I woke to light pats on my arm, and then there was a blurry image of Cosie. I rubbed my lids as I sat up straight.
Cosie brought her hands in front of her skirt. "Miss, it is time for you to eat your dinner."
On the bedside table was a tray of steaming hot mutton porridge and a plate of leafy greens. My stomach rumbled at the aroma. I pulled aside the sheets and sat at the edge of the bed. Unlike this morning, I felt less exhausted. The sleep had done me good.
Niko had dozed off, and I let him be. Overhead, his ice orbs remained adrift inches beneath the canopy. It was unsurprising for someone like him to remain attuned to their summoned elements while they slept. As always, he had impressive control and concentration.
A faint waft of heat licked my cheeks, and I saw that Cosie had called on her flame. Like most of the servants in our household, she was a fire-wielder.
"Would you like me to melt them away?" Her fire burned steady, undisturbed. "It is evening, and it is quite cold outside."
A small smile played on my lips. "No, leave it. I like the cold."
Reflecting her surprise, the flames flickered into nothing, leaving trailing smoke in the space between us. "You 'like' the cold."
She said it with disbelief, blinking quickly. Her tone even suggested that she was finding it hard to believe me.
"Yes, I quite do." I started eating the porridge, but not before blowing on it lest I scald my tongue. A powerful fire-wielder I might be, I was still prone to burning.
Cosie had gone silent as she settled beside me, the bed sinking an inch under her weight.
At the corner of a tray was a round glass vial, its lid shaped into a diamond. Shimmering liquid swirled in it, ever moving as though it was mixing within. A healing potion, I assumed. Father must have brewed it for me.
Speaking of . . . "What are my parents doing?"
"Ah, they are attending a meeting, Miss." She was fixing the white ribbon wrapped her waist as she talked. "The Queen has been addressing concerns about this notorious 'blood-wielders'—as they came to call them. And the heads of the Quartet and the Order of the Templar are among those discussing this issue with Her Majesty."
I nodded, the bowl already half-finished. "I understand. Has there been any news?"
"No, miss." Her tone was grim. "Ever since the attack directed on you and Nikolas, they have not been showing any signs of activity."
"Hmm, that is strange."
"Indeed, miss."
It was as though they'd relayed a message and disappeared after that. But what was their message exactly? And what did these blood-wielders want?
The thought of those people made me groan, it hurt to just think of them.
I ate the contents of the tray until there was not a speck left on the plates, shocked at how hungry I was. Afterwards, I downed the potion in one gulp. It didn't taste bad, but it fizzed inside my mouth, tickling. Cosie had told me that the potion was for my blood regulation, aiding the return of normal magic flow inside my body.
All the while, Nikolas slept heavily on the couch. His features were smooth, his breathings calm. It was as if this was the first time that he ever got some descent sleep. And for me, it remained unreal for him to stay and watch over me. It showed that he cared. Did he really? It was hard to believe, remembering what I'd been doing and saying to him these past few years.
Cosie was preparing to leave, stacking the plates atop each other, ready to be handed to the kitchen servants.
She paused when she was about to pick up the tray, her hands dropping to her sides. She regarded me with pure curiosity as she flicked her head to look at me, her almond curls bobbing at the sudden movement. "I am sorry, miss. But I still don't get it."
My legs swayed above the floor as I gazed up at Cosie. "What is it?"
She blew out a breath and crossed her arms. "It was expected for that boy to basically live here in your room since he'd blamed himself for what happened to you. But I thought you would eventually make him leave once you woke up. I have been proven wrong, haven't I? It is all right for you to have his presence in your room."
My eyes widened. It was her observation and it was true. But hearing her voice them out was a different matter. The situation became truer than true when she said it.
I chuckled, and it came out awkwardly. "Oh, uh—where did this come from?"
Her brows furrowed. She wasn't falling for my act. "Just until a month ago, the both of you couldn't stand each other. Whenever the miss visited home from the academy, you would arrive with a scowl while cursing Nikolas Kore through your teeth. I can't help but wonder what has caused this change."
I took in a sharp breath, instantly checking on Niko if he had heard. Luckily he was still deep in the land of dreams. I sighed in relief.
Turning back to Cosie, I rubbed my temple. "Things change, okay? And his very existence still annoys me. But with the short time I spent with him . . ." I looked to the side so she wouldn't see the blush forming on my cheeks. "Let's just say he's become less annoying."
"Have your feelings for him truly vanished?"
My heart seemed to skip a beat at that. Being my personal maid since I was a child, Cosie had grown together with me. We talked about crushes together. We shared our heartbreaks together. She, along with Erilyn, was with me when everything with Niko and his friends went downhill.
Cosie was the person who knew every minute detail of my life.
I chewed on my lower lip, feeling an odd pang in my chest. It'd been a long time since I felt this kind of pain. Or was it really gone? Wasn't it that I had merely hidden this ache beneath layers and layers of hatred?
I smiled at Cosie, but she knew there was no joy in my eyes whatsoever. "Of course, I feel nothing for him anymore."
The maid gave a heartfelt nod as she resumed her work. But deep down, both of us were aware that I'd just told a lie.