Chapter 55
Eli wanted to protest, to leap down from the table and leave before he could no longer find the resolve to do so, but he was already unable to find the will to make his feet move, so he waited for Kit to return with a small jar in her hand.
She scooped up a generous portion and rubbed it gently over the cut, her stitches having done the job of completely stopping the bleeding. “Will you see your mother or your sister? Can one of them treat this for you, or shall I send this jar with you?”
“I will see them,” he assured her, thinking she shouldn’t send the entire jar with him when Armant might need it for something else.
Kit nodded and set the jar aside, wiping her finger on a rag before finding a clean one and tearing it into a strip. “Let me wrap it up.” She went about making sure it was covered. “Be careful not to use it if you can help it. At least it wasn’t your right hand.”
“I did think it through a little.”
She looked at him and smiled, as if to say she didn’t think he was a complete imbecile. “You’ll need to do some stretching to make sure the skin stays loose. You don’t want it to scar so badly that your hand stays fisted.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“Oh, am I telling you information you already know?” she asked, giving him a playful shove in the shoulder. “Should I have let you sew it up yourself as well?”
He didn’t mention that he had insisted she not bother—especially now that she had—and he was glad for it. “No, Your Highness. Thank you.”
She had been standing next to him again, but now, she turned to look over her shoulder, and when she was certain no one was watching, she repositioned herself so that she was between his knees once more, and he felt his abdomen tighten again. “Be careful.”
“I always am.” He moved so that his hands might appear to be resting on his knees, but he could feel her hips through the fabric of her dress, and she placed her hands on his shoulders. Slowly, Kit leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his, taking a deep breath as she did so.
“I know you won’t kiss me because it could cost us both our heads,” she whispered. “But I remember the time that you did. It seems like ages ago.”
“It was, Princess.” They were treading on very thin ice, and he realized he needed to go now before he went too far. “Kit… you have some fine men out there waiting for you. You’ll find a good one; I know you will.”
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. With one more deep breath, she stepped back, putting a good two steps breadth between them. “You’re right. I do. And this is as it must be.”
“As it should be.” He didn’t really believe that, not for a moment, but there was no changing it. Eli scooted off of the edge of the table and came to his feet, thinking the quicker he left Wrenbrook, the better. “Be careful going back to your chambers.”
“Don’t worry. I took the passage,” she said, and his eyes widened. “I know. Forbidden.”
He could only shake his head at her. She had a secret passage that led from her chambers to another room just down the hallway from the infirmary. It was a safe room, one she was only supposed to use if threatened. Her mother would be outraged if she knew the princess had used the passage because someone might see where it let out, and only Kit and a few other people knew how it operated, including Eli because he was the commander of her guard. Rona had made it clear she didn’t want anyone trying to access her chamber through the secret passage.
“I shall see you soon,” he said, briskly walking toward the door, avoiding looking in Jecob’s direction.
“Be safe,” Kit called after him, though she kept her voice down so as not to disturb the physician.
“Go back to your chambers!” he mouthed to her. Kit glanced at the others, saw they were distracted, and stuck her tongue out at him.
Covering his mouth so as not to laugh aloud, Eli headed into the hallway, thinking whoever she picked for her mate had better have a lot of life in him or else he’d never keep up. Eli hurried down the hall, and turning the corner, practically ran straight into Blankka.
“Oh, Commander, thank goodness,” the blonde said as he stepped away from her. “Have you seen the princess?”
“I’m certain she should be in her chambers.” He chose his words carefully.
“Yes, I know she should be, but I’m sure she’s not. You haven’t seen her?”
“Perhaps you should go check again. I’m certain she’s safe wherever she is, but I’m afraid I must be going.” He wanted to get away from Blankka before she said something to make both of them uncomfortable, but as he stepped forward, she reached out and grabbed hold of his arm.
“Eli, when you return, perhaps you shall take me up on that offer?”
“Blankka…” he began, letting out a deep sigh. “I’ve told you. While, I appreciate the invitation, I’m just not comfortable.”
Her bottom lip protruded, an expression Eli found adorable when Kit did it, but it just looked immature on Blankka. “You know she can never be yours, don’t you? Has that not sunk in?”
“Please, Blankka, I need to go.” He didn’t have time to argue with her now, not that it was ever pleasant to do so.
“You do understand that the queen has vowed to make me a noblewoman? I am in the princess’s service to prove my loyalty, and then, once the queen is assured of my devotion, she will make me a duchess.”
“I am sure you will make a fine noblewoman,” he replied, once again trying to politely free himself.
A smile that was more like a sneer broke over her pretty face. “Once I have a title, you will no longer be able to refuse me. Why not accept my offer now so that you don’t find yourself in a position where you are called upon to perform an act you might regret?”
Eli arched an eyebrow at her, unable to see the difference between consenting to lying with her now when he didn’t want to or waiting until later to do so, when he was certain he still wouldn’t want to. Perhaps she was attempting to make another threat, something he wasn’t quite grasping. “Blankka, the queen has ordered me to return to Eastbury for the re-election. I need to go.”
She released him then but didn’t end her petition. “Very well. We shall discuss it when you return.”
Resolved to do whatever he could to leave, Eli nodded at her and then proceeded down the hallway as fast as he could go without running, hoping that, in the meantime, the princess had managed to return to her chambers and that when Jecob awoke and found he only had a small tube left through which he could urinate he knew precisely who he could thank that he was still alive.
