137

I could feel it, but I couldn’t see it.

It was the strangest thing ever. I could feel my panties soaked with blood, but when I stood in his bathroom with my panties at my ankles, there was nothing. Not even a single drop of blood.

Now here I am, trying my best not to freak out.

“I need to get you to the palace. The royal physician would be able to tell what is going on with you,” Mujin mumbled.

“No. I am not going to the palace. Surely there’s someone here who will be able to fix this, whatever this is.”

He sighed. “There is, but she only comes out at night.”

Vampire much? “Why? She a vampire or something?”

He laughed. “Morsetti is not a vampire, wolf. She only prefers to work at night. It’s what makes her special.”

I raise my brow. “You say it like you know her.”

He chuckled. “What kind of father would I be if I don’t know my own daughter?”

I blinked, surprised. “Your what?”

He arched a brow. “I’m not the kind of man to walk the earth for three hundred years and not produce offspring to carry on my legacy.”

“Such a shame that the princes don’t share your enthusiasm. How many offspring do you have?”

“You should go to the palace.”

I sigh. “You just like avoiding questions, don’t you? How many children do you have Mujin?”

He sighed before answering, “Eleven. Well, twelve if you're counting the one yet to be born.”

Twelve! That’s a whole lot! “Are they all shape shifters like you?”

“Oh no. It’s rare for an Icelander to have the same powers as its offspring. Morsetti is a healer and the rest are just pains in my ass.”

I chuckled. “Are they all from the same mother?”

He laughed. “of course not. It’s better that way to be honest. Are you still feeling uncomfortable?”

I moved my legs a bit. “I don’t know. It’s like it has disappeared.”

“Better for us don’t you think?”

“How is any of this funny? My baby could be dead Mujin.”

He sighed. “Fine. Put your shoes on. We’re going to the palace now.”

“And I said no! I don’t want to go to the palace! I hate it there.”

“Not my problem. Put your shoes on, so we can go.”

“I refuse to go anywhere with you!”

He cracked his knuckles and advanced towards me. “Guess, we’ll just have to do it the hard way then.”

And before I could understand what he meant, he pressed down on Sia’s mark and the world went black.

….

The world regained colour a moment later and I didn’t like it. Sitting up in bed, I glared at the drip, cursing Mujin for bringing me here.

The said devil walked in a minute later, bearing a tray laden with food, only that it wasn’t bread and stew.

“Glad to see you awake,” he said, setting the tray on a table.

“You knocked me out.”

“I did, didn’t I? well, none of that matters now. What matters at the moment is getting you to fatten up. The prince said you’re too thin.”

I’m baffled. “I’m too thin? My breasts are twice their normal size!”

“And how did that information help the world in any way?”, he asked, pushing the table closer. “Eat up. The sooner you regain strength the better.”

“Better for who?”

“Just eat Crinka. I can’t guard a woman who is weak.”

“Well, if he wasn’t weak, I’m sure she wouldn’t need your protection!”, I yell, breathing hard.

“What do you mean by guard anyway?”

“The prince has instituted me as your new bodyguard.”

New bodyguard? He says that like I had an old one before. “Bodyguard? Since when did I need a guard?”

“Since you decided to harbour the prince’s heir in your womb. Now eat.”

“The prince’s heir? Does that mean the child survived?”

“Yes, baby girl. Now stop questioning me and eat!”

“I’m not hungry.”

”I’ll be the judge of that.”

Sycamore.

I lifted my head and there he was, casually dressed, sporting a trench coat. Mujin quickly bowed.

“My prince.”

He’s not your prince, I wanted to yell out, but kept mute.

“Leave us,” he said coolly and I could detect a sense of authority in his voice.

Mujin bowed again before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

He approached me and I slinked backwards, away from him. He frowned but sat beside me anyways, and I wished that the bed wasn’t so fucking big, so he won’t be beside me, with his hand on my thigh.

“Are you afraid of me Crimson?”

“I have every right to be. You're a monster! You tried to kill my child!”

“Me? Sia was the one who dropped you from his shoulders.”

“I am pregnant doesn’t mean I am stupid Sycamore. I saw it. The sudden shift from white to violet just as I fell to the ground. How could you do that to me?”

“Crimson, I understand that you are hurt, but your child is fine and….”

I cut him off. “You said you needed my child alive, so why did you try to kill it?”

“I needed it to be mine, hence the fall.”

I frown, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Eat, then I will tell you,” he replied, placing the plate of food on my lap.

“I am not hungry.”

“Then I won’t tell you.”

“Fine!”, I yell, picking up the spoon. I devoured the food quickly and handed the empty plate to him.

“And you said you weren’t hungry,” he said, putting the plate away.

“So?”

“So what?”

”You said you would tell me.”

“Ah yes. I will tell you after you’ve taken a bath.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me. You made me consume that abominable meal and…”

He cut in. “Abominable? You seemed to like it.”

“Tell me Sycamore. Why did you try to kill a child you wanted alive?”

“It was the only way I could rid him of the curse of the Icelanders.”

“What are you talking about? What curse?”

“If I didn’t rid him of the curse, he won’t have entered transition.”

“I don’t understand.”

”I didn’t expect you to,” he said, rising.

I get up as well. “Where are you going? You promised to tell me!”

“I said I’ll tell you. I never made a promise. Note the difference.”

I feel like crying. “I thought you’d be different.”

“And that was your first mistake. I trust that the shape shifter will take good care of you. On no accord should you leave his sight.”

“Why? What will happen if I do?”

“You could fall into wrong hands and that would pose as a major problem for us all.”

“You’re leaving me again. You are supposed to stay by my side until I complete my transition!”

“And I will,” he said, cupping my cheek. “I will stay by your side sweetheart but right now there is something I must do first.”

Tears well up within my eyes. If there’s one thing I fucking despise, is being alone.

“And that ‘something’ is more important than staying with me and my child?”

He dropped his hand. “Unfortunately, yes. I’ll be back Crimson.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Two days? Three days? I don’t know.”

“The people will need its prince. I would need my lover,” I said, unfeeling.

He frowned. “The people, along with your libido can manage for three days. Goodbye Crimson, don’t miss me too much.”

“How can I be sure you will return? Give me something, anything that you can’t do without, so that I can be sure you would return.”

“You’re asking for too much Crimson.”

“Just give me something Sycamore.”

“You’re getting too attached. That’s not a good sign.”

And as he stepped out, leaving me heartbroken; I felt it again, but unlike last time, I could see it.

The small patch of blood staining my shorts. Feeling awful, I laid down, and the world lost colour again.