Nineteen

I was getting ready for bed when Otreg barges into my room, panic in his eyes. "Thelia is missing!"

My anger at her from earlier returns. "What do you mean she's missing?"

"She hasn't returned from going for a walk. She told me she would be back by now!"

Growling, I go to my window and jump out, releasing my wings so that I could fly above the kingdom and search. I have a bad feeling she did the stupid thing and jumped off the edge, but I keep my senses open. I see men walking the streets and fly towards them. They stand at attention as soon as I land. "Have any of you seen Thelia?"

They look at each other. "We haven't seen her since she was near the edge hours ago."

"Did she jump?"

They shook their heads. "No. She nearly fainted and fell over, but one of the others caught her and put her safely on a bench. After that, she got up and walked away."

"Which way?"

The pointed north and I began searching around the edge and a few blocks in. I still didn't see any sign of her.

"Zargis!"

I look up to see Otreg. "Did you find her?"

He shook his head. "I'm going to make sure she didn't fall."

I nod, then continue my search.

It was dawn and I had reached the eastern border when I heard it. I halt and listen. Someone was crying, or just ending a cry because they sniffled. I ran towards the sound and felt relief when I saw Thelia against a wall, shivering.

"Thelia!"

She looked up and her eyes filled up again. I crouched beside her and pulled her into my arms. She buried her head in my shirt and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I got lost!" she cried. "I thought I could find my way back, but the roads were too confusing! I'm cold and hungry and I don't want to be out here."

I stroked her hair, looking around and saw a nearby house. Lifting her into my arms, I carried her over and knocked, not liking the fact that I was waking up the family, but knew Thelia needed food and a fire.

A male opened the door and went wide-eyed at me and the crying girl in my arms. "Can you start a fire and find something hot to eat? She's been out all night, lost."

His eyes widen more, but hurries and steps aside, then goes to the hearth and coaxes the fire. I sit on a chair with Thelia in my lap, her body shaking violently. A woman enters with a large blanket and wraps it around us. "Just give us a minute and she'll be comfortable in no time," she whispered.

As the couple worked, I looked down at Thelia and tightened my arms. "Are you still awake?" She nods just barely. "We're going to stay here for a while until you are warm and fed. Then, we'll go back to the castle and you can sleep for the day."

Thelia curls up even more. "I don't want to be alone." She looks up at me and I see new tears in her eyes. "Please, I don't want to be so alone."

I kiss her head and press it to my chest. "If you still feel that way when we return, I'll stay with you."

Minutes later, the house was warm and the woman brought some hot broth for Thelia to sip on. "Slowly now. No need for it coming up again."

Thelia obeyed, sipping every few seconds. She began to relax, but I knew she wouldn't be completely warm for a while. Here, because we are up so high, the nights get very cold while the days could be warm. Nobody is outside unless necessary.

By mid morning, Thelia was finished eating and was as warm as she was going to get until in her own bed, so I stood up with her in my arms and thanked the couple, then left the house, heading towards the castle.

Otreg was waiting for us just inside, and sighed when he saw Thelia in my arms. "Where was she?"

"Lost in an alley," I told him, climbing the stairs. "She said she tried to come back but ended up there and didn't leave. I think she was there most of the night, her skin was cold and she was starving."

Otreg opened the door to her chambers and I went straight to her bed, lying her down. She moaned in her sleep and shuddered, as if cold. I put multiple blankets over her and start to leave, but she woke and cried, "Please no!"

I look back at her, hesitant on staying with her because I knew she'd go back to being angry at me when she woke. But then I see the look of desperation and fear on her face and I give in. I go to the opposite side of the bed and climb in, pulling her to me and holding her shivering body tight. "Sleep, Thelia. I'm here. Sleep."

And so she did. She slept all day and through the next night. I tried to wake her to eat something, but it was impossible. She was exhausted and didn't stir once to my voice. I was happy she was resting, but I was worried she might not wake up. I had our healer check on her, and she said Thelia was just fine, that she was sleeping deeply and that she'd wake up when she's ready. As much as I trusted the healer, I wasn't sure her words were true this time.

Otreg came in often to check on Thelia and bring me food. He told me about the conversation he'd had with her before she left, and how he felt when he thought she'd done the opposite. I was grateful she hadn't done anything stupid. I was grateful she was smart enough to stop and stay in one place, even though it took most of the night for someone to find her. I was especially grateful she kept her word.