Royal Renegade

Chapter 47: Freesia Flowers

Princess Axelia

Rolling over on the bed, I notice the absence of Leonidas and sit up so fast it makes my head spin.

"I'm going to get the Queen," I catch Alec announcing as he rushes from the room.

I hop down and make my way to the bathroom where Leonidas is hunched over his toilet vomiting blood. With each lurch his muscles tense and stiffen as he grimaces in pain. Veins of varying shades of purples, blues and reds paint trails up his forearms, over his shoulders, down his neck, and even up his abdomen.

Concern drives me to rush to him but he puts up a hand gesturing for me to stop. "Don't," he rasps a warning between pants before groaning as another wave of vomit surges from him.

His mother and Perseus come running into the room a moment later and I don't get a chance to overhear what's going on because Alec takes one of my hands and guides me from the room.

"Don't worry, this happens sometimes after he triggers. His body is rejecting the blood," he explains.

"Oh," I breathe.

He was already so exhausted. Won't getting sick like that weaken him more?

"We have a surprise for you," he speaks up as we descend a spiral staircase that eventually leads us outside. "The plan was to wait until later to show you, but since Leonidas is sick I figure this might lighten the mood."

I hope it's a giant sweet potato pie.

Humored at my thought, I roll my eyes but then gasp as we enter a courtyard where Elytis is standing with Aries and a bundle of all my daggers.

"No way!" I shriek as I break from Alec's grasp to embrace my horse.

Aries neighs eagerly and starts bobbing his head.

"I came across him wandering around the forest," Elytis gleams proudly. "It seems he escaped from some soldiers. He was carrying this bundle by its strings."

Pleasantly surprised and delighted, I cling to him a while longer before returning my attention to the guys. "Thank you," I exclaim as I pull Elytis and Alec into a hug that they both have to wrestle to break out of.

"He's just a horse," Alec snorts as he pats down the wrinkles in his clothes.

Who raised this kid?

"Want to ride with me?" I offer, and suddenly his eyes widen with joy.

"Can I?" he asks me, before turning to Elytis and tugging on his trousers. "Well, can I?"

"I don't see why not," Elytis chuckles. "You've finished your work for the day haven't you?"

"For now," he answers. "Leonidas puked all over his bathroom though so I'll have to clean it later."

"Gross," Elytis scrunches up his nose and then mounts his own horse. "Come on, I challenge you guys to a race around the castle."

Turns out fast horses are popular in Rerimas. Alec and I couldn't keep up with Elytis if we wanted to but it was still fun watching Alec act his age.

"Why does Alec work for Leonidas?" I ask Elytis while he strolls alongside me as I tour the castle grounds.

I would have questioned the kid himself but he had to return to his duties before I could.

"The Queen and council have been worried for Leonidas' life since he was ten years old. Your father never missed an opportunity to make threats. So they found a young boy who passed a series of tests that they hired to shadow Leonidas. The intention being that if Valerio did kill the Prince, Rerimas could still have another," he explains while waving around his sword in ways that show off his handling skills.