Twenty-six: Zargis

I pulled Thelia out of the way before Unda could cause any harm, but Otreg was quick to wrap his arms around the woman and pull her back. Thelia smiled up at me then rested her back against my front, at ease and content. "So, this is your lipstick?" she asked Unda, triumphantly.

"That's theft! You should be punished!" Unda screamed!

Thelia waved a hand at the threat. "You think that's bad? Unda, let me ask you again. What does this lipstick do?"

To my shock, Unda's face paled. I really hadn't known where this interrogation was going, and had no idea why Thelia was getting so worked up about a female accessory, but I let her have her way. Now, I know something wrong was being brought into the open.

Unda said nothing. Thelia raised a brow. "Should I test it? Maybe show everyone here and remind you what it does?"

"No!" Unda screamed, then stepped back, only to run into Otreg. Thelia waited. Unda was thinking, I could tell. And when her eyes landed on me, they lit. "Zargis! Help me! The brat trespassed into my room! She stole my things! How do you know none of this is her doing?"

I blinked, shocked she'd think I'd help her in any way. I rested my chin on Thelia's head gently. "I think I'd like to know what the lipstick does, Unda. You should know, after all. You just claimed its yours."

Unda faltered, then glared at both of us. "Fine. It makes whoever I kiss fall in love with me!" She turns to Thelia. "Happy?"

Thelia hummed. "Not quite. Now, tell me the reason for your methods of seducing the King."

Unda spread her hands as if to encompass the castle. "Because I want to be queen! I want the castle. I want the kingdom. I want the people. I want it all!"

Thelia shrugged. "Wish I'd thought of that when I thought Zargis was lying to me." She sighed and shook her head. "But I faced the truth the hard way, and you know what?" Unda didn't respond. Thelia grinned. "I like the truth. It means the King and his friend, Otreg, didn't lie to me. It means everything they said was true, right from the beginning. It means I'm happy and I know I can trust them."

I smiled, elated that Thelia finally believed me. I tightened my arms around her and she giggled. Then, I look at Otreg who nodded once, understanding everything. Unda crossed her arms. "What witnesses do you have? You can't be the only one who believes this nonsense!"

I raise my hand, then Otreg, then Cam. Then a voice from the back of the room says, "I saw you with my own eyes!" I look and see Theibaut waving a fist at Unda and laughed.

Thelia shrugged. "I think your scheming is over, Unda. It's time to face the truth that you have been found out, that you tricked the King more than once, and that you look like a bird."

Unda gawked at Thelia, looking like a pink fish out of water and covered in wilted feathers. The audience, Otreg, the priest, Thelia and I laughed.

It was two hours later before Otreg, Thelia and I sat down and talked. As I was the least informed about the events going on around me, they did more of the talking than I did. They told me all about Thelia's research and her determination to go back not to become a slave, but to make sure she was right. Otreg told me he was as shocked at her findings as I was, but it all was connected. I learned just how brilliant Thelia is when she told me about the trip back to Citron's, then the trip back. She learned a lot when being here, and it may have just saved my life.

It was late when Otreg decided to go to bed, so it was just Thelia and I. It was silent, but not awkward. Her head rested on my shoulder, her body curled up into mine as I sat on a couch with her. After a few minutes, I asked the question that has been bothering me this whole time. "Thelia?"

"Hmm?"

I make her look at me then say, "Are you still wanting to go back and live with Citron? Are you still not happy here?"

She frowned and I guessed the worst. "Zargis, I'm so sorry about all of this. I'm sorry for not believing you. I'm sorry for the things I said." She gave me a small smile. "I never wanted to go back. I never want to see Citron again. I never want to leave."

It took me a moment to process her words, but when I did, I was overjoyed. "So, you're staying?"

Her smile turned teasing. "On one condition…"