Page 46 of The Wild Prince’s Favorite (The Dragon Empire Saga #3)

Perhaps he would have felt much safer with Kein around. Hopefully, the dragon would return soon, and it would be enough to double the manpower in the camp. At least the soldiers would be happy to have some serious business to get to...

Despite Tievin making sure breakfast would be ready early, Alezya only woke up a few hours later. Once again, she looked a bit confused and shaken up. She looked pale, her cheeks hollow, and her eyes red.

She kept glancing around as if trying to put the pieces together.

She didn’t seem wary of him, thankfully, but she did look completely confused as to where she was.

Kassein knew she probably didn’t remember much about being dragged back to the camp by Kein, nor her feverish night.

Thanks to the herbal medicine they had though, her fever had subsided already, and she was left looking restless and nervous.

“Alezya?” He called her name gently.

She nodded and managed to show him a weak smile. It didn’t make him happy at all. He only hoped she knew she was safe here.

Since she seemed stubborn about sitting up, he helped her, grabbing the pillow to place it behind her.

She kept glancing around the place and nervously tried to comb her long hair with her fingers, but her left arm was badly hurt, and so were the fingers of her right hand.

It was hard for her to move either one very much.

He placed his hand gently on her wrist to stop her from doing that.

“You’re safe here,” Kassein whispered.

He gently moved to take her bruise-covered hand, grabbing her attention. She nodded again as if she was trying to persuade herself.

“What happened?” Kassein asked.

This time, he looked at her arm, pointing at the bruises with a frown.

Alezya’s dark eyes went to them, then back to him, and she shook her head with that sad expression. Whatever had happened up there, she didn’t want to talk about it. Had she been rejected by her tribe, then?

Strangely, Kassein found her to be in better spirits than the first time he’d found her. The first time, Alezya’s expression had seemed hollow, empty, as if she had almost given up on life. This time, although she was physically harmed again, she somehow seemed to be in a better mood.

Perhaps because she’d returned to him? He chased those selfish thoughts away, and sat beside her legs on the bed, facing her.

She definitely looked more serene.

“Food?” he offered her, handing her the lukewarm bowl.

She chuckled weakly, recognizing one of the few words she’d learned. Kassein almost dropped the dish. It was the first time he’d seen the hint of a genuine smile on her face... and it was beautiful.

While he was hypnotized by that new expression on her, Alezya nodded and took what he was handing her, her eyes lingering on the meat.

She took the spoon, but her hand was so injured, she barely had the strength to hold it and lift it up to her mouth.

Her bruised fingers kept trembling in their bandages, the spoon shaking so much it was almost painful to watch.

Kassein helped her, not taking the spoon from her but patiently supporting her hand instead until the food passed her lips.

Alezya grimaced, probably because she had reopened the cut on her lip. Maybe the food being lukewarm wasn’t a bad thing after all...

She ate silently, clearly unbothered by his presence. The two of them just focused on feeding her, in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Kassein wouldn’t say it aloud, but he felt much better now that she’d returned.

Meanwhile, Tievin came back.

“Tievin,” Alezya said, either to acknowledge his presence or because she was glad she remembered his name.

The man bowed politely.

“Good morning, my lady,” he said, before turning to Kassein. “Sir, new clothes have been prepared for the lady. Her cape you ordered isn’t finished yet, but it should be shortly. I prepared another coat in the meantime.”

“My dragon?”

“It hasn’t been spotted since, sir. It might take a while before it returns, I’m afraid. I’ve ordered the men to reinforce the barricades just in case.”

Tievin seemed to hesitate, darting a glance toward Alezya despite knowing she wouldn’t understand his next words.

“I need to let you know, some of her... people have been sighted again, in the heights. Should we do something about this, or let them be?”

Kassein tightened his fist, and a cold chill ran down Tievin’s spine. The Prince was in no mood to let those people be, not after the state they’d put her in, twice.

“Is it her tribe?”

“We think so, sir, but we haven’t been able to confirm because of the distance.”

