The Princess, page 25
More people flitted past her, smiling and laughing as they conversed with one another. She swayed again, her chest clenching as her unease grew. Fainting was unpleasant business and one that could end in blood and bruises if she wasn’t careful. She glanced over at Silvanus again. Theron had wandered off, but Hersilia had come to join him, which meant that Silvanus’ focus was on her and nothing else. There was a chance Aurelia could slip into the house for a few moments without him noticing, and in her current state, she was desperate enough to try. As she pushed through the crowd of guests, heading for the house, her heart pounded even faster. The nausea in her belly continued to build, making her feel as if she might vomit all over her beautiful pale blue gown.
A servants’ entrance into the kitchens was in sight when black spots began to dance across her vision. She groaned, blinking back the tears that stung her eyes as frustration filled her. She just needed to make it inside and lie down to rest for a few moments. Silently cursing her useless body, she pressed on but only made it a few more steps before she was forced to lean against one of the garden’s walls in a vain attempt to keep herself upright. Her limbs shook and her heart pounded so furiously she felt like she could feel every beat in every inch of her body.
As she fought for deep breaths, she willed herself to say conscious, pressing her forehead against the smooth stone. She’d told Silvanus the heat would be too much for her, especially without her cane, but he hadn’t listened. He never listened. She was trying to will herself to make it the last few feet to the door when the feel of someone touching her bare shoulder made her start so badly that she almost lost her balance.
“Easy.” A strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and her heart twisted at Luca’s voice, even as her body practically sagged into him.
“Are you unwell?” he asked as he supported her weight.
She bit her lip. She hadn’t seen him since her wedding, and they hadn’t even spoken to one another that day. She was married. She had a duty to her husband and to the empire. And still, there was something about his touch on her bare skin and his low voice that left a sudden, and dangerous, longing filling her deep inside.
“I’ll be fine,” she told him, shaking her head. “I just got a bit… overwhelmed. That’s all.”
She went to step away from him, but her body didn’t cooperate. She saw black spots again and stumbled, barely catching herself against the wall.
“Shall I get Dimitri?” Luca was close enough that she could feel the heat of his body and catch his mint and clove scent.
“No, that won’t be necessary. But thank you.”
She straightened and once again went to step away from the wall, but she’d already pushed her body beyond what it was capable of. Everything went black and the next thing she knew, her feet were no longer on the ground. She tried to move, but strong arms held her in place.
“Easy, Lia, it’s me. It’s Luca,” he murmured.
Her eyes fluttered open. They were inside the house and he was carrying her down the hallway. She was unable to stifle a quiet groan, pressing her face into his chest and squeezing her eyes shut. Opes’ bones, she had fainted. Though she supposed she should be grateful that Luca had been there to make certain she didn’t break a limb, smash her head on something, or otherwise injure herself.
“I sent a servant to fetch Dimitri,” Luca said as he walked, “and he has sent for your physician.”
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“Your chambers,” he answered, his gaze firmly fixed on where he was going.
“Just take me to the library,” she said. Sapphirus would be worried if she saw Aurelia in such a state, and her wildcat was already stressed enough after being forced to spend the day locked away in her chambers with only Sophia for company. Aurelia didn’t wish to stress her further. “I just need a few moments to rest and a bit to drink and then I’ll be fine.”
He looked down at her, his brow wrinkled. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“The library, Luca. Please.”
The stern tone of her voice worked and he let out a sigh before giving her a slight nod. “Tell me where I’m going.”
She guided him through the expansive house that she had been calling home for the last few weeks, trying to ignore the way it felt to be cradled in his arms. Part of her wanted to tell him that she could walk on her own, but another part of her knew she would most likely faint again in her current state. Her stomach still churned and her heartbeat was still quick. On top of it all, the hint of the headache she’d felt earlier in the day was becoming a steady throbbing in her skull.
