20 Almost died

"This is pure chaos." I muttered as I filled my mouth with food. "You're telling me that both households had given up the act? That even the Quartet is now aware of what happened? Then what was the point of all—"

I choked, coughing out some of the food.

Cosie rushed to me with a glass of water. "Miss, can you please eat carefully? Don't talk while chewing. Oh dear, old habits really do die hard."

"Yes, yes. You can stop talking now." I suddenly felt conscious of Nikolas here in my room.

"Anyway, what do you expect?" Niko continued. "You were on the brink of death. There really was no time to fight with each other and blame themselves."

I resumed eating, but this time only spoke after swallowing. "Somehow, it's still hard to believe that."

"Believe it or not, your life was hanging by a flimsy thread for a week. The Duchess brought in the most renowned Keepers who specialized in the healing arts and body magics. They were able to stop the corrupted magic from spreading to your brain, regulating your blood at twenty-four hours a day. However, they couldn't undo the magic inflicted to you. Nobody is adept in Blood Magic—or so we thought before."

"I see." I nodded, trying to sink it all in. Cosie hovered nearby, cleaning and arranging medicinal tools and equipment and artifacts that could only have been used by the healers.

"A team of healers led by your father were cleansing your body with their magic day and night. They said they could only erase at least an inch of the corruption every hour. But at least there was something. By the third week, your condition started to stabilize." Nikolas reclined into his chair. "Well, they say it's also because you were a powerful wielder that you managed to survive. It had something to do with your affinity to nature's stream of magic that your body refused to let the darkness in. It's all complicated, but you get the point."

Right, Mother couldn't have trusted another healer most than my father. He was the expert, especially when it came to me who would always get hurt during training.

I let out a huff of air. "I could have been long dead by now."

"Yep," Niko said. "And the queen already apologized. She even knelt before your mother, Lily. But the Quartet was there and advised her that she was not at fault."

I rubbed my temple, the pieces of the puzzle finally joining together. "She used us as bait, didn't she? She knew these people wouldn't go against legitimate Templars from the Order since their magic was still purely experimental. The suspects are still in the testing stages. That's why they would think two unknowing students from the academy would be the perfect lab rats. We were sent there to lure them out."

"That's right," he said, wincing. "The queen had not predicted it, so we can't blame her."

"This doesn't change the fact that she lied."

"She's a ruler, lying is part of her job description. If it's for the common good."

"The miss needs to rest." Cosie said, stone-faced. "Nikolas, you can go home and take a bath."

Nikolas seemed offended, but I threw my chin to the door to urge him to go. Eventually he gave in and collected his coat. "I'll be back."

Then he was gone.

"He hadn't left your side until now, miss. The Varemonts keep persuading him to take a break but he wouldn't budge. He sat here like a tall and slim boulder, unmoving and stubborn. He rarely ate." Cosie shook his head. "The poor boy blames himself for bringing you into that alley."

I hands turned into fists, clenching the sheets. "Yes, I can tell."

I had known Niko since we were children. It was easy to guess what he had been going through and what thoughts occupied his mind while I was lying here.

I looked out the window, the sky a clear vivid blue. Sunlight streamed in, balmy and gentle. It reminded me of that day our friendship turned for the worst. A day like any other, but it sparked the beginning of changes, the widening of a rift.

"He hasn't changed at all."