Chapter 76 - Fire In Veins
The way his almost hazy eyes had held her gaze, and how affected she had been at how close he had leaned towards her in his bed.
By the Moon.
She could almost feel him close by just through her memories.
Damn this mate bond!
Zezi bit the inside of her lips, looking away.
She was avoiding the King. Hadn't seen him since she had left his room, her neck completely littered with hickeys.
He was the reason she was wearing a dress with high collar and long sleeves.
Despite how well, she had been doing in the hiding department, she knew she would still have to see him soon or later. Not with the mission she had in her hands waiting to be done.
Determined not to let that sway her, Zezi shifted the line of conversation.
"Why not?"
"Pardon, Lady Zezi?"
"Asides from the King, why won't you take me with you."
But Lady Delice wasn't ready to 'asides from the King' in her reply. That was the only thing she could think of. The only excuse she had abd thought reasonable.
"The King will not like it. If he finds out---"
"He won't find out." She replied, crossing her hands in front of her.
Zezi would love to fight the fact that she didn't belong to him, that it was none of his business where she went to, but she wasn't a clueless teenager. Asides from the fact that the argument would lead to a dead end, after everything that had happened, she knew that there were just some things that were already the way they were.
That didn't mean she wouldn't fight against it, it just meant that she planned to fight against it different.
In a way that was effective.
"You are unmarked." Lady Delice replied. "And you no longer smell of the King's blood. Lady Zezi," Delice blinked, the words relating to her more than she would like it. "You are vulnerable."
Zezi knew that and it wouldn't stop her.
"And I suppose you are too weak to protect me."
The words hit Delice right in her gut.
Weak.
She parted her lips to say that she was not but deep down, she knew she was. She wasn't much of a Protector, even for herself, Laura was the Protector. She was a mere adviser, the only things she had to offer were words, not any form of attack or defense tactic. She would be more than doomed if anything were to happen to Lady Zezi.
But having been put in too many vulnerable positions tonight, it felt too much for her to accept and say it.
Remembering Laura's importance and what she had done only made her feel worse. She could already feel the gap that was left empty because of their fight.
"If you are going to visit a place like that," Lady Zezi's voice sipped into her ears, snapping her out of her thoughts, "at least have some company."
"Lady Zez--"
"Are we taking your carriage or we are slipping out of the Castle in disguise to take horse back. I prefer carriage, honestly."
Lady Delice was vulnerable tonight, which was making it even harder to stand her own ground. Something Zezi used to her advantage with a tinge of guilt in her heart.
When they got outside, Zezi was the first to slip into the carriage, but before that she had asked.
"Why are we not hiding tonight?"
"There is no use, Lady Zezi."
"And the King?"
"He is not in the Castle tonight, had to see to some matters."
Zezi had hummed in response then hopped into the carriage and extended her hand to her.
Despite her knowing that this was momentarily, she couldn't help but feel happiness about this. It made her bubbly.
Could it be because she was going out of the Castle?
It definitely had to be that.
There was certainly no other reason.
"Let's go together."
Lady Delice placed her hand into hers, the soft lacy glove in her hand a little ticklish against Zezi's warm palm, a warm smile spreading across her lips, her eyes wrinkling by the corners as Zezi pulled her into the carriage.
Just this once, she would be nice.
After tonight, there would be no more white flags.
___
The carriage ride had been quiet, not one word was said to another. Zezi leaned back, listening instead to the road and taking notes of all the turns they took, matching it with how she remembered the little journey to the Yard.
She had not gotten a turn wrong.
Then she wondered about who the Rider was and how Lady Delice trusted him enough to be the one to bring her here tonight.
On that note, she concentrated more on hiding her scent and clouding her heartbeat. As much as Lady Delice had assured her there was nothing to worry about, she couldn't help but make an effort.
Zezi couldn't tell if it was because she had been distracted or some other thing, but they got to the graveyard faster than she remembered.
That made sense though. Last time, she had been running and going out of breath, at the same time she was trying to hide her heart beat and her scent.
It must be the comfort that made it all feel different.
The carriage came to a final stop, and they both stepped out, Lady Delice heading to the grave stone, with Lady Zezi following behind.
Now in front of the gravestone, Lady Delice fell on her kneels, running her hand across the gravestone, tracing the letters that had been caved into it.
Unlike that night, Zezi could finally see what was written on it.
It was "MY MEDALLION".
Was that the name of the person in the grave?
Medallion.
Or was that just like a sweet name she called the person?
Who was this person?
"My little Medallion." Lady Delice whispered, her eyes glimmering with tears under the soft moonlight. "Mummy is here again."
The words felt like cold ice to Zezi's heart, melting her resolve as she froze with shock, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
It was her child.
Lady Delice had a child.
A child that he had lost.
Zezi gulped, her head ringing bells, suddenly as her feelings overwhelmed her, her stomach turning and twisting into knots that she feared would soon go out of her control.
Was that it?
Was that why she had been nice and sympathetic towards her? Towards Mira? Towards her family?
Because she was a Mother?
Did anyone know that she had a child?
What had killed her child?
Wait-- was the King the father of her child?
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