Page 15 of The Fifth Soul

“Let’s see it.” The young woman stretches her hand toward us.

Seeing us doesn't surprise Lee Ann, but she doesn't reprimand us either. She simply gets to work. Her gentle nature and divine energy are soothing. I often wonder what keeps her in the City of Sin. The clinic is tiny, with one patient room, and like everything else in Fierno, it’s worn down.

I shove Matias over when he makes no move to follow her directions. The shove brings out a grunt from him. We’re all done one snap later, followed by a high-pitched scream.

“How much will it be?” I ask her with one hand on my chest and another holding the last two coins in my pocket.

Her face turns soft, and a glint of something moves in my chest. The edges of my vision go fuzzy. I see her mouth moving, but I can’t hear her words.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty.” A voice penetrates my dream as a finger pokes my face. Then, the poking motion trails up to my temple and back down my cheek. “We have a lot to talk about before seeing Matias.”

Matias.

I open my eyes and look around. Once they finally focus, I can fully take in my surroundings. I’m momentarily confused before I recognize the face in front of me. Crown Prince Brandon.

I must have fallen asleep. I rise to my elbows and look around until I find the window. It’s open, light shining in as the wind moves the curtains back and forth. The sun sits high in the sky.

“How long did I nap?”

I briskly wipe the drool off my face and feel a flush spread across my cheeks. I can only imagine how I look. My hair must resemble a bird's nest.

Brandon moves to the open door. “Something like eighteen hours, give or take.”

I jump up instantly and scream, “Eighteen hours!”

“Give or take.” The prince shrugs and then turns to leave. Over his shoulder, he adds, “Lunch is served. Hurry.” The last part is more of a demand than a request.

My body aches all over as I take the first two steps, but not as badly as I expected. The aches are almost gone after a brief stretch. I pick up the glass of medicine I drank before lying down. This stuff was truly magic. Sadly, it had no label explaining what it was.

I find Isabel sitting on the couch outside my bedroom with a book in front of her. Thankfully, no mark remains on her face from our encounter.

“Hey.” I tentatively wave at her. “Good morning.”

She kindly waves back but does nothing else. Seems we won’t be friends anytime soon—for a good reason.

“We will visit Matias after lunch,” Brandon tells me as he opens the suite door.

A young woman pushes a food cart inside the room toward the couch. She gives Isabel a nod before turning back.

Brandon opens the suite door again. “Thank you, Sofia.”

The girl gives him a flirty smile. “You are welcome, Your Highness.”

Is she mocking him? I double blink at her departing form.

“Oh, piss off,” he says, unamused.

I take back the flirting comment. She’s definitely mocking him. The girl gives me a wink before departing in laughter.

“Lexi Blue,” Brandon calls out. “Lunch is here!”

Another young woman comes from the library. With every step, she sways from side to side while fidgeting with her hands. She doesn’t acknowledge me—or anyone else, for that matter. She sits next to Isabel, and without a word, Isabel serves her a plate.

They are likely related. Isabel is a foot shorter than Lexi, but they have the same honey-brown hair, pale skin, round eyes, and round rosy cheeks. Despite their differences in appearance, they are clearly relatives.

Brandon serves his own plate and then gestures for me to do the same. “Eat.” The word comes out like another demand.

Though it rubs on my nerves, I am starving. The dishes in front of me are bizarre, but they smell amazing. I scoop a few servings onto a small plate and watch as Isabel’s fragile hands sprinkle chopped-up vegetables onto her food and then add what looks like a tomato-like paste. I’ve seen nothing like it before. The smell of that bowl is stronger than the others.

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