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I’m not sure how many hours I spent talking with Caliban, but soon both of our stomachs are growling. The poor man doesn’t have much for food, so I make a mental note to stock him up tomorrow, but for now I work with what I have.
I make a potato and beef—or what I hope is beef—soup and dish it up into two bowls. I grab two wooden spoons before bringing the food back to Caliban.
“You didn’t have to do this,” he says and graciously takes the bowl from me. I kick the small footrest up next to him before taking a seat.
“It’s the least I can do.” I wave away his protest and we fall into a companionable silence. Caliban isn’t crying anymore and he’s eating. Baby steps but all in the right direction.
Another silent minute goes by, and Caliban says, “You were the one to wake me up. I remember your face and then I remember being rushed away by another man.”
“Probably Otis.” I sigh. “He kept me prisoner until I awoke everyone. He wasn’t a good man, but Malix?—”
“The king?”
“Yeah, my husband?—”
“Your what?!” Caliban jolts out of his chair, nearly knocking his bowl over in the process. It takes me a moment to understand what he’s doing. He awkwardly bends forward and says, “I didn’t realize you were a queen.”
“Oh.” I shake my head, standing up and gesturing back to his seat. “I am, but don’t feel the need to worry about titles. I would rather we just continue to talk as friends.”
Caliban purses his lips together, unsure. After a tense few seconds, he finally nods. “Very well, but I’m certain you have more important duties to attend to than sitting with a grieving old man. The king will be worried.”
It is my turn to hold back my tears and share with Caliban what happened to Malix. “So you see,” I say, once I finish explaining to him about Malix’s curse, “Aracelia, Vivia, and I are checking on all the households and looking for fighters. That’s why she left, but I felt like my duty called me here.”
“I don’t know you well, but I can already tell you are a fair and just queen. I trust the kingdom in your hands, and if there is any way I can help, I will.” Caliban reaches for my hand and squeezes it like I did to his earlier.
I hope I can live up to that expectation.
After that we finish dinner without any further hiccups, and he tells me more about Salinea. The sun has long ago disappeared from the sky by the time I leave with the promise to check on him soon.
I walk back to the castle, taking the longer route that will weave through my gardens so I can have a moment just to think.
Tomorrow I will attempt to strengthen the wards around the kingdom, a feat I’m not sure I’m capable of. Ender sure seems to think I am, and I have to hope that The Guardian is correct. I don’t want Dragon’s Keep to fall, nor do I want any harm to come to those under my care.
I’m not going to force any dragon to fight for our kingdom, but I have asked. Between me, Aracelia, and Vivia, I hope to amass a small group to help ward off attacks. Aracelia and Vivia are familiar faces to the dragons, so I hope they manage to get some support.
By the time I make it back to my room, exhaustion sets in. I pull off my clothes and get into bed without bathing or brushing my hair. I know I’ll regret it in the morning, but right now I just want to be with Malix.
Aracelia and Vivia helped me move him to our bed earlier. He’s lying above the covers, arms at his side. If I close my eyes I can pretend he’s sleeping and that when I wake tomorrow, it will be to his sweet kisses.
I cuddle up to Malix’s side, pressing up against him. “I wish you were here,” I murmur, letting a single tear roll down my cheeks. It’s odd to talk about someone as if they were dead, when they are clearly alive but unreachable.
“I’m not going to give up, Malix. I’ll protect your…our home. Until my dying breath.” I imagine his arms around me and his sweet words of reassurance, reminding me that everything will be okay.
I soon drift off to sleep, escaping to my dreams where I know Malix awaits me.
Chapter 34
Rose
Whoever left a tunic and pants for me to find when I woke up should get a promotion. I have enough to worry about that I don’t need to add accidentally exposing myself in a dress to the list. It is also a testament to how deeply I slept last night when I didn’t even realize someone had slipped in and out of the room without so much as stirring me.
I hesitate about leaving the bed. Malix hasn’t moved since last night, of course he hasn’t, why would he? But a small part of me wished for a miracle. I want him with me when I try to strengthen the wards today.
Easy enough…except not, since Nephilim are closing in on our borders. Vivia and Aracelia do a good job of putting on a brave facade, but I can see the worry and doubt creep in when they think I’m not looking. I can’t even blame them. Those are the same doubts and insecurities running through my mind.
Sighing, I lean over and place a gentle kiss on Malix’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” And how I pray that’s true. Even the soft chirping of the early morning birds seem to be singing a forlorn song.
With great effort, I extract myself from the bed and change into the outfit one of the maids probably left. When I pull the tunic over my head, there’s a knock on the door, which I assume is Vivia or Aracelia. The maids simply walk in.
