Page 23 of The Healing Dragon (The Red Book #2)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JANELLE

T he knock on my bedroom door comes promptly after seven in the morning.

I’ve been up for hours, staring out of the window and into the walls.

The nightmares have only intensified inside the walls as if determined to make me remember.

As if I could ever forget. I don’t want to leave this room and I can’t sleep. So here I am in this in-between.

I open the door expecting to find a guard instructed to supervise me during my stay or one of the Oscuro brothers to give me a warning and instructions. I could even see little Isabel being here to guide me to the plant nursery. But none of them are here.

“Matias?” I ask because I'm puzzled by his presence.

I peek out of the room into the shared space. There is no one else walking around. All the doors in the room are firmly shut.

“Do you want to get food together?” Matias asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Aren't you hungry?”

I am starving, but I also have an idea of what I will face if I venture into the dining hall of the castle. It’s the busiest room at any given time of the day.

“Matias,” I say in a stern tone. “Be serious for a moment and tell me you think it’s a good idea for me to walk around the castle.”

His stomach chooses this specific moment to growl.

“I don’t want to go alone.” His eyes drop and uncertainty enters his expression. “You’re right. I will just go in and out. I’ll be fine.”

He walks away but before he makes it to the door handle I hear myself say, “wait.”

His hopeful eyes turn in my direction. “Yes?”

“Fine.”

I need to eat if I plan on finding my father on top of my new duties at the nursery.

I hold up a finger indicating for him to wait and go into my bag retrieving a few items. I pull my hair into a low bun then tie atop a black bandana.

The color will shield my hair color from being noticeable at a distance.

There isn't anything noticeable about my clothing but just in case I stick to dark colors.

“What are you doing?” Matias asks me eyeing my attire.

“Trying to blend in.” I shrug.

His expression tells me that I am not fooling anyone.

“Can you use your magic to disguise me better?” I ask, only half hopeful.

“I don't think so.” He looks at his hands and then back at me. “I don't have much training. I’m sorry.”

This might be for the best. After all, I already saw what Matias can do with his magic. Being touched by dark magic in any kind of way cannot be good. I am better off this way.

“Lead the way,” I gesture forward.

“I don't know where to go,” he says and I nod.

“I will lead the way then. ”

The first thing that catches my attention in the hall is how many guards are posted around the castle.

The security has always been impeccable to the point my father found the trespassing of the castle defenses impossible.

His one and only opening is already sealed, and I doubt he will be able to find one now.

This might be more for the staff to feel safe than actual readiness for a future threat.

The second thing I notice is the amount of eyes that follow me as I make my way across the castle.

Quiet sneers and hush whispers trail behind me.

Matias goes unnoticed by my side. Clusters of people stop and stare with a mixture of expressions.

Some of them don’t hold my gaze, but others don’t dare look away. So much for tucking my hair away.

Despite how much I wish to blend into the wall right about now, my appearance will not allow it. My hair is a flag announcing to every passing eye that yes, in fact, I am the traitor that caused the pain and destruction everyone inside these walls is recuperating from.

The hustle and bustle from the food hall is a welcome sight that allows me to be swallowed by the sea of people picking up breakfast.

Matias saddles up next to me as we make a line for food. His hair is messy and his clothes are wrinkled as if he rolled out of bed only a couple of minutes prior. I didn’t notice it back in my suite.

He gives me a head nod but adds nothing else as we silently pick up our plates. The food is set up in a line that extends from one side of the room to the other. There are usually a variety of options and today is no different.

I put a bit of eggs and toast on my plate before scooping mix fruit and yogurt to the side. Matias watches me carefully and mimics every move until our plates look identical. At the last stop, I place my plate in front of the beverage stand and take a cup of coffee.

“There you are,” Matias says to the beverage before yawning. “I’m not really a morning person,” he says to me.

I look at the clock on the wall and see that it’s eight. “How did you sleep?”

“Sleeping on an actual bed beats the cells or the outdoor camping.” His smile is easy and honest.

He takes a sip of his coffee cup and looks at the crowd of people sitting in different sections of the food hall.

I stop next to him and ponder where I can go and blend into the wall. My eyes find Jesse, who is sitting at a table towards the end of the hall by the open windows that lead to the gardens. I didn’t hear anyone else moving around the suite when I woke up. I wonder at what time he got up.

A table by the garden windows empties, leaving a spot at the corner of the room. It would be great if it wasn’t because it’s the table next to Jesse’s.

“What are you waiting for?” Matias asks.

“A black hole to swallow me.” I grunt.

“You are dramatic.” He gestures with his chin.

I stop before taking a single step and think of something that should have occurred to me before. I look over at Matias and say, “being associated with me might damage your reputation.”

“My personality will have to make up for that downfall.” He laughs and puts an arm around my shoulders. “Plus, outsiders need to stick together.”

I want to tell him he might not know the people here, but soon enough, he will find his place.

