Amina was so embarrassed, she could wilt away into the floor where she stood just behind the door. She slumped down to the ground, her hands to her burning face. She couldn't stop remembering how Nero felt against her, his lips, his tongue, his body. She had never even held hands with a man, how had she done all of that so shamelessly with him? Even now she felt drawn to him, wanting to continue where they left off, and it seemed like he felt the same. Amina let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and jumped when a soft knock rapped on her door. She prayed it wasn't Nero again as she stood gripping the handle, debating whether or not to take the chance of opening the door or not.
"Miss Amina?" Ruby called through the other side of the door, lightly knocking again. Amina released a sigh of relief and allowed the young maid in. Ruby wouldn't meet her eyes as she helped prepare a bath and dress for her. Curious, Amina called out to her.
"Ruby? Is there something wrong?" Ruby stiffened and blushed slightly.
"Um... I just wanted to warn you... there are rumors going about the palace about you and Sir Nero. A maid said she saw him entering your room very late into the night so... um... I tried to tell them that you and he were just acquaintances! But they wouldn't listen and... I just wanted to warn you before you met Sir Nero and Prince Oro," the young maid fumbled, shy and obviously embarrassed. Amina averted her eyes and thanked Ruby for trying to correct the rumors and quell the gossip, as well as warning her for what she would face soon enough. Amina could imagine the wild whispers and stories already gaining her even more unwanted attention than she already possessed.
Amina took as long as she could to get ready, putting off the inevitable awkward morning meeting and the shameful walk to it as she was sure to receive stares and hushed gossip with every step. Amina steeled herself and finally left her room, walking with her head held high and ignoring the blatant gossipers that would stop talking as soon as they spotted her. It felt like eons had passed by the time she reached the Prince's office and stepped into the lion's den. She felt like a lamb willingly offering herself to be devoured by lions when she saw Nero and Oro engaged in a heated argument, neither realizing she had come into the room.
"You're both fucking criminals, manipulating her like this! Using her like this! So what if she has some kind of powers? We've been fine without any magicians since her parents—" Amina cleared her throat and smiled. Both men's heads swiveled to find her standing dutifully at the door, waiting for them to quiet down. Nero's face softened as his gaze fell on her while Oro's darkened.
"Good morning, boys."
"Morning," they echoed, a bit tersely.
"I have a few things I'd like to say, if I may?" Amina asked, gathering her courage as she strode proudly toward them. They both nodded, offering her a seat, but she needed to stand and move. She couldn't sit still. She paced around the office, both mens' eyes watching her every step.
"As I'm sure you're both probably aware by now, I talked with his majesty the King this morning. He talked about my parents... about the past... about the future. I agreed to help him, help you all, and since I have, I should come clean and explain myself."
"Mia—" Nero began, but she raised a hand to silence him. She had to do this. Oro tensed, waiting for what and how much she would reveal.
"My parents weren't normal like I believed my entire life, as they led me to believe. I'm sure... I'm sure they would have told me the truth when I was older if they had..." she choked on the word "lived," unable to say her parents were dead. It was a fact she lived with but shoved down so deep inside her that she ignored it until it was shoved into her face. She took a long breath through her nose before continuing.
"My father had been a Holy Knight, an apparently very powerful one. My mother was born a child of light. Uncle told me all about them..."
"UNCLE?" Oro and Nero sputtered. Amina flushed and nodded, explaining how her parents and the King had grown up together and he asked her to call him uncle like she apparently used to when she was little. They both seemed uncomfortable but Amina ignored it. She finally felt like she had something close to a family again and she wanted to cherish it. But now came the terrifying part of what she wanted to talk to them about. Her powers.
"I... I hope you won't look at me differently when I tell you about what I can do," her voice wavered, along with her confidence, but she continued.
"I want to tell you both everything. No one knew but my parents and even they didn't know it all. I've learned of many of my abilities over the years and one of them last night," she blushed, avoiding eye contact with Nero.
"I can see souls in any living being. Humans, animals, demons... all living things have one. I can see lifespans. Emotions. And I just realized I can also heal wounds...though I'm not sure how large or how much or anything specific. I only healed a small cut last night." The silence stretched at her revelation. Amina couldn't bear to look at them. The fear or disgust they may now be looking at her with. She so badly wanted to be accepted and loved for who she was despite what she could do. Her body quivered as she waited for them to say something, fears, and doubts creeping into her heart and mind.
"Amina, my dear, would you mind if I ask you a question?" Oro inquired, folding his hands atop his desk and smiling at her in an attempt to reassure her.
"O-of course, anything."
"You said you healed a cut last night. How did you do it? Was it one of your own or on someone else?" Amina paused at the unexpected question, pondering just how honest she could be. She sighed and relayed every detail, turning her back to the men as every piece of her skin that was visible turned a deep shade of red.
"I-I healed Nero. It was a cut on his face, just a small one. I healed it by—"
"That's enough, isn't it? She's not sure how she did it, she didn't even know she could until last night. Give her a break, Oro. She's told us enough for now," Nero interrupted, saving them both the embarrassment of revealing what had transpired between them the night before. Oro smirked, but let it go.
"Alright, I'll leave it alone for now. I would request that you try to experiment with it, Miss Amina. It's a mighty powerful help to us if you can heal larger wounds." Amina nodded in agreement.
"Well, since we're all being honest here, let me tell you that the king has ordered us to return to the Forbidden Forest. Including you, Miss Amina." Amina felt sick at the thought of going back but steeled herself before turning around to accept the order.
"Alright. We will all stay together during this venture. All within a hair's breadth of each other. Nero and I will protect you as we investigate the forest and its new occupants. I need to check in with father before we leave. You two can get ready together since Amina will be riding with you again. Unless she would prefer to ride with me?"
"No, I'll take her," Nero interjected. Oro chuckled and nodded his agreement before leaving them alone. Nero walked over to her, grabbing her small hand to hold.
"You didn't need to tell us all of that but I'm glad you feel like you can trust us. Trust me," he said, squeezing her hand lightly. She squeezed his hand back before mustering the last bit of her courage to tell him the whole truth. She looked up into his eyes and whispered, "There's something else I need to tell you. Just you..." Nero's hand enveloped hers as he intertwined his fingers with hers and replied, "You can tell me anything," with a small, gentle smile. Amina felt her heart skip several beats before she finally said, "Nero, you have no soul."