Chapter 5 Chapter 5.
"I need you to do something for me," he said.
"I believe you should be explaining to me what lame trick you pulled and why. You're in no position to make requests."
"You're impatient," he remarked.
I scoffed. "Impatient? You barge into my bedroom, pull up a trick and make everyone see me as someone who's lost her mind and you're telling me I'm impatient?"
"You've not lose your mind," he said calmly. "You're just the only one who can converse with me."
"What?"
"Back of your left shoulder, the reddish scar you find ugly."
I looked at my left shoulder, the dread that had eluded me, returning once again. There was barely anyone who knew about the scar.
"Who are you?" My voice dropped to a whisper. "What do you want from me?"
"You're my mate and bride. And your duty is to help me recover my body," he replied.
I burst into laughter while he looked at me with a mix of surprise and disappointment.
"Okay... okay, I get it. This is just an absurd dream, I'll be fine when I wake up."
I adjusted my pillows. "What a stupid dream I'm having," I muttered. "I should really take a break from reading history books."
I pulled the blanket over my head and squeezed my eyes shut.
Silence reigned for a couple of minutes until he began again.
"Alyssa."
I groaned. "If you're truly a dream," I said from beneath the blanket, "then disappear already."
"I could," his calm voice answered. "But then you'd die."
The blanket slid down my face. "What?"
"You have less than a year," he said.
I stared at him in confusion. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Your essence."
My fingers instinctively tightened around the blanket.
"It has been draining for centuries," he continued.
I forced out a laugh. "You know... for someone pretending to be the Demon Lord, you're surprisingly committed."
"I'm not pretending."
"Oh?"
"No one has ever told you why your essence is weaker than every immortal in the palace," he said.
Now that got me, my smile slowly disappeared.
"No one explained why your body ages differently," he pressed further. "Or why your scar burns every time my seal weakens."
The room suddenly felt colder, my heartbeat skipped.
"How..." My voice barely came out. "How do you know all that?"
He was quiet for a second, then spoke. "Because I was there when you received that scar."
I scoffed. "To think that you almost got me," I hissed. "I was born with that scar, a very ugly birthmark."
"You've had it since your previous life," he said.
"Of course. I'm sure I committed a very big crime in my previous life and they had to whip me so hard it left a scar."
"Allyssa," he called calmly despite everything.
"What else do you want to say?" I shot him off. "That you were there and defended me or that you were the one who whipped me?"
He shut his eyes and sighed. "You're still just as difficult as you've always been."
"Oh. That's a new line."
He opened his eyes again and took a slow step closer to me. "What if the people who raised you..." His crimson eyes met mine. "...have lied to you for fifty thousand years?"
Everything inside me went still.
"Lied?" I whispered.
His expression didn't change. "They fear what you are," he spoke.
"What..."
A knock came on my door followed by a quiet but unmistakable voice. "Alyssa?"
My heart jumped. Argar?
The knock came again, gentler this time. "Allyssa, are you awake?"
I looked toward the door, then quickly back at Vaelric. He was still standing there.
Panic surged through me. "If he comes in..." I whispered.
"They still won't see me."
Another knock came. "Alyssa? May I come in?"
I hesitated before forcing my voice to sound normal. "No, please, Princess Aria—"
The door opened and Argar stepped inside carrying a small tray. Steam curled from a porcelain bowl while the faint scent of medicinal herbs filled the room.
"Argar..."
"I thought you should drink this," he said warmly as he approached my bed. "It's a tonic I carry with me all the time, it helps to calm the nerves."
I glanced toward the corner of the room. Vaelric had moved, he now stood directly behind Argar.
My entire body tensed and Argar noticed.
"What is it?" he asked gently.
"N... nothing," I stuttered.
He smiled sadly and brought the bowl to my mouth, feeding me the tonic.
"You frightened everyone a while ago"
Guilt twisted inside me. "I'm sorry."
He placed the bowl on the table beside my bed before brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "You've been carrying too much by yourself."
For a brief second, I almost wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to tell him that the Demon Lord was standing less than two steps away, that he claimed everyone had lied to me, that he knew things no stranger should know. But when I looked into his eyes, I remembered how everyone had looked at me a while ago with pity, with concern, like I had lost my mind.
"I'm okay," I whispered.
He shifted closer to me, cradling my face in his hands, his thumb caressing my chin. "You know you can always rely on me," he said softly.
"I'm really alright, Argar."
He pulled me into a warm hug but the warmth disappeared when I saw Vaelric's face. He was staring directly at Argar's back like he was trying to bore a hole there with his eyes.
His crimson eyes found mine and he spoke. "My bride does not belong in another man's arms."
I ignored him, turning my eyes away from him.
Argar pulled away to hold my gaze one more time and then slowly, he leaned closer, his lips only inches from mine.
Behind him, Vaelric's crimson eyes darkened. "Don't."
I frowned. "Don't what?"
Argar raised a brow in confusion and I smiled to ease him off.
Argar closed the remaining distance and I shut my eyes, waiting for the moment, then he suddenly groaned.
I opened my eyes to find him doubled over, holding his stomach in pain and standing next to him was... Vaelric, his fist on Argar's stomach.
My eyes widened as anger spiked up in me. "What did you do?" I flared at him.
"I think I ate something bad," Argar groaned in response.
"No, no. Not you," I shook my head at Argar. "It's you I'm talking to!" I yelled, facing Vaelric.
Argar finally lifted his head, looking at me with shock. "Allyssa..." he couldn't speak much before another painful groan tore out of him.
I turned to Vaelric who was smirking. "Stop it!" I yelled, grabbing his hand to pull it off Argar.
I froze instantly... I touched him... I was able to hold him.
"You touched me. You're able to hold me," Vaelric spoke, stunned.
"But the vase had gone through you..." I muttered, utterly confused.
"What vase?" Argar asked, breathing hard.
I turned to Argar. "Argar, go take care of yourself. See a physician or someone."
"Allyssa, are you... sending me away?" He managed to speak.
I turned again to Vaelric. "Let him go, please."
Reluctantly, he pulled his fist off Argar who exhaled like a load had just come off him.
I helped Argar to the door where he kissed me goodnight and painfully began his way down the hallway.
I pulled the door's bolt and faced Vaelric. "Finish the lesson."
