Heart of Stone

Chapter 12

Niwen hummed as she pottered through the lounge room, opening the windows now that the storm had passed. It was almost time for breakfast, and she had to wake Patrice to help her prepare for another day of trying to figure out a path to the king.

Opening the door, Niwen continued to hum softly as she made a beeline to the glass doors. It was a beautiful day outside, and she knew that Patrice would appreciate the view while she got ready. The sun was shining, there was a lovely cool breeze blowing and the temperature was quite pleasant.

Pulling open the curtains, Niwen heard a gasp. She turned, then startled herself. Jarek sat up and stared, his hair messed up and looking a little bewildered.

"Oh, your highness," Niwen flustered, instantly looking away. "I apologise. I was not aware that uh,"

She did not expect to find the king in Patrice's bed nor to see so much of him. At least the linen covered him from the waist down.

"I should go," she murmured. "Please send for me when Patrice is ready to dress."

Niwen scuttled out of the room as quick as she could manage, not stopping until she reached the main corridor. Evander emerged from his room, stopping when he saw the flustered maid.

"Niwen?"

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to,"

Evander tilted his head with a slight smile.

"You have good news for me then?"

A slight blush crossed her cheeks as Niwen nodded.

"Excellent. This way for a secret meeting."

With a giggle, she followed the handsome prince into his quarters.

Inside the guest room, Patrice woke. Light poured into the room, taking away the pleasant darkness that had kept her in a deep sleep.

"Was that Niwen?" she murmured.

"It was. We forgot to lock the door."

Patrice smiled, feeling the sweet kisses pressed against her arm as Jarek slowly made his way to her neck. She was lying on her stomach. Her exposed back was far too tempting for Jarek. His hand smoothed over the firm skin, pushing deep into the muscles. Patrice hummed a soft groan of appreciation. His touch was more than she could handle.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not for food."

Jarek smiled. A plan formed in his mind, a little interlude before emerging from their nest. Rising from the bed, he pulled on the pants and left Patrice to wonder what had gotten into him. Not a word was said. She found her long bed coat and went in search of the curious one, seeing him in the bathroom.

Patrice could hear the water running from halfway across the lounge room. The scent of solyen floated around her. Jarek emerged, pulling on the cord.

Entering the bathroom, Patrice walked to the window. The view was incredible. Patrice understood why the rooms were laid out as they were. Opening the doors, she pushed them back and enjoyed the breeze.

Hearing a soft murmur, Patrice wondered why Jarek had called for a maid. She turned, expecting to see Niwen enter the room. Instead, it was Jarek.

"What are you up to?"

"I am feeling slightly peckish but would rather laze in the bath with you all morning, so the maid will bring a few things for us."

"Poor Evander will be alone at the table."

"You'd think that, but I suspect that he won't even know that we're not there."

"Oh?"

"Niwen is missing even though she said to call when you are ready to dress. Put the pieces together and assume the worst."

Jarek joined Patrice at the doorway to the balcony. She gave him a vague smile.

"Are you upset that your brother might be misbehaving with the maid?"

"Not at all. Evander's life is his own to choose."

"Then what bothers you?"

"He hides it from me."

"Well, when things have settled, maybe you should speak to him about it. If you're not concerned, then you should tell him that. His silence might be because he thinks that you'll object and refuse their love."

Gripping the curve of her shoulders, Jarek sighed softly and drew her into his body. A simple hug showed his appreciation. For Patrice, it was alarming. Her head rested against his cold chest.

Last night had not changed a thing. His body was still declining.

When the maid delivered breakfast, Jarek followed to lock the main door. He did not want to be interrupted again.

Returning to the room, Jarek found Patrice sitting on the wall edge of the bath, picking at the platter of fruit while looking at the view. The water was high enough, so he slipped out of his pants and stepped into the tub. Hearing noises behind her, Patrice turned to see a miscreant creature watching her.

One lone finger lifted, wriggling with a simple demand. Join me. Patrice smiled, removing the bed coat. The long silky garment slipped over her body, pooling at her feet. Last night she'd felt shy. Today it was different. There was something liberating about this new life.

Last night was amazing. She'd never known that sex could be that good. Patrice didn't want to degrade Eddie's efforts but compared to Jarek, it was incredibly lacking. Sex was always in one position, never lasting long, and never pleasurable for Patrice. She'd been raised to believe that it held a purpose and that was to create babies. Before that, it was about her husband's relief and nothing else.

Jarek did things that still caused the blush to rise to her cheeks. He explored, he pleasured, he made her body alight with euphoria and sensations that didn't seem possible. Sex was not one position. It was many, and with each new one, Patrice found rising desperation inside of her. It was quenched regularly with Jarek's constant need to bring her pleasure to the surface.

At the end of it, her throat was raw from vocalising how good it had been. Her head was delirious with the odd sensations that had pummeled her, and the smile on her face was wide.

She laid on the bed with a wonderful kind of lethargy, looking at the man next to her who looked like he'd just run around the world.

As Patrice stepped into the water, Jarek lifted to his knees with a helping hand. His eyes caught sight of the stone resting on the ledge, the knowledge that Patrice did not put it there consumed his mind. It followed her. It remained close. Scrutinising it, Jarek realised that there was now a long crack around it. The top was going to break off.

"What did you do to the crystal?"

"Nothing."

Patrice lowered into the water and looked at the crystal, understanding Jarek's growing anger.

"I left it on the nightstand. How did it get in here?"

"It follows you. The crack is concerning."

Pressing her hand to Jarek's chest, Patrice looked at him with fear.

"It is still cold. What are we doing wrong?"

Sadly, Jarek shook his head. He had no answers, no clue as to what was right or wrong in this situation.

The mood had dulled, and all thoughts of misbehaving in the bath while eating delicious fruit were gone. Both were quiet, thinking about why there was a crack in the stone and why the cold hadn't left Jarek's heart. Determined to not let him rule his last moments in this world, Jarek pulled Patrice to his lap as he leaned against the wall.

Her fingers slid through the hair, rising up to his chest. Jarek stopped the hand before it reached the cold spot. He didn't want to dwell on it. He didn't want Patrice to feel sad that their efforts last night hadn't been worth it. Any attempt that they made was a valid one and he would not let her think harshly of herself or what she did.

"There is an answer somewhere, don't spend our first moments together with such negativity."

Patrice nodded but couldn't help it. All she could think of was that he was going to die, and she was to blame.