Shattered Heart's Plea

Chapter 11: Sinclair

Chapter 11: Sinclair

***

By evening, Healer Hearthstone had finished treating the burns on Zoe's hand from the wards of the iron gate. Briagas had to leave to attend an important meeting, pausing his story about Queen Zoelina. This left Zoe alone with Kinsley, but he too soon departed when Briagas summoned him for the meeting. With nowhere else to go, she decided to take a nap.

"You have not eaten anything for more than forty-eight hours, Miss,"

Nina arrived at the bedroom, convincing Zoe to go down with her for dinner but she was reluctant to leave.

"Forty-eight hours?" her temple suddenly pulsed.

She did not realize time; she did not even bother to ask what day it was when she first woke up in this manor. She was preoccupied by the fantastical elements surrounding her and her self-implored quest to become all-knowing.

"The travel from the Southern region is at least forty-eight hours via the main road, Miss," Nina helped her fix the sheets when she finally decided to get off the bed.

"You mean to tell me that I was asleep the whole time on the way here?! I didn't drink that much alcohol!" she gripped her sternum when she felt a sudden anger prickle at her chest. "Where are they?!"

"T-They are at the—"

Zoe didn't let Nina finish before storming out of the bedroom. With her photographic memory and her experience as an architect, she quickly recognized the manor's floor plan from her bedroom to the dining hall.

As she marched down the corridor, Nina followed behind, muttering attempts to calm her. But Zoe was resolute, determined to confront the men once she reached the dining hall.

Her brows furrowed when it was only Briagas who she saw at the table.

"Don't worry," he said as he gestured to the seat in front of him. "He'll come around in a sec—"

"Why did no one tell me it was two days since the—since I saw you at the museum?!" she lashed out, grabbing the nearest butter knife.

"Woah—" Briagas immediately stood up, raising his hands to surrender.

"I may have a low tolerance for alcohol, but I'm certain I only drank wine, and that shouldn't have put me into a slumber lasting forty-eight hours!"

Zoe gripped the knife tightly and pointed it at Briagas, who was slowly backing away from her. She could see that he wasn't frightened but seemed to be enjoying her agitation. The smirk curling at the corner of his mouth triggered a reaction in her. She immediately felt her magic crackling around her, especially near her hand, as the knife grew hot in her palm.

She loosened her grip on the knife, and as she opened her palms, it shot toward Briagas. Briagas quickly redirected the knife, and Zoe's eyes widened as she watched it speed toward the entrance of the dining hall, heading straight for the unsuspecting Kinsley.

Before Zoe could regain control of the knife with her powers, Kinsley caught it effortlessly with just his thumb and index finger, all without even glancing in its direction.

He drifted his eyes from the books he was carrying to the knife in his hand. His brows furrowed as he continued walking towards the table, setting the knife down where Zoe picked it up from.

"Why didn't you tell me that it was already two days since I was taken away from my home?" she scowled at Kinsley.

Zoe took a step back when she met his stormy, cold gaze again.