18 Chapter 18

MAGNOLIA LAY IN BED, STIFF. She could not sleep, and her eyes were fixated on the canopy above the bed. She could hear Daniel's deep breaths. He had fallen asleep right away.

'How can he just fall asleep like that? Does he even see me as a woman?' She rolled her eyes.

She turned to her side and faced Daniel. He looked so peaceful. It was the first time she got the chance to study his face this close without the risk of being found out.

His eyelashes were longer from this angle and his parted thin lips were so cute. His silver locks were falling on his face.

Magnolia gently pushed his hair back, but Daniel violently grabbed her hand, she yelped in surprise. Daniel opened his eyes, they were cold, dangerous, and they were staring straight at her. A shiver ran through her body.

"You are hurting me." Daniel immediately released her hand.

"I am so sorry, it is out of habit," he said. "Are you alright?"

"Habit?"

He was silent for a moment. "You cannot let your guard down in battle," Daniel said. "But more importantly." In a swift move, he was on top of Magnolia. "I knew you would not be able to keep your hands to yourself." She blushed.

"What are you saying? Get off me." But she did not push him away.

"Is that what you really want?" Daniel's voice was low and so close, his breath brushed against Magnolia's cheek. She felt her face burning.

She wanted to kiss him, but she knew that for him it would only be physical. Primitive. Like the baron.

'The baron.'

Daniel caressed her face and kissed her jaw gently.

"No." she whispered, trembling under him. "Please don't."

He froze at her plea, he looked at her and found a terrified look on her face and tears running down.

"I'm–I am sorry." He pushed to the side. "I did not mean to…"

Magnolia turned away from him and hugged herself tightly. Daniel opened his mouth to speak, but he did not know what to say.

'Damn it. Why the hell did I have to tease her so much?'

THE NEXT MORNING, the sun made its way through the curtains. Magnolia opened her eyes to an empty room. Then she remembered the events from last night. Her heart clenched.

"Good morning, Your Grace," Clara greeted her.

"Good morning, Clara." Magnolia did not feel like getting out of bed today.

"The duke asked me to inform you that you are invited to dinner at the Marquis of Corossa's house this evening."

"This evening?" Magnolia groaned.

"Yes, Your Grace."

She dragged herself out of bed and put on a robe. "Then please bring out the lavender dress and ready it for the evening."

"Yes, my lady."

"Could you prepare a bath for me, plea–" A loud knock interrupted her. Then a pale maid appeared at the door.

"Your Grace, there has been an accident at the training grounds." Magnolia trembled.

"The duke?" she asked with panic.

"It is the young master."

"Geof–" she almost lost her footing, but thankfully the bedpost was within reach. She leaned on it. "What happened?"

"I am not sure, Your Grace. But the duke asked me to fetch you. He brought the young master to his bedroom."

Magnolia's feet moved before her brain registered the action.

"Your Grace, you are not wearing–" Clara's words fell on deaf ears.

Magnolia could not hear her. She could not hear anything but her heartbeat.

'Please, please Gods, let him be fine.'

She reached Geoffrey's room in no time and pushed the door open. She found him sitting on the edge of his bed, crying. Daniel was sitting next to him, he was trying to console him.

"What happened?" she screamed, running and kneeling in front of her son. She examined his small body with her hands, frantically looking for any wounds.

"He is not hurt," Daniel told her.

"Then, what happened?" She looked at him with questioning eyes. Then she turned to Geoffrey and wiped his flowing tears. "Why are you crying, darling?"

"I did not mean to." Geoffrey sobbed. "It just happened."

Magnolia's heart hurt at the sight of her son's pain. She took him in her arms and patted his back.

"It's alright, it's alright."

He cried himself to sleep. After she laid him in bed and covered him. Magnolia kissed his forehead and caressed his hair a few times. Then, she looked over to Daniel who had been looking out the window for the past half hour.

"Can you tell me what happened now?" she asked as she walked toward him.

He did not move. For a moment, she thought he did not hear her. Then he turned to her with icy blue eyes.

"Geoffrey has magical powers." His words came as cold as icicles.

'How is that possible?' Her eyes were wide.

"During training, his magic arose and one of the knights got hurt."

"What?" Magnolia covered her mouth in surprise.

"Are you really that shocked?"

"I cannot believe it. How is the knight doing?" Daniel's cold eyes stared at her for a moment.

"He will be fine."

Magnolia looked in the direction of her son.

'The baron did not have any powers. He even hated his mother for running away with a noble because she was infatuated with magic. Obviously, I don't have any powers either. So how is it possible that Geoffrey does? Could it be that the baron's father was not his real father?'

"I had Henry look into the nobles' archives." Daniel's voice drew Magnolia's attention again. "There is no mention of De Solange." Daniel paused. "And your late husband was not of noble blood."

Magnolia looked at him, confused. She knew all the information he just mentioned and wondered why he was telling her.

'Are you really that shocked?' His earlier question rang in her ears.

Magnolia felt a sharp pain in her chest.

'So that is what he is thinking. Does he really think that I am an unfaithful wife?'

"As Geoffrey's adoptive father, I just need to know the truth. If there is another man, a noble, who would later appear to claim–"

The slap echoed through the room. Then, Magnolia's hands grabbed Daniel's jacket and pulled him closer. Their eyes were only inches away, his were cold and confused and hers were hurt and enraged.

"The truth, Your Grace, I was only forced to one man's bed, my late husband, Baron Luc Croix. Sorry to disappoint you." Her words were venomous.

She pushed him and turned away, but not before he glimpsed a tear running down her cheek. He did not know what to say. The situation was complicated and delicate.

Magic was inherited through parents, at least one parent must have noble blood in order for the child to do as well. Daniel did not know how else to explain Geoffrey's powers.

"Now, can you leave? I want to stay alone with my son."

After she heard the door close, Magnolia leaned on the window glass and allowed her tears to run wild.

'His words hurt more than any physical pain ever did.'