Chapter 12
"It's getting harder and harder to make contact with you, Liv." I wake up in my dream and see Steve lying down next to me on top of a hill overlooking a meadow.
"What are you talking about? I'm here now." I tell him. I have never felt happier than seeing a familiar place at this time.
Steve turns his head to me and smiles in a way that makes my heart flutter. "I know. That's what matters to me right now. In here, you are safe, but only temporarily." His grin starts to fade.
I tried to figure out why he was making such an expression until I remembered our last conversation.
"Am I still in that place? The fairy realm?"
Steve nods. "Yeah. But don't worry. I-"
"I hate them."
"Who?"
"Fairies." Steve appears to have stopped speaking as I finish, and his expression turns solemn.
He starts to avert his gaze. "I understand. You were dragged in there-"
"It all started with a stupid mark on my hand." My left hand, which lacked the mark in this dream, drew my attention as I shifted into a sitting position. "If I had never gotten this mark in the first place, I would not have been in this mess." Even though it is a dream, it feels good that I managed to express my exasperation. "Seriously, I don't even know the guy and yet I have this stupid mark."
Steve placed a hand over mine, and strangely enough, even though it was a dream, I felt its warmth and comfort. "I'm sure that whoever left this mark feels bad for putting you in trouble. And if...if he could, he would have rushed to your side to keep you safe." Steve seems to be hiding his eyes for some reason, which only makes it harder for me to understand why he was speaking in such a manner.
"We are talking about the unseelie prince, right? What's-"
"You and I won't be able to meet in a while." When Steve did raise his gaze towards me, I saw that he was wearing a sad smile. "Don't worry. I'll never stop protecting you. When you wake up, thrust your fist up as hard as you can, alright?"
"What's that about? And why all of a sudden?" I wonder.
"You'll see." When a man tries to hug me in real life, I would pull away immediately, but when it comes to Steve, I simply felt comfortable enough that I did not even mind it. "It's time for you to wake up." He whispers just as I start to close my eyes.
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"Livia, wake up!"
My body jerks up automatically as soon as I wake up. My fist hits something, and I hear a weird curse coming from the person - or fairy - before me.
"What the hell, Livia!" I turn to Prince Zhier, who seems to be lying on the ground, holding his nose.
"Zhier?" I push back the books covering my body so I can stand and crouch before him. "Why are you sprawled on the floor?" After voicing out my observation, I began to frown. "Don't tell me. Are you lazing around instead of reading?"
At my accusation, Zhier gives me a look of disbelief. His furrowed brows causing a wrinkle to form between his brows. "I'm here because you punched me! What was that for!?"
"I hit you?" I blinked, confused.
"Is there anyone else that I am talking to?!"
Looking at Zhier, he doesn't seem to be joking. Besides, he can't lie anyway. "Sorry about that. It must be a reflex reaction." But truth be told, I feel like my body must have reacted as if someone had commanded me. "By the way, what are we going to do now? It's not like we can figure something out if you don't want to read. I mean, I wish that I could read, but I can't understand the words."
"I may just have an idea, but I think that it would be best if I just go on my own from this."
"On your own?" If I did not know how lazy this prince was when it came to research, I would have backed off from there. "I don't think so. I am going with you."
Zhier looks at me for a while before he starts to frown. "Why do I have a feeling that you just want to keep watch on me?"
I avoided eye contact. "Really? That might just be your imagination at work. Stop thinking too much."
Zhier doesn't seem to like how I was beginning to distrust him, but says nothing against it. Instead, he stands up while clicking his tongue angrily. "Fine. Come with me, but don't say I did not warn you."
I was expecting that Zhier and I would stay in the outdoor library, but it seems like he has another destination in mind. Still, I just decided to follow him back into the palace.
"Around this time, she should be having tea time with her friends outside, so it should be fine for us to head to her office." Zhier looks a little tense when he walks beside me.
"She? Just who are we talking about?"
"My mother." I don't need to be told twice that he means the Seelie queen. Somehow, I feel like I regret not staying behind when he suggested it earlier.
I gulp. "Actually, Zhier, why don't I just wait here while you go and-" I smile sweetly at him and make a hundred and eighty degree turn to leave.
Unfortunately, Zhier was able to grab my wrist. His lips were set in an evil, playful smile. "Are you leaving? I thought that you did not trust me?" It's pretty obvious that Zhier was being petty right now from what I told him earlier and is taking it out on me in this way.
"I trust you completely. What are you talking about?" I lied, but so what? I'm human. I can lie.
"It's too late to repent. You are coming with me. Besides, it's not like you know where your room is."
Well, he does have a point. Plus, as long as I am not familiar with the palace, it is not safe for me to wander around.
In the end, I had no choice but to follow him.
We arrive in front of what I assume to be the Queen's room. I start to brace myself for the harsh and scrutinizing glare from the Seelie Queen the moment the doors open. What I expected to be the fairy queen was just a handsome young man with long pointed ears and hair as white as a pearl. He has a sharp nose and jaw and thick, long white lashes that only appeal to his golden eyes.
I was so mesmerized that Zhier suddenly slapped me. "Why are you drooling? It's disgusting."
