Miri's POV

I feel pains all over my body and the chest where I had just been hit is still burned, but the pain was more bearable now.

I turn and shake, unable to open my eyes at first, and I hear the tearful shouts of Alira.

"Riri, are you awake? Please open your eyes, Riri."

I suddenly open my eyes and look at Alira, her face filled with tears and her ruined mascara.

"Alira, you look awful," I say with a hoarse voice.

And with a broken voice she retorts,

"Look in a mirror and see if you can still utter those words."

Just as I was about to say something else, Renn, Lior, Malric, Aeren, and Ryden all ran in, coming beside me with all of them talking at the same time, making me unable to hear a single thing.

I lose my patience and yell at them to be quiet 'cause they are giving me a headache, and I finally get silence from them all as I try to get up.

Alira supports me and I ask,

"How long have I been asleep? What exactly happened?"

Aeren answered me.

"You have been asleep for three days. We were all so worried. Dad even threatened to wage a war and take his private ship just to check up on you if it touched the four-day mark."

I simply hold my head in response, and this time Lior speaks up. Gone is my always goofy brother. What I saw now seemed like they could freeze a whole water body, and it was scary.

"As for what happened to you... someone used the energia class as an opportunity to harm you. We caught him, but could get nothing out of him as he was under the control of forbidden ancient magic.

"It's a spell that steals someone’s mind and inputs only one mission into it. It amplifies their powers and instantly kills them once their task is complete or once they are caught, so he was of no use.

"But we are still going to investigate until we find who is responsible for this, that we promise. So don't worry, Miri," he assured me.

Then Renn speaks up.

"Here, Miri, you can talk to Dad and the rest on this communal device," he tells me as he hands it to me.

"Hello Dad, hi brothers, how are you?"

"Ohh, heavenly Miri, it's me, Dad. You just woke up, how are you? Does it hurt? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

"Dad, one question at a time. And I am okay and I feel alright. Please, no need for you to come or worry."

"Miri, do you really mean that? I'm sure I can get permission. And it's Rian, are you sure you don't want your brother there with you?"

"Rian, I am okay, and I have my brothers here with me. I'll be alright. And if you continue like this, Alira might cry all the water out of her body," I say with a laugh.

"Alright, if you're sure then we’ll leave you alone. Please try and rest, okay? And darling, please stay safe. I can't lose you again."

"You won’t, Dad, don't worry. Bye, Dad."

I handed the device back to Renn.

And then I noticed Ryden.

He has been staring elsewhere since he entered, never meeting my eye or even saying a word, and then something clicks.

It was a dragonian that attacked me. He might be feeling bad or that he is at fault, so I try to console.

"Hey Ryden, do you intend to stand there forever or what?" I say with a laugh.

And then he turns and he looks at me, his eyes red and empty.

He takes long strides towards my bed and when he reaches me, he hugs me.

And with a broken voice:

"I thought I lost you. You can't do that next time. You can't leave me. Even if you are to leave, please take me with you."

He says, staring intently at my eyes, his gaze deep and meaningful.

And before I could move or even think, he captured my lips in a fiery kiss.

My brain stops working for a minute as I neither push him away, but instead open my mouth slightly.

I guess he takes that as an invitation as he deepens the kiss.

He devours my mouth as if not only to punish me for even entertaining the thought of leaving him, whether intentional or not.

He held on to me tighter with every movement, as if he were desperate for that physical confirmation that I was really there that I really was okay.

And then he bites my lower lip.

That single action brings back my senses and awakens me to what exactly was happening as I push him away from me and slap him.

He in no form resists.

I look angrily at him.

"What was that for?" I question him angrily, even though every part of my body is protesting that it did, in fact, enjoy what just happened.

"I'm sorry, Miri. When I saw you lying there unconscious, I had so many regrets. I felt so many things. And seeing you awake and calling my name... I just couldn't control myself. I am so sorry."

He takes hold of one of my hands and puts it into his.

"I want to court you. Once you get better.

"Even though I know that as a prince of an empire I do not deserve you, and even as a person I am not and will never be good enough, I am willing to try.

"I am willing to do my best to be a man who is worthy of fanning your ever-burning flames.

"If you give me a chance, I can't promise that I would instantly love you the way you want, but I can promise to worship you the way you deserve.

"I promise to do my best to become someone worthy to stand by your side and to never hold you back.

"I don't want you to tell me you love me or even to tell me anything.

"And I know that this isn't an ideal way to pour my heart out to you, but please just give me a chance once you're all better to show you the extent of how I feel about you.

"To show you through my actions and not just my words. Can you do that?"

I listen in awe at what Ryden just said.

I look around, and my face reddens in shame as I also see that Alira and my brothers are currently witnessing this.

But despite my embarrassment, I just shake my head.

"Sure, if you're that desperate about it," I say dismissively as I turn my face away so he doesn't see how embarrassed I look.

And Alira, always the lifesaver, quickly adds,

"Alright, the patient needs space! You all should give it to her,"

And then pushes everyone out and gives me a wink before leaving.

