Chapter 28
"What is it?" Cassius asked, looking at her with concern.
"I don't feel the wound," she said, her voice filled with surprise.
His brows furrowed, and he lifted her shirt before carefully removing the bandage. When he touched her skin, he didn't feel the wound. It was as if she had never sustained an injury in the first place.
"How did it just disappear?" she asked.
"I think she is the one who healed you," he replied, a gentle smile on his face. "She already approved of you."
"Really?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's take a swim in the water," he suggested.
Anastasia shook her head, her mind racing with thoughts. "I don't think so."
"Why?" he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
She hesitated, knowing that if she went into the water feeling this dehydrated, she could shift into her mermaid form. "Because..." she intentionally staggered backward, and before she could fall, Cassius caught her in his arms.
"Anastasia?" he called out, his voice filled with worry.
He quickly turned around and took her inside the carriage. As the carriage rode at a fast pace, she stared at him from the corner of her eyes, seeing the worry etched on his face. When they arrived at the castle, he placed her on the bed, and she curled up inside the blanket. He raised his hand, touching her forehead and brushing her hair backward, his touch gentle and soothing.
"You will be fine," he assured her, his voice filled with concern.
"No... no... I don't need a doctor. I feel alright now," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. She reached for the cup of water and took a sip, but she was still feeling dehydrated. No matter how much water she drank, she couldn't shake off the feeling of needing more.
"Now that your wound is healed, I want us to get married as soon as possible," he said, his eyes shining with excitement.
"When?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Maybe this Saturday," he replied, his tone confident.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "I haven't prepared anything. What am I going to wear on that day?"
"The maids will bring you everything. You just need to eat and stay strong until then," he said, his voice reassuring.
"But what if something happens? Like the Elders? You know they don't approve of this wedding," she said, her brow furrowed with worry.
"My only concern is getting married to you and becoming the King," he said, his voice firm. "Once everything is over, you can go wherever you want, and the Elders won't be able to remove me from the throne."
"But we still need to be careful," she said, her voice laced with caution.
"I know. There will be a lot of soldiers guarding the place on that day," he replied, his eyes scanning the room.
At the thought of getting married to Cassius, she shook her head, her mind racing with doubts. Would the wedding perhaps bring her mother back? She hadn't seen her for weeks now, and Anastasia didn't know if she should be worried. But no, she couldn't worry about her mother, who didn't care about her. She had left her for the King to use her, and when Anastasia had killed the King, she had run away.
Anastasia stood up from the bed, deciding to take a stroll in the castle. As they continued to walk down the hallways, her eyes scanned the place, taking in the guards positioned on every corner, their eyes fixed and unyielding.
She followed him into a room, and Anastasia felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she stepped inside. The room was enormous, with a large bed and a cupboard filled with various clothes and accessories. "This room belonged to my mother," he said, his voice a whisper.
She scanned the room, her eyes landing on the huge painting of a woman on the wall. The woman was beautiful, with piercing blue eyes and long black hair. Anastasia ran her hands across the painting, a small smile forming on her full lips.
"She is beautiful," Anastasia commented. "You two look alike." He had inherited her black hair, but not her blue eyes.
She walked towards a black box and opened it, revealing a pendant necklace and bracelet inside. Anastasia was surprised and turned to Cassius. "Why is this here?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Once a year, when we visit the ocean, we find these on the shore," he replied.
"Oh, really," she said, returning her gaze to the pendant. It was more beautiful than hers, and she wondered if its purpose was to stop transformation. Placing the pendant back in the box, Anastasia tried to close it, but she accidentally dropped it, and everything spilled out. Cassius snapped his head towards her, and she felt heat rush to her cheeks. "It was a mistake," she quickly said, picking up the box and putting everything back inside.
As she stood up, placing the box on the table, she realized he was standing inches from her, and she gasped. She stiffened, taking a step back, and he took one forward. When she saw him lean closer to her, she tried to hold her breath. "You broke the box," he said, his voice low and husky. "How do you wish to fix the damage?"
She could feel his breath falling on her face, and it drew her to him. "Why is your heart beating fast, and your cheek burning red?" he asked, his eyes piercing hers.