Blood On The Altar

Chapter 21

I didn't get out of bed the next day. Or the next. Nadia came in each morning with a tray of bubble tea and shrimp, which I picked at halfheartedly before pushing away. I was sure there had to be whispers circling about the princess's absence, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

Kai never said anything, but I could see the glimmer of concern in his eyes. On the third day, sheer boredom had me rising from my bed. He had been awake for a while, if the coldness on his side of the bed was any indication. It took forever for me to get dressed, so breakfast was nearly finished by the time I emerged from our suite.

I had my cloak wrapped tightly around me, but I still felt and heard the stares and whispers. This time, though, they weren't malicious. They were concerned, worried. As soon as I saw Kai, I could breathe easier.

Either Queen Katrina had not heard the rumors or was just choosing to ignore them, because her focus was on me. "How are you this morning, dear? You look a bit pale."

I swallowed hard as I forced myself to meet her gaze, trying to focus on the question instead of the maelstrom of negative thoughts swirling around inside my head. "I'm fine. How are you doing?" I wasn't just trying to divert attention from myself; I was curious. She looked better than she had a few days ago.

She smiled, but I could see the sadness behind it. "Taking it day by day."

Seeing her barely holding herself together made me want to confess everything right there and then. That I was one of the prime suspects in her husband's murder. I went through breakfast in a daze, picking at my food and making half-hearted attempts at conversation. I hadn't eaten anything the past few days, so my stomach was growling. Yet even the sight of food was enough to make me lose what little appetite I had.

"I went to see your parents this morning," Kai said quietly as we took a leisurely swim after breakfast. "They asked how you were doing. They told me your aunt caught wind of your uncle's plan and is now doing everything she can to find out the truth about the murder." His unspoken words sent shivers down my spine. She is doing everything she can to pin the blame solely on you.

I put my head in my hands, breathing heavily. "What am I going to do? Everywhere I go, I'll have a target on my back."

He put a hand on my arm as he thought for a moment. Holding up a finger, he disappeared into the palace. Meanwhile, I did everything I could to stop the panic attack that was slowly creeping up on me. He reappeared moments later with Nadia. She had a worried look on her face as she glanced at me. "Oh, my lady. I heard about what happened. Don't worry. We'll be right by your side the whole time."

I gave her a shaky smile. Kai turned to her, his voice low as he spoke. "It's not safe for just you to be accompanying her now. From now on, you'll have two extra bodyguards accompanying you. Just to be safe," he said, noticing my expression.

As if summoned by his words, two well-muscled mermen swam up behind me. Dressed in a mixture of both Aegrem and Beltmare's colors, they looked perfectly suited to guarding a princess. When I met each of their gazes, they both bowed their heads slightly. "Princess," said the first merman. His blond hair and green eyes contrasted greatly against his dark skin. "My name is Jesper. I am honored to have been chosen to ensure your safety."

I glanced at the merman beside him. His skin was a shade lighter than Jesper's, with eyes the deepest blue. His black hair fell in waves down his back. "It is an honor to meet you, Princess. I am Troy. Your safety is my utmost priority."

It wasn't the thought of having someone else follow me around (I was certainly used to that by now) that had me struggling to breathe. It was the fact that by signing on as my bodyguards, they immediately had targets placed on their backs. I couldn't, I wouldn't, allow any more innocents to be caught up in the mess that we were in.

"It's not too late to back out now," I said, a slight tremor lacing my words. Both mermen looked shocked at the suggestion. I could feel Kai's gaze on me, but all I could think of was the sight that had surely greeted Kai and his mother a few days ago. The utter heartbreak and grief on the former's face as he'd swum into bed, body shaking with sobs.

Troy spoke then, his deep voice calm. "With all due respect, Princess, both Jesper and I have faced tragedy and come out the other side. At least let us make sure you don't have to go through that." I caught glimmers of pain in both mermen's eyes, but didn't comment on it.

Instead, I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and smiled weakly at them. "I am honored to have two brave mermen watching out for me."

I pulled Kai aside, whispering quietly. "I'm going to head back to Aegrem and see if my parents have managed to dig up any leads." While they both had permanent suites here, they preferred their own beds at home. That wasn't the only reason for my quick departure, however.

No; my trembling hands were indicators that a panic attack was creeping up on me. I certainly didn't want anyone to witness it, lest they think I froze under pressure. I managed to take a few strokes before I was overwhelmed. My entire body was trembling, my chest constricting, making breathing all but impossible.

Aunt Naia's voice floated through my head, dripping with malice. "You'll never find the culprit. By the time anyone finds evidence, it'll still point back to you."

I felt like I was going crazy. The guilt, fear, and anger were slowly eating away at me, until there was nothing left. The oxygen had suddenly been sucked from the water, and I was left gasping for breath. I was so focused on trying to breathe that I didn't notice someone swim up beside me and wrap my limp body in a reassuring hug.

Kai's heart was beating steadily from where my ear was pressed against his chest. I could hear its steady rhythm over and over, again and again. He stroked my curls, murmuring soothing words that I couldn't hear over the negative thoughts in my head. I focused all of my remaining energy, all of my pain, grief, and anger, on that one sound. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu-thump.

All of the strength suddenly drained from my body, as if someone had pulled a plug. I collapsed against him, my body going limp. "I've got you, Izzy," Kai murmured, his voice soft and soothing. "I've got you."

I hid my face in his chest, savoring his warmth. He held me tightly and didn't let go until we'd arrived back at our suite. Judging from the knowing glance Nadia gave me, I knew that she had informed my parents about what had occurred.

"Do you need anything?" Kai asked as we swam into bed. I could hardly manage the swim from our door to the bed, much less undress for sleep. Nadia swiftly made quick work of my clothes, replacing them with a sleeping gown.

I covered a yawn with my hand, my eyes already closing. "Stay here with me?" I phrased it as a question, but we both knew it wasn't.

I was already asleep by the time Kai responded, so I didn't hear him respond, "Of course. As long as you need," and gather me in his arms as he closed his eyes.

Read and review!