The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 56: To Be Protected

Chapter 56: To Be Protected

The Crown

Typhon senses the tension between us and slips in , "Now, now, Ver—" Vermilion gives him a look "—milion, right. And L—" Another glare "—Your Highness, right. Don’t fight like this. We have so many things to do other than fighting over such trivial matters."

"Right." But I won’t lower my gaze as Vermilion glares me down, my jaw tensed.

Seraphina and Zhan Xin’s eyes bounce between us and they both sigh.

"Hey, Your Highness, is that a cat?" Seraphina asks abruptly, intercepting the tension in the room as she leans down to scrutinize Zhen Xin lying on my lap leisurely. "But why does it have this kind of ’anti-demon’ aura around him?"

"I am not a cat." Zhen Xin retorts but doesn’t bother to leave his comfort zone. "I am a divine tiger."

Seraphina scrunches her nose and picks up Zhen Xin by his collar. Zhen Xin starts to throw out his paws and starts to squirm violently. He is even hissing like a cat.

"From where is he a tiger?" Seraphina tosses at my away and I just laugh nervously.

"Seraphina put him down." I take Zhen Xin from her hand and crease his cheek, "He doesn’t like anyone but me."

Once in my hand, Zhen Xin starts to crawl his way up to my shoulder and then my head. He growls at Seraphina, glaring at him. "Don’t touch me!"

Okay, this is cute!

I laugh softly as these two start to battle with their eyes. This is unsurprising as Seraphina is a bird and Zhen Xin is a cat—tiger.

I feel two eyes burning at the side of my face and I look up at the way, only to meet Vermilion’s gaze. Not only butterflies but also, all their relatives start to dance in my stomach as my heart leaps. But I am forced to lock them away and focus. Erick is missing, I need to find him first.

Phillip enters the room, followed by Edward. Edward has a tray full of fruits in his hand. He places the tray on the small table before the bed and acknowledges me.

"Shall we start now?" Typhon says, grabbing everyone’s attention. "We have two tasks: finding Erick and seeking out Nix. Then, we can either kill him or send him to the Gods to deal with."

"I am dealing with him myself." Vermilion states coldly and a shiver dances down my spine. "No need to meddle. And while we are accomplishing these tasks, I demand His Highness not to leave the palace. He shall be accompanied by his servants, Edward and Zhen Xin as we know what Nix is after."

"This is absurd!" I protest, my fingers clenching around the fabric of my bed sheets, "I am supposed to be the one who was appointed to handle the task! You can’t just lock me away!" And a jolt of tearing pain shoots up through my spine.

My breathing stops and my face pales as my vision fills with black beads. My heart squeezes and my lungs burn. I let out an agonized howl as I fall to my bed, squirming with unbearable agony and pain.

It feels like someone has set my innards on fire and is pushing needles through my spine. It hurts like I am dying. No, worse.

"Make it stop!" I screech, "Stop it!"

"Your Highness!" Three individual voices shriek, but they are blocked out by the arson in me.

"This is your punishment, for not obeying me, Your Highness." Vermilion’s icy voice penetrates my agonized mind.

"Stop it! Please!" I cry.

And the pain starts to subside, though it still hurts so terrifyingly. My breath starts to come to ragged and labored gasps., my lungs expanding and shrinking in an unhealthy manner as they try to get oxygen in them. I stop squirming and clutch myself as I lay there and try to breathe and come to terms with the fleeting agony.

"Your Highness!" I feel Zhen Xin’s paw on my cheek, "Are you alright?"

I nod strainedly. "I-I am fine."

I slowly sit up, my eyes red as I fight back my tears. Edward and Phillip are eyeing me worriedly, but they can’t leave their place because Vermilion will not like it. Seraphina looks rather anxious.

"W-Well what an unpleasant turn of events." Typhon tries to smooth out the tension in the air, "So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Zhen Xin is going to make another light barrier around the palace, that will prevent everyone from going in and out." Vermilion starts, his hands crossed over his chest, his gaze and voice are equally cold. "Edward, Lush, and Zhen Xin will be the only people to stay in the palace as well as Keith, as he is not in good condition. And the rest of us will be out, looking for Nix and Erick. If we do not find Erick until tomorrow’s dawn, we will consider him dead."

I hitch, but I don’t say anything. I don’t like this. I don’t want to be locked away or protected. I want to be useful, not a burden.

"Understood, My Lord." Phillip acknowledges.

"But Vermilion, it is almost dawn." Typhon says, "Maybe we should take a little break for the night and start tomorrow?"

Vermilion looks at him and then nods, "Very well. We shall return to our rooms."

Everyone acknowledges, and then leaves the room one by one. Edward and Phillip looked like they wanted to say something to me, but I don’t care anymore.

I am hurt, and it is worse than any kind of physical pain.

I drop to my pillow. Zhen Xin sits beside my pillow. I snap my finger but no magic comes out. I sigh.

"You worry too much, Your Highness." Zhen Xin comforts, "It will all be alright. Don’t be hurt."

I turn to him and run my fingers through his fur. I smile weakly. "Right..."

People in the royal palace always considered me soft and vulnerable, and so do everyone here. I guess I was just made this way... to be protected.