Chapter 10

Celeste stayed by Rika's side all afternoon, changing the wet towel on her forehead a few times until her fever went down a bit and the night came. "Tell me if she calls for me," Celeste told the guard, Louis, outside Rika's room.

As much as Wolfe was adamant about being her guard overnight too, he had to sleep sometime, so he left his right-hand man in charge.

Rika rolled onto her side in her sleep and bumped into something. "Hmm?" She reached out and touched something warm beside her on the bed. Oh crap. What's that? Someone's lying on my bed?

"Oh, are you getting frisky with me now? I figured we'd wait a while until something like that, but if you're game, so am I," a husky voice came from beside her.

Rika's eyes shot open, and she scrambled away from him, ready to scream, but he followed and covered her mouth with his hand.

"From frisky to terrified bunny in seconds." He laughed.

It's him again. The man who broke into my room before. I thought they increased security? How did he get in? She pulled his hand away. "Who are you?"

"I thought you lot already knew that?"

"Kael?"

"Ding, ding, ding. You are correct."

"Why would you risk letting me know?" Rika asked, swallowing hard. I can't let my guard down around this man.

"Risk? As I said, you guys already knew, and this reinforces that despite their 'increased security', I can still find my way in." Kael smiled, his face hidden in the shadows as the moon shone from behind him.

"Is that your only reason for being here?"

Kael reached out and brushed her hair back behind her ear, and she flinched, despite herself. "I'm here for a couple of reasons."

Damn it. I shouldn't show weakness or fear. Hold steady. Scream if I need to. Use my unstable energy ball to attack him if necessary, even if he is a prince.

"I wanted to bring you another rose." Kael motioned to another black rose on her nightstand. "Since they stole the first one." He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I also wanted to check on you, since I heard you collapsed." He reached his hand to her forehead. "Silly me. I'm wearing gloves; I can't test your temperature." He held onto both sides of her head and brought his forehead to hers.

She jumped slightly, startled, but didn't move away.

Holy crap, what's with this guy? Her heart raced as she tried to stay still, his deep red eyes staring into hers from far too close.

"Hmm, a little sweaty, but your temperature seems to be fine." He smirked. "Good to know. We wouldn't want you too unwell for your official welcome party, now would we? It's bound to be exciting."

"What's your real reason for sneaking into my room?"

"I told you exactly that," he huffed and backed away a couple of inches, but kept a hold on her head. "If I wanted to kill you, I could have while you slept, but I didn't. I don't want to. If I wanted to kidnap you, I could've done that, too. Take you back with me to Aeuro as my hostage while you're too new to use your powers much."

She clenched her fists in the blanket. Making a getaway with me might not be as easy as you think.

"But I have no intention of that either." Kael sighed. "I could've done any number of things, but I won't. Despite what the people here in Rose Court might say about me, I'm not that monstrous, at least not to you."

"Breaking and entering is serious, especially into a woman's room."

Kael shrugged. "Fails in comparison to what they say. The villain from the evil nation next door, ready to pounce at every opportunity. If anything, that's more my father than me. I was here to check on you and to give you a rose. No big deal, right?"

"Still a big deal." Rika swallowed hard.

He smiled at her with an odd twinkle in his eye. "You're so cute when you're trying to stay strong like this."

Rika's eye twitched. "How dare—"

He held a finger against her lips. "Might not want to alert the guards, or I'll have to do more than just put them to sleep. Besides, I was paying my cute bunny a compliment."

My bunny? How does he even know Dryden called me that? I can't keep sitting here, helpless. Rika shifted her hand over and concentrated on summoning an energy ball.

"No, you don't." He grabbed her hand, dissipating the magic before it could form.

What the hell? How'd he do that? So much for the powerful saint.

"I don't want to hurt you, Rika."

A shiver ran down her spine as he spoke her name.

"Let's hope our third meeting is even more exciting." Kael leaned in close, and she automatically leaned away, so he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, and kissed her forehead. "Try not to overexert yourself like that again, or maybe I'll change my mind about your living situation." Kael jumped back off the bed. "Until next time." He winked at her, and something flickered above his forehead for a moment in the dark before left through the balcony again.

