Chapter 19: Waking up
I woke to a dry throat and a heavy body. I groaned, and that made my throat hurt more. Fates, it felt like I slept for weeks.
How long was I out?
When I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry. And as I sat upright, it seemed like I had slammed into a wall. I waited for the headache to subside, clutching my forehead with both hands.
"Lily!" Niko was screaming. He sounded awfully panicked. "Lily, are you okay? How are you feeling? Tell me, Lily!"
I paused and turned my head ever so slowly in his direction, looking at him with unrestrained shock and curiosity. Nikolas was standing next to me, his palms flat on the bed. His usually immaculate hair was tousled, his collar askew. There were bags beneath his eyes, really dark ones. His complexion was paler than normal. What had he been doing that didn't seem to require rest?
"What the hell is wrong with you, Nikolas?" My voice was hoarse. "Calm down, damn it."
"I can't calm down," he said, running his fingers through his silver locks. "Not when you're in this state."
I snorted. My voice still sounded weird every time I spoke. "Stop acting like I'm dying, you're the one who looks sick, Niko, not me."
He gave me a baffled expression, his shoulders slumped. "Lilibeth, you were literally unconscious for a month."
This made me laugh. "Stop fooling around, Niko. It's not funny."
I stopped when his face did not move. It remained straight and hard as he stared at me without blinking.
My eyes widened. "Shit, are you for real?"
He sighed and picked up a small mirror from the side table. "Why do you think you look like you had a vacation in prison?"
As he handed the mirror to me, I saw how wasted I'd become. I wasn't even bordering in pale, I was straight up gray. My cheeks had sunk, my lips dry and cracked. I looked more worn out than Nikolas. At least he was still pretty.
I tossed the mirror to the side, feeling worse than I appeared to be.
"What exactly happened?"
Niko sat on the edge of the bed, his back to me. "It's a long story. I prefer you hear all about it after you're fully recovered."
"Fill me in with the basics." I was dying to know what caused me to be unconscious for a whole freaking month. No shit, I legit was dying. I could feel it.
"Those men we encountered, they're the ones the Templar had been following." He spun to me, facing me directly. "They are the people trampling with the natural order of the magics, those who went against the tide. They practice forbidden magic: Blood Magic."
My brows knotted. "Impossible. No one should be able to—"
"That's true, but it seems they've found a way. The queen suspects they've found a loophole. Either way, the one who did this to you died right after because of the recoil. But Her Majesty suspects they will learn their way eventually. They are very dangerous."
"The queen…" My eyes went wide. "What did she say?"
"It's a complicated situation, Lily." He launched to his feet. "I'll tell you everything after you get back to normal. You almost died."
I couldn't have imagined it. His voice was lower and shaky as he said those last words. But I couldn't believe that I was close to embracing death, either. This was so confusing.
"Wait here, Lily. I'm going to call your mother." Nikolas went out, leaving a deafening silence in his wake.
Wait… my mother?
Ah, now that I surveyed the room, I realized that it was mine. The same red curtains and rose-filled wallpaper. The same sofa that were accentuated with red and the mahogany floor. My study and mini library that was set in the left corner. This was the very same room that I grew up in.
I didn't expect this but I was happy to be back.
The door opened and it revealed Cosie, in her maid uniform like normal. But her features were full of worry, her deep brown curly hair unbound.
"I do not know why this boy had not informed me the second you woke up." Cosie set down a tray of food, along with bottles of suspicious-looking liquids which I assumed were medicine. "I thought better of him. Did you not say he was smart, miss?"
"Lily, why is your maid talking like I'm not here?" Niko closed the door behind him.
I ignored their questions and asked, "I thought you went to call Mother?"
"It turns out she and your father went to the imperial palace for a meeting with the queen."
"I see," I nodded. "Then I assume they know everything already?"
"Yes, Lily. The ruse is off."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone