19 Chapter 16

Adriana

"Eros, please just sit down, you're still weak."

"I want to help."

"You'll be able to help much better if you don't over exert yourself."

"Mahlia, please. I need to do something."

"Sit down."

"But-"

"No."

"Ow! I'm fragile!"

"Sit."

"Not a dog."

"Boy if you don't-"

"Fine! Calm your tits I'm going."

"Watch your language."

"wAtcH yOur lAnGuAgE wAa."

"You're a child."

"What's you're point?"

I hear a deep chuckle as I struggle to open my eyes, the sudden exposure to light making them water. My head thuds relentlessly and I groan, feeling a pressure in my side.

"Is she awake?"

I wince, my pounding head not particularly liking the sudden onslaught of sounds. As my eyes finally open properly, I can see a woman - presumably Mahlia - knelt down beside me, her hand pressed flush against my side while she appears to shush someone. Eros sits a little further away, leaning against a tree with his arms wrapped somewhat protectively around his stomach. He looks incredibly pale, wearing a slightly pained but relieved expression.

My eyes drift down towards Mahlia's hand on my side. It seems unnaturally rigid, and despite her darker skin tone it appears to be tinted red as if it is incredibly warm. I don't personally feel any heat coming from it, but the pressure in my side is a strange sensation that makes it awkward to breathe. Strangely though, it's not painful, despite everything suggesting that by normal standards it probably should be.

Mahlia notices me looking at her hand and smiles, shifting slightly to face me more. I notice that her eyes are lighter than I expected, with barely any pupil visible and her iris a stony grey shade.

"How much do you remember, dear?"

Assuming that she's talking about something to do with my side or maybe why Eros looks so pale, I try to think back though I am only met with the pounding in my head. I do recall seeing Emily and something about a wolf, but it seems completely out of context and my confusion only worsens.

"Don't rush it too much. You hit your head, it will get easier to remember later," Mahlia explains reassuringly.

"What if I can't remember?" I croak, my throat dry.

"You will eventually," she moves her hand from her side, and the pressure disappears, replaced with a numb feeling. "I have healed your wounds as much as I can for now. The energy should be enough that you will be able to remember soon. It will come on it's own, you've nothing to worry about sweetie."

At her mentioning healing, I begin to wonder how it is possible for anyone to do. She only had her hand on me, and I have no bandages that I can see. "How can you heal like that?"

"I am a witch; you may not remember much of me yet. We learn how to manipulate the energy around us to carry out a given purpose, so I am able to use it to speed up the healing of your wounds, although your body will have to do a bit of the work itself now," she explains, winking. "We have to be very in tune with nature as this is where witches draw their power. Anyone can do it really."

As Mahlia explains, I start to recall seeing her before, lightning bolts surrounding her, and I wonder if this was a product of the manipulation of energy she talks about. I can't imagine how something like that would be possible for anyone however. It just seems far too fantasy-like. "So you mean anyone, like me or Eros could do it if we wanted to?"

She nods, smiling. "Everyone can learn, in fact most of my ancestors were human, apart from the odd few. We were all taught from a young age. When you're feeling better I could show you a few things if you wish."

I nod, curious to see if it would actually work but regretting the movement as my head throbs.

Mahlia sighs, smiling sympathetically. "I wish I could do more to help you, but I've already channelled a lot of energy today. If I do it much more before resting I'd be too weak to help with anything else. I'm sorry sweet."

"It's ok," I smile. While my head does ache quite a bit, I'm not in a lot of pain other than that. Besides, I can imagine that it was worse before if Mahlia had to heal me. I don't mind putting up with it now.

She grins, before standing up. "I'm going to go walk for a bit and recharge. I won't be too far away. If either of you need anything, just shout. Venus will be here anyway," as she says this, I hear a squawk from behind me. I can remember Venus, recalling being with her in the forest. Whatever happened after that is a bit hazy. I think she was hurt at some point? I'm not entirely sure if I dreamt some things. Everything just seems a bit fuzzy.

As soon as Mahlia is gone, Eros gets up, struggling a little. He picks up a bag from behind him, carrying it over as he walks slowly towards me. When he stops next to me, he carefully sits beside me, opening the bag and pulling a bottle of water out.

"Alec and Kellen went to get us some supplies from the house before you woke up. You want some water?" He holds out the bottle and I take it, thanking him quietly. I try to sit up a little, causing my side to throb and I draw in a sharp breath. Eros reaches out, taking hold of my hand with his other behind my back, helping me sit. Everything feels stiff and achy, not unbearably but enough to make me reluctant to move at all. "You alright?"

"I feel like a just ran about 5 marathons," Closing my eyes, I gulp down some water, my throat instantly feeling a bit better. Eros chuckles, shaking his head at my comment. I may have been exaggerating slightly, but I hate this stiff feeling. This is why I don't do sports.

"Well from what Mahlia told me you put up a pretty good fight, you got quite far. I was a little surprised if I'm being honest," he takes the bottle from me, taking a sip and winking as I scowl.

"I'm not completely incompetent you know."

He smirks, chuckling slightly. "You're so easy to wind up."

I snatch the water back, glaring at him, mostly being infuriated with myself for not being able to think of a comeback. But he doesn't have to know that.