When they reached the library, Luca somehow managed to keep a hold of her and push open the door. The room’s large windows looked out over the gardens, though the dark curtains had been drawn over the last few days of heat, which left the room dimly lit. Luca strode over to one of the cloth-covered chaises, setting her down on it with a gentleness that made her chest ache. She could have sworn he had somehow grown more handsome since she had seen him last and she was having a hard time drawing her gaze away from the deep V in the front of his shirt. It displayed a bit more chest than would have been deemed acceptable a few years prior. Seeing the fashion on Silvanus had done little to impress her, but as she looked at Luca, she found herself hoping it would stay.
“You’re not sweating,” he said, frowning as he brought the back of his wrist to her forehead. “And it’s as hot as Aureum’s temple out there.”
“I don’t sweat. Or, I can’t, rather. I just need to rest for a few moments.”
“How long have you been outside?”
She shrugged, not meeting his gaze, though out of the corner of her eye, she saw his frown deepen.
“Getting overheated isn’t something to ignore,” he said. “I’ve seen men die from it in the field.”
“This isn’t my first summer living like this, soldier. I’m well aware.”
The words came out sharper than she intended and he winced.
“I’m sorry,” he said, ducking his chin. “I shouldn’t have—”
“No.” She held up a hand. “I’m sorry. You’re not wrong. It’s undoubtably not wise for me to be spending hours outside on a day like this one. But I am the lady of the house. There are expectations that I must meet.”
His jaw tightened and he once again averted his gaze, looking back at the door. “Shall I fetch your husband?”
She should have told him yes. It was hardly acceptable for the two of them to be alone together, but the last person she wanted to see was Silvanus.
“No,” she replied. “Silvanus will be busy with the guests.”
Again, Luca’s jaw tightened, but he gave a brief nod. Another wave of nausea swept over her and she closed her eyes again, certain that the pain was showing on her features as her headache continued to build. The headaches could truly be one of the worst things she was forced to contend with. At times, they were only barely relieved by lying down and could linger for days.
Luca brushed a hand over the side of her face, smoothing back a few strands of her hair, and she couldn’t stop herself from turning toward his touch.
“Dimitri should be here soon,” he softly said. “Hopefully with a physician as well.”
He kept his hand where it was on her face and she didn’t move, not wanting him to take it away. When the door to the library opened, they both started. Aurelia’s eyes flew open as Luca jerked his hand away and straightened. Dimitri strode into the room, his gaze flitting between the two of them and his brow furrowing as he closed the door behind him. She mustered up a weak smile for her twin, sitting up slightly as Dimitri walked over to the chaise. Luca stepped back to give Dimitri room before clasping his hands behind his back.
“I’ve had your physician sent for,” Dimitri said. “What happened?”
“I just got overheated,” Aurelia said with a wave of her hand. “A little bit of rest and I’ll be fine.”
“Did you get ill?” Dimitri asked.
“No more than usual,” she answered.
“She fainted,” Luca said.
Aurelia sent him a sharp look, narrowing her eyes.
“Don’t be upset at him for telling the truth of the severity of the situation,” Dimitri said.
“It isn’t as if I don’t faint often,” she said with a huff.
“That doesn’t make it a good thing,” Dimitri said. “Overheating is—”
“Dangerous, yes, I know. Unfortunately, I have guests.”
Dimitri released a frustrated sigh. “Things appear quite well in hand out there. You obviously need to rest and cool down.”
“Tell that to Silvanus.”
“Happily,” Dimitri said, crossing his arms.
Aurelia sighed, slumping back against the arm of the chaise and rubbing her aching temple. With their set jaws and drawn-back shoulders, Dimitri and Luca looked every inch the soldiers they were. They meant well, she could recognize that, but tangling with Silvanus was no easy task. Aurelia knew that all too well. In moments, the door to the library slammed open again. Aurelia wasn’t at all surprised to see Silvanus stalk into the room with a glower marring his features.
He strode over to the chaise and snapped, “We have guests. This is not the time for your theatrics!”
