Chapter 18
Deborah yanked her hand back immediately. She didn’t dare touch the curtain again. She shot Damian a sharp glare–furious, but not bold enough to say a word.
If she’d known things would end up like this, she never would’ve bandaged his wounds last night.
She thought, ‘Let him bleed out for all I care! All he ever does is push people around–what a jerk. How could someone as kind and gentle as Simon have such a foul–tempered older brother?‘
“What’s with that look?” Damian glanced at her, his gaze cool and sharp. That small, delicate face of hers–so fragile, so soft–was now twisted into defiance. He thought, ‘Bold little thing, isn’t she?‘
“Your Highness,” Deborah said through clenched teeth, “why are you here like this?”
She thought, ‘If Damian has shown up, then what happened to “Simon“? A grown man can’t just vanish into thin air!
“I’m done pretending to be your husband. It’s annoying,” Damian snapped, letting out a cold snort.
Deborah nearly rolled her eyes. She thought, ‘As if I enjoyed playing house with you. You are like a walking nightmare–who in their right mind would want to fake being married to you? It is exhausting.
Still, he clearly wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t show up like this without covering his tracks. No wonder the Queen Mother hadn’t even asked where Simon was. Damian must’ve already fed her some story.
That thought gave Deborah a bit of comfort. She relaxed, just a little.
The carriage rolled on in silence.
Neither of them spoke again. Damian buried his head in a book, completely ignoring her.
She noticed it was a book on military strategy–something he and Simon clearly had in common.
She thought, ‘Actually, come to think of it, they share a lot of similarities… except for the temper, the icy eyes, and of course, the missing beauty mark near the corner of his eye!
Deborah let out a silent sigh. She rubbed her temples, already feeling worn out.
The resemblance between them was uncanny. Every now and then, she found herself almost forgetting Simon was gone. It was unnerving.
She didn’t know how much time passed before they finally arrived at the Harmony Court. For the next hour or so, Deborah followed the Queen Mother’s lead–offering prayers for peace.
Surprisingly, Damian stayed the whole time. He kept that stony face of his and didn’t say a word, but at least he didn’t look bored or impatient.
When the ceremony finally ended, Deborah was ready to excuse herself and head back.
She needed to find Simon. She didn’t want to keep last night a secret. Even if it upset him, he had a right to know. If she didn’t say something soon, the guilt would eat her alive.
But just as she was about to speak, the Queen Mother smiled and said, “All the young ones are off playing at the hunting grounds today. Since Damian has some free time, why don’t you go with him, Deborah? Get some fresh air.”
“Your Majesty, I’m really not-”
“Let’s go,” Damian said flatly, cutting her off.
And that was that. Half an hour later, they arrived at the hunting grounds.
Damian and his companion, Thomas, headed off to change into riding gear. From the look on his face, he actually seemed… interested.
Hunting. Honestly, Deborah found it kind of exciting, too. She was only sixteen–of course she still liked to have fun.
But wrapped in layers of flowing silk and delicate embroidery, she looked more like a fairy from a painting than someone ready to charge into the woods. Stunning? Sure. But completely out of place.
She was just about to ask a guard if they had any riding clothes for women when, suddenly, the thunder of hooves shattered the quiet.
A girl on horseback came galloping toward the field, face flushed with excitement.
1/2
2/21
