Touch of Flame

Princess?

Nazneen could vividly remember the day she arrived at Ares’ mansion. The maids had been asking him about a princess and why he didn’t bring her. It could be another princess but she was already starting to question things last night when this woman showed concern for her man. She wanted to think it was from a human to another human but she had also stared at him at the party.

Nazneen didn’t want to believe it but her gut was telling her to dig deeper. Something was going on.

The tea boiled over, causing her to break eye contact with Ravina. “It is done now,” Malara said and went ahead to show her the rest while.

“I wonder, is Ares a tea or a coffee lover?” Nazneen asked out loud, setting a possible trap for Ravina.

Ravina looked up from where she sat. Her lips didn’t move but from the way her heart skipped, Nazneen thought she was close to making a mistake.

She knew.

“Is he awake?” She then asked with a smile to cover what was going on beneath.

“Not yet,” Nazneen replied.

“I will send the physician to look at him.” She said standing up. Then she left the kitchen.

No. It couldn’t be her but then she remembered how pained Ares looked when he came to find her. It was that day when he told her about the woman he let go.

Please no, she begged with dread.

Knowing her emotions were about to get high, she excused herself and went upstairs to Ares. She closed the door and leaned against it.

No!

What a fool she was to not have recognized it! How could this happen? And here she was all friendly with this woman who had left him and broken his heart. Now she understood why he had been eager to leave this place and why his demeanor was slightly different while here.

She looked over at him, feeling her anger boil. How could he leave her in the dark? Did Malachi know? Was she the only one who didn’t?

Malachi wouldn’t let him stay here if he knew. He wouldn’t let his woman anywhere near Ares.

A knock on the door she was leaning against startled her and she pushed herself away from it before opening the door. It was the physician from last night. Nazneen moved out of the way to let him in. He gave a nod to greet her as he walked by.

“How is he doing?” He asked.

“No difference.” She told him.

The physician went to Ares and began to examine him. “He is unusually cold.” He said.

“Humans are colder.”

“He is colder than that. He needs the right temperature to heal.” Nazneen quickly went and grabbed the covers she slept with to put them on top of his.

“Why is he not waking up?” She asked.

“He has lost a lot of blood and we don’t know what his head injury could have caused. All we can do now is wait and pray.”

Now her anger and frustration almost brought tears to her eyes. She was supposed to just wait? And pray? To what spirits should she pray?

She needed to know more about sea demons and to know whether the sea would heal him if she just let him drown or if it would make things worse. She didn’t want to endanger him anymore.

Once the physician left, she went to find Ankine. Although she didn’t like the woman, Ares seemed to trust her a little more than the rest and the woman had a vast knowledge.

When she arrived at the temple, Ankine had already seen her from a far distance and came to meet her at the entry. She looked around concerned about not finding Ares.

“I need your help?” Nazneen hurried to say. “I need to know more about the Marozak.”

Ankine raised a brow. “Marozak?” Her eyes looked from side to see and she was quick to put the pieces together. She must have suspected that Ares could be more than just human from his smell. “What is it that you need to know?”

Nazneen explained what happened, what she had tried to do, and what she was afraid of doing to help him. “Will that work?”

Ankine sighed. “It is complicated since he is half-human.”

Nazneen nodded in agreement. She really didn’t know what to do.

“Try to take sea water to him, like how we use stones from the mountains. I’ll see what I can figure out meanwhile. I’ll come to you.”

Ankine gave her jars to carry water and Nazneen left to do just that. Once she came back, she quickly went upstairs and Ares was still laying flat on the bed.

Nazneen prepared herself to do some work and began to bathe his wounds with the water and then she put the bandage on again. The rest she just splattered a little over his face and body then she didn’t know what else to do.

She walked out to the balcony and looked outside. She found Malachi bathing in the river. That was one way to get rid of the woman’s scent that had enjoyed his company last night while Ares was still upstairs in the same house and still hurting. This truly inflamed her.

Then she saw Ravina walk outside and the inflames turned into a volcano. Nazneen could feel the heat suffocate her and she just wanted to let it erupt. She watched her carry a tray with tea and sit down with Araminta outside.

Nazneen recalled what Eve had told her about human females and how they attracted men while she studied Ravina. The woman always had a calm gentle look, friendly enough but still firm and cold. She walked with her shoulders back and head high and her gaze was focused, her speech well thought and polite, and her gestures minimal and elegant.

She had what Nazneen would describe as unique beauty. She had seen many humans, but this one was particularly fair, even the hair and those eyes were the iciest blues she had seen. She was beautiful.

Taking a deep breath she walked back inside. She felt like she had to hold back her anger because there were more important things now. She just hoped Ares would wake up even without a leg because she would break the other one anyway.

At one point she wanted to carry him and just leave this place. It must have been difficult for him to be here all this time. She went from being angry to worrying again and as time passed she fell asleep in the chair.

A gentle pat on her shoulder awakened her and she found those icy blue eyes looking at her. “Oh, I fell asleep,” she said pushing herself up.

Ravina smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You didn’t eat all day.”

“I am not hungry.”

“Do you like sweets then?”

Why was this woman bothering her? She really didn’t want her to be nice.

A faint groan made them both turn their heads to the bed. “Ares!” Nazneen shot up from her seat and hurried to his side. She loomed over him as he slowly opened his eyes.

Ravina came to the other side and Nazneen was already being triggered but she focused on her man. Ares looked confused at first when he managed to keep his eyes open and then as he moved his head, he grimaced.

“Careful. Your wound.” She told him, grabbing his face to stop him from moving his head.

She sensed Malachi coming into the room and she almost wanted to tell him to take his woman away.

Ares closed his eyes again as if he couldn’t keep them open. “Ares?”

“Hmm…” Was all he said.

She looked over at Ravina and Malachi. “At least he is awake. That is good.” Ravina assured. “Maybe we can use fewer covers. He is hot now.”

Nazneen turned back to Ares and noticed the dampness and the flush that had returned to his skin. He had more color now. She touched his forehead and noted that he was hotter than usual. She removed the blanket.

“A cold bath on his forehead would help. I will bring what you need.” Ravina told her.

Malachi followed her as she left.

Nazneen returned to study Ares. She could see his chest moving up and down more clearly now. He was breathing fine.

“You will be alright,” she said stroking his hair.

Ravina did not only return with a bowl of water and cloth. She also brought her food. “You must take care of yourself as well.” She told her.

So this was the woman he liked? She was so different from her. Nazneen just wanted to give up and leave. She was clearly not his type.

“I will, thank you.” She said but didn’t touch any of the food. How could she eat in this mood?

She spent her time taking care of Ares while thinking of what to do once he became alright. She should take him back home, not involve him in any more danger and not get herself involved with him. She would find her own path eventually. It would be less damage for both. He almost died because of her anyway and he maybe even lost a leg forever.

The night felt like forever and her eyelids became heavy again. Before she could decide to lay properly in bed and sleep she fell asleep seated on the floor near the bed. When her bottom and neck began to hurt she decided to crawl up into bed. She lay down with a sigh when she realized something was off. She was alone in bed.

Her eyes shot wide open and looked around. Ares was gone. Was this a dream? How could she not hear him again?