CHAPTER 16
Outside, the air was much cooler than beneath the willow tree. I cursed under my breath as we stepped through the curtain of low-hanging leaves to see that dawn was fast approaching. I must’ve been unconscious for much longer than I had anticipated. By the time we reached the clearing, the night sky had faded to a muted blue and birds were beginning to sing amongst the trees.
“We must be quick, Raena,” I urged as we rushed through the tall grass.
Erik spotted us first, calling out to Theo, who was resting against a tree.
“Look who finally made it back,” he huffed. “We were beginning to suspect that the wolves had eaten you.”
“Thank you for waiting.” I shuffled closer, still holding onto Raena, who by this point was struggling to stand.
Concern tugged at Erik’s lips when he noticed her condition. “What happened?”
“She uh… ate a bad mushroom.”
Erik scowled, shaking his head. “I hope this trip was worth it.”
Behind him, Theo stepped forward, his tired eyes fixed on the sky. “We need to get you back quickly if you want to be home before sunrise.” He glanced at me. “Can she ride?”
Erik scoffed. “Look at her, she can hardly stand.” He leaned forward to gently pry Raena off me. “I can take her, my horse is big enough for two.” His voice then softened as he addressed the swaying girl. “Listen, Raena, I know you’re not feeling very well so you can ride with me, okay? I’ll get you home safely.”
“Careful, Erik,” Theo teased, “it almost sounds like you care.”
The golden-haired guard shot Theo a warning look before he guided Raena towards the horses.
“Come on, Princess,” Theo said to me with a laugh. “Let’s get you back.”
When I finally arrived back in my tower room, I had just enough leftover willpower to change out of my travelling dress and into a nightgown before I crashed onto the bed. Erik ended up carrying Raena up the stairs to her room beside mine. I’d made sure she made it into bed safely before thanking Erik profusely and slipping him a few extra gold pieces. He’d declined at first, but changed his mind quickly after I refused to let him leave without taking them.
We all needed to get to bed.
Sleep overcame me faster than my eyes had time to close when my head finally hit the soft pillows. But I’d been sleeping for what only felt like five minutes when I suddenly woke to a loud commotion outside my door.
“This is absurd, do you not know who I am? You must let me see her,” a male voice sounded from the hallway. My eyes opened only slightly, still heavy from sleep. I had no idea what time it was, but judging by the intense growling of my stomach and the golden sunlight pouring in from the windows, I guessed it was at least midday.
Three sharp knocks echoed through the room.
“Naria! Are you in there?”
Prince Lukas… It’d been almost a week since I’d spoken to him last, but still, I recognised that low, commanding voice. It was a struggle not to groan as I rolled over, my back now facing the door. He wouldn’t come in here, it wouldn’t be proper. Besides, I was still in my nightgown, and for him to see me like this would be highly—
The door swung open, and my entire body flinched enough to send me tumbling off the bed and onto the hard wooden floor in front of him.
“Lukas,” I gasped, clutching a hand to my chest. The thin white nightgown I was wearing did little to protect my modesty. “You can’t be in here. You need to leave, now!”
Before me, the prince stood in the doorway, wearing an unusually plain tunic and breeches. His dark brown hair was a mess of waves that flopped lazily against his forehead, and judging by the way his chest rose and fell and his lips were slightly parted, I supposed he’d run all the way up here. When he noticed my nightgown, a subtle dash of red coloured his cheeks, but he didn’t move. Instead, he remained frozen in the doorway.
After a few very long seconds, he cleared his throat before speaking in a serious tone. “I came to check on you. It’s been so long since we last spoke, and I was worried something might’ve happened.”
“Well, I can assure you, I am completely fine,” I huffed, my hand still covering my chest. “Or at least I was until you came barging in here.”
He shifted nervously. “I apologise for my intrusion.”
Several breaths passed between us as I waited for him to turn and leave. But instead, my stomach dropped as he stepped further into the room, letting the door click shut behind him.
I opened my mouth to protest, but his next words forced all the air from my chest.
“I’m sorry about what happened in the garden.”
I blinked, my mouth falling open.