Kassein took a deep breath. He was fed up with those people. If they wanted to exile this woman, they should leave her be, once she was gone. What were they spying for? He didn’t believe it was a coincidence, and it made him even more annoyed.

“...Make sure they stop spying.”

“Understood.”

Tievin left, most likely to go and give the men orders that they were now allowed to shoot the lurkers.

The archery units would be delighted, although they might not be able to get them all.

The height was considerable, but anyway, Kassein would send his dragon to finish the ones hiding in the highest and hardest spots once Kein returned.

His main goal was to keep those people away from Alezya this time.

Whatever reason they had to force her out of her mountains, it didn’t give them any right to keep spying afterward.

Perhaps they didn’t know she had survived, perhaps they were only spying on the camp as their enemies all along, but he didn’t care.

Alezya’s safety came first, and that meant none of the tribespeople would be allowed near her again.

At least, not until he knew what had happened.

“Kassein?”

He immediately turned his eyes to her. Alezya looked hesitant, so he tried to wait and let her speak. She glanced around, clearly trying to think. Was she trying to remember a word she’d learned from him?

“Water,” she finally spurted out in his language.

“You want water?” he asked, grabbing the pitcher.

But she glanced at it and shook her head, looking around again.

She pointed at the fire, the pitcher, and then to herself.

Kassein was slightly confused, trying to put the pieces together.

Then, she glanced around again, but she visibly couldn’t find what she wanted.

The charade was growing frustrating for both of them.

But she got his attention again and rubbed her skin. That’s when Kassein understood.

“A bath? You want to bathe?” he asked.

Of course, there was no way for either of them to be sure, but he realized what she’d been looking for. He put the pitcher back down and stood up, going to find the little basket with the soaps. He pulled one out and brought it to her.

Much to his relief, Alezya’s eyes lit up, and she nodded.

She wanted to bathe, which wasn’t surprising, given her state.

She’d been found covered in sleet and blood, carried around in a dragon’s dirty claws, and spent most of the night sweating a lot.

Kassein gave her a nod, leaving the soap with her, and walked out to order a bath to be brought to his tent.

“Bath,” Alezya repeated to herself as he returned, trying to memorize the word.

Kassein smiled, not saying anything, and he took the bowl again, helping her finish breakfast while waiting for the bath to be brought.

This time, he didn’t personally carry it into the tent; three men from Dajan’s unit did it.

They came, put the basin full of hot water down, and left just as quickly, trying hard not to stare or let their eyes linger.

Coincidentally, another man brought over the new outfit for Alezya, as Tievin had mentioned.

Another coat had most likely been taken from the Grand Intendant’s collection; he was the only one wearing such thick and fancy coats in the whole camp, while most soldiers had to make do with capes over their armor and thick layers underneath.

As she was impatient to get herself cleaned, Kassein helped Alezya up, but it got him more worried. She could barely stand on her own, and her arms were still weak and most likely painful. Once she stood next to the large basin, he hesitated. Could he leave her to bathe on her own?

“Kassein?”

She gave him that look, that she was clearly waiting for him to leave to undress, like before. He hesitated, but he had a feeling he shouldn’t go away, not when she was in this state.

After a couple of seconds, he sighed and took off his armor, leaving it next to the bed, and went to sit facing the door.

He wasn’t leaving, but he clearly wasn’t intending on peeking.

He sat with his legs crossed, hands on his knees, waiting.

For a couple of seconds, he didn’t hear her move, and he guessed she was surprised he didn’t leave.

But he couldn’t. She may not like him being there while she was bathing, but in her state, he didn’t feel safe to let her bathe alone, and there was no one else he could trust with this.

It took a little longer, but finally, she let out a faint sigh and began undressing.

Kassein had underestimated his own reactions.

He’d seen her naked before, so he didn’t think he’d get tense when he was not seeing her naked body, but he’d been wrong.

He could hear the sounds of fabric coming off her body and falling to the floor; it was strangely more enticing than anticipated.

He could hear her breathing, the light sounds she made, and exactly when she entered the water.

Knowing that she was naked, right behind him, made him feel strange, tense, and bothered.