The look on his face reminds me that he probably already does, however.

That stupid mind trick is getting on my nerves.

I recall being irritated by this before. I think Mahlia was the one that told me. He's been listening to my thoughts the whole time. It still makes me wonder why he let me tag along in the first place, if he always knew my intentions.

"It's hard to explain," he states, confirming that he is indeed poking around my thoughts.

I sigh, an eyebrow raised. "By the look of things right now we have plenty of time."

He pinches the bridge of his nose, scrunching his face up a little. "You're human."

"Yeah, what about that?"

"I'd never met a normal human before I met you."

My brows furrow. I really don't understand what he's trying to say. What's so special about me being human? It just sounds strange.

"People with a supernatural bloodline tend to treat high fey a particular way. Nobody fully knows why. It's like everyone just turns into a completely different person around us, always trying to please us, especially if you're a royal. But you never did it, because you're human," I notice him picking up pebbles and throwing them back down at the grass, frowning as he does so.

"To be honest I thought you liked being treated like that."

He huffs, picking up a leaf and fiddling with it on his lap. "I think a part of me used to. It gets boring after a while though. It just feels as if everyone around you is fake. I've been working with Alec and Becca for a while now and I don't even know them. Kellen might be somewhat of an exception but that's only because for he's young, it doesn't affect him yet. It won't last."

"I'm sorry," I say, though I don't even fully know why I'm apologising. He's been parading around like that kind of behaviour is his god given right. If he dislikes it so much why act like it's what he wants? Not to mention it sounds like the only reason I'm with him right now is because of his own curiosity. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.

"Don't be," he sighs, making a face. "I don't really know how else to act to be honest. I guess it's just habit. Although, I'm pretty sure Becca already knew something was off. I probably should have expected it really."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's normal for people to act strangely towards me. And originally, she didn't want you to come with us. At first it was because she didn't want you getting more hurt, or at least that's what she said. I didn't question it because Alec was the same. Then after that I think she became aggravated that I wasn't concerned by you not constantly trying to please me," he shrugged his shoulders. I guess that kind of makes sense, although I don't quite understand what difference it makes to her how I treat Eros. Maybe she's just mad that I can get away with calling him a dick and she can't.

"When did I ever give you permission to call me a dick," Eros stares at me, an eyebrow raised. I smirk, snickering.

"Since when did I need your permission?" I laugh, watching him grin and shake his head.

As we talk, I notice that my body seems a lot less achy and stiff now, though there is still a dull throb in my head. I guess some of Mahlia's healing mojo must still be hanging around my system and doing its thing. I also begin to wonder where Alec and Kellen are now, since I had assumed they were around somewhere.

"They went to the safe house to find Becca and Emily not long ago."

"Can you stop poking around in my head please?" I glare at Eros, who chuckles.

"But it's interesting," he says, in the most innocent voice he can muster.

Oh really? I wonder what I could think of that would change his mind...

He screws his face up, bringing his knees closer to his chest and watching me cautiously out of the corner of his eye, as imaginary me kicks imaginary him in the balls.

"Please don't do that," his voice is slightly apologetic, but I don't think that he'll stop listening to my thoughts just yet. I guess we'll have to see what else I can think up in the future...

"Ok, ok. I'll stop," he holds his hands up in surrender. I can't help but feel like he won't stop for long, but the look of discomfort on his face is enough to satisfy me for now.

"What's so interesting about my thoughts anyway?"

"I don't exactly know. I just get bored."

"You read my mind because you're bored," I stare at him, fairly unimpressed. He might know a considerable amount about me, invading my privacy, just because he's bored. Prick.

"I'm not a prick."

"I thought you said you'd stop doing that."

Rolling his eyes, he mumbles something quietly, but I don't quite manage to catch what he says.

I take in a deep breath, noticing that it is easier to do this now without feeling uncomfortable. I wonder what things Eros has managed to find out about me. My stomach feels queasy just imagining what kind of shit he knows. What if he knows about my family? I wouldn't really be opposed to mentioning them to him now, but the fact that he may have known about what Edward did almost immediately after meeting him makes my stomach turn. What does he even think? I already know that Becca probably thinks less of me from what she has said to me before. I know it's not exactly conventional to want to go back after what Edward did, but I know I can try to make things right again if I take Emily with me. They're still my family, right?

I hear a huff from beside me, making me jump.

"They're not your family, Ria. Family wouldn't treat you like that."

Groaning, I my head to him. "They raised me, of course they're my family. I wouldn't expect you to get it, you're a prince."

He pinches the bridge of his nose, his lips pressed tightly together. "I understand a little more than you think."

I stare at him sceptically. How could someone who has been treated like royalty understand why I want to do this?

"My parents are barely involved with my life, that's how it's always been. The only times they were ever interested was when they thought I was disgracing the bloodline," he laughs sarcastically. "I had a few friends that they weren't proud of. Also courted a few questionable women. I got locked up every time they thought I needed to be taught a lesson. And when I needed them as a child, they were always too busy. And yes I know it's not exactly the same. I had Mahlia, she was always there when I needed someone. She practically raised me, so I suppose I got lucky. But the point is still there. I don't call my actual parents family, because they just aren't. Family don't treat you like you don't matter. You don't need to please them. It's ok to walk away."