The Cursed Kingdom

FIFTEEN

~ THE DUKE ~

I closed my bedroom door with an annoyed huff, turning to face Jerium begrudgingly all the while crossing my arms over my chest after rubbing the crust from my eyes. "What does His Majesty want now?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my tongue.

After arriving back at the palace past two in the morning and crawling into bed half an hour later, I had been hopeful to get at least eight hours of much needed sleep. Instead, I was woken up after only six by loud knocks at my door and a sheepish Jerium on the other side. Upon seeing my scowl and disheveled appearance, he slowly explained to me that Henrik urgently requested my presence yet again in his office as soon as I could get myself together.

I'd then closed the door in his face and pulled on whatever trousers and shirt my hand landed on first without bothering to put effort into anything else except brushing my teeth. My hair remained exactly how it was when I'd awoken: a frizzy, crooked, unappealing, loose bun seated on the top of my head. I was too sleep deprived and still irked by Henrik's unnecessary screaming at Feuerfest for me to care about something as trivial as my appearance. The least he could've done was allow for me to get a good night's rest after his horrible attitude. But the fact that simple courtesy was not a priority of his unless it was convenient for him was becoming more apparent each passing day

"Come. I'll explain on the way," Jerium told me, forcing a smile on his face in a futile attempt to cheer me up as he offered me his arm.

He looked particularly well groomed that day, his hair nicely combed back out of his face, and he was wearing his best jacket, the one with fancy, swirling blue embroideries around the cuffs and lapels. He looked handsome and it for some reason spurred the question inside me whether or not he had a mate as well. But, not wanting to pry, I swallowed down my curiosity, and took his outstretched arm, knowing I didn't have much of a choice anyway.

As we began a slow stroll down the familiar route, I leaned some of my weight onto him, my eyes feeling as heavy as stones and my legs practically dragging against the floor. If he minded, Jerium made no comment or action to correct me and he continued walking without faltering once.

"His Majesty will be introducing you to his duke and some of the lords from surrounding packs." By his tone, I could tell he was hiding something but continued listening on to his rambling silently, too emotionally and physically exhausted to interrupt or fully digest the meaning of his words. As we reached the first floor, I placed my head on his shoulder, feeling the vibrations of his low voice against my ear. It was surprisingly soothing and made me feel even more tired than I thought possible. "They're all very nice, I assure you. Duke Evander is Lady Calandrea's older brother and King Henrik's cousin—Sorry, second cousin. Anyway, the lords are alright. However, there's this one that—well, I can't say that unless I want to be beheaded. But you get my point."

I yawned and nodded absentmindedly, trusting Jerium's guiding skills enough to close my eyes. My legs like custard and, my head feeling as if it was full of water, I could've easily fallen asleep in that position, even while in motion.

I didn't open my eyelids until we came to a complete halt, a silent signal we'd made it to our destination. Internally, I groaned. A part of me had been hopeful that somehow we'd never make it to his office or that I'd have more time. Instead, between my ins and outs of consciousness, it felt like the shortest and most dissatisfying walk I'd ever experienced in my life and I was almost tempted to ask Jerium to walk me back up to my room so we could start over.

"This shouldn't take long," Jerium assured me quietly in my ear, his warm breath causing goosebumps to naturally form on the back of my stiff neck and a shudder to race down my spine.