“I wasn’t feeling well,” she replied. “I told you, the heat today is—”
“It’s always something with you, isn’t it, Aurelia?” Silvanus said, letting out a noise of disgust as he threw his hands up. “The heat is bothering you, you fell ill from something you ate, you didn’t get enough sleep, you lazed about in bed all day and now you can’t possibly get up. You bring this upon yourself! The physicians have cured your body, but your unwell mind continues to drive you to refuse to take the necessary treatments. I will not have it! There is no excuse for you to be acting this way.”
“Being that my sister fainted,” Dimitri said, a hard edge to his voice, “I think it is safe to say that she clearly is not well.”
Silvanus started, taking a step back is if he’d just noticed Dimitri and Luca’s presence. His scowl deepened. A bold move when one was facing down a prince, but Silvanus was nothing if not arrogant.
“As often as she swoons,” Silvanus said, “one must begin to wonder if it’s truly her health at fault or her desire for attention. The physicians of the House of Lapis have examined and treated Her Highness extensively. Her continued theatrics are of her own making, not of anything wrong with her body.”
“You are speaking of a princess of Kelnore,” Dimitri retorted, one of his hands clenching into a fist. “You would do best to remember that.”
“A princess who is also my wife,” Silvanus said with a sneer.
“Her physician has been sent for,” Dimitri said, pulling himself up to his full height as he widened his stance. “I don’t think it wise for Aurelia to be going anywhere until she has been seen.”
“Her physician will tell you precisely the same thing I am,” Silvanus scoffed. “There is nothing wrong with her. Her body is cured. What remains is in her mind.”
“Perhaps you need a new physician,” Luca said, a muscle in his jaw ticking, his spine as rigid as stone.
Silvanus flushed as his gaze darted over to Luca.
“I fail to see how your opinion is warranted here, Captain,” Silvanus said. “Quite frankly, I haven’t a clue why you’re even in this room.”
“Because I wish for him to be here,” Aurelia said, lifting her chin. “Luca is the one who kept me from hurting myself when I fainted in the gardens, and he is a friend.”
“Then I suppose it’s unfortunate for you that as your husband, my wants supersede yours,” Silvanus replied.
“But they do not supersede mine.” Dimitri’s tone was hard enough to make even Silvanus flinch. “Captain Lucanus will stay.”
The door opened again and it took everything within Aurelia to hold back a frustrated sigh. The House of Lapis’ head physician, Tegula, walked in, his cloth bag of tinctures, spirits, ointments, and other foul-smelling concoctions slung over his shoulder. He bore his usual sour expression. Aurelia suspected she was his least favorite patient, but then again, as far as she was concerned, he was her least favorite physician.
“Your Highness,” Tegula said, bowing to Dimitri before turning to Silvanus. “Your Lordship. What seems to be ailing Her Highness?”
“Her Highness appears to be having another one of her episodes,” Silvanus answered, waving dismissively at Aurelia.
“Her Highness fainted in the gardens,” Dimitri said. “She is clearly unwell and needs to be examined.”
“Of course, Your Highness. I will see to her.”
Tegula gave Dimitri another bow before turning his attention to Aurelia. She bit the inside of her cheek as Tegula began to examine her, hardly paying attention to her as he did so.
“And what are your complaints, Your Highness?” he asked as he took her pulse.
“My heart has been beating too quickly,” she answered. “And I’ve been feeling nauseous and lightheaded. I have a headache as well.”
“Hmmm….” Tegula made a show of pulling a few things from his bag before checking her pulse again. “And have you been taking your treatments?”
“They do not help,” she answered, her jaw aching, she clenched it so tightly.
“They will not help, Your Highness, if you do not take them. You must want this cure as much as your husband, and be willing to obediently follow my instructions.” He backed away. “I recommend that Her Highness stay away from any excitement for a brief while to help calm her mind. I can also prescribe a few more tonics to help soothe her nervousness, if you would like, Your Lordship. They may also help her be more compliant with her treatment regimen.”
