“Your home?” I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was to be trapped in a house again. “Can we not go to the nearest village instead? You can leave me there and be on your way.” My heart lurched unexpectedly, obvious that something inside me didn’t desire the request I had just made.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t go on like this.” His voice sounded strained as he lifted me by the arms until he could reach my waist, then wrapped his arms around me and dragged me onto solid ground. I couldn’t help but notice how strong he was for a rich noble.
“Why ever not? I’ve made it this far, haven’t I?” In an act of defiance, I stood to my feet to display my willingness to move on. However, my foolish action was abruptly met by a sharp pain in my ankle, and I quickly fell forward. I braced my arms for impact, but Elias steadied me before I could tumble. He threw my left arm over his shoulder to support my weight once more.
“Do you concede yet?” He gave me a smug look, but I pretended not to notice. A flush of embarrassment flooded my cheeks. “I understand that you don’t want to go back, but you can hardly move. If we go back now, I can sneak you into my room before anyone notices. I promise, I’ll keep you hidden until you’re well enough to leave.” His eyes fought to meet mine, but I kept my gaze lowered.
He was right, of course. I couldn’t carry on like this, but it felt so defeating to have come this far, only to take steps backwards. At least if I went with Elias, I wouldn’t be alone.Ugh, why did he have to be right?
“Alright,” I sighed reluctantly. “Let’s go. We probably don’t have long until day breaks.” I finally looked over at Elias, and his hazel eyes grew wide with an erupting smile. It was rather charming, actually.
“Excellent,” he said cheerfully. “Bear can scout ahead in case Mr. Colburn turns up. I left the back servant’s entrance unlocked before I left, so we shouldn’t have much trouble getting inside.” He tightened his right arm around my waist to support my steps. I jumped slightly at the sudden touch, and he loosened on instinct.
“Lead the way,” I replied, still feeling heat in my cheeks.
The forest was far more difficult to navigate with a human crutch. About midway through our venture, Elias had to stop supporting my steps. Instead, he insisted on carrying me so he didn’t have to worry about pushing me too hard. I tried to protest, but finally gave in when he argued it would be faster. Sure enough, once he was holding me, we traveled at double the speed. Bear led the way by scouting out the forest, while I held the lantern to light the path.
I’m not certain if it was the rocking of Elias’s steps, the warmth of the lantern, or the exhaustion from my journey, but before I knew it, I had fallen back into a heavy sleep.
When I finally opened my eyes, I was back in Elias’s room. Specifically, I was in his bed.
Wait! His bed!?
My body sprung into an upright position as I took in my surroundings. Elias was nowhere in sight, and neither was Bear. A dull ache drew my attention to my ankle, which was now neatly wrapped in bandages. I inspected the wrapping and noticed it had been done over top of my stockings. A small giggle escaped my lips at the comfort of knowing Elias had remained a gentleman throughout the night.
As I surveyed the room, I caught sight of a note on the bedside table, along with a bowl of something. I inspected the note first.
Aurelia,
I hope you were able to rest well. My father has a few business partners I must meet with today, so I won’t return until after suppertime. Please continue to rest while I am away and enjoy the porridge. Also, in case you were concerned, I slept in my sitting room last night, and fully intend to do so until your visit concludes. My bed is yours, and no, I will not accept any arguments on the matter.
Elias
A humored smile crossed my lips as I read the note. I couldn’t believe he would give up his bed like that, especially considering how wonderfully comfortable it was. Given his parent’s taste in mattresses, I was delightfully surprised to find that Elias’s bed was the pinnacle of comfort. I leaned back onto the soft surface and relished in the relief it brought my aching bones. A low grumble from my stomach reminded me that Elias had mentioned porridge.
I sat back up from the bed and reached for the bowl he had left. It looked delicious, and I immediately took a bite.
Oh, it was cold.
I swallowed the mouthful a little apprehensively at the unexpected temperature. It seemed natural that the breakfast would be cold by now. I let out a small sigh of disappointment, but continued to eat. Despite the lack of warmth, it was still my favorite comfort food. Once I had eaten about half the bowl, I settled back against the bed.
It felt so strange to recover in another person’s bed especially when the bed belonged to a young man whose family didn’t even know I was occupying it. A small rush of embarrassment washed over me as I recognized the indecency of it all. My mother would probably disown me had she been aware of my recent actions. I let out a quiet laugh at the thought. What was she going to do? Send a second hunter after me?
I tried to get more rest, but the growing sounds of frustrated outbursts directed my attention to the echoing ventilation hole. Knowing it was a bad idea, I maneuvered out of bed and scooted cautiously across the floor to the wash room where the vent sat. I pressed my ear to the opening and listened.
“Sir, I just need a little more time,” a strange voice begged.
“Time? What on Earth do you need time for? You’re a mage, aren’t you? Make with the blasted magic so my clients can stop complaining.” Lord Oberon’s stern voice came out in a hushed shout. They must have been alone in the parlor as I couldn’t make out any other voices than theirs.
“Please, sir, my abilities have limitations,” the mysterious man pleaded. “My magic is weaker than most... I have to wait at least five days between casting, otherwise the effect won’t be as potent.”
I listened intently with puzzled thoughts. Why was Lord Oberon invoking the help of a mage? Was this part of his judiciary position? Elias had mentioned that he was meeting with a few of his father’s business partners today, so perhaps this was a side venture he was training his son for. Either way, it was still unusual to utilize magic for such a thing.
“I don’t care about the potency. The magic can wear off in an hour for all I care,” Lord Oberon hissed. “Once the client is relocated, it shouldn’t matter if your spells or whatnot cease to work.” Tense silence filled the space, and for an instant, I thought they had left.
“Very well, sir,” the man gasped in a choked whisper.
Was Lord Oberon… strangling him? It couldn’t be…