On reflex, I stomped on his foot, which he managed to avoid. I temporarily forgot that he's a seelie prince that I did not even think that what I did was disrespectful. "I wasn't drooling and you don't have to hit me because of that!"
"Your highness?" The beautiful man speaks, and I can't help but admire this guy's voice. It's deep but it seems soft and gentle at the same time. "What are you doing here?"
"Faragon." Zhier walks inside the room, making me follow him timidly. "Is my mother around?"
"No, your highness. The Queen is out taking a break." The man replies. His eyes begin to take notice of me and he quickly turns in my direction. He smiled when our eyes met. "Hello. You must be the human that I keep hearing so much about since this morning."
Zhier sighs next to me. "Faragon, this is Livia. Livia, this is Faragaon. He is my mother's trusted advisor. He is an elf."
"Nice to meet you." I was going to shake his hand when Zhier suddenly pulled me back irritably.
"You don't shake his hand." He strictly tells me.
"Is that another rule in the fairy realm that I should avoid? Is shaking an elf's hand bad?"
"No. Your face just tells me that I should not trust you to touch him."
"Hey! You make me sound like a pervert."
Faragon laughs, making us turn our attention to him. "You two seem awfully close. I am glad that Prince Zhier is finally getting along with someone."
I turn to Zhier. "You don't have friends?"
"Why do you look like you pity me right now?" Zhier stutters and scowls, acting as though I've offended him. "It's not like you have any friends in the human realm, don't you?"
"Touche."
"Anyway, stay here. I need to discuss something with Faragon." He looks at me sharply and raises his finger as if I were a dog.
"Why can't I just listen?"
"Because you keep staring at Faragon!"
"Is that so bad? He's good looking." I try not to show how embarrassed I am for blurting it out. I just hope that my cheeks have not become flustered.
"Of course. You're embarrassing me, so stay there. Can't you see that he is uncomfortable?" He jerks his thumb at the elf, who is wearing an awkward smile while listening to our conversation.
"I'm alright with that, your highness. I don't seem to mind." Faragon quickly shuts his mouth when his gaze moves to Zhier's face. He suddenly gulps nervously. "A-Actually, miss Liv, I think it would be best if Prince Zhier and I conversed alone. My apologies." He smiles contritely at me.
I was going to turn to Zhier to see what Faragon must have seen, but Zhier had already left my side to follow Faragon to the study table while they were discussing something.
I cross my arms, feeling unhappy and left out. Why does Zhier have to monopolize such a handsome elf? I mean, it's true that I was flustered at Faragon's look, but it was also my first time seeing an elf.
Suddenly, a thought occurs to me, making me place a hand over my lips.
Could it be that Zhier has a crush on Faragon and he's angry that I was staring at the elf too intently?
I am not saying that it is strange. Moreover, I think that they would actually look good together. Two handsome men falling for each other seems to sit comfortably somewhere in my heart.
I like it. Maybe I should go and give the two some space.
I start to look around the room until I notice a bookshelf that seems to catch my attention. I headed towards it. This bookshelf was nothing like the ones that I saw in the outdoor library. This bookshelf is definitely from the human realm because it uses screws and nails for support.
But that was not what caught my attention. It's the thing glittering behind one of the books.
A mirror. A broken piece of mirror, to be precise.
I reach out and grab the piece, ignoring the warning that Zhier told me about it just this morning. What did he say about the mirror again?
I stare at my reflection, but instead of seeing my face, I see purple eyes staring back at me, making me gasp out loud and almost drop the broken piece of mirror on the ground.
"Livia, is something wrong?"
Ah, shit. I don't want to be scolded by Zhier in front of Faragon.
I turn back, hiding the broken piece of mirror in the pocket of my dress. "Nothing. I was just admiring the books. As I thought, I still can't read." I smile.
Zhier only gives me a quick glance before taking my hand and closing his eyes. "Let's go. I've got the information that I want."
"Wait. My lady, if you want to learn fairy language, I can teach you." Faragon says just before we leave the room.
"I can?" I tilt my head to the side, looking at Zhier to see what he thinks.
"She doesn't need to learn." Zhier tells him, turning back so he can address the elf.
"The young lady seems to be smart, and it looks like she loves to read. It would give her something to do tomorrow while you go and meet the high king." Faragon is still smiling while making an offer to Zhier. "It would also be safer for her with me watching, right?"
Zhier looks like he is considering the offer and looks at me. "Do you want to learn how to read our language?"
I nod. "I'm not sure if I can do it, but learning sounds fun."
"I believe that you are the only human I have ever met who is excited about learning." He mutters. He looks back at Faragon with a strict nod of his head. "Fine. Tomorrow, I will leave her to you. If anything happens, I will hold you accountable."
Faragon simply chuckles at his threat. "I don't think that anyone in the seelie court would dare touch her if they see her earring."
I suddenly remember the earrings that Zhier made me wear. Suddenly, I have become conscious of it. Zhier did not even give me the time to ask, as he started to drag me away like he was in a hurry.
Meanwhile, I look back to Faragon, only to see him laughing and waving at me before the door closes.
*~*~*~*~*END OF CHAPTER*~*~*~*~*~*~