Chapter 262: CHAPTER 262

When I opened my eyes again, it was hard to tell what was happening or even who I was for a minute.

I closed my eyes again and tried to cover my face with a pillow when my hand landed on a hard body.

"Come on Princess, don't tell me you're going to sleep again?"

I opened one eye to look at where the voice was coming from and I suddenly jerked up.

"Florian," I muttered, my voice groggy.

"You were really tired huh?"

"Where am I? No, don't answer that question," I rubbed my eyes until the disorientation cleared up a bit. "The girls did this to me, they deceived me!"

"And thank the stars and the twin suns they did because you would have probably fallen to your death on a random day," Draco grunted from the door. "What were you thinking?"

"What did I do now?" I whined, trying to figure out why he's pissed at me.

"Baby, you have not been resting. Why?"

That was Zade and he was sitting on the sofa in the room with his hands crossed on his chest.

The same disappointment was etched across his beautiful face.

"What day is it?"

"Monday. And no, you're not going anywhere until –"

"Monday?!" I screeched.

"Yes, that's the word for it," Draco repeated the shocking detail.

"I've been asleep for two days? You guys let me sleep for two days?!"

"You wouldn't have woken up if we tried, Princess."

"No one would have dared wake you up, I'll cut their fingers off. Why weren't you resting? What do you do on Sundays when you tell us you're going to the hostel?"

"Come on Draco, take it easy on her," Zade sighed.

"Take it easy? That tea has never made anyone sleep for more than six hours. Do you know how close she was to passing out? Do you know how depleted her chi was?"

"But I was fine," I grumbled, "you're making it sound like I was close to dying."

"Because you damn well were!"

I jerked back, as though he'd flogged me with a whip.

He left the room in loud motions, slamming the door behind him and his footsteps on the stairs clanged in my head like a warning sign.

"Don't mind Draco, he's just feeling guilty he didn't catch this on time," Florian rubbed my back.

"We all feel the same way, Sunshine. You have to understand how our systems work. You're not human, your body doesn't recharge after one night's rest. It pauses, and the limit is six days. Afterwards, you have to stop pushing it for a whole day before it can replace all the energy you've used. The Academy used to have two days of rest, we're using this one day temporarily because of the approaching war. The Scribes and Draco had to fight over this and they won. So you cannot, under any circumstances, push yourself like that again. We are not interested in finding out what happens when we overexert ourselves."

"I don't think anyone is listening to me," I sighed, still hung up on the fact that I'd wasted two days sleeping.

Two whole days that I could have perfected my javelin throwing, or the right hook thing Zade has been showing me during my sessions with Draco, or even being sure I can actually beat Mistress Kira like I'd been planning.

Two days that I could have used to be more prepared, to arm myself with strength to defeat the fate set in stone for me.

It's just me against it and the time is limited.

Too small for me to become what is needed for this battle.

Resting felt like I wasn't willing to do what it takes to go head to head against the gods.

Like I don't love my men enough to fight for them.

"We are not listening because it doesn't matter what the reason is," Florian said to me, all playfulness gone from his tone, "your life is the most important thing to us all. You cannot do this again. We won't.. allow you to do this again."

"Draco is saying you should stay in today but I'm seeing that fire in your eyes again," Zade said with a small smile, "so I'll try to persuade him to let you go. But you can't stress too much. Take things slowly for now."

"Since nothing I say will make any difference, I'm just going to go prepare for training," I grumbled and moved from the bed.

Florian held my waist, "Come on darling, you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Lives are at stake, Florian. Not one, not two, thousands! And it's all on my shoulders. And you think I should be sleeping?!"

"Why would you think that?"

I didn't even know Draco had come back in, frustration and anger blinding my senses.

"It's in my head, the book–"

"I don't give a bloody fuck what that thing says. I'm not sacrificing you for this realm. You might lead us into war because of the power in you, but that's all I'm willing to allow. You will train as hard as everyone else, maybe a little bit extra to allow you to get accustomed to it, but that's it. Here's breakfast," he dropped it by the table next to Zade.

"I'm not hungry," I grumbled.

"You can either eat it yourself or I'll pour it down your throat."

"Draco, come on be nice."

"It's like she just wants to drive me insane! She hasn't eaten anything in forty eight hours and she's saying she's not hungry? And you are saying she should go to training? Without any food in her system?"

Okay, that makes me seem like a petulant child.

"I'll eat," I whispered before the argument could get any worse.

He took a deep breath, rubbing his temples and shutting his eyes for a second.

"Mama, come here."

"Do you want me to eat or come to you? Pick a –"

He pulled me off the bed and brought me to stand in front of him.

"You're so damn stubborn," he muttered, looking at me with a smile that I didn't understand.

"You have to decide if you like that or not, man," Florian chuckled from the back.

"A man can't be a bit confused?" He smiled, making my heart flutter.

He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight.

My head was below his chest, making me realise how short I actually are compared to them all.

"Group hug?" Florian asked from the bed.

"Hush, stay away."

Draco's body slowly bled me dry of all the nerves eating me from inside until I was able to think clearly.

So they might have a bit of a point, rest is important but this means I'll have to train harder than usual.

And to be able to do that, I have to stop attending regular classes that waste my time by standing around watching others spar.

How do I achieve that?

Maybe it's time I defeat the last boss of the game.

I'm going to fight against Mistress Kira and I must win.