“And I’m sorry for how I acted on your first day. I realise I may have been a bit… harsh at dinner, and you didn’t deserve to be treated like that.” He swallowed hard and tensed his jaw.
His confession left me speechless. There were so many things I wanted to say – horrible, angry things. But they all melded together in my mind, along with the few traitorous thoughts that said maybe I should forgive him. Perhaps Raena was right? Perhaps he was just deeply affected by his father’s curse, and being an arrogant brat was his odd way of coping.
A few moments passed before I finally found my voice, though it came out softer than I expected. “Thank you for saying that.”
He nodded, his gaze meeting mine. In that moment, a sense of something I hadn’t felt before washed over me. It felt warm, albeit very, very brief.
“And just so you know,” he added with a slight smile, “I didn’t barge in here. I knocked, several times actually, loudly enough that even the guards began to worry. But you didn’t answer.”
“I was asleep.”
“It’s the middle of the afternoon,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
“I…” My thoughts raced as I desperately tried to conjure up a lie. “I had trouble sleeping last night.” Technically, that was the truth. It’s almost impossible to sleep on the back of a horse. Still, Lukas looked unconvinced as he stared down at me with thinned lips.
“Interesting,” he noted. But instead of probing further, or leaving, his gaze began to roam around the room. “What’s this?” he asked as he moved over to my birchwood dresser. On the top, I’d laid out a few glass jars and bottles, each one filled with different rare herbs and wildflower cuttings. The prince peered down at the collection, picking up several of the bottles and studying their labels.
“Just ingredients for making medicine,” I said dismissively. “Though I really must insist that you give me some privacy to get dressed before you start poking around my room.” I rose from the floor, my arms instinctively wrapping around my chest.
He chuckled then turned back to face me. “Forgive me for intruding. It’s just that your room is so different from the bedchambers in my family’s wing.”
I forced out a polite smile. “It’s alright. Just give me a moment to call the servants.”
He nodded, but instead of heading towards the door, he chose to remain exactly where he was. There was a heated silence as his gaze lingered on my nightgown. “Actually, I think I’m quite content with this view. Perhaps I’ll stay here and watch while they undress you.”
My heart almost stopped.
“Why do you look so offended?” He leaned against the dresser, a smile pulling at his lips. “We’re to be married soon anyway.”
“Even if we were… which we are not! That doesn’t make it right for you to…” My cheeks burned.
“For me to what?” His smile grew wider, clearly enjoying this.
I scowled. “For you to look at me like that!”
“You know, I will be doing plenty more than looking once we are married, fiancée.” My heart stuttered as Lukas pushed himself away from the dresser. “But of course, how could I forget? You said you were searching for another suitor. How is that going, by the way?” He stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “Have you found your mysterious prince yet? One who is willing to help with your little kingdom problem?”
It was so difficult to remain quiet. So difficult to not rub in his smug face that yes, I had found a ‘mysterious prince’, and from what occurred last night, he was very likely willing to help rebuild Corlixir. It took everything within me to not explain, in great detail, what happened in the faery kingdom – how I was carried into a foreign palace, how I woke up in someone else’s bed, how I was invited to a ball where this ‘mysterious prince’ would choose his bride.
Instead of the words just pouring out of me, I clenched my jaw and glared at the prince.
“I see…” he taunted. “You know, Naria, I would offer to help with your quest, but the only other unmarried prince I know is Prince Colyn from Hallshire, and from what I’ve heard, he is unmarried for a reason.”
Hallshire, the kingdom of farming and textiles. Surely they would have enough wealth to help rebuild a kingdom, but I’d never heard of Prince Colyn. Which meant he was probably much too old to consider, especially since Raena and I had limited our search to a certain age bracket. Still, a prince was a prince, and if it meant Corlixir would be rebuilt…
When I didn’t respond, Lukas spun away and returned to his snooping. For once, I was grateful that he did, as it was only when his back was turned that I felt like I could finally breathe. It didn’t help that this nightgown was far too thin and slightly too small. If he didn’t leave soon, I would have to resort to bundling myself in the blankets that were still a mess on top of my unmade bed.
The prince wandered past my open wardrobe, letting his fingers run over the different fabrics. Then, he paused when he reached the window. With a heavy sigh, he turned again to face me, leaning against the window sill.
