Chapter 597
I rose a brow at his words.
Xaden was worried about me?
Xaden who barely noticed me?
And then it slowly hit me.
Lately Xaden had been showing a lot of attention towards me.
His jealousy streak in the ball room had been so evident and despite being uncommon, I found it very appealing.
In fact it seemed to make me even want him more.
Seeing him angry over me dancing with someone other than him.
And now Xaden was furious with me over drinking alcohol.
“I was just a bit thirsty.” I said in all honesty. “I truly had no idea it was heavy rum. I thought a little bit of wine.”
Xaden had an annoyed mixed with a worried expression boldly written on his face.
I looked down at my hands.
“I’m sorry.” I managed.
I was unable to even stare into his eyes.
He sighed exasperated before he left the bedside.
I began to feel terrible.
Just when he was showing me that he cared, he didn’t anymore.
I chewed my bottom lip as the weight of the incoming loneliness enveloped me.
But to my surprise Xaden didn’t leave, rather he went to the far end of the bedroom and returned with a glass.
He sat on the bed and gently handed it to me.
“Drink.” He said.
I accepted without question and began to sip.
“Careful.” He cautioned.
I did and it tasted like a ginger and lemon juice mixed with other herbs.
It instantly cured my throbbing headache and the wave of nausea I felt, started to fade off.
“How do you feel now?” He asked me closely. “Better?”
I nodded. “Yes I do. It tastes like magic.”
He collected the empty glass and set it on a table.
“It’s a concoction Eleanor used to make for me whenever I got intoxicated.” He said.
Eleanor.
I knew that her death had taken a toll on him and I couldn’t imagine what he went through carrying all that pain.
Then I thought of myself who had lost my own baby and carried that pain every minute of the day.
I heard a loud gush of wind blow before thunder struck.
I jumped in fright, but his hand swiftly touched my shoulder.
In that instant I became calm.
“It’s just a thunder.” He assured me.
I nodded and soon I could hear the heavy dropping of rain.
“Well, it seems the goddess is angry with us tonight.” He said absentmindedly as he rose up to his feet.
I watched him walk up to the balcony and close the flinging windows shut.
“What really happened last night?” I said as I massaged my temple. “Why did the lights just go off as you said?”
“All the glasses shattered too. See?” He said pointing to the windows.
To my greatest surprise I saw that the glasses were actually broken.
He shut the window close before using the curtains to prevent the rain from spilling inside.
“What happened? All of them?” I said in disbelief as I sat up properly.
“Yes all of them.” He said. “I don’t think there was a glass that was exempted from the massacre.”
“Has that ever happened before?” I asked him.
“Not that I know of.” He explained. “The thing is magic is banned in the royal pack. Queen Rose believed that the witches and mages either refused to help her find her daughter or were involved in her missing. So magic has been banned here ever since.”
I bit my bottom lip. “A lot has happened because of the missing princess.”
He shrugged.
My mind was racing.
Did the glass shattering and blown out candles have anything to do with my feeling dizzy.
I had been more than just dizzy.
I had believed I was going to die.
The pain was so intense and indescribable yet the throne had kept on calling to me.
As I imagined the throne in my mind I felt the wavering pain in my head.
I gasped and pressed my head.
“Don’t think about anything.” Xaden told me.
He was already by my side in a matter of seconds. “You need to rest.”
I took in a deep breath.
He was right.
A lot was going on with me and perhaps the best thing at the moment was resting.
As the rain fell heavier, I adjusted in the bed and realized that I had a simple chemise on.
I looked closely and realized that it was slightly transparent.
Under the right light you would see the entire me.
I gasped and gathered the blanket to my chest.
My face flushed in shame.
“Did Urma change my clothes?” I asked uncertainly.
“No.” He said as he began to pick up pillows. “I did. By the time she had arrived I had already dressed you up.”
I nodded and tried to tell myself he had seen me so many times naked before.
What made this time any different.
He turned to leave with the pillow and I couldn’t help admiring the dark v that hung beneath his tummy.
His sleeping pants were loose and I was left to salivate for what I had seen before.
I closed my eyes quickly.
I would not think of such things.
“Where are you going?” I asked lost.
“You need space.” He said as he headed to the reclining couch. “So I’ll sleep here.”
Thunder struck so loud and terribly I jumped.
My heart racing and my entire being filled with fear, I blurted out. “PLEASE STAY WITH ME IN THE BED!”
By the time I had spoken those words they were already too late.
He stopped and slowly turned to face me.
I swallowed.
What was the point of pretending?
So I confidently said in a calm voice. “I don’t want to sleep alone. Please.”
He looked at me for a while as if contemplating on rejecting me.
Relief rushed over me the moment he came to the bed and set the pillows by the headboard.
He climbed inside the bed with me and I moved for him to have way.
I turned my back on him and closed my eyes.
With his presence, the terrors washed away and I could finally sleep.
“Thank you.” I mumbled half asleep.