Chapter 21 The suspicion.
CATHERINE
Opening my eyes, a dull light filtered through the curtains, and for a moment, everything felt hazy. My mind was blank. The last thing I could clearly recall was being at the restaurant with Kane, and then, nothing. Just emptiness.
I struggled to sit up, trying to piece things together.
“My lady!” A familiar voice broke through my confusion, and I turned to see Mia rushing into the room, her face a mixture of relief and concern. “You’re awake!”
“Mia?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy. “What happened to me?”
She approached me cautiously, her eyes scanning my face for signs of distress.
“You fainted while you were out with the king,” she explained gently. “We were all worried about you. You’ve been asleep for two days.”
“Two days?” I repeated, my brow furrowing. That seemed odd. I remembered feeling dizzy, but fainting for two whole days?
“That’s... a long time. Are you sure?”
Mia nodded. “Yes, it’s true. I was so worried when I heard you’d collapsed. But you’re safe now. That’s what matters.”
A frown creased my forehead as I tried to piece together the fragments of my memory.
“ I remember Damon was there right before I fainted,” I said slowly, the details starting to emerge from the fog. “He was trying to stop me from doing something, but I can’t remember what.”
Mia’s eyes widened slightly, and she tilted her head, considering my words.
“Maybe when he brought you home after you fainted. He was pretty shaken up when he found you. I think he cares about you, Catherine.”
“Damon?” I scoffed lightly, still feeling the remnants of the night at the restaurant where everything felt so complicated. “Why would he care? He’s just, he’s always been about the king’s business. I don’t know why he’d be concerned about me.”
“Well, he has to obey the king's orders after all.”
“But I didn’t think he liked me,” I murmured, uncertainty creeping into my voice. “I thought he only cared about Kane.”
Mia shook her head, her brow furrowing as she tried to make me see.
“Catherine, there’s more to people than what they show on the surface. Sometimes, they have their reasons for keeping their feelings hidden. Just like you have yours about Kane.”
My heart sank at the mention of Kane. The memories of our meeting replayed in my mind, his abrupt departure, and his faked gentleman.
“Kane…” I whispered, drifting back. “That rude being left me there all alone. He didn’t even look back.”
Mia’s gaze softened. “He might have had his reasons. You know how complicated things can get with him. He’s under so much pressure being the king.”
“I know,” I sighed, rubbing my temples as the headache from my earlier memories returned. “But it still hurt. No matter how I think about it, he was rude and showed no manners.”
“Maybe he was trying to protect you,” Mia suggested gently. “Kings have burdens we can’t even imagine.”
“That’s just an excuse.”
Mia reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“You have to talk to him, Catherine. When you’re ready, its time, you'll probably understand him better.”
“Y’all wish.” I smirked.
“Now that you’re awake, let’s get you something to eat. You need your strength.”
“Of course, I'm way famished right now.”
We headed to the kitchen and began thinking of what to prepare.
Then, I decided to take control of the situation in the kitchen.
“You know what?” I declared to Mia, who was still hovering nearby. “I’m going to cook something for myself. Maybe bake some cookies for Damon, too. I owe him a thank-you.”
Mia raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Cookies for Damon? That’s a nice gesture. I didn’t think you two were that close.”
I shrugged, a smile creeping onto my face.
“I guess I just appreciate him being there when it was important. It feels right to thank him.”
As I gathered the ingredients, I could feel the excitement building inside me.
Baking was always a way for me to clear my mind and find a sense of comfort. I measured flour, sugar, and butter, and the other ingredients. Just as I was mixing the dough, Mia chimed in.
“By the way, my lady,” she said, leaning against the counter with a curious look. “What’s with the fainting spells? You really need to tell me if you have some kind of illness you didn’t know about.”
I shot her a playful glare, tapping her forehead lightly with my finger.
“Don’t say that! I’m perfectly healthy, thank you very much.”
She giggled, but her expression turned serious.
“You know, it’s a bit odd, don’t you think? First the fainting about weeks past and now this? You should really get it checked out.”
I paused, the thought creeping into my mind.
“Yeah, it is strange. But I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, with everything going on with Kane and the king’s duties. Maybe it’s just my body’s way of telling me to slow down.”
Mia nodded. “Or maybe it’s because you’re a secret superhero who can’t handle her powers,” she teased, wiggling her fingers dramatically.
I burst into laughter.
“A superhero? You wish! Please, if I had powers, I’d definitely use them to avoid awkward dinner dates and chaotic royal mating ceremony with that devilish king of yours!”
“Or maybe just to make the best cookies in the kingdom,” Mia replied with a grin, folding her arms as she leaned in closer, watching me work. “Imagine if you could bake cookies that made people fall in love with you. That would solve all your problems with the King!”
“Now that’s a power I could get behind,” I said, chuckling as I rolled the dough into small balls. “But honestly, I’d just settle for cookies that don’t burn.”
As I placed the cookie dough on a baking sheet, Mia helped me by preheating the oven.
“Okay, but seriously. If you faint again, you have to promise you'll take it serious.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled.
“Fine, I promise. But I think I’ll be okay. Besides, baking is therapeutic. It’s hard to feel faint when you’re covered in flour.”
Mia laughed again, the sound brightening the room.
“Well, just don’t go mixing up the salt and sugar. We wouldn’t want Beta Damon thinking you’re trying to poison him with your cookies.”
“Oh, trust me,” I said, shaking my head as I scooped more dough. “I’m only trying to sweeten him up. No poisons here!”
As the cookies began to bake, the warm aroma filled the kitchen, mingling with our laughter.
It felt good to share this moment with Mia, to let go of my worries, if only for a little while. I could already envision Damon’s surprised face when I gifted him the cookies.
“I think they’ll turn out great,” Mia said, beaming as she set the timer for the oven. “And if they don’t, I’ll just tell him it’s a new recipe I’m trying out!”
I smirked, shaking my head. “I’ll have you know these cookies will be perfect. And if not, I’ll just blame the oven!”
We continued chatting, but deep down in my mind, I had other worries.
The last time I fainted, I was told I slept for two days. Now, I was being told the same thing. So odd! I found it suspicious no matter how I thought of it.