The Girl of Many Worlds | (Story formerly known as "Multiworldcial")

Chapter 26

I rolled the scrolls closed and tapped my finger against the wooden desk. This sucked. I guess everything they were saying about me was true. I was a dumb human.

I held the scroll between my fingers and wandered the halls awhile. I couldn't believe out of all my luck, my human side rendered me an utterly useless potato. What did I have to offer myself? Absolutely nothing. If Arden failed, I was completely done for. I'd have to live the rest of my life as Mercury's wife. My own uncle's wife.

I cringed at the thought.

Where's Arden? I have to tell him the great news. Great news, indeed. I sighed and paused, gathering my thoughts and loosening the pressure in my head. What would be the point of giving myself an anxious headache over something I couldn't control?

Enough wandering finally led me to voices. I heard a chorus of them, sounding like they were disagreeing with each other all at once. They came from behind a door closest to the stairs that led up to Arden's floor. I stopped to listen, hearing Arden snap, "Call to order. Silence, immediately."

The voices died down, and Arden asked, "What is the fate of her family?"

Immediately my heartbeat quickened. I knew he was referring to me.

"Due to his valiant efforts, the rest of them are okay. He, however, could be better. Much better, in fact. I know not if he'll make it through the night."

"He'll make it," Arden said firmly. "He's stronger than any of us know."

"How will the princess fair should she hear this news?" Zander asked.

I walked into the room where Arden and a few other people stood. Arden looked visibly distraught as he mumbled, "We have to assure her that he's fine should she find out, but our main priority—"

"Who's hurt?" I asked, anxiety instantly flooding into me.

The U formation around the table all spun around to face me. Arden, at the center of it all, looked surprised to see me there.

"Princess, you're supposed to be reading," he said firmly. "Please return to the library, and we'll discuss this later."

"Who, Arden?" I asked, twisting the scroll within my grasp.

"Princess, please breathe. I will tell you all you want to know later."

Who, Arden?

He paused, sighed, and reluctantly informed me, "Jason is severely wounded. He defended your family and his from one of Mercury's assassins. He is in a comatose state due to his injur—"

Arden's words faded out as my ears started ringing. My breaths became labored as the picture of Jason filled my mind, eyes shut and unmoving, maybe never to open again. And I didn't get a proper goodbye. He was torn away from me, along with everyone else, due to Mercury.

I tried to stay strong and form a coherent sentence, not wanting to cry in front of all those men and women, but the tears came streaming out, and my voice was a blabbering mess.

"Princess, please don't cry. He's going to be okay." His words were meaningless. How would I know that he's okay without seeing it for myself? For all I knew, I was being lied to. One of the men there said they didn't know if he'd make it through the night, yet I was supposed to believe empty promises?

Jason. My best friend. Oh gosh. He was going to die. Die for me when I didn't even deserve it. Die for my family without me even getting to say goodbye to him doing so.

My stomach and chest twisted in a tangled knot. I felt ready to explode.

"Jade, please listen to me; he's going to be—"

A scream that I was holding in tore through my throat and flooded the inside of the chamber. Sizzling flooded into my veins and sprang forth out of my body as I squeezed my eyes shut. The energy left as soon as it came, and I collapsed on the floor in a heap of sobs.

Through my tear-filled vision, I saw the rest of Arden's pupils around me rising to their feet and groaning in pain. I don't know what happened, but some looked at me with immense fear.

Two of Arden's guards lifted him to his feet and faced me with their swords raised. Arden said, "That won't be necessary. She's adjusting to the Blue Light." He gently hoisted me off the floor. "Please continue discussing battle strategies. I will be back in a few minutes."

Arden guided me out of the room as I struggled to walk; I felt weak from that intense spurt of energy and the continuous sobs I was letting out.

"Princess," Arden said. "Please, don't cry."

He opened one of the various room doors of the castle and shut it softly. He held my shoulders and then lifted my chin. With my bottom lip trembling, I avoided his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly. "He will be okay."

"H-how d-do you k-know?" I said in between sobs.

"He's not of the weaker vessel as you are. He is pure Antikan. It takes a lot more than a blow to his head and a few scuffles to take us down. Rest assured, he will pull through."

I looked him in the eyes, and his gaze held mine.

"You promise?" I whispered.

"I promise, Princess. I can't let anything happen to him... I know how much he means to you."

I swallowed and nodded. Arden smiled and brushed some of my tear-soaked hair from my face and then held my shoulders again. "Don't worry about the things you can't control right now. Focus here and now. We're building you up, so you have a fair chance of making it out alive. You deserve that if I can't make that happen for you."

Can you hug me?

The thought surprised us both, but I was too emotional to be embarrassed. His eyes widened momentarily, but without a second more hesitation, he pulled me into a tight embrace. I sighed into his arms and relished the comfort. It felt like so long since anyone had held me. I hadn't realized how starved I was for it.

He stroked my hair softly and let out a soft but uneven breath. Only then did I fully grasp the situation I was in. Me, a so-called Princess, was in the arms of a King who I once thought was a block of ice or a thick wall of cool stone. But there we were, wrapped in each other's arms, the world slowing. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and I know I felt mine reciprocate.

He no longer seemed so scary. Despite the exterior I knew he was going to put back on the minute the moment passed, he allowed me to see a side of him that I didn't think he had—or at least he allowed himself to be the very thing I needed him to be in that moment—comfort.

He cleared his throat and took a small step back, examining me again. He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed my tear-stained cheeks. "Will you be okay?" His voice was back to stoic and calculating.

"Yes, thank you, King," I said and curtsied.

"You're most welcome, Princess," he said and bowed.