If The Crown Fits (Book 2)

Chapter 72 Growing Pain

Chapter 72

"Have you guys done your part?" I asked as soon as I met up with Ren and Nate. The both of them nodded.

"Yeah. My father scolded me for saying it. And I think he wants to talk to you about your weird hiding locations." Nate says and scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

I tried not to react or panic about the fact that Terrence wants to have a chat with me. Instead, I focused my attention on Ren. "How'd it go with you? They didn't suspect anything?"

Ren smirked and crossed his arms. "I pretended to be Dan and spilled the beans. They didn't react when I told them about it. But they did wonder what Dan was doing in Thalia." He says. "What about you?"

"My aunt seems busy and she looked like she's going to chew my face when I tell her about it. But I did get to tell King Luke. Though he scolded me as well and kicked me out of the greenhouse."

Ren raised an eyebrow at me. "He kicked you out? What did you do? Harass the plants?"

Nate coughed. "Baby girl, if you want to get harassed then just come into my open arms!" He spread out his hands as if he was waiting for a hug from me.

Ren gave me a look and I nodded as I gave him consent. He took that as a cue as he punched Nate's stomach, making him double over in pain.

"As I was saying," Ren said and turned his attention back to me with a pleasant and friendly smile. "What's king Luke doing in the greenhouse?"

"Complicated stuff." I answered. "He is trying to replicate the medicine from my realm and incorporating it with magic."

Nate and Ren exchanged a look as if this somehow opened a new topic. "Say, how did your people survive without healing magic?"

I bit my lips because I seriously can't find the right words to describe it. "Science?" I said, but I should have known that they wouldn't know the meaning behind it, judging by the furrow of their brows. My hands fumbled in the air as I struggled to find the rights words. "It's like...researching and using properties of...substances...chemicals...that we can find to...um...fight the illness...?" I watched their faces and felt relieved when they somehow seemed to understand what I was talking about.

"So you mix stuff and it heals you? Sounds like a potion to me but without magic." Nate says.

"I... that is a disturbingly accurate description. Thank you, Nate." I said.

"Now I am curious. I want to see what the king is working with." Ren tapped his chin in mischief.

"No one is going anywhere until you've finished your drills." We all jumped just as Sir Terrence stood and tapped a wooden sword to his shoulder. Immediately, we all greeted him. "Nathaniel, Renevier you both to practice form 15. I need to talk with the princess for a bit." He commanded them.

As usual. He is straight to the point.

Nate and Ren both gave me an apologetic look before they drew their swords and headed towards an open space to practice.

"What's form 15 again?" I heard Ren asking Nate before sir Terrence moved in front of me.

"Princess." Terrence says. By the tone of his voice, it was obvious that he wasn't happy about something.

And I know exactly what it is about. "Hello." I said cheerfully but avoided meeting his gaze.

"I heard from my son about where you hid the chalice. Do you have any idea how careless that was?"

I gasped as I feigned innocence. "The location of the chalice? How did you know!? Did Nate tell you? Sir, you should give him a big scolding instead of me." I suggested. But seeing the look on his face, I dropped it. "Sorry."