Aurelia let out a sharp breath through her nose, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Tegula could prescribe all the tonics he wanted. She wouldn’t take them.
“Her skin is completely dry,” Luca said, taking a step forward. “That’s not normal. Not when it’s this hot.”
“Women with a delicate constitution often don’t perspire the same as men,” Tegula said with a wave of his hand. “It’s not uncommon. If anything, it’s something I imagine most women in the empire envy.”
“Men who don’t perspire in the field end up dead,” Luca said, his tone flat. “There’s clearly something not right here.”
Tegula’s ears reddened and he turned to Silvanus. “Would you like me to leave the tonics, Your Lordship?”
“I suppose you might as well,” Silvanus replied with a dramatic sigh. “One can hope she might finally be obedient enough to take them.”
Tegula pulled a few more glass bottles out of his bag, handing them to Silvanus before he was dismissed. As the door swung shut behind the physician, Silvanus toyed with one of the small bottles in his hands.
“As you can see, Her Highness has been tended to,” Silvanus said. “As her husband, I must insist that she follow her physician’s orders and avoid any more excitement.”
“I will be sending a physician from the Imperial Palace to examine her,” Dimitri said, his nostrils flaring. “And you will follow whatever he says.”
While Aurelia knew her twin’s intentions were good, she doubted such a thing would make any difference. The royal physicians had long written her off and deemed Brynn’s remedies to be little more than foolish.
“You question my physicians?” Silvanus said, narrowing his eyes.
“I merely want Her Highness to be well.”
“Fine,” Silvanus huffed.
Dimitri came over to Aurelia and embraced her. As he did so, Aurelia looked over Dimitri’s shoulder at Silvanus. He was fidgeting with the bottles again, muttering something under his breath. The gods willing, he would be too focused on his complaining to pay too close attention to her and Dimitri. For she could not let her twin go to Parvum without knowing of the danger that could await him there.
“Be careful in Parvum. It is possible that Lycaon has reached out to the raiders,” she said, keeping her voice low, “in the interest in orchestrating some sort of trouble to try and undermine Fabian.”
Dimitri went suddenly still, his jaw clenching before he gave an almost imperceptible nod and backed away from her. Luca approached her next, taking her hand and kissing the back of it as he bowed. That drew Silvanus out of his stupor and he watched Aurelia and Luca closely with a calculating expression.
“I hope you are feeling better soon, Your Highness,” Luca said.
“Thank you,” she murmured. His lips on her skin sent a tingle of awareness up her arm and she felt the loss of him when he let go.
Silvanus’ glower deepened as his gaze darted between Aurelia and Luca again, but he stayed silent until Dimitri and Luca had departed the library. As soon as the door closed behind them, however, he advanced toward her, pointing a finger at her chest.
“You are a disgrace!” he snarled. “By the gods, Hersilia wouldn’t dream of carrying on in such an embarrassing manner. Count yourself lucky that Dimitrios was here. Otherwise, I would have you hauled back out to the gardens myself!”
Aurelia gritted her teeth. “I believe I was told to rest, was I not?”
He snorted. “Your laziness truly knows no bounds.”
Turning on his heel, he strode back across the room but paused when he reached the door.
“Oh, and Aurelia,” he said, glancing over his shoulder, “if you’re going to take a lover, at least have the sense not to choose a lowborn bastard.”
Her face flushed hot and she took in a sharp breath of indignation. “Get out.”
“Gladly.”
He slammed the door shut behind him and she slumped back on her chaise, bringing a hand to her throbbing forehead. She was so weary of feeling as if every moment of every day was a fight, not just against her body, but against Silvanus as well. Dimitri was warned, she reminded herself, trying to focus on pulling in a few deep breaths. He will not be going to Parvum completely unprepared. She wished she could have told her twin more, but at least he knew something of Lycaon’s plot. As does Father. And Fabian. Lycaon could scheme, but he would not outwit the House of Vepi. Just as Silvanus would not break her, no matter how hard he tried.
