She hadn’t expected it. For all his arrogance and pride, Damian was acting like…
a petty child.
“It was my fault,” she said quickly. “You did it to protect me. I was too softhearted. I should’ve known better.”
He snorted. “You think I was thinking about you?”
14
Deborah stepped closer, eyebrow pencil in hand, her tone genuinely apologetic. “Please, Your Highness. I’m sorry. Just help me one more time.” And of course, that was when Thomas’s voice called from outside, “Your Highness, the matron is here.”
The matron came to deliver the soup.
The matron was under strict orders to make sure the soup was taken while hot, and she wasn’t about to let a guard stop her. She’d already made it to the door.
“Your Highnesses,” she called out, “Her Majesty ordered me to serve the soup myself. I’m coming in.”
Deborah panicked. She looked at Damian–his face was clean. No mark.
Without thinking, she rushed over, grabbed his chin, tilted his face up, and quickly drew the beauty mark back at the corner of his eye.
Damian’s eyes went dark with fury. He thought, ‘This woman… how dare she? Where does she get the nerve?‘
Just as Deborah finished drawing the beauty mark on Damian’s face, the door creaked open. She barely had time to toss the eyebrow pencil aside before the matron stepped in.
The moment she saw them, her face lit up with joy. “Oh my! Your Highnesses look so affectionate–what a loving couple!”
Deborah blinked, confused, then followed the matron’s gaze down–and froze.
Mortified, she realized she was sitting on Damian’s lap.
In her rush to draw the beauty mark, she’d instinctively climbed on top of him–and completely forgotten. Her face drained of color as panic shot through her.
She immediately tried to slide off, heart pounding with guilt. She thought, ‘How could I ever explain this to Simon?‘
But just as she started to move, an arm locked firmly around her waist. Damian. He pulled her back down and held her tightly in place. “You–Simon, stop, she’s right there!” Deborah whispered frantically, cheeks burning.
Damian narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with amusement. “And what, the matron’s going to stop me from being close to my own wife?” Deborah gave him a sharp look and tried to push his arm away, her hand pressing against his sleeve. But he didn’t budge an inch.
Her heart sank. He was doing this on purpose.
Damian’s smirk deepened. ‘If you have the nerve to provoke me, his eyes seemed to say, ‘you’d better be ready for the consequences.
Deborah regretted everything. She never should’ve gotten involved with him–not even for a second. Now she could only hope the matron would do her job and leave.
She seized the moment. “Is that the soup from the Queen Mother?” she asked quickly.
She wasn’t entirely sure what was in it, but it was probably just some kind of nutrition. Nothing lethal. The Queen Mother adored Simon–she’d never actually harm him.
“Oh yes!” the matron said, remembering her purpose. “The Royal Seer said it must be drunk while it’s still hot.”
She handed one bowl to Deborah, then turned to Damian with the other. “Here you are, Your Highness. This is Her Majesty’s heartfelt wish for you both.”
Damian stared at the bowl like it was poison.
“I’ll drink his,” Deborah offered quickly, desperate to get the matron out of the room. If she could just move, just get off his lap-
She drained her bowl in one go and reached for his.
But the matron sidestepped with a knowing smile. “Oh no, Princess Deborah. You can’t drink both. The soup was blessed by the Royal Seer–each of you must drink your own.”
Still, Damian didn’t move.
Deborah took the bowl and gently held it up to his lips. “Si–Simon… just drink it, okay? While it’s hot.”
He glanced at her. Her face was pale as paper, and her hands trembled slightly. One more scare and she might faint.
For reasons he didn’t quite understand–and wouldn’t admit–he gave in.
With a long sigh, he leaned down and drank the entire bowl from her hand.
The matron beamed as she gathered the empty bowls. “I won’t disturb you any further. May you have a long, happy marriage–and many children.”
As she left, she turned to Thomas outside. “The Queen Mother needs your assistance. Come with me.”
Thomas looked confused but didn’t dare question it. He followed the matron away.
Inside the room, silence fell.
Deborah wasted no time. The moment Damian loosened his hold, she scrambled off his lap and quickly backed away, putting as much distance
1/2
