The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 99: Alternate Reality

Chapter 99: Alternate Reality

Orion Elsher’s voice was filled with drowsiness, thickly coated with sleep. He snuggled further into her neck, practically burrowing his face against her skin, causing Soleia to stiffen up.

She didn’t dare to move, not because he told her so, but because she fully knew what the consequences would be if she made the wrong move and agitated the slumbering beast beneath the sheets.

Thus, as per Orion’s instructions, Soleia remained impossibly still. She dared not even breathe too loudly, in fear that her body would shift around too much.

"Orion, what are you doing," she hissed, albeit it came out more like a croak than anything.

"Resting," Orion replied casually, as though they were discussing the weather outside. "You should too. It’s cold outside, but warmer in bed."

"How am I supposed to rest like this?" Soleia said, gritting her teeth tightly together.

She was a little sleepy before, exhausted even, but the more she thought about the position she and Orion were stuck in, the more awake she felt. If anything, her entire body was on fire. She felt none of the cold Orion claimed existed, even if she could spot snow falling down from the heavens outside the glass windows.

"Shh," Orion said, the breath he exhaled causing Soleia to shiver.

She trembled against his touch, and that was a bad mistake. He pressed his body closer into her, a certain body part pinned right against her back as a result. If Soleia didn’t know any better, she would’ve even thought that Orion was just finding an excuse to increase their physical contact.

But Soleia did know better.

Right as she felt Orion slowly falling back asleep, thus causing his grip to loosen, she shot out of his arms, tumbling right off the bed due to the amount of force she placed in the roll. The duvet was yanked clean off the bed along with her, quickly enveloping her as she crashed to the floor. As a result, Orion shot upright as well, blinking dazedly as Soleia’s head emerged from the heap of cloth.

"What are you doing?" Orion asked, frowning as he watched her worm back and away from the bed. "Get back here, it’s chilly on the floor."

"I think I am perfectly fine like this," Soleia said. "Actually, in fact, I will be returning to my chambers now―"

"No, you will not," Orion said. He crawled out of bed in an instant, and with one swift movement, tugged her back into bed by her hand. "The royal physician said you need to rest. And..." His cheeks suddenly turned as red as an apple. "We need to exchange body heat so that you might recover quicker."

Soleia braced herself against the mattress, staring wide-eyed in disbelief as Orion shyly looked away. What was this? She had fallen unconscious for a short while — or at least she hoped it had been for a short while — and she had somehow woken up in an alternate dimension whereby Orion Elsher had a semblance of bashfulness?

Ludicrous.

"How long have I been out for?" Soleia warily asked, her eyes darting back and forth to scan the room.

"A couple of hours," Orion answered. "How are you feeling? Are you still cold?"

He reached a hand forward as though he wanted to test her temperature himself, but caught himself before his hand could touch her skin. He drew back and cleared his throat, his gaze turning a little more distant.

"I’m... feeling fine," Soleia said, observing Orion carefully.

She didn’t need the ability to read minds to know that the man was having an internal war with himself. As Soleia thought of all the possibilities as to why Orion’s personality was so vastly different, she snapped upright. Jolting forward, she grabbed Orion’s hand, causing the man’s eyes to widen with shock due to her sudden action.

"What are you doing―"

"Shush," she said, turning his hand over so that his palm faced the ceiling. Her fingers gently traced the veins on his wrist, the blue lines showing just slightly underneath his skin.

She squinted.

His wound was still there, healing, but present. Soleia moved her fingers until they rested right over his wound. This time, Orion didn’t struggle away like he did mere hours ago. He sat there in silence as he watched Soleia, his eyes resting upon her selenite earrings, which began to glow a faint white.

Soleia shut her eyes, desperately chasing after the strange magic she felt earlier that was in Orion’s bloodstream― Elowyn’s magic. It was much fainter this time, barely even there. If she could just purge it―

A loud banging on the door caused Soleia’s eyes to shoot open. She and Orion turned their heads rapidly in the door’s direction, only for the knocks to come again.

"Duke Elsher!" a man’s voice came from outside, one which neither Soleia nor Orion recognized. "By order of the King, Princess Soleia must be returned to her chambers at once."

Orion pulled his hand out of Soleia’s grip, marching straight for the door as Soleia sat on the bed and watched. When he pulled the door open, there were six men standing outside, all part of the royal guards, their weapons ready if force was necessary.

Yet, Orion didn’t even flinch at the sight of the swords and polearms. He held the door open only by a crack, fiercely glaring at the six men.

"She will be staying here with me for the next month," Orion curtly said, causing the guards to exchange glances among themselves. "Please inform His Majesty that new accommodations will need to be arranged for Lady Elowyn. I will take care of Princess Soleia’s health in the meantime."

"W-What?" Soleia stammered from the bed, causing Orion to cast a brief glance over his shoulder.

"But Your Grace," one of the men said. "The wedding―"

"Will still be held, of course," Orion said. "I didn’t realize that a change in sleeping arrangements could lead to the cancellation of an event."

"N-No," the guard said. "Of course not. But with all due respect, it will not be right for the bride to be away from her groom for the rest of the month. His Majesty is very much looking forward to the wedding celebrations."

Soleia’s heart soured at the thought. Her father was happier for her husband’s union with another woman than when she, his daughter, married the same man. If Elowyn hadn’t looked so foreign, she might’ve even wondered if Elowyn was King Godwin’s biological daughter instead.

"Understandable," Orion said, drawing Soleia’s attention once more. "The bride and the groom should indeed spend more time together before getting wedded."

His next words quickly caused her eyes to widen, and she wondered if she had lost her hearing and started to hallucinate.

"Which is why Soleia will be staying with me until our wedding day arrives."