The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 95: Wrong Crystals

Chapter 95: Wrong Crystals

Once again, Rafael lied without hesitation. "Nope. Maybe she went into the town’s market. Soleia and I saw a lot of women in the stores― apparently, there are new vendors from other kingdoms selling rare silks and the like."

And some of them sold crystals that were used to hoodwink their future husbands.

"Why didn’t she tell me?" Orion frowned. "I could have accompanied her."

Rafael wanted to laugh. After his blood needles, Orion would not have listened. "Maybe she thought you wouldn’t be interested. After all, you never showed any interest in the feminine arts."

Orion nodded, conceding the point.

"More importantly, it’s time to treat Soleia," Ralph said, his head nudging in Soleia’s direction. "Are both of you done with the prescription?"

The physicians nodded, and hastily pressed a few bags of wrapped herbs into their hands. "Boil these with a cauldron of hot water. When it’s cool enough, make sure the princess drinks as much of it as possible. Once the princess is lucid and able to eat solid food, get the kitchens to make a simple warm stew for her. She should recover in a week."

"Thank you, we’ll remember this," Rafael said, as Orion merely nodded in acknowledgment. He went to his wife’s prone body and easily picked her up.

Rafael pressed a finger to his lips, wordlessly reminding the physicians to keep their mouths shut. The bloody whip made one last circle around them before it landed back into the jar, as though it hadn’t moved to begin with.

They made their way back to the room in silence. Orion tucked his wife under the covers, and then he paused. The fire was already roaring merrily in the fireplace, and now there was only one step left. Logically, he knew he should have joined her, but it just felt strange, especially when she wasn’t conscious enough to tell him to scram.

More importantly, he knew what he saw. Ralph didn’t want him to speak then, but they were alone now.

"What are you waiting for?" Rafael pointed out. He took the chance to poke around Elinora Wynsler’s belongings, taking note of her sealed letters and the lock in her trunk. In one quick easy motion, he took a spare bag and shoved everything inside. "I’ll help you pack Elowyn’s things so she doesn’t come back to interrupt you."

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier," Orion said. "Is it true that she’s capable of ice magic? And why didn’t you let me tell them about the selenite? I remember she did something that... that made my head clearer, after Elowyn..."

He shook his head.

"And if her earrings are indeed selenite, then they aren’t the right ones for ice magic," Orion added. He didn’t know much about magic, but he knew this much. Aquamarines were for ice and water.

Rafael paused. He wanted to tell Orion the truth, but he couldn’t trust him not to spill everything to Elowyn once he got enchanted. This was how his real identity was revealed to begin with. With Soleia’s life hanging in the balance, he decided to speak a half-truth.

"It’s true that she can use ice magic. Your wife was smart enough to snatch the ring from her odious cousin when he was trying to show off, and the aquamarine in it resonated with her, allowing her to harness ice," Rafael said. "But Prince Florian would deny it to his dying breath. He would never want people to know that Soleia is capable of that― she would be a threat to him."

"But she’s married. She isn’t staying in the palace," Orion said. "She would be like her older sisters, would she not?"

"Her other sisters married out of the country, while she’s married to you, a famed popular general in Vramid. In his mind, she could raise an army using your name and take over his crown if she wished. That makes her a much bigger threat than her other siblings, save for Reitan."

Rafael paused, to let his words sink in. "And he already beat the shit out of that little guy because he dared to exist. He would do worse to Soleia. I heard that he wants to marry her instead to solidify his claim to the throne."

Orion gnashed his teeth. He had no love for his wife, but she deserved better than to be wed and abused by such a swine.

"But what about the glowing earrings?" Orion insisted.

"I suspect Princess Soleia’s powers were deliberately being suppressed," Rafael said. When in doubt, it was time to craft a plausible lie. "Selenite can nullify magical abilities. Didn’t you think it was weird that Soleia was the only one out of her sisters to have no ability at all?"

"Every child is different though," Orion pointed out, but a furrow between his eyes grew as he considered this possibility. "And her siblings seem fond of her."

Fond enough to threaten him and call him names, despite being awfully breakable.

"Maybe they became more fond of her after she wasn’t a threat anymore," Rafael retorted. "Royal families are different from commoners, my dear friend. Perhaps one of King Godwin’s relatives decided to take revenge by harming Soleia’s magical capabilities as a child. You’d never know."

"How do you know so much? You say this like you’re part of a royal family," Orion grumbled good-naturedly. "But I see your point."

The slightest hint of sympathy entered his eyes as he gazed at his sleeping wife. He had always thought royalty were living blissful, happy lives, while commoners like him toiled endlessly for the spare bit of comfort.

It turned out they might not be so different after all.

"Get yourself under the covers before I do it myself," Rafael added. "If you decide to run off with Elowyn, I’ll tell you right now I’ll be the first man to slide under the blankets and warm up your wife in your stead."

"You’d do no such thing!" Orion immediately protested, and sheer bravado made him get under the covers.

"Where’s the holding?" Rafael crossed his arms, trying his best to sound supportive and not like he was dying of jealousy at the sight of Soleia being so close to Orion. "Do I need to hold her, or hold you, to teach you how it’s done?"

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