The Scarlet Scepter

Chapter Nineteen (Revised)

I held his hand as I watched him sleep peacefully. The stupid guy. He was already dying and the only thing he could say was that I was indecent. He stirred slightly, and I couldn't help but smile. The few scratches and cuts on his cheeks and his chin added ruggedness to his handsome features. His upper body was wrapped in bandages, and Cornelia said that he would be fine in an hour, but I was still worried about him. I wondered how his body could take those blows and hits in just two days. If I hadn't been so stupid, rushing to Cepheus immediately. . .

Cepheus. His betrayal still stung, and what I hate more is that the memory of what he did wouldn't get out of my head. That moment of vulnerability was my chance, but I blew it.

Cepheus's story and motives were still hazy. I saw what Yannis tried to do to Zuleira, but none of it made sense. Zenas was the General of Seriah, and Arioch was the Prince, so I don't see how it all went wrong. Or maybe there was a reason...but Cepheus didn't have to be that. He was so nice to me... Why did he become obsessed with revenge? Why did my first kiss have to be in that way?

A groan and a twitch brought me back to reality. "Annaliese . . ." I almost jumped when I heard my name. I was afraid that I was unconsciously thinking aloud again and that Cyrus heard me.

He was awake, his eyes glued to the ceiling.

"Cyrus?"

"How are you?" he asked softly.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not the one covered in bandages, you know."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Uh-oh. "Cyrus, please don't—"

"I'm sorry, Princess."

"No, you should stop apologizing. It was my fault. If I hadn't—"

Cyrus laughed all of a sudden.

"What's funny?"

"If you don't want me to apologize, then you shouldn't apologize either."

"But, because of me, you had to fight your best friend."

His cheerful expression vanished. "No. I should have known. He was acting different before all of this. I only thought it was because of—" He paused. "That doesn't matter."

"But what if he really—"

"It is my duty to protect you." He turned his face away from me. "But this time, I wasn't protecting you because of duty."

"What do you mean?"

"Cepheus betrayed me, and I thought he was my friend. Friends protect each other."

"So I'm your friend?"

"Maybe." He closed his eyes.

Is he giving me the let's-just-be-friends routine? But I haven't even confessed.

"Cyrus?"

"What?"

Am I really going to tell him? "I, um..."

"Annaliese?"

"What?"

"I'm tired. Could you just keep quiet for a while?"

My courage left me. "Oh, sure. You should rest."

He turned to his side and I caught a glimpse of a figure in his chest. His bandage was loose, so I stood up to tighten it. There were a lot of questions in my mind, and the green eagle in his chest confounded me more.