Chapter 41: The Sulking Couple

*King Eros’s Chamber

Dagen came to Eros’ chamber and listened there’s someone else in the room was talking with his father. And the sound was belonged to a strange woman.

Dagen entered the room. He saw Eros was staring blankly at a well of water as if a conversation just been finished.

“Who were you talking to?” Dagen asked confusedly, he didn’t see anyone else in the room.

“Myself.” Eros stuttered.

Dagen shrugged his shoulder for the king often times appeared to be in a trance.

Then he immediately started recount everything he had overheard at Amaya’s door. To his surprise, his father didn’t express much shock upon hearing the information. The signs of his aging, however, seemed more evident. His eyes were tired, back hunched.

“Father?” Dagen raised his voice to get Eros’ attention, “Are you listening to me?”

Eros returned to the present, pulling himself out of his wandering mind. “Ah, yes. I heard you.”

“Well? Say something!” Dagen demanded; he had always been a little hotheaded and impetuous. “They are plotting to kill Thorn and Leila! Leila…Damn, I thought she was a mongrel and didn’t even greet her well!”

“She’s a good girl. I believe she’ll forgive your attitude,” Eros said while running his finger over the map of his kingdom.

“Why am I sensing that you’ve known this all along? Aren’t you surprised at all?” Dagen pushed. He could have never imagined his father would react so nonchalantly to this news. Moreover, he was left speechless by Amaya and Remus’s behavior, unable to fully grasp their motivation. Even though he always quarreled with Thorn, he had never doubted that Thorn was indeed the rightful and competent heir.

Eros sighed and turned to Dagen. “Yes, I’ve known it for quite a while now, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Are you serious? You’re the king! You can easily stop them!”

“I’ve lost the trust of the royal court. It’s been controlled by Amaya since…” Eros’ voice cracked, “since the day all of the dragon spirits vanished. I’m not the same king I was before.”

“But if you talk to mother…she’ll surely change her mind.”

Eros looked at his secondborn affectionately. “Your heart is too kind for this kind of business. Amaya wants Remus to be my successor. There’s no way she’ll give up. But I won’t give in to her either.”

“But you should at least do something! Thorn and Leila are being hunted by them! That’s not right!” For the first time, Dagen finally stood up for his big brother. “Please father, you can’t just sit here all day, living in the past with grief. I didn’t know what actually happened to the dragon spirits, but I know they will never come back if you just let those two indulge in their evil plans!”

After a good, long silence, Eros paced along the room, then finally said, “I’m afraid you’re right, my son. Stop Rina from giving that flask to Thorn and order the golden knights in King’s Harbor to seal the city. I will take Remus and Amaya into custody.”

Dagen was already on his way to carry out the king’s orders. Even though he felt heartbroken about his family, he knew it was the right thing to do. He also believed that Thorn and the king would never actually sentence his mother and brother to death…

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*The Jubilee Inn

Leila woke up with a terrible headache. She barely remembered what happened last night, but there was a lingering feeling as if she did something awful. The clattering of dishes and voices of guests floated up into her ears from the first floor of the inn. She poked her head out of the window and realized it was already approaching noon. Then, she saw the man she loved. Thorn was talking to Hugo and Serlon at the front door.

She only wanted to run to him and give him a huge hug. But the image of him having sex with Gritta held her back. Blood rushed to her head as her anger and pain reignited; thoughts rushed through her head one after another. *How could he do this to me? And where had he been since that night? How dare he leave me feeling miserable on my own?* No. She decided she wouldn’t accept it. She wouldn’t say another word to him and would leave for Slathar, to find her purpose, that very moment.

She finished packing all of her necessities in a little, bundled-up sack and was surprised by how little she actually needed for the long and dangerous journey. Leila raced downstairs, ready to leave the inn for good.

By that time, Thorn was already sitting in the hall. He watched Leila rush down with a sack thrown over her shoulder. She stood at the front door, arguing with Thorn’s men guarding it. “I want to leave. Let me out!” Leila exclaimed. The guards wouldn’t budge, but began to fidget with embarrassment as Thorn approached them.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Thorn asked Leila, “Where do you want to go?”

“That is none of your business.” Leila said without looking at him.

“Oh, I think that everything is my business,” Thorn said softly. He had never seen this side of Leila before and decided to play with her a little.

Leila stopped and turned around to face him, “Who do you think you are?” the second she laid eyes on him, she felt her heart trembling; she grew even angrier as she felt her body begging to kiss him. But she resisted, turning away from him once again.

“I think you know the answer to that.” Thorn followed her, moving closer. Everyone else in the hall was trying their best to just focus on eating their lunch.

“I’ll go through the back door then!” Leila paced across the hall.

“There’s guards there too. And they won’t let you out without my permission.” Thorn picked up an apple, biting into it airily.

“What do you want? Why are you locking me in!” Leila picked an apple too and threw it towards Thorn.

“I want for you to never leave my sight.” Thorn dodged Leila’s apple as he continued eating his.

“You’re unbelievable!” Leila threw her sack on the floor angrily and sat at the far end of a table by herself. Thorn began to follow her, but was immediately yelled at. “Leave me alone!”

Thorn picked up her things, then gave Ben and Tuya a look indicating for them to talk to Leila. He himself sat down with Hugo and Serlon at the other end of the hall.

“Women…” Hugo sighed, “They’re so difficult… You never know what they’re thinking about. Even if you think you’re sure about what’s on their mind, you’re probably dead wrong.”

“Look at this expert,” Serlon said jokingly, “Seems like Tuya has taught you all sorts of things.”

“Yeah… I’ve learned a lot,” Hugo turned to Thorn, “but the key is balance. When you want to push, take a step back. When you think you need to compromise, take the lead. You’re pushing too hard in this case.”

Thorn rolled his eyes, taking a peek at Leila, who was patiently listening to Tuya and Ben. Maybe he was pushing her too hard. “Love expert” Hugo had actually helped him see a perspective he’d never considered before. His insecurities about losing Leila had put pressure on their relationship. But this was who he was around her; she caused him to act on his instincts in the most extreme way. He wasn’t sure he could let her have the freedom she desired after everything that had already happened.

Leila was absorbing all of the new information. Ben and Tuya had finally told her that Thorn was badly poisoned, that he met with the wolves for the antidote, leaving all of his men at the inn to protect her from the queen’s squad. He couldn’t have possibly had the chance to cheat on her. Tuya and Ben’s explanation helped her drunken memories come back to her as well. She felt awful for treating Gritta so horribly and vomiting on her. She was utterly ashamed and guilt-stricken, considering everything Thorn had done for her. But who could have been behind such a cruel trick? A singular face emerged in her mind.

Gradually, all the anger dissolved. Presently, all she wanted to do was to jump across the hall and hug Thorn. But then, more terrible news suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks. A guard had just entered the inn and told Thorn that the dragon princess was here, and wanted to see him.