Page 20 of The Princess’s Pet (Soul Match #1)

It was cold, and I clung to the covers around me tightly, reaching out for the Princess. But my hand found only empty bed.

“Ma’am?” I croaked and coughed. My throat was dry and scratchy.

“Percy?” A familiar voice that wasn’t the Princess answered.

“Ana?” I questioned quietly, careful of my sore throat and opening my eyes. “Why are you in here?”

“Percy!” she shouted and flung her arms around me. “You’re awake!”

I was confused and wondered for a moment why Ana would be in the Princess’s bedroom. Still, I brought my arms up to hug her too and saw my hands all bandaged up. How did I… Poseidon’s Wrath.

“The Princess?” I croaked out trying to sit up and push Ana away from me.

“The Princess is alive,” Ana told me pulling away. “Percy, I thought for sure you were dead!” she cried and wrapped her arms around me again .

“We all thought you were done for,” Thomas said moving to stand next to Ana and I saw Edward at the foot of the bed. Looking around I realised I was in Edward's room in the servant quarters.

“It’s wonderful to see you awake Percy.” He waved and Ana finally released me.

“Ana, give your friend some space,” a woman I didn’t know spoke and pulled Ana away from me with a hand on her shoulder. “Hello, Percy of Flores. I am Piper of Syngeneia, relations with Ana. Do you remember what happened, why you’re here now?” Piper asked.

I nodded. “Yes. The Princess was poisoned with Hades’ Delight. Where is she?” I asked slowly pushing myself to a sitting position my voice still hoarse. Piper walked over to the corner of the room and from a large jug poured me a glass of water. I gladly accepted and drank the whole glass quickly.

“Princess Selene Borealis lives. Thanks to you,” Piper told me. I looked to the other faces in the room for reassurance and was met with sincere smiles. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I want to go to her,” I said pushing the covers from myself and trying to move from the bed. I was very weak, my legs felt like stone, heavy, and unmoving.

“You have been unconscious for 5 days Percy. We thought you would never wake. I had given up and would have ended my care for you if Ana had not begged and the Princess not threatened,” Piper explained, probably at the look I was giving my unmoving legs.

“5 days,” I repeated. “That’s a long time,” I spoke mostly to myself.

“It is. It will take a little time for you to regain your strength, but you are young and healthy and a strong witch. I’ve never seen another achieve what you did Percy. I know of no witch successfully treating a pureblood vampire poisoned by Hades’ Delight and of no other, that has survived such long exposure to any variety of Wrath let alone Poseidon’s Wrath. How did you know the treatment necessary?” Piper asked me and I was hesitant to answer. The first page of each of my mother’s books stated that they were the property of the Flores coven and not to be shared.

“Aunt,” Ana admonished softly. “Would you tell Percy, of the knowledge Syngeneia holds?”

“No. I apologise, Percy, for my curiosity,” Piper relented. “I will send word that you have woken to the Princess.”

“I’ll go,” Edward announced and smiled happily at me before running from the room.

“Why are you here?” I asked Ana again.

“Edward called Leilani back at the Academy, who in turn gave me the message that you were gravely ill. I called my Aunt, who stays in a city on the other side of the Dark Mountains. She was able to get here within a couple of hours and I made my way here arriving the following day. We’ve worked continually, taking it in shifts to keep your heart rate as low as possible to allow your body time to eliminate the Wrath toxin,” Ana told me taking my bandaged hand in hers.

“You did all that for me?” I asked feeling so grateful for my friend. “Ana you’re the best friend I could have,” I told her, squeezing her hand and trying not to cry.

“You’d do the same for me,” she said dismissively.

“Don’t be humble Ana, you saved my life!” I told her seriously.

“That she did.” I turned sharply at the sound of the Princess’s voice. Ana released my hand and moved away .

The Princess walked towards me with purpose, and I was overwhelmed to see her alive, strong, and regal with a gold crown upon her head. I couldn’t stop my tears of joy. I was a sobbing mess in the few strides it took her to reach my side.

She bent down and scooped me up from the bed holding me firmly in her arms. I wrapped my arms around her neck intending to never let go. The last time I saw her I thought she was dead and I was praying to Poseidon that the myth of his Wrath was true.

“Percy,” she spoke like a prayer against my throat, and I heard her take deep breaths of my scent. “Mine,” she said forcefully and her tongue swept against my neck. I clung to her with all the strength I had.

I could hear the clearing of a throat and coughing. The Princess lifted her head from my neck but I kept my face pressed firmly against her.

“Percy will require rest and care. Soft foods, plenty of liquid and gentle exercise for the next few days.” I heard Piper speak.

“Thank you, Piper, Ana, Thomas, Edward. I appreciate your efforts in Percy’s recovery. I will not forget what you have done. Now I am taking my pet, to care for personally,” the Princess said and though it was rude, I did not say goodbye to my friends or Piper as the Princess carried me from the room.

She took me swiftly through the courtyards and back to the castle and her wing.

“Pet,” she spoke softly. “It’s been too long since your last marking and your scent is contaminated with others,” she told me.

“Sorry,” I whispered roughly into her shoulder; I didn’t like knowing I no longer held her mark .

“Don’t apologise,” she reprimanded softly, lips pressing against the side of my head. “I’m going to bathe you.”

I opened my eyes and although I didn’t pull my face away from her neck, I knew from the bright light and pale marble that echoed her footsteps we were in her bathroom.

I tried to protest when she put me on my feet, but only managed to whine pathetically as she kept one arm around my waist supporting my weight as she turned the shower on.

