Page 98 of The Nymph Prince

A battle where I’d seen my death.

Either way—whether we were the victors or not—I’d finally be able to rest once it was over. Of that I was certain.

24

Alek

The ache in my head refused to subside. I groaned at the bright light coming through the windows and turned over. It was much like if someone took a large stone and cracked it repeatedly against my temple…that was the pain.

Why had I gulped so much wine? Aye, I’d wanted to numb my mind from the incessant thoughts of Lorcan bedding the king, but maybe I’d taken it a little too far.

Lorcan had been telling the truth when he’d denied being with King James. I didn’t have to be fully bonded to him in order to see his honesty. There’d been no proof of my accusation; only my insecurity about him spending so much time with another man.

A knock sounded at the door.

I pushed my face against the pillow, in no mood to see anyone. Unless, of course, they had some magical cure for the painful aftereffect of too much wine. Which made me wonder if I could cure the pain myself.

No. The thought alone made my head hurt worse.

“Alek, wake up.”

“Lower your tone,” another voice whispered. “Loo-loo said he was groaning in pain earlier.”

“Well, then he should wake up so we can help him.” I recognized Troy’s voice.

“Just sit over there and watch like a good little brother.”

“How am I ever going to become a better physician if I just sit and watch the whole time?”

“I can hear you,” I rasped, my voice muffled by the pillow.

When I lifted my head, Eva and Troy came into view.

Eva was stunning as always and even had a golden glow around her. Or maybe that was just the obnoxiously bright sun behind her. Troy’s face was scrunched as he studied the contents of a wooden bowl.

“Is that poison?” I asked. “I’ll take anything if it makes the pain go away.”

Eva laughed before slapping a hand over her mouth as the sound made me wince. “No, it’s a remedy that’ll help dull the ache.” She grabbed the bowl from Troy before pouring liquid from a vial inside it and stirring it with a small spoon. “Here.”

I grabbed the offered bowl and peered into it. Cubed meat that smelled like cucumbers. “I’m not hungry.”

“Eat it anyway,” Eva said, arching a brow. “The meat is good for you and the cucumber will replenish what was lost. But first, drink this.” She handed me a vial of purple liquid. “I often infuse elixirs with my magic, so it helps the healing process.”

The tonic smelled better than the bowl at least. I drank it in one gulp before wiping at my mouth. It tasted like citrus and something sweet, not an unpleasant flavor at all. The pain was already easing, enough so that I even dared to try a bite of the strange meat and cucumber mixture.

“Delicious,” I lied as I slowly chewed it. I’d much rather spit it on the floor. After a few bites, though, it actually didn’t taste too bad. “Where’s Lorcan?”

“With the king,” Troy answered, plopping on the bed. “I miss home. We should be able to leave on the morrow.”

“There will be a farewell feast this evening in our honor,” Eva added before chewing her bottom lip. “I have nothing nice to wear.”

“You’ll look lovely no matter what you wear,” I told her, resting my hand on hers.

I’d avoided people as much as possible during our time in Talena. It wasn’t so much the fear of being recognized that kept me in solitude. It was more to do with my disgust at the king and his whole kingdom. They hated my kind. Killed us. I wanted nothing to do with any of them.

Mostly, I kept to the bedchamber unless Troy asked me to walk with him when Lorcan was preoccupied with King James. He liked to ask questions and comment on the smallest things. Being with him was nice, because it gave my mind rest. I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t—someone confident who had everything figured out.

Eva had joined me in the room every day for training, though we’d had to be careful. All it’d take was for someone to see my eyes flash a different color or see me move something with my mind. They’d tell the guards, and I’d be thrown into the dungeon. It’d also ruin the entire mission.