The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 54: White Cat

Chapter 54: White Cat

The Crown

After what seems like an eternal sleep, when I slowly blink open my eyes, my blue eyes clash with another pair of vibrant blue ones. Right before my face. My heart leaps.

It blinks.

I blink.

"Eeeeaaahhhhh!" I scream at the top of my lungs and jump out of the bed. My knees buckle from exhaustion but I catch myself by the corner of the bed frame. Then I run for it, scrambling and screaming all the while.

"Your Highness!" Edward catches me right outside the room, "What is wrong? Why are you behaving like this?!" His eyes are worried and his voice urgent.

"There is a freaking TIGER in my bed!" I howl terrifiedly, "How the fuck did it get in here?!"

"Your Highness—" Edward rubs his temple, resigned, "—you are forgetting all your manners that I took years to drill into you. How did this happen?"

"For the love of Gods, Edward, there is a whole damn tiger in my bed!" I try to emphasize the word ’tiger’ so that Edward can understand the urgency in my voice.

My head aches like it wants me to see stars, my heart drums inside my chest like it wants a new home, and the world spins around me like it can’t bear me to stand on its earth. The adrenaline coursing through my veins overflows my exhaustion.

"This is the tiger of the God of love, Your Highness." A deep, bone-chilling voice calls after me from inside the room. It isn’t loud but it is clear and overbearing. I can hear him clearly and properly. I freeze at my spot. "And I am pretty sure that you require rest."

And how did I not notice him here?!

"M-My deepest apologies, My Lord." I lower my head and a soft blush creeps onto my cheek. "For my impulsive behavior."

My knees shake slightly and my vision blurs as the adrenaline rush subsides and exhaustion starts to settle in. I watch the big snow-white tiger approach me, its footing barely audible.

He stands before me and tilts his head a little, scrutinizing me. The act is oddly cute contrasting his mighty and fearsome frame. "You are Lush Von Blade? The crown prince of the Blade Empire? And the Prince of Holy Light?" His voice is deep and heavy, but his mouth doesn’t move as it speaks.

I purse my lips and slowly nod, "Yes?"

"You are even prettier up closer." He comments, "I can see why Cupid favors you enough to send me here to stay by your side and ensure your safety."

I ignore the first part and incline my head to the second part, "What does it mean?" And the world jerks around me.

I lose my footing and stumble forward, I shut my eyes tightly and prepare for my face to meet the harsh ground. But someone catches me before it can happen. The grip is strong and unyielding, it pulls me upright.

"I believe that I already have said that you require rest, Lush." There is something more to Vermilion’s cold tone that has me petrified. Anger. "There is a limit to how much a person can risk their life."

"I-I will take His Highness to bed." Phillip quickly steps in between us as he recognizes the expression on my face instantly, "Shall we, Your Highness?" He beckons me pointedly to follow him inside.

I just nod shakily and enter the room once more. I get seated at the corner of my bed and look around the room expectantly, hoping that any of them would feed me with some information that I am hungry for at the moment. The last thing I remember is that I have been chased down by a damn fallen angel. Talk about bad luck.

"You may start now, Edward." Vermilion speaks up, across the room from a chair, as if he can hear what I am thinking.

Edward nods and starts, "You are drained of your magic power and you have been unconscious for three days straight, Your Highness. Erick has been missing since that day. Phillip, Seraphina, and Lord Typhon are trying to track him down. But it will most likely be useless. We are anticipating that he is dead." He continues with so much composure that it infuriates me. "The fallen angel or rather Nix is on the loose. But it seems like he has gone for shelter since that night. No unusual incidents so far."

"What about Keith?" I ask worriedly.

"He..." Edward pauses, "Well, he is recovering but is at a very unfavorable speed. It will take at least another two months for him to recover all his brain cells that he has lost." He recites like he just reported to me the condition of the weather.

"And—" I glance at the white tiger, sitting by Vermilion’s feet, so calm so terrifying. "—what about him?"

"He is Zhen Xin." Vermilion speaks up, instantly grabbing my attention. "He will be following you around for the time you stay in the demon realm. He is here as a volunteer on behalf of the God of love, Your Highness."

So we are back to ’Your Highness’?

Better because if he is to call my name with that tone, I might as well cry.

"What? Am I supposed to drag a whole damn tiger around me everywhere I go?" I frown, not at all pleased. "This is insane."

"You shouldn’t worry about that, Your Highness." As Vermilion speaks the word, the tiger by his side starts to shrink. And now he is the size of a small kitten. "I hope, it shouldn’t bother you now."

My eyes sparkle and a wide smile spreads across my face, "A white cat!"

"I am not a cat!" Zhen Xin retorts, even his voice is cuter now.

Vermilion gets onto his feet and moves to the exit, "I shall return to search for Erick and Nix."

"I-I want to come too!" I urge.

"I won’t permit you to, Lush." Vermilion glares at me, sending terror down my spine, "Stay where you are or you will know the consequence." He leaves.

Tears well up in my eyes and I pout.

Why so mean to me all of a sudden?