The Princess undressed me from the pyjamas I wore, carefully unwrapped the bandage from my hands which were red and sore, with ugly black scabbing in some places, and helped me step into the shower. I didn’t want to think about the fact that my friends must have washed and changed me from my soggy pond water clothes.

The shower like her bath was far more spacious than any one person required. There was even a bench along one wall which I was thankful for as she guided me to sit. I didn’t think I could stand for very long on my own. While my legs were coming back to me, I was still incredibly weak.

She crouched down in front of me, her hands pushing my hair behind my ears and the smile she gave me was breathtaking. Her happiness was contagious.

“I’m so glad you’re alive,” I told her, feeling like I was in a dream and briefly as she pulled her hands away from me to remove her clothing, I worried that I was dreaming, that I was lying, delirious from Poseidon’s Wrath, on the bedroom floor.

“What’s the matter?” she asked returning to me quickly, her hands on my cheeks, thumbs wiping away my tears.

“Is this real?” I asked her, weakly lifting my arm to trace my fingers along her jawline. She smiled and tilted her head amused, pressing her lips against my fingertips.

“Yes,” she answered simply and stood to direct the spray of the multiple nozzles towards us.

She washed me carefully, placing kisses against my wet skin. I let my eyes close and enjoy her closeness, enjoying her taking care of me. When we were both clean, she dried me with the same attention and carried me back to her room.

I looked to the vanity half expecting to see my blood still making a mess of everything, but the room had been cleaned.

She dressed me in only underwear and one of her oversized shirts, choosing simple lounge clothes for herself and putting me to bed.

“I’m going to ask Gregory to bring you something to eat. I’ll be back soon, pet,” she told me as she fixed the pillows behind my back and pulled the quilt higher up my body.

The pillows and bedding smelled like her, it was soothing, and I was tired but I forced my eyes to stay open and awake. True to her word she returned to me within only a few minutes. She crawled up the bed towards me, a playful grin on her lips as she straddled my quilt covered lap.

She leaned forward kissing me softly. “If I were to kiss you proper, would you break?” she asked pulling back to check my reaction. I could have laughed at her genuine concern but instead, I lifted my arms and pulled her towards me. She kissed me with intention, with want, but there was not the same roughness I was used to, that I wanted. When she pulled away I was breathing heavily, my heart thundering in my chest.

“When you’re feeling stronger,” she began, before kissing me again and pulling at my lower lip with her teeth. “I’m going to devour you,” she promised.

“What happened, you know when I was passed out, how long did it take for Poseidon’s Wrath to work?” I asked as she settled beside me wrapping her arm around my waist and guiding my head to her chest.

“I was unconscious for two nights and days. When I awoke I suffered minor weakness. How did you know Poseidon’s Wrath was a cure for Hades’ Delight?” she asked me.

“I didn’t know. There was no cure for Hades’ Delight,” I told her and she hummed encouraging me to continue. “I wracked my mind trying to think of a way to help you and I remembered a myth. My mother left books behind, on magic and plants. One of those books she wrote herself, on aquatic plants - her speciality. There was a section of myths and legends.” I looked up to find the Princess listening to me carefully. She smiled down at me and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“Go on,” she commanded.

“There is a legend that Poseidon’s Wrath could be used to counteract the effects of Hades’ Delight. It’s said there was a Flores witch that found her child near death, having mistakenly eaten many of the sweet berries of Hades’ Delight. The witch, a worshiper of Demeter prayed for help. Demeter appeared before her and told her that if she could wrestle Poseidon’s Wrath from his grasp the liquid of the live root would save her child. So, the witch found Poseidon’s Wrath and freed the root but when she reached the surface of the water the plant wilted and died. The witch went back to Poseidon’s Wrath and this time when she freed the root, she used her magic to keep the plant alive and the liquid of the live root saved her child. The only way to free the root from Poseidon’s grasp was to keep the root alive out with the water. When I first read the story, I thought it was a cruel trick. One meant to lead desperate witches to their deaths. Poseidon’s Wrath is dangerous when handled for even short times. But then I was a desperate witch and a legend, a myth was all I had,” I explained.

“You risked your life for me, not knowing if your sacrifice would save me,” she stated and when I looked up, her brows were together in thought. “Why?” she asked me, staring down, captivating me with liquid silver.

“It was my only hope of saving you,” I told her and her brows grew closer together in a frown.

“Why would you risk so much to save me? If I were to die you would be free. Do you understand? It is I that holds you here, that keeps you like a prisoner, that took you from your family against your will. It is I, that will never let you leave,” she told me with a slight rumble in her chest.

“You didn’t take me against my will,” I protested quietly, my throat hurting from all the talking. “You’re my soul match, I wanted to go with you, maybe not so dramatically and suddenly, but still. And I don’t want to be free. I don’t ever want to leave you,” I told her seriously. “I refuse to live in a world without you. It was an easy choice,” I added assertively forcing my voice to be strong. “I love you and I’ll always choose you.” I felt my face flush at my admission but the thought that she didn’t know my utter devotion to her was upsetting, angering even. I knew she didn’t love me. I knew she didn’t want me as I wanted her. But it didn’t matter, it didn’t make my feelings any less real.

I looked away from her intense gaze unable to meet her eyes with the strength of my feelings laid bare. Her hand reached out forcing me to turn back towards her and she crashed her lips to mine heatedly. I returned her kiss, accepting her control. She only stopped when a knocking on the bedroom door interrupted us.