“I have to admit, I didn’t just come here to apologise,” he started in a serious tone.
‘Or torment me?’I thought bitterly, but kept my lips sealed.
“I wanted to thank you too.”
Oh?
He shifted nervously as this time, I drew closer. “Whatever for?” I questioned.
“I heard that you had an… encounter with my mother,” he explained. “I don’t know how you managed it, but whatever powder you made for her has helped her immensely. The servants say she hasn’t been this calm in months. And she’s finally sleeping through the night.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I know that she can be a ahh… difficult woman. But thank you for doing this. You’ve done her a great kindness and if there is anything I can… or we can do, my father and I, to repay you for this. Then please, all you have to do is ask.” He swallowed thickly before lowering his gaze to the floor. Something like pain wavered in his stormy expression, and for the first time ever, he looked almost exactly like the sad prince from the portrait that hung above the grand staircase.
Without thinking, my hand reached forward to take his. Beneath my gown and title, I was a healer, and before me stood someone in pain, someone who needed healing, even if he didn’t quite know it himself yet. His lips parted as our eyes met. Then, the faint pleasant smell of some kind of sweet fruit with undertones of salt found my nose. But before I could get lost in it, I stepped away – suddenly very aware of just whose hand I was holding.
“You’re welcome,” I finally replied, but the words came out a little sharper than I had intended. “It was the least I could do. I only wish I could help your father too, but I’m afraid I don’t know of any powders that can cure curses.”
Lukas cleared his throat again before shaking his head. “No one can help him. He’s spoken to nearly every healer in the kingdom. There’s no one who can fix magic like that.”
“But what if he needs more than a healer?” My thoughts sailed to Arenn and how he cleared Raena’s charm with a mere touch of his finger. “What if we need to speak with people who understand magic better than any of us? What about the fae—”
“Stop!” His sudden shout made my whole body flinch. “You need to stop right there. Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it!”
The sad prince from the portrait was long gone, and I almost didn’t recognise the furious man in front of me. When I didn’t say anything, a hint of regret flashed across his features as he dragged another hand through his hair.
“I’m sorry for shouting like that,” he said, flustered. “It’s just that you don’t know what the faeries are like. There’s a reason we don’t see any living amongst humans anymore, they’re not to be trusted.” He sighed. “I don’t know what your teachers told you, but my father has never hidden the truth from me. I know all about their scheming ways and their betrayals.” His words were laced with venom as he turned to the window, his hands grasping the frame with an iron grip. “It wouldn’t even surprise me if they’re somehow responsible for the King’s curse.”
A breath caught in my throat. The faeries couldn’t have cursed the King, surely Seraphina would’ve said something if that was a possibility. But then again, who else would do this? If the faeries felt like the humans were effectively banishing them from the realm, would they curse King Ikelos out of spite? Thoughts raced through my mind, overwhelming me until a warm hand came to rest on my shoulder.
I shuddered at the touch. His touch.
“Are you alright?” Lukas’s tone softened as he slowly removed his hand. “I truly am sorry for shouting. It just surprised me to hear you, of all people, bringing them up.”
“What do you mean?” I asked in a quiet voice.
He studied me for a moment, his lips parting as if to speak. But then he stopped himself. “No… I’ve already frightened you enough today.” His hand found the back of his neck. “I’ll leave you to get dressed. Like you said, it’s not right for me to be in here with you like this.” He gestured towards my thin nightgown as heat spread across my cheeks.
I’d completely forgotten how exposed I was.
“Do come and find me in the gardens if you need me.” He tipped his chin respectfully and began marching towards the door. Just before he reached it, he looked over his shoulder and caught my gaze one last time. “It was good to see you.”
I dipped my head. “It was good to see you too.” Was I lying? In that moment, I really wasn’t sure.
“Also, may I request that you please not hide from me anymore?” He shot me a taunting smile, and suddenly the smug prince I knew was back. “Ever since ending things with Giselle… and the others, I’ve been terribly lonely.”
My heart leapt. Surely he’s not serious. But before I had a chance to ask any more questions, he slipped out the door, letting it click shut behind him.