The Eternal Queen

Chapter 20: Ardele

Closing the laboratory doors behind me, I rub my eyes. I am exhausted. The shelves are full of textbooks and I walk over to take out a medicine one. Brushing the dust from the cover, I set it down on the large table in the middle of the laboratory that I has been magically cleaned up by someone.

The man Coralie is going out with this evening is handsome. From a distance away, you would say that they are a beautiful couple, but up close you would notice that the man could not keep a conversation and Coralie was more entertained with her hands. Laughing to myself, I can practically hear her inner complaints, but would never voice out loud.

"Enjoying yourself?"

His crisp voice jolts me out of my thoughts, and I grimace. My body is now used to being around the royal pureblood in the castle. But am I that tired? Normally, I would have been able to sense footsteps near.

"Ah, yes, your highness."

The crown prince glances down, and he dismisses me. A flare of irritation lights up in my chest, but I blow out a slow breath, trying to tame it. He wanted to kill me earlier, and I know he still does. But he is likely a man of his word. He will not punish me unless I fail. And I have no plans to.

He walks further into the laboratory, touching beakers and materials I have laid out.

"What is the other ingredient of your antidote?"

I grit my teeth. "Your highness. I work better alone. I would love to have some peace while I work this afternoon."

"That would be a lie as you work quite well with Coralie, don't you think?"

Is he trying to bait me into fight? I will gladly give it him if he wants it. Unclenching my jaw, I attempt to relax my body.

Placing a pleasant expression on my face, I reply amicably, "Yes. However, I believe anyone could work well with Lady Coralie."

I do not what he is trying to shelter he from, but it is hurting more than helping her. His eyes turn glacial as if he read my thoughts. He changes the topic, weaving his fingers through his hair.

"Are you leaving the castle tomorrow?"

"Yes," I clip, trying to keep my answers harsh.

"Whatever ingredient you need, I am sure the castle already has them. I already had a vial of siren tears in my study."

Glaring up at him from the textbook of medicine I returned myself to, I mutter, "I did not want to disturb you, your highness. Besides, even if you had a vial, I am sure that it's your only one. Am I correct, your highness?"

He dips his head in a nod, his pride not letting him answer my question. What an arrogant, rude, host this man is.

"There you go. I would have had gone out, nonetheless. Now, I am going to have to be leaving tonight."

"I will have to accompany you."

Reading the textbook again, I do not look up. My head is hurting just from looking at him. He is not worth my time, but still I grit out a no.

"I will. Or else you are not leaving the castle gates."

I slam the textbook on the table. "Do you want me to heal the king? Because if so, you need to let me do it my way. I am so tempted to walk away from this tedious task."

He bares his fangs. "You will greet death either way."

I jerk to my feet, tempted to throw a jab to his willing face, but I keep my hands clenched. I cannot be going around punching royalty. My voice is so thick with anger it was barely audible.

"Yes I will. As will you. I promise, as will you."

A slight grins touches his lips, and I want to wring his neck.

He flips through the medical textbook. "Tell me, Miss Ardele, what is the last ingredient?"

"Blood flowers," I grit out.

Blood flowers are easiest to find at night as they bloom next to moon flowers which glow. Blood flowers are popular for teas and decoration after they have been dried out in the sun for many days. They have a stench that is unappealing, and the process of drying out the flowers takes the stench away. However, the process is quite tiresome and laborious. Luckily, the blood flowers for the antidote calls for the raw form of the plant.

These flowers are very beneficial to blood drinking creatures, as it is a simple way to substitute blood. The flowers do not have blood in them, but the nutrients in them are similar enough to blood that it can actually curb the bloodlust of a blood drinking creature. This method is not common anymore, as only very traditional vampires dare to touch them, as drinking from a blood flower is seen as poor and strange.

"Huh. Why didn't I think of that? That is brilliant."

Blatantly ignoring his compliment, I continue to scan over the material before me. Soon enough, silence comes upon the room, and I glance up to see if he has left yet. The crown prince is sadly still here, reading something by the windows. 

Letting myself discreetly examine him, I can sense the tiredness and weariness radiating off body. His ashy fair-colored hair is sticking up in multiple directions, rather than his normal slicked back look. I am sure he is frazzled by the state of the kingdom and his father's health. I would be as well in his shoes.