“home recipe” the herbalist at the Aqua Apothecary had given him for his lashes, which healed with almost no scaring. It smelled terrible but worked wonders. He had no idea what was in it.
When he cleared away the blood, his vision was consumed with the formation of the wound. Two intertwined lines crisscrossed down her spine, while one straight line ran down each side of the formation. Roman could not recall seeing such a design before. He wondered what the meaning of it was; he wondered if it had a meaning or was just a trick to instill fear into the hearts of those who cast their eyes upon it.
He worked on cleaning it until he was certain it was as good as he could get it, then dressed it with a healing salve. Alexandria stirred, opening her eyes and looking at him with a weak smile on her lips. “It really is you,” she mumbled and was asleep again within seconds.
He smiled to himself and moved the supplies to the floor so he could lie down next to his love. They would talk later; for now, she needed as much rest as she could get.
Alexandria slept for three days straight. Roman, worried for her health, took a huge chance by riding to the Royal Estate in an attempt to obtain Elizabeth’s expertise.
Luckily, she was out in the garden when he arrived. She noticed him immediately, looking around to make sure Morgan was not in sight before approaching.
“You should not come here,” she warned when she reached him. “If he sees you he will kill you.”
“Yes, I know, but it’s urgent. I need you to come with me right away.”
“Where?” she asked, worriedly. “Are you all right? You don’t look like you’ve slept in days.”
“I haven’t, really. I’ve been . . . preoccupied. I can’t discuss it here. You have to come home with me.”
She looked at him for a long moment. Wiping the loose hair from her forehead with the back of her hand, she let out a sigh. “Okay. I’ll meet you at your cottage in one hour.”
“I’ll see you there,” he said and turned to leave.
When she arrived, Roman opened the door quietly, putting his finger to his lips to indicate that she should be as silent as possible. He guided her gaze to the cot.
Elizabeth put her hands to her mouth, trembling. “How?” she whispered. “He will kill you both for this, Roman! What have you done?”
Alexandria opened her eyes. It took a few moments for the wall to come into focus. When it did, she flipped her head to lie on her opposite cheek. There she found two very concerned faces studying her.
“Hi,” she whispered. She hated sleeping on her stomach, but the injury made it mandatory. “How long was I out?”
Elizabeth fought tears. “Oh, darling, I am so happy to see you!” she said, rushing to her princess’ side.
“Tell me about it. I just arrived from hell,” Alexandria responded. “I feel better, I think. The pain is so much less.”
“Good. You had me worried there for a second,” Roman said, moving to stand beside Elizabeth by the bed.
“Pain?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes,” Roman answered. “That bastard abused her.”
“What did he do to you?” Elizabeth sat down at Alexandria’s side with a look of deep concern.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked Alexandria, who was pushing herself up slowly from her stomach.
“Yes, I think I can. Let me just get comfortable facing you.” Roman helped her get situated as comfortably as possible with her back against pillows. “How long have I been here? How did I—” She looked over at the full-length mirror in the corner of the cottage. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
Roman followed her gaze. “You came through it,” he replied, lifting his chin toward the mirror. She nodded, her breath becoming shallow. “I felt you. It was a strong feeling.” He put a fist over his heart center. “I knew you were coming to me, though I didn’t know how. I was looking right at it when a sort of fog formed in the center, then an enormous
When he cleared away the blood, his vision was consumed with the formation of the wound. Two intertwined lines crisscrossed down her spine, while one straight line ran down each side of the formation. Roman could not recall seeing such a design before. He wondered what the meaning of it was; he wondered if it had a meaning or was just a trick to instill fear into the hearts of those who cast their eyes upon it.
He worked on cleaning it until he was certain it was as good as he could get it, then dressed it with a healing salve. Alexandria stirred, opening her eyes and looking at him with a weak smile on her lips. “It really is you,” she mumbled and was asleep again within seconds.
He smiled to himself and moved the supplies to the floor so he could lie down next to his love. They would talk later; for now, she needed as much rest as she could get.
Alexandria slept for three days straight. Roman, worried for her health, took a huge chance by riding to the Royal Estate in an attempt to obtain Elizabeth’s expertise.
Luckily, she was out in the garden when he arrived. She noticed him immediately, looking around to make sure Morgan was not in sight before approaching.
“You should not come here,” she warned when she reached him. “If he sees you he will kill you.”
“Yes, I know, but it’s urgent. I need you to come with me right away.”
“Where?” she asked, worriedly. “Are you all right? You don’t look like you’ve slept in days.”
“I haven’t, really. I’ve been . . . preoccupied. I can’t discuss it here. You have to come home with me.”
She looked at him for a long moment. Wiping the loose hair from her forehead with the back of her hand, she let out a sigh. “Okay. I’ll meet you at your cottage in one hour.”
“I’ll see you there,” he said and turned to leave.
When she arrived, Roman opened the door quietly, putting his finger to his lips to indicate that she should be as silent as possible. He guided her gaze to the cot.
Elizabeth put her hands to her mouth, trembling. “How?” she whispered. “He will kill you both for this, Roman! What have you done?”
Alexandria opened her eyes. It took a few moments for the wall to come into focus. When it did, she flipped her head to lie on her opposite cheek. There she found two very concerned faces studying her.
“Hi,” she whispered. She hated sleeping on her stomach, but the injury made it mandatory. “How long was I out?”
Elizabeth fought tears. “Oh, darling, I am so happy to see you!” she said, rushing to her princess’ side.
“Tell me about it. I just arrived from hell,” Alexandria responded. “I feel better, I think. The pain is so much less.”
“Good. You had me worried there for a second,” Roman said, moving to stand beside Elizabeth by the bed.
“Pain?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes,” Roman answered. “That bastard abused her.”
“What did he do to you?” Elizabeth sat down at Alexandria’s side with a look of deep concern.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked Alexandria, who was pushing herself up slowly from her stomach.
“Yes, I think I can. Let me just get comfortable facing you.” Roman helped her get situated as comfortably as possible with her back against pillows. “How long have I been here? How did I—” She looked over at the full-length mirror in the corner of the cottage. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
Roman followed her gaze. “You came through it,” he replied, lifting his chin toward the mirror. She nodded, her breath becoming shallow. “I felt you. It was a strong feeling.” He put a fist over his heart center. “I knew you were coming to me, though I didn’t know how. I was looking right at it when a sort of fog formed in the center, then an enormous
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