Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Burning pain spread throughout my body. It burned me from the inside. I couldn't breathe. It seemed to me that it was better to die than to endure it. I saw pieces of memories in this fire, but I did not understand to whom they belonged to Ariana or me. I don't know how long this went on, but at some point, I felt better, and I tried to open my eyes, but I saw only vague images.

"Can you hear me?" a gentle voice asked. "Can you move your fingers? Just take your time."

"Yes, I can." I clenched and unclenched my fingers.

"Clever girl."

"The antidote worked without effect. She will get better soon."

"Aiden, are you sure it worked for sure?"

"Yes. Don't worry, Your Grace."

"I thought I lost her. I never forgave myself if she died." It was the duke's voice. Why was he so sad?

"Calm down. It's over. Your daughter will get better."

"Aiden, stay with Ariana. Thank you so much for saving her."

"Certainly. I myself wanted to ask your permission to stay. She is very dear to me."

"I see it. Now you can't say at all that you fought with me as a boy. I have grown old, and you have become a man."

"It's only thanks to you that I survived there."

"But you act like we're strangers. It's frustrating."

"I'm sorry, Your Grace. You know why I do this."

"Your resentment prevents you from moving on."

"Not really. My resentment has lessened thanks to your daughter."

"Her mother was just as kind and helped everyone. Ariana went to her, both in character and appearance. But I will always be a terrible father to this child. She will never forgive me for my mistakes."

The duke and Aiden knew each other? They talked so calmly. Aiden said that he hated the aristocracy, but he communicated very respectfully with the duke. I felt myself falling asleep again.

***

When all the pain was completely gone, I tried to open my eyes again. I knew it was already morning when the sun's rays made their way through the curtains.

"Good morning." Aiden was back in the chair next to the bed. His face looks very haggard.

"Morning."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Much better." I smiled at him.

"I am very glad to hear it."

"Have you been by my side the whole time?"

"Yes. He nodded.

"Thanks." Having Aiden around made me a little happier. I had nothing to fear with this man.

"When you passed out in my arms, I thought I was going crazy." Aiden got up from his chair and sat next to him.

"There's a terrible fog in my head." I muttered.

"That's because you were poisoned."

"Poisoned"? I asked, shocked.

"Some sleeping pills are very strong. If the dose is incorrectly calculated, it turns into poison."

"I don't understand anything. Why would anyone do this?" My head was full of chaotic thoughts that swirled around.

“I don't know myself. We investigated for three days, but found nothing.”

“Three days?”

“Yes. You slept for three days.” He took my hand and kissed it. “What are you doing with us?”

“I’m glad you are here.”

"You know, you look better than when we last saw each other in this room. You're much prettier without your runny makeup." Aiden smiled slyly.

"You're just awful. How can you say that to me?" I got up a little from the bed and hit him on the shoulder.

"Now you're acting like a child too."

He laughed. I got out of bed, took a pillow, and hit him again.

Aiden laughed even louder. He lay across the bed, and I continued to beat him until he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I fell right on top of him.

"Have you thought about my words?" His piercing gaze made my heart beat faster.

"Which words?"

"The one I told you last time."

"About seeing you as a man?"

"Yes." Aiden gently stroked my back. From his touch, a herd of goosebumps ran through my body.

"Aiden, why do you need me? You said yourself that you have enough female attention."

"It doesn't matter to me anymore. I need only you."

"Why?"

"At first I was interested in you because you are the daughter of a man whom I respect very much."

"Are you talking about my father?"

"The Duke saved me the first time I went to war. He was the commander of the imperial swordsmen. Everyone highly respected him. We, too, were under his command. Your father never let us go ahead and always covered us. But they ambushed us. We had to use all our strength. Seeing how my friends died, I had a nervous breakdown. The Duke helped me come to my senses. Thanks to him I stayed alive and was able to get out of there a hero."

"Never heard of it."

"He probably doesn't want to talk about the war. The second time, he was no longer in the war because of your mother's illness."

"It's hard to believe that." The duke had nothing but complaints about his daughter.

"It's true. Your father took care of you so much. Knowing you better, I understood the reason for such a strong guardianship."

"That's why you succumbed to my whim when I wanted to go with you."

"Yes. I could not allow bad rumours to spread about my commander's daughter."

"But you hate aristocrats."

Aiden tucked my hair neatly behind my ear and ran his hand down my cheek. I always had a strange sense of calm when I was around him. He kissed me gently on the lips, slowly and lightly. It didn't look like his last kiss at all. I heard a knock on the door and opened my eyes.

"Lady, are you awake?" This was our maid, Melissa. Nina was probably with Desmond right now.

"Yes. Did you want something?" I punched Aiden in the chest and he let go of me with a sigh.

"You have guests."

"Who?"

"The Crown Prince and Sir Keane."

"Wait a second."

Aiden got out of bed and collapsed in his chair, crossing his legs. Was he not going to leave? I lay back on the bed.

"Melissa, you can let Mikael and Keane in.”

“All right, lady.”

A couple of minutes later, my bedroom doors opened, and they entered, but Alex was also with them. After their appearance, the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees, just like the last time at the banquet.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mikael glared at Aiden.

“Good morning to you too, Your Highness.” Aiden chuckled.

“What did this person forget in your bedroom?” Alex immediately yelled at me.

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“If you want to ask something, please contact me, and do not shout at your sister.” The magician looked at Alex closely.

“Good morning, Riya. How are you feeling?” Keane walked up to me and smiled.

“I’m feeling okay.”

"I am glad to hear it."

"Were you with her the whole time we waited?"

"I won't deny it. Any more questions?" Aiden seemed amused by Mikael's reaction.

"Didn't you say you weren't interested in young girls like her?"

"I changed my mind. Especially if you don't know, Your Highness, that I helped prepare the antidote while you were threatening all the servants in the palace because you couldn't find the culprit."

"You haven't found the culprit, either."

"But at least I did something important, unlike you." Aiden mocked him insolently.

"Please, stop it." I frowned and looked at him.

"Okay, princess." He smiled slyly at me. "I don't want to quarrel with you because of a boy."

"What did you say?"

"The heir to the throne has a poor hearing. This is so sad for our empire." Aiden got up from his chair. There was a flash of red light. He looked at me and smiled warmly. I heard his soft whisper, "I'll be back, be a good girl."

"What are you talking about?" I looked at him in surprise.

"Don't cheat on me." He whispered. It looked like it was a spell, and no one but me heard anything.

That arrogant bastard, how I hated him. Mikael ran a hand through his hair.

"He's probably the only person in the empire who likes to bully you." Keane shook his head.

"I can't believe such a goat became an archmage. His character will never change."

"Mika, Aiden will be upset if he hears this." Keane smiled slyly. He taunted him with obvious pleasure.

"Keane, I'm going to strangle you now."

"It's just that I'm glad that there is a person who mocks you as you mocked me."

"I didn't think you were so vindictive." The prince clicked his tongue.

I couldn't contain my laughter anymore and laughed out loud.

"At least some of us are having fun with this." Mikael chuckled.

"Sorry."

"Are you sure you're better?"

"As you see, I'm fine." I smiled.

"Are you going to scream for me not to come near you again?"

"Did I say that?" My head was in turmoil, and my memories of that day were very hazy.

"Yes."

"I don't remember well." I only remembered his conversation with Keane, and then the fog.

"Someone poisoned you at a tea party. What did you eat or drink there?"

"I drank a cup of tea and ate a small biscuit." I think that was it.

"So it's in the cup." Keane sat down on a chair.

"The cup?"

"We have checked all the food and drinks. But they didn't find anything. The sleeping pills were only in your cup."

"First assassins, now poison. You are very lucky." Mikael sat on my bed.

"Something doesn't add up. We need to interrogate Princess Louise's maid again."

“Do you think it's her?”

“Not only. But your sister took her away from the interrogation too soon.” Keane frowned.

“Louise would never put that much in a cup. She didn't have the courage.” Mikael chuckled.

“I know, someone besides her also slipped sleeping pills. Because of such a horse dose, it turned into poison.”

"Are you saying the princess poisoned my sister?" Alex looked at them in surprise.

"The Emperor will deal with Louise. Do not worry about it."

"Now we need to find a second person. It is possible that he was involved in the attack."

"Aiden said a woman hired the assassins." I remembered his words that day. "He said she was a strong mage."

"Mage woman. Only the daughters of the aristocracy attended the tea party. If one of them was a magician, we would know about it."

"It's not that simple. Aiden said she was good at hiding her powers. Maybe she didn't even go to the academy."

"This could become a serious problem." Mikael's face darkened.

"We need to double-check everything." Keane got up from his chair and walked over to me.

"Thanks for coming to visit me." I smiled at him.

"You don't have to be thankful for that. You said yourself that we are friends." He pulled out a small bundle from his tunic and handed it to me.

"What is this?"

"It's chocolate. You need energy."

"Thank you very much." I smiled again and accepted the chocolate.

"Riya, don't scare us like that again."

"You two stop now." Mikael got out of bed and walked over to us.

"Is something wrong?" I looked at him.

"Why is it that only Keane calls you by your nickname?"

"He isn't the only one."

"There is someone else?"

"Ria, you are so bad." Desmond rushed into the bedroom and jumped onto my bed.

"Desi, why am I bad?"

"You promised you wouldn't get sick again."

"Please forgive me."

He silently grabbed my neck, and I hugged him tightly.

"Young master, you promised not to do that again." Nina entered the room.

"Good morning, Nina." I smiled at her.

"My lady..." Nina sobbed.

"Go here." I patted the blanket.

Nina burst into tears and immediately came up to me, hugging Desmond and me.

"I thought you would leave me. As is your mother."

“Sorry, I made you worry again."

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