Princess of Illéa

Chapter 17 - Protective Brother

After my maids work miracles with the makeup and manage to hide the marks Clarkson left last night, I get ready and go downstairs to have breakfast with everyone. The first thing I notice is that there's still one Selected missing, America hasn't been found yet. I can't imagine what's going through my brother's head right now, having to worry about both her disappearance and everything that happened yesterday involving the king.

Luckily for me (or not), apart from ignoring me (as he has done since I was born), Clarkson apparently can't even stand to be in the same room as me. As soon as everyone sees me come in and I sit next to Mom at the table, he promptly gets up and leaves. The Selected girls fortunately don't seem to be worried about me, nor do they seem to have noticed anything very different, well, everyone except Celeste. On the other hand, I feel very worried looks from Mom, Maxon and Celeste.

We all eat in silence. I hardly eat, I can't feel hungry after last night. Apart from the lack of hunger, the little I do eat is enough to make me sick. I get up without saying goodbye to anyone, and make every effort to pretend I'm not feeling sick, just taking quick steps to the door. I can imagine my mother, my brother and Celeste exchanging glances, silently discussing who is going to check on me. As soon as none of them can see me, I cover my mouth with one hand and run as fast as I can to my room, not stopping until I reach the bathroom and start throwing up my breakfast. I promptly feel someone holding back my long hair so that I don't get vomit all over it. It's Leah.

As soon as I finish vomiting I take a deep breath, trying to control the nausea that hasn't gone away yet. I sit down on the floor of the bathroom, which gives me some comfort because it's cold, and lean against the wall, closing my eyes. I hear Leah turn on the tap and then I feel a damp cloth being wiped across my mouth.

We both hear my bedroom door open and close. Someone has come in. I hear voices, probably one of them is Aria, but the other one I don't even try to recognize. And then someone gently knocks on the bathroom door.

I open my eyes and look at Leah, who also looks at me, wondering if she can let in whoever is on the other side of the door.

"It's okay, Leah. You can open it." I say.

She drops the damp cloth on the sink counter and opens the door. Maxon comes in. He looks at me worriedly, but I can also see a protective look in his eyes. He crouches down in front of me and tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"Let me take care of her, Leah." Maxon says.

Leah hesitantly leaves the bathroom without closing the door. Maxon sits on the floor, he doesn't even think twice about taking care of me, not caring about the smell of vomit exuding from the bathroom. We both sit on the floor, not saying a word. I stare at the floor, unable to look him in the eye now.

"Why didn't you tell me, Max?" I ask quietly, referring to the fact that I found out that Clarkson beats my brother.

He knows what I'm talking about, of course he does. He stays silent for a few seconds, probably thinking about what to say.

"I didn't want to worry you." he begins. "I know you and he have never had a good relationship, I was afraid you'd do something impulsive if I told you."

He's right to be afraid of that, I don't know what I would have done if I'd found out any other way.

Still silent, I see him get up and take another cloth and moisten it in the water, then begin to gently wipe my face, which brings me an immediate feeling of relief.

"Wouldn't you rather rest in your bed?" he asks.

I nod, but I'm a bit dizzy from the nausea and my empty stomach. He seems to notice my weakness, so he helps me up, carries me and leads me to my bed, letting go of me gently. Now lying on the bed, much more comfortable than before, he sits down and settles in next to me.

The door to my room opens again and Aria comes in, bringing me some tea.

"I thought the tea might help you feel better." she says, approaching me and carefully handing me the cup.

"Thank you so much, Aria." I say, taking the cup from her hands and sitting up to drink.

Gradually I sip the tea, and with each sip I feel a little better. As soon as I finish, Aria collects the cup and leaves the room. Now Maxon and I are alone.

Although the tea makes me feel better, it also makes me very sleepy. I lie down on the bed and feel my eyes get heavy. I hear Maxon moving next to me, which makes me quickly grab his hand, preventing him from leaving.

"Max, can you stay with me, at least until I fall asleep, please?" I ask, my voice already weak. "I don't want to be alone."

"Of course, Kitty." he says softly.

Feeling safe in the knowledge that I won't be alone, I allow myself to close my eyes. I feel Maxon move on the bed, and then I feel him give me a gentle kiss on the forehead. Then I feel him taking off the shoes I'm wearing.