Sain Clare Academy (gxg, 18+)

Chapter Forty-three

After almost a month spent in the small town of Harbore, were meeting with officials in the governing office of the next town over, Jaegere-- the town struggling with commoner uprisings. I knew Grace had been working almost non-stop in preparation, though I hardly knew what for; we both had our separate reasons for coming this far west.

Of course, mine was because of the plentiful ore deposits just east of Harbore. I needed to give Grace power, affluence, as well as myself the leverage I needed so others couldn't take away or look down upon my position. I would make myself indispensable to the dukedom in order to keep Grace in power for as long as she wished.

Grace had been meeting with people where I couldn't see her, frustratingly enough, or using magic to muffle the words she exchanged with aids. Because of this, I wasn't fully aware of what actions she might take. I could have intercepted, but her magic would alert her to my actions; she wasn't a weak mana user by any means.

It was for this reason that I was especially nervous, walking with Grace solely at my side, through the slums of the town we were meeting officials in. She had informed me that it was a private matter only she and I were to attend.

With my injury, I was nervous that I couldn't use my full power to protect her. I was on edge.

Not to mention that ever since the day at the fields, there was an unmistakable energy crackling between us whenever we got too close. Our fingers, shoulders, faces gravitated towards each other, and often it was all I could do to stop my eyes from flickering down past her nose.

I let a fast breath out, subconsciously moving my hand away from where it had drifted to approach the small of her back as we walked.

What made things worse was the awkwardness, the wall she had placed between us-- nothing but professionalism was allowed, a coolness that had not allowed me to speak her real name since the day at the field. It hurt to see the apathetic eyes she viewed me with, how utterly disinterested she seemed in me-- and worse, how polite she was being.

I had been getting used to the pain that shot up my legs and through my body with each step I took, courtesy of the vexing curse I had removed from Felix, but today, coupled with my worry for Grace, it seemed worse than usual. I hoped trouble wouldn't find us as we winded ourselves through the dirty streets.

Grace was amazing. Through her natural charm, poise, and royal magic, she twisted commoners away like a parting wave. All it took was a smile from her, or a polite word, and glares of mistrust or hatred melted into tentative respect and awe. I chuckled to myself as I watched the commoners gape at her with starry eyes, a few staring longer than they needed to.

She should set up a meet-and-greet. One dose of Grace and this town will be solved of riots for good, I mused.

"Good afternoon, Lady Belloway, High Mage," an older man greeted, gray hair parted into gentle waves. I stood impassively beside Grace as she nodded toward the man. Just in case, I kept a light hold on my mana. It was tiring, but I couldn't afford to hold back when I was the only one ensuring her protection.

Not that I would tell Grace that. She was not a fan of my protection and vehemently denied me my rights as an escort the entire trip. I wondered if it was because she didn't trust me, as the woman who had lied about being Olivia. I supposed I deserved it.

Still, it stung. I flexed my mana, reassured by its weight.

The talk was long and tedious, like politics often tended to be. The man straightened a bit after Grace had called him out on a few of his points, rebutting his claims of a smooth leadership by pointing out periods of over-taxation of heightened prices for grain.

Still, ever the professional, she smoothed over his irritation and managed to end negotiations peacefully. In fact, by the end, he was chortling. Only Grace could manage to make a man laugh after stripping him completely of his dignity by pointing out the massive err in his leadership. His people were starving, and riots were a consequence.

I tried to snap out of the haze of my mind long enough to recollect what joke she could have made. It was difficult-- for the entire meeting it felt like cotton had replaced my brain. Only the soft tug of my mana on my fingertips reassured me.

"Good evening, Lady Belloway," the man greeted as she stood to leave, and I bowed beside her as she greeted him back.

"Let's go, my lady," I murmured, eager to go. I had to stop myself again from taking her elbow to lead her out of the room, her presence blurring what little grasp I had on my consciousness even more.

I blinked once, harshly, as we stepped out of the office, and then my head throbbed and I lurched to the side.

"...gan?" A startled voice from beside me, pitch high, worried. It sounded alarmingly like Grace, and I realized through the haze of my mind that it was. I looked down.

Blood stained the bust of my blouse, trickling down my chin in a choking stream. I dosed myself with stabilizing mana in an attempt to straighten myself and wipe the blood away. I turned, tentative, to Grace.

She stared back, eyes wide and horrified as they watched the blood still dripping down my mouth. My stomach felt like a thousand tiny pins had inserted themselves in its lining, the blood coating my throat digging its fiery claws into its rawness.

I gathered a smile, hand still clutching the wall to balance myself.

"Let's go, my lady," I urged her forward. She stood ramrod straight, still staring, and I felt a shiver work its way down my spine as her expression turned from one of shock to boiling anger.

"Morgan," she started, slowly, approaching me much faster than my mental space could handle. Her presence was intoxicating and my knees wobbled, releasing me from my unsure stance. Grace caught me as I toppled sideways and my vision blackened.

When it cleared again I realized how nauseous I was, and acutely, that I was in Grace's arms. Bridal style. I opened my mouth to protest, face growing hot as my hands flitted about, trying to find a place to rest. She started forward fast and I clutched the material of her shirt in an attempt to keep balance.

When I glanced up her face was staring forward, eyes blazing and muscles in her jaw tight. Another electric shiver worked its way through me, landing uncomfortably close to my core, as I stared helplessly at the rage in her eyes.

"My lady--"

"Don't." She warned, voice low and powerful. I closed my mouth.

This was closer to the Grace I missed, I realized. Rather than her blue blue eyes cold with polite apathy, a blizzard, I was more familiar with their heat. Granted, when she looked at Olivia they tended to be... softer than they were right now.

The Grace of right now could make a dragon retreat into its scales, I thought wistfully.

"My--" I tried again, lifting my head, only to be hit with a wave of pain and nausea. My head fell back, eyelids closing painfully as I gripped the front of her shirt, burying my head into her neck as I gasped in agony.

I must have been using more of my mana than I realized, I reflected before realizing what I had just done. Only, a hand kept me from lifting my head back up, securing my face rest on her shoulder. Part of me wanted to see her expression, what she looked like right now, but the other half of me was terrified.

Terrified of what this meant, of falling into her orbit once again only to have it ripped away. I was the dragon, I realized, the one who wanted to curl away and protect herself. 

A/N:

I'm on a roll what can I say

(I always leave you guys on cliffhangers, so this is an apology)