamed of your past. Be proud of what you carry,” the shadows in my mind whispered. I immediately shut them out. The prince looked as though he was going to say more until he paused and seemed to be listening to something.
"Someone has been eager to see you. I will leave you two to it." The prince grabbed his golden cloak which I had not noticed was on a couch in the corner of the room.
Was it always there?
And just then, I heard footsteps approaching the room. With an annoyed voice. "Why does he get to see her first?!" I nearly covered my face at Red's words when the prince no doubt heard.
"Oh, and Morana? Try not to get so close to death the next time you save my life. I quite enjoy conquering Terran with you." The prince gave me one last look before opening the door to let Red stumble forward. I tried not to let the prince's words linger in my heart.
Because it wasn't the conquest I was beginning to enjoy. It was something else that my cowardly heart failed to admit.
"A simple thank you would have sufficed," I muttered and simultaneously mentally prepared for Red's immense talking.
The prince and Red shared a look. The prince giving Red an unamused glare and Red giving a guilty smile.
The prince shut the door when he stepped out, and now I inspected Red from head to toe.
"Are you well?" Red gave me an incredulous look and came to the bed to give me a hug.
I kept my wince of pain in as he squeezed me.
"You are seriously asking me if I am well? After you saved everyone's arses and risked your life." I rolled my eyes and then sighed. "I am glad you are safe and well."
"Mor. Of course I am. You saved me. I sometimes wish I was as strong as you. To protect you and everyone else I care about." He frowned and clenched his fists.
My heart squeezed at his confession. "You are," I spoke gently. "But it will be hard to get to an arena warrior level of course," I teased.
This made him smile and then laugh. "If I were exactly like you, I'd have to fight off a lovesick Ezra and a panting royal prince." I gave Red a weak shove and shadowed my quick frown when he mentioned Ezra. I decided to ignore the pain of missing my family.
"How are things around here?" I might as well ask considering I've been out for nearly two days.
"The prince finally has Litara under Apollo's command. Since there is no lord, there are Apollon banners and flags spread throughout the land." I feigned surprise as Red enthusiastically made gestures. I figured as much the prince would have used this opportunity to make Litara his.
"Everyone had woken much later than the prince.
I guess since he is royalty, the drug must have worn off much faster on him than on us because when we awoke all we saw was him walking through the blasted entrance doors with you in his arms." I froze as Red continued to explain.
"By the heavens, Mor, I thought you were dead.
There was so much blood on you. I couldn't come visit you much, even if I tried.
The prince was here most of the time." I then recalled the prince taking his cloak from the couch in the room.
He had been here in my room. A lot.
"The wives of the lord. They changed. Some of them are back with their families.
Some of them no longer had homes to go to.
.. but the prince had told them that the manor was their home to stay in if they wished.
They don't look very happy, Mor." The horrors and trauma are a haunting they will live out.
I answered him immediately, "It's the scars, Red. They remember it all. And now they need time to heal. Although, some might not heal at all even with an eternity of time given for what they had been through." Red looked solemnly to the ground and then gave me a sad smile.
During that afternoon, Red began to talk about how Hulin and Akiel had shown him how to track and hunt. How he had sparred with Inanov and wanted to spar with me next. We spoke until light had become night, when he fell asleep mid-sentence on the couch opposite me.
The prince didn't retire to his room that night because I waited and listened. And neither did he visit the next morning either.
The prince that healed my broken bone.