2. Shadowlight | ✓

2. Worry

Kaylon remained silent and she sighed silently but decided that she won't ask again. There was an awkward pause settling in the room but she respects her patients and she respects him as her important friend. 

"Rowan." Kaylon was the one who broke the silence and she spun around to look at him. Rowan did that? It was almost difficult for her to believe because of all the people she had known, she knew that Rowan treasured all his aides as though they were family. 

"Why?" she asked, perplexed. 

"It's nothing serious, really. His moves were harsher whenever he's in a foul mood. More of that, I was really careless today," he explained hastily. 

"Is it okay if I ask why he's in a foul mood?" She realised that since Rowan returned back from the Throne Room the other day. There was something enigmatic about him which she couldn't put her finger on. 

"He refused to say anything," Kaylon sighed. 

"To cause such a serious injury felt quite extreme," she stated as a matter-of-factly. 

"Elianna!" he panicked and jolted himself up to a sitting position, then gave a harsh wince because of the pain on his thigh. 

"Kaylon! Don't do that!" she scolded. 

"Please don't say that. This injury is a result of my own carelessness! Rowan is already feeling remorseful about it." 

Turning her attention back on the concoctions, she pounded on those herbs but unease gnawed at her, she couldn't help but wonder what happened to Rowan. 

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Iftia: Lyx Palace, Training Ground

• Rowan •

Rowan caught sight of the soldier who helped Kaylon to the medical office and he instantly pushed himself up to stand. Worry and unease marred the baritone quality of his voice but he rushed, "How's Kaylon?" 

"Your Highness, Doctor Everson helped to stitch his wound and Sir Kaylon is now resting in the medical office," the soldier bowed and reported accordingly. 

Falling back on the chair, he heaved a silent sigh of relief. Leaning his head against the wall, he closed his eyes as guilt swallowed him in whole. He was feeling nervy today that he didn't pay enough attention to notice that Kaylon wasn't catching up to his movements. Raking his hand through his hair, he breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself. 

Vexed by the whole incident that happened in the Throne Room a few days ago, he had been worrying that Gadiel would be plotting something behind his back. That crafty old man would not let go of everything so easily. He felt no obligation to follow their orders, but those scheming old rats knew how to target the people around him, he would use the people he loved against him.

His knights and everyone within the walls of Lyx were important to him, they were the only ones left after he had lost everything nine years ago. Deep down, he always blamed himself for putting everyone under scrutiny and danger because of him. Firstborn, what a royal joke. He never wanted to be part of this whole mess, fighting for the throne. Yet, he has to do it for Mother. She had wished for him to be a good ruler, a person who will keep Iftia save from the hands of the greedy and undeserving. 

Then, his thoughts drifted towards Elianna. Perhaps it was a bad idea for him to bring her to Iftia and get her involved in his mess. But he couldn't help it because a large part of him refused to let her go. She was simply a mythical presence in his life and if he didn't hold onto her, she would slip through the spaces between his fingers and disappear without a single trace again. 

A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi.
(Translate: A precipice in front, wolves behind.)

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Iftia: Lyx Palace, Medical Office

• Elianna •

Kaylon fell asleep immediately after taking the concoction. Elianna pulled out a blanket and draped it over him before moving back to her desk to rework on the report regarding the incident at the border. Picking up a glass tube, she swirled gently and observed the contents within. Professor Hamley and her were still trying to figure out the poison in the river waters but their experiments had been leading to nowhere. 

She was in the midst of noting her observations before there were two knocks on her office door which alarmed her. Please don't be any knights, or even Matthias or Rowan. These few days had been shocking enough for her. A few days ago it was Matthias coming in with a deep cut on his head, then today Kaylon entered with a sword wound in his thigh. Assessing their conditions, she's unsure how she would feel for the next person entering this room with a serious injury. 

The door creaked open and Rowan entered. Worry washed over her as she scanned up and down on him repeatedly.

"I'm fine, love," he chuckled softly. "I'm here to visit Kaylon."

She breathed a sigh of relief and patted on her chest. She explained, "Kaylon's fine. He just took his medication and fell asleep."

Rowan wrinkled his nose slightly and it caught her attention. She shot him a look and forewarned, "If you ever injure yourself, I'll be sure to make you drink the most bitter concoction I could ever make."

"Please be nice," he laughed.

It's been a while since she heard him laugh. He had such nice laughter. It was smooth, paced and warm which reminded her of honey. His brilliant blue eyes would sparkle with warm tenderness and affection to reflect the happiness he felt from within. She knew that she could watch him all day and still be in awe by how attractive he is.

"Rowan," she called softly.

"Yes?" He arched his brow slightly while walking towards her, stopping when he stood right in front of her.

"Are you okay?" She reached out to hold onto his hand. She felt that he hadn't been himself since coming back from the Throne Room. She wanted to know if something's bothering him.

"I'll be," He tugged her towards him and pressed his lips on her forehead. "Thank you, love."

※

"a precipice in front, wolves behind"  means a difficult situation in which there is no easy way to go.