Chapter 19 Lilies and Vines
Erik’s eyes flew wide, and Cedric choked on his drink when Jackson suddenly appeared beside me.
“Eh??” I blurted, squinting up at the captain. “Sahs who?”
“Do you have coin for an inn?” Jackson asked, tilting his head.
“Noh…”
“Hey, Jackie,” Erik chimed. “She can crash at my place toni—”
“No.” Jackson immediately cut him off, gaze cold.
Erik threw his hands up. “Okay! Okay.” Cedric elbowed him in the rib and grumbled under his breath, making Erik hiss in pain.
“See? I, bluh, I’h go with him,” I slurred.
“Robin,” Cedric said, his voice lowered. “No knight disobeys the captain.”
I winced and glanced away; a reminder that Jackson isn’t my bossy babysitter. He’s now my captain too.
Cedric cleared his throat and stood up. “It’s getting late. We’ll be heading out now.”
“We??” Erik echoed.
“Yes, ‘we.’” Cedric grumbled and then respectfully dipped his head to Jackson. “Captain.”
Jackson nodded in return.
As the brothers left, I noticed that over half of the knights in the tavern had gone home.
“Let’s go,” Jackson ordered.
I frowned, trying with all my might not to sass my superior. With wobbly legs, I rose. Jackson steadied me with one of his hands on my hip and the other on my shoulder.
“You drank too much,” he lectured me.
There he goes again.
I huffed and looked away. My captain frowned but still wrapped his arm around my small waist and helped me walk through the bar.
A waitress cleaning a table glanced at us and smiled. “Have a nice night, Captain.” She glanced at me and grinned. “Well, I can tell you will.”
My jaw dropped as a red blush burned my face.
It isn’t like that!
“Thanks,” Jackson grunted with a brisk nod, not even glancing at her. I gaped up at him next.
He won’t even correct her?!
The warmth, scents of alcohol and cooked meat, gave way to chilly fresh air. A nippy gust swept through, making me shiver and lean into Jackson, using his body heat.
A sliver of shadow covered the silver moon in its waning gibbous phase surrounded, by dazzling stars.
As we walked to his house, I couldn’t resist mumbling, “…I could’ve stayed at Erik’s house instead, ya know.”
“Out of question,” he said without looking at me. “You both are drunk off your asses, and I saw the way he was looking at you tonight. A few too many drinks and alone time with a pretty girl only lead to one thing.”
“Eh?” I slurred. “You’re alone with me! Am I not pretty enough for you?”
“No. I’m just not drunk off my ass.”
“Sooo—” I hiccuped. “Is that a ‘no’ I’m not pretty enough or a—” I hiccuped again and quickly covered my mouth, a surge of nausea riled the alcohol in my stomach and filled my mouth with saliva.
It’s happening. I’m going to puke.
“Robin?” Jackson asked, his brows furrowing.
I shook my head, grunting in pain.
“Shit.” He quickly looked around and hurried me behind a bush. Jackson pulled my hair back, and I gagged, hurling up everything I had eaten for lunch. The foul taste of alcohol forced me to puke several more times. My body shook as I tried to catch my breath.
“Ugh…” I wheezed, unable to mutter my complaint as I swayed, vision hazy.
“Goddamn it, Robin,” Jackson grumbled. I heard the slip of cloth before it pressed against my lips. His handkerchief. He wiped my mouth before stuffing it back into his pocket and sweeping me up into his arms.
Dizzy and weak, my head flopped against his broad chest as he carried me the rest of the way home. My consciousness faded in and out from the exhaustion of a long day. One moment we were outside his house, then in the living room, and finally in his bed. He covered me with a thick wooly quilt. The moonlight shining through the window revealed half of his face in the darkness. His strict, disapproving gaze had softened as he brushed some of my bright ginger bangs back, and then my eyes closed.
Darkness. An eternal night. The void.
“Liliana…” A voice whispered my name. Feminine. It sounded far away, yet close enough for her breath to tickled my ear.
I couldn’t see anything, but there was undoubtedly a presence, as if someone were standing inches behind me. Their back facing mine.
“Robin?” I called out into the void, my soft voice and original body returned again.
No answer.
“Where is she…?” I whispered to myself.
Instead of a blinding flash of black to white, my surroundings slowly lit with warmth, and I woke up back in Jackson’s bedroom.
My slumber felt short, perhaps from the vague dream.
I didn’t see Robin this time…
A headache pulsed through my skull as I sat up with a groan, rubbing my temple.
“I feel like shit—” I gasped and quickly covered my mouth.
Did I just say that?! Mother would scalp me! My tongue is getting too loose.
I glanced around. “Is Jackson making tea again?” I murmured to myself, standing up. My attention was drawn to the cuts from training decorating my body, now bandaged up.
Did he do this?
Stepping out of his bedroom, I spotted him lying on the couch, sound asleep, one arm over his eyes. His chest slowly rose and fell. He was in the same clothes from last night, likely immediately falling asleep on the couch. For a man so intimidating, he looked surprisingly peaceful when asleep.
He’s kinda cute…
My heart jolted at the naive thought, and I shook my head, smacking my cheeks.
What’re you thinking?! He’s far from cute! He’s despicable! He’s—
My eyes lit up when the memory of the book I had been dying to read crossed my mind. I looked in the pile I last saw it in, digging through the books.
It was right here… Where did—huh?
Glancing around, I spotted the familiar cover on a bookshelf. On the top shelf. Far beyond my reach.
WHY!?
With an annoyed huff, I retrieved a kitchen chair, accidentally bumping it against furniture as I struggled to drag it. I nervously kept glancing back at Jackson each time I made a noise. I carefully stepped onto the chair, but it wasn’t enough. Even when standing on my toes, my fingertips barely brushed the book’s rim.
How is he so tall!?
“Ahem.”
The sudden voice made me gasp and tumble off the chair. I sprung to my feet, trying to hide the chair behind me. “G—good morning, Captain.”
“Mhm,” he grunted, running his hands through his hair. He glanced outside, and his eyes widened. “Shit, it’s time to rally.” Jackson rolled off the couch, hurrying to his bedroom.
“Erik said we’ll have a long journey today,” I said and glimpsed Jackson’s muscular back as he slid off his shirt. I quickly turned away, cheeks burning hot. “Wh—what if the murderer is still in Embercrest? I’m worried about my p—I mean, King Austin and Queen Victoria. Can you assign me as their bodyguard instead?”