Being around me can only hinder his chances, but I can’t help but wish to keep him around.

He has offered me kindness from the second he found me in the woods, when he had nothing to gain.

I don’t understand the warmth he offers me and a selfish part of me wishes to keep it despite the consequences.

As we cross the food hall, many glances follow.

As we pass Jesse’s table, I realize he’s sitting with soldiers that must be part of Romans’ guard if their matching badges identify them as head of the Royal Force.

Each and every one of them raises their head as we pass by.

The point is clear. Not one of them is happy about me being here and their disapproving gazes fixed on me say it.

Jesse, unlike them, doesn’t raise his head in our direction. He doesn’t even look up once. If anything, he makes a point of not looking my way.

I sit across from Matias with my back to the room.

Despite how much many people might want me dead they will never act against their King.

Brandon Oscuro might have many doubters in his kingdom, but they don’t live in this castle.

The people here idolize the Oscuro boys as if they themselves hanged the sun and the stars in the sky.

“Why is your boyfriend looking like he wants to kill us?” Matias looks over my shoulder, then back at me.

I don’t respond. I eat my food and refuse to look up again.

“Matias,” Bianca calls as she approaches the table.

Brandon is close behind her, but doesn’t make it to our table. Instead, he hangs back with the Royal Force soldiers on the table next to ours. I have known Brandon for many years, and although his eyes are not trained on us, it doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of every single move we make.

“You were gone before breakfast.” Bianca takes a seat beside me.

He points down at his plate. “I came to get breakfast.”

Bianca looks from his plate to me, then back. “We usually get breakfast in our suite, Matias. You did not have to fetch your own food. ”

“Fetch,” he laughs at the word. “I’d rather come out here and fetch my own food.”

“Matias,” Bianca tries again. The sigh she lets out is full of borrowed patience. “I understand what you went through was hard, but I can’t help you unless you let me.”

She lays her hand gently atop of his.

“Understand?” His tone is harsh. A few people turn in our directions, but Matias doesn’t notice. “You understand nothing because you weren’t there.” He shakes Bianca’s hand off his. “I am glad you weren’t. But because you don’t know what I went through, you cannot tell me how to fix it.”

Brandon finally steps behind Bianca and settles a hand on her shoulder. The silent show of support is loud. However, Matias doesn’t look phased by the King of Puerto Quinn.

“I’m going to meet Santiago at the library.” Matias gives her hand a squeeze before getting up and leaving his untouched breakfast behind.

Brandon takes the open seat. His hand rubs soothing circles on Bianca’s back.

“Why does he come to you?” Bianca asks me while watching Matias retreat. Her tone carries a note of resentment.

“My soothing and ever-loving personality?” I guess.

“Trauma bonding?” Brandon suggests.

“Perhaps it’s because you saved him from that cell,” Bianca says.

“We both saved him from the cell, but he doesn’t seem inclined to entertain conversation with me,” Jesse says from behind me.

I can’t see him, but I can feel the heat of his body so close to mine.

He must have been listening to everything that was exchanged in the past couple of minutes.

Not missing a detail has always been his thing.

I feel stuck between a family feud. From the concerned faces on the Oscuro brothers, they consider Matias their problem too.

Bianca is staring out into space with a heartbroken expression. I’ve never had a true brother sister relationship with any of my siblings, so I have no clue how she feels, but from the looks of it, the guilt of his torture is something she is taking on.

I eat my food as the rest continue to rationalize why Matias seems to want to speak to me more than any of them.

I wouldn’t have given the issue a second thought, but now that speculation is being thrown all around me, my guess would be that it has something to do with what he endured during his time with my father.

My father being the key word.

“Janelle,” Brandon calls for me. I look up at him and realize this is not the first time he called my name. “I said Isabel is waiting for you at the nursery.”

I put my fork down on my now empty plate. Without another word, I walk my plate to the trash and head to my new day job.

The halls are busy with people coming in and out.

I have to wait and slowly make my way out of the dining hall with a cluster of people.

Once in the open hall I make my way to the nursery.

I find Isabel already inside, standing in front of a set of pods.

There are bags of dirt on the floor. Despite the smell of fertilizer and dirt, the plants and flowers perfume this space.

It reminds me of peace. I have no clue what I’m associating it with, but it’s relaxing.

“We are repotting these plants that are growing too big for their current home.” She gestures for me to step beside her. “I’ve never taught before, so tell me if I need to explain something more. This is how I do it.”

I watch her do it once, then follow along with my own. I am careful to follow her steps and I fall into a flow of sorts. There is a long row of plants waiting for us and I’m looking forward to getting through it all instead of dreading the work.

“Magic can’t aid this process?” I ask, wondering if she is doing it all manually for my sake.

“Magic can’t be as careful and gentle with the roots as we can.” She pulls a plant by the stem, roots up and over her head. The strands hanging off the base proving her statement.

“Alright,” I say with a smile.

I’m ready to get my hands dirty.