What just happened?

I ask myself as I force my racing heart to calm down.

Ryden, true to his words, came every day to take care of me, always being attentive to my slightest discomfort, staying by my side until he absolutely had to leave, treating me with utmost care that it was almost unreal.

On one of the rare occasions when he was gone, Alira started her tryst.

"Girl, I told you, I told you that Ryden liked you but you brushed it off. And honestly speaking, he is good-looking, smart, and a prince nevertheless. And that kiss was... ahhhhh I felt so envious. Please don't tell me you are going to reject him."

"I have no idea. I actually thought you were just being unserious. As for my feelings for him personally, I don't know yet. Let's just see how he does and then I'll know whether or not I will accept him or reject him."

"Yeah right, you're totally going to accept him."

"If you say it like that it's as if you're daring me to reject him."

"No, of course not. I wouldn't dare do such," she says, putting her hand up in mock surrender.

Two days later, I was fully healed and able to move around freely and true to my word, I went on my date with Ryden. I spent all morning getting ready with Alira doing my hair and makeup. I went with a no-makeup makeup look and did my hair in a ponytail while wearing a shirt and a free-flowing skirt with comfortable pumps, and just like that, I was ready.

I met up with Ryden just outside my dorm gate.

"Weren't we meant to meet at the communal area gate?" I ask as I see him.

"Well, yes, but I didn't want a pretty girl walking all alone like that. What if someone tried to do something inappropriate?"

"Inappropriate? To me? Like what?"

"Like try to steal you from me and try to take out of your time, which I am trying to cherish. Very inappropriate things, you know."

That earns a huge laugh from me as I walk to him and punch his shoulder before I start walking beside him. Then I noticed that he was deliberately slowing his steps and walking behind me, and I turned and asked him why.

"Well, I promised you to try and become someone who could walk beside you. I don't think I have done it yet, so till then I will watch your back as I slowly try to meet up with you."

"Have you always been like this or did you develop a new personality overnight?" I ask him, exasperated.

He simply smiles. "You unlock doors I never even knew existed in me."

And then winks. Like, actually winks. What is wrong with this man?

I start running just to give him something to really stare at from the back. Once we reach the residential or communal area, I turn to ask him what he has planned.

"Well, I planned to take you to a new energia-powered playhouse that was just brought about by the shadow empire, so we can have fun before we head over for dinner."

"Alright, that sounds fun. Lead the way. You have my permission," I say tauntingly.

He simply smiles and takes my hands as he leads me to our location, smiling but not looking at me directly. This man might be possessed by forbidden ancient magic as well.

We get there and the place is lively with so many exciting rides. There are ones that have depictions of dragons that go up at record speed and come back down which was most definitely my worst and another that strapped us as it kept spinning us in all different directions. My personal favorite was the one that had a ride and took us high into the sky and around. It was serene and beautiful, and once we reached the top, I could see the whole island. It was surely a sight to behold.

Ryden told me the names of the ride but I was having too much fun to pay attention to any of that. By the time we were done, I was so hungry. Ryden took me to an amazing restaurant and ordered all my favorites and allowed me to eat as much as I wanted. I felt so full that I was happy.

But as we were walking back, I suddenly felt that I might have eaten too much, as the food wanted to come back out of me through my mouth. So we sat down to rest, and Ryden left me on a bench and went to get me water.

Then, a few minutes later, I felt someone sitting next to me.

"Ryden, just hand me the water, thank you," I say, putting my hand out expectantly but not looking up at him.

Instead of water, he holds my hand.

"I'm not Ryden."

I look up at him and see it's Draven. What is he doing here?

"You don't look pleased to see me, my sweet velka."

"Velka? What does that mean?"

"It's ancient demon for little flame. It fits perfectly for you."

"You still haven't told me what you are doing here."

"Well, I want to ask you for a fair chance to court you as well," he says, still holding my hands.

"My throat was already irritated. Don't make it worse," I warned him.

"You gave Ryden a chance. Why can't I have one as well?"

But before I say anything else, Ryden drags him from beside me and looks Draven dead in the eye

"Stay away from her. She's not someone you can or should mess with. Don't allow me to repeat myself. If I do, it won't end well for either me or you. Do you understand?" he says with a deadly tone in his voice.

But rather than fear, Draven eggs him on even more.

"Your threats only make me want to try more," he taunts.

And just as Ryden is about to punch him, I stop him, collect the water from his hands and drink up before dragging him and walking away from there.

We walk in silence for the rest of the way and then when we reach the dorm, Ryden holds me and buries his head in the crook of my neck.

"Please stay away from him. I can't really explain it, but he's not a good person. You trust me, right?"

I tap his back.

"I do trust you. I'll stay away from him."

"Thank you, eshkara."

"Eshkara?"

"You don't have to worry about it, okay? Just have a good night."

I don't ask any other questions as I walk in, already getting ready for the interrogation Alira is about to begin with me.