Chapter 10

The night felt like an eternity, despite only lasting for a few hours. Arline woke up before the litter did and snuck in the kitchens, hoping to be alone with her thoughts.

“What is it about rest that you despise so much?” Her commander surprised her, and began preparing breakfast.

Arline got the tiredness scared away from her and said nothing. “Come, you need to eat.” Lara invited her to the table and placed a cup of coffee with the first spoons of porridge and fruit of the day.

“Thank you.” Arline said and took a sip from the mug and only ate a few bits of the oats.

“What are you even doing up?” Lara questioned her from behind as she braided her hair.

“I want to see Calix, he looked awful when we arrived.” Arline explained and Lara nodded, sitting by her side.

“Michaela will take care if you step a foot inside the training grounds.” The Head of the Huntresses warned her with a smile. “How did you make it to the House last night?”

“The King.” Arline vaguely said as if it had no importance. “The dragons already bowed to him.”

Arline saw how confused she looked at the plural of the word She decided to tell her everything about the trip and just warned Lara not to mention anything, trusting her entirely with such important information.

Before she continued to think about everything, Arline cleaned everything up and went straight to the Healer’s Cabin. There, she found Calix peacefully sleeping, lightly snoring. He looked better, his cheeks were pink as well as his lips. So Arline sat down and waited for her friend to open his eyes.

“Good morning, m’lady.” Casia appeared out of nowhere, surprising her and instantly bowed her head.

“Good morning, Casia.” Arline greeted her. “Would I disturb if I stay?”

“Not at all, m’lady.” Casia signaled her to sit down and went to Calix’s side. “He just experienced exhaustion, nothing to worry about miss.” She clarified. “Has the pain stopped, miss?”

“All of it, thank you very much.” Casia bowed again with a proud smile and excused herself to continue with her duties.

Because she couldn’t even get near the gates of the training grounds, she visited Calix almost everyday and went to the beach to enjoy the sea breeze.

“You do know there was no need for you to set an entire valley on fire, right?” Arline reminded him one day after she spent her lunch time with him.

“It was my duty, Arline.” Calix straightened his position in bed, letting out a sigh of relief for his back.

“What do you mean by that?” She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

“He told me not to tell you.” Her friend mumbled under his breath. “He made me swear as your protector. If needed, I had to die for you, Arline.”

”Don’t tell me it was Merrick.”

Calix smiled cheeky at her. “Who else?” He noticed how Arline was trying to hold in a scream and chose to interrupt her. “I would die for you, Arline. If I could I would’ve kill everything in those mountains just to get you a proper night of rest.”

She knew Calix wasn’t wrong, so she didn’t fight him. Arline stayed until past midday, when the nurses kicked her out with the excuse of her being a draining distraction for Calix. The Heir tried to waste time pacing through the streets of the kingdom, when she found herself in front of the main doors of the training compound.

“

” A voice warned her inside her head but before she could think twice on her actions, Arline crossed the guards with ease and grace and quickly headed her steps to the War Room.

Her mind was misted by wrath. She needed to ask Merrick the reason of putting Calix through that kind of commitment, knowing fully well he could have died.

As she passed through the grounds where the Huntresses were practicing their aim with the bow and arrow, some looked confused at her presence. But Arline increased her pace through the porcelain hallways until she reached the door, guarded by two soldiers. “The King has called for me.” She lied, knowing that once he saw her, Merrick wouldn’t kick her out.

At first, the guards hesitated, but knowing who she was and how trustworthy she was to the King, they let Arline pass and closed the door behind her.

“I am not waiting for anyone.” Merrick said from his desk, without lifting his eyes from a paper he was signing.

“I hoped so.” Arline’s voice resonated in the hall and she began approaching him with a still look on her face, but Merrick remained seated and lifted his head at the sounds her voice, putting his full attention on her.

“How did you make it pass the gates?” His Majesty wondered as he carefully registered her demeanor in silence. “I am assuming he told you.”

“Of course he told me.” She answered back. “Why did you put that weight on his shoulders, knowing how it could have ended?” Arline slapped the palms of her hands flat on the table. She tried being composed for as long as she could but failed.

“I was not going to let you go to the mountains without protection, I made a promise to Lara. He served his purpose, Arline.” He explained. “And trust me, Calix has gone through worse than acting as a protector.”

“I have Zeydar.”

“She wasn’t enough and you know it.” He stood up from his desk to meet her side.

Arline dropped her head in frustration because, once again, he was right. If it wasn’t for Calix’s help, she was sure she could have died multiple times in that cursed trip. The specters, the orcs, even in the catacombs he was the light that brightened her path.

“Please allow me back in, I am losing my mind.” Arline looked at the King with tired eyes. He knew the reason of her losing her mind was not boredom. It was the Queen of Blood whispering in her ear every night about how she craved the lives of innocents, and training did its thing to keep her body and mind occupied.

“You have to try to control her. And you need to rest.”

“It is easier to fight a war.” Arline mumbled for the King’s entertainment, who chuckled.

Merrick surprised her with a proposition. “Come with me tomorrow. I am going on a hunting trip for the day… to clear my head.” The King looked at her, almost begging her to join him. His eyes shone at the sight of her.

“I…don’t want to disturb you.”Arline said in hopes of making him reconsider his idea. But Merrick insisted on it being good for her sanity. “You aren’t giving me another choice, right?” She sighed, giving up.

“Sunrise, by the stables.” Merrick said without ever looking away from her and Arline only nodded, completely avoiding his warm gaze. “I will let Lara know.”

“See you tomorrow.” Arline said and headed out of the room and almost made the King forget his Frontlord was present in another chamber of the room, and obviously heard everything.

“Do not say a word.” Merrick threatened him.

“I am not saying anything but do yourself the favor of confessing and release your soul from this punishment.” Aidan gently counseled him on the matter of love.

Merrick didn’t respond to that and tried to focus back on the papers he was signing but Arline managed to sneak in his mind every time he had to do anything important.