Rika touched her forehead. Why does he kiss me every time we meet? Rika thought about the cover of the game and intro. He's the unknown suitor, isn't he? The prince from enemy territory.

She sighed and flopped back on her bed, arms spread out. How am I going to survive all these handsome men destined to pursue the saint?

Celeste came back in the morning and spotted the black rose right away. "Is that a new one?" she asked, jaw tightened.

"Apparently, our security still isn't enough. I'm actually a bit afraid of what he might do to them if they got in his way," Rika said, shoulders slouched as she sat up to eat breakfast.

"But how is he getting past them all in the first place? We've doubled the number of guards at the palace entrance and in the gardens."

"If he's telling the truth, then he's putting them to sleep. I assume with magic." He was strong enough to snuff mine out, but that was before I finished forming it. I'm not sure I should mention something that makes me look weak.

"I guess we'll have to talk to Ferran about countermeasures for that." Celeste turned her attention back to Rika as she ate her fruit salad. "And how are you feeling this morning? I imagine a night visitor couldn't have been good for your sleep, on top of how exhausted you were..." Celeste inched closer and took in Rika's refreshed complexion. "You look surprisingly well."

"I slept a lot yesterday, even with the visit." Somehow I fell back to sleep with ease this time. Maybe seeing him as the 'other suitor' helps. But I've played enough otome games to know that still doesn't mean he isn't dangerous. I've seen enough bad endings throughout all the games.

"I'll still have to inform His Highness of this visit." Celeste picked up the rose and put it in the vase with the other roses in her room. "As much as I don't like what a black rose represents, it's still a flower that's done no harm, so it should live with the rest of them."

Surprised she didn't toss it in the trash or bring it to Alric. "So, what's on the agenda today? More magic training? Maybe I could learn to make a shield like Ferran did, or—"

"Gosh no. Of course, you're not being put through more of that after you fainted yesterday," Celeste huffed, patting down the apron on her uniform. "Today you will be with Dryden for lessons in dance, etiquette, and whatever he deems necessary before tomorrow."

"Is tomorrow of some significance?"

"Wasn't it mentioned already? The welcoming ceremony."

"Wait, that's tomorrow?" Rika froze, a strawberry on her fork in mid-air.

"Yes, and while there will be a massive crowd, you shouldn't have too much to do. Introduce yourself; prove who you are with the orb, and pledge loyalty to the crown."

"Pledge my loyalty?" No one said anything about that, but I guess it should've been obvious.

"The people will want to know you're sided with the crown."

"Don't you mean the crown wants the people to know that and solidify their rule? You know what? I haven't even been outside the palace walls. I don't know what the place looks like. I don't know how the citizens live. Are they happy? Would they prefer a more democratic society?"

Celeste's eyes widened. "We're keeping you safe in here. And are you saying you're not happy with His Highness?"

"What? No, I can't say I know him well. I don't know anyone that well yet. I'm just curious and hoping he takes care of his citizens. Even in my world, there's a massive difference between the rich and the poor, but my country has a decent standard of living for even those at the bottom. Or at least services to help them. A low homelessness rate." Rika nodded, thinking about home. Hinata is probably freaking out, assuming time moves the same here as there. "I'm just saying it feels weird, and a bit forced, since I didn't choose to come here."

Celeste thought about it for a moment, frowning, but eventually nodded. "I can understand that. You'll be expected to do it, though." She looked at Rika's empty plate and sighed. "This is part of what Dryden will go over with you. I hope this won't be a problem." She gripped Rika's shoulders.

Rika swallowed hard, staring into Celeste's darkened eyes. "Nope." Geez, she takes this seriously.

"Good." Her expression lit up. "I'd hate for anything to go wrong tomorrow. It's going to be a glorious day filled with music, laughter, and a renewed hope."

Yeah, let's hope everything goes well...