Color of Roses

Heartbreak

Chapter 20

"Take him to the jails and interrogate him. Find out who he works for," Elias barks at a few guards dragging away the unconscious attacker. I inhale a deep breath to steady myself after the unfortunate turn of events. Elias rubs his cheek as blood continues to trickle down his framed jaw. "We need to find Giles," I say quietly.

"We'll worry about that later. We need to get you to your room first. There's a possibility he isn't the only one looking to harm you," Elias says. I nod my head knowing I have no control over my situation. We don't waste any time as we swiftly return to my bedroom. A few guards are surprised to see the looks on our faces, especially Elias'.

"I want every guard on high alert," he orders. The men nod despite their curiosity to know what happened. "The princess' safety is our top priority. Don't hesitate to question anyone with strange behavior."

"What should I do?" I ask trying to feel useful. I know by his tone of voice, I'm to remain here; helpless and useless.

"I'm going to find Giles. You stay put."

I flick my eyes to the other guards. "Can't you send one of them instead? I'd feel safer with you here with me," I say with a shaky voice. "You need those wounds treated as well," I add.

Elias contemplates for a few seconds then nods at one of the other guards. "Find Giles and tell him to find me. I'll be waiting here." With that, the guard salutes Elias and takes off towards the gardens. The remaining guard stands against the wall, his hand ready to draw his sword in case someone surprises us. Elias shoves me into my room and shuts the door.

"Sit down," I urge and he removes some of his leg armor and lifts his blood soaked pant leg. I rush over to a shelf and grab a few herbs I've asked some servants to bring me. I grab the aloe and a few others and begin mixing them in a small bowl until they become a gooey substance.

"This may sting a little," I say before dabbing my fingers in the mixture and rub them into the large gash on his calf. He sucks his teeth quietly trying to hide his pain. I wrap the area with a clean bandage and dab a bit more on his cheek.

"Thank you," he murmurs. His eyes are the color of emeralds and his dark hair stands out well with his light skin. I can't help but notice his long lashes and faint traces of freckles beneath his eyes. I quickly avert my gaze and place the bowl on a nearby dresser. "Try to take it easy on your leg. You don't want it to start bleeding again."

"I'll be fine," he says with a soft smile. I swear men and their pride. The door suddenly opens abruptly and Alyn rushes in. He's not using his cane.

"What happened?" He asks with a slightly angered tone.

"Someone posing as a servant here tricked us into following him to the gardens. I was able to intercept him when he turned on us," Elias says calmly. He's risen to his feet.

"Were you hurt?" Alyn says focusing on me. He examines my body and I shake my head. "I'm fine. Elias was able to protect me." I flash a soft smile at Elias who mirrors back.

Alyn sighs in relief and turns his gaze to Elias. "I'm glad to hear it. I knew you'd do well, Elias."

Elias runs a hand through his hair before speaking. "Actually, Aria protected me. I did most of the work but she really saved me back there. I was in a bind." He explains everything that happened.

"What?" Alyn looks at us both with widened eyes. His brows lower and he appears angry. "How could you be so reckless?" He says sternly.

"Alyn," I mutter in surprise.

"What if you were hurt? What if he caught you?" His voice rises.

Elias steps between us. "Don't blame her. It's my fault for getting in that situation. I should've kept my guard up."

Alyn narrows his brows at Elias. "We'll discuss this later. I'll stay with Aria. Go find Giles."

Elias glances at me and I give a slight nod. As angry as Alyn is, he's just worried about us. Elias leaves the room and Alyn sighs. "I'm sorry for yelling. I'm just glad you're okay." He steps over to me and I let his arms embrace me. I bury my face against his uniform and let the tears fall.

"I was so scared," I mumble into his chest. He strokes my hair and tightens his hold. We stand quietly in my room for several minutes until the tears stop flowing. I wipe my cheeks and exhale. Alyn's eyes watch me and I see sadness dimming his usual crimson to a dull red.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Alyn looks at the floor avoiding my gaze. "I hate being so useless. I should be the one there to protect you."

"Alyn," I say softly and reach for him but he shrugs away.

"You don't know how hard it is to go to sleep worrying about you. You're stubborn, clumsy, and act without thinking sometimes. If I never let you out of my sight, I wouldn't be in this state. I'd be by your side keeping you safe. I keep praying to the gods to heal my leg quickly so I can look after you." He clenches his fists at his side.

I want to argue but I can't find the words to say. My heart clamors against my ribcage and I bite my lip to stifle any oncoming tears. This whole time he's been blaming himself for what happened. I shake my head wildly. "Alyn," I manage to say.

He steps away and faces the door. I stand still, the room spinning as my mind races. He lets out a loud breath before speaking again. "There's no use for me being here if I can't even protect you. You don't need someone useless like me."

He reaches for the door and I urge my feet to move but they stay glued to the floor. The tears begin to trickle down my cheeks. "Wait," I say through quivering lips. He freezes with a hand on the door handle, still refusing to look at me. "Don't leave me."

"I can't protect you anymore, Aria," he says. I catch a glimpse at his face as he opens the door to leave. Something shines in the candlelight and I realize he's crying. The door closes behind him and the room becomes a deafening silence. My knees give in and I find myself collapsing on the tile floor.