Lunar Rising

Ch.5 Promiscuius

"You must rest," Marcella's voice carried a firmness as she grabbed Meera's wrist, preventing any impulsive pursuit of the prince. "He will come back."

Meera, her nerves heightened, released a shaky breath and reluctantly lowered her hand. The room seemed to close in around her.

"I don't understand," Meera confessed, her voice a mere whisper. "He looks so upset. What happened? How did I... how did I get here?"

"Eryx brought you back," Marcella answered.

"What?" Meera's brows furrowed. "Eryx?"

"Yes," Marcella nodded. "When we realized you weren't inside the palace last night, Ozmen and Henry went out searching for you. The soldiers marched up and down the roads until Eryx showed up with you in his arms."

"He... what?" Meera's ears began to ring, the revelation sending ripples of disbelief through her.

"What on earth were you doing with him, Meera?" Marcella's tone carried a mix of worry and stress. "How did you even get out of the palace?"

The questions hung in the air, each word echoing through Meera's racing thoughts. The events of the night before surged past the haze in her mind, and the room seemed to close in on her, an invisible vise of apprehension tightening around her.

The waves, the strange energy, the scent of pine and cedarwood—had Eryx seen Meera stop the wave? Panic seized Meera's heart, freezing it in fear. Tremors coursed through her, her eyes welling with tears as the air in her lungs seemed to deflate.

"Meera?" Marcella's urgent shake on her shoulder jolted Meera from the grip of her spiraling thoughts. "Say something."

"What...." Meera stared at Marcella, her eyes reflecting a profound fear. "What did Eryx say?"

"Nothing," Marcella replied. "He wouldn't answer anyone's questions. No one knows how you got out, no one knows how he found you, no one knows why you were unconscious. This doesn't look good. Not good at all."

The weight of the situation pressed upon Meera, and a sense of urgency propelled her to action. She pushed the sheets back and climbed out of her bed, her legs feeling like lead.

"He must have said something, Marcella," Meera insisted. "Who did he speak to?"

"To Ozmen," Marcella said. "He carried you into the palace right before dawn and handed you over to Ozmen."

"And he spoke to Ozmen?"

"I don't know!" Marcella clicked her tongue in frustration. "But you better start explaining. Do you have any idea what everyone out there is saying?"

"What are they saying?" Meera asked, fear lacing her voice.

"You were out all night with a man," Marcella reminded her bluntly. "You snuck out of the palace the night of your engagement. You have enough common sense to fill in the rest."

"Nothing happened!" Meera protested, her desperation evident.

"Are you sure?" Marcella asked. "Why were you unconscious?"

"I..." Meera hesitated, her thoughts racing.

She couldn't reveal the truth about her abilities to Marcella. The potential consequences loomed larger than being seen as a promiscuous princess.

"Henry was devastated," Marcella shook her head. "And it didn't help that you kept calling out Eryx's name in your sleep."

"I did?" Meera wanted to kick herself.

"Do you really not remember anything that happened?"

"No!" Meera shook her head. "I....I don't."

"Do you know how you got out?"