Page 95 of Scars and Burns

Maybe I’ll never be ready.

I brought the one meant for Dinalia as well. Her Mother asked me to give it to her when she was ready. But how am I supposed to know when that is? What does it mean for her to be ready?

There’s a knock at my door. Opening before I give a response.

It’s Aemond.

“So, how was breakfast?” he asks, voice filling the entire room.

I don’t reply. I’m still trying to figure out how it went for myself.

He joins me on the balcony. He doesn’t look at me. Just looks out at the view. Same as me.

A few moments of silence pass before he is ready to speak again.

“Did it not go well?”

“The morning was… eventful.” I say flatly.

He eyes me suspiciously, “Care to elaborate?”

I take a deep breath. Preparing myself for the conversation we are about to have. About how I am manipulating Princess Saphrina while still trying to hold onto the last sliver of whatever is between Dinalia and myself.

Moving over to the chair set that is sitting on the balcony. He joins me.

“I met Princess Saphrina in the garden this morning. I nourished the endearment that was planted last night. She is more open and willing than we thought.” He nods his head slowly, rubbing his hands together.

“Good, that’s good.” he pauses, looking over to me, “Isn’t it?”

I purse my lips together. Matching his slow nod. “Yes, it is. After swooning her into allowing me to escort her to breakfast. We went to find Dinalia.”

“And did you?”

“Yeah, we did. She was in the training hall with some fighting master of theirs. We sparred and she won.”

He doesn’t bother to hide his shock. Anyone would be. But the smile that forms on his face is not missed by me either.

“She then joined us in the dining hall with King Elio. I do not know how they ran into each other so do not ask.” He puts his hands up in surrender as if he isn’t even going to touch the subject. “Dinalia is Princess Saphrina’s magic master. And King Elio is intent on keeping their powers a secret.”

He ponders on this for a moment. “Whose powers? Lady Dinalia’s or Princess Saphrina’s”

“Both. I believe he is aware of the power Dinalia holds but to what extent I cannot be sure. I also do not know if he is aware that she possesses a complete Goddess mark. I am not sure if anyone else is aware.”

“And Princess Saphrina?”

“Hard to say. She no longer possesses a complete Goddess mark but that has not seemed to hinder the alliance between the two realms. He halted the conversation on magic rather quickly. And aggressively. Perhaps not wanting to expose how developed or underdeveloped Saphrina’s magic is. King Elio doesn’t appear to trust me with either of them. Regardless of whether he truly cares for them or not.”

Aemond snorts, “Can you blame him? One of them is his daughter, whom he has always been protective over, and is also betrothed to the prince of the Celestial Realm. An alliance that has been almost two decades in the making. And the other is someone with verypowerful magic. Though he’s never cared for her or claimed her emotionally, title only, your magic with hers, if she were to come to our side, would decimate him. From what I’ve gathered Dinalia has more power than either of us thought. King Elio wanting to keep her hidden only confirms that. And with your reputation that is not overly embellished I am not surprised he is worried about you two together.”

“Joining powers only happens when a bond is confirmed between mates.” I correct him. Simply, feeling something for someone does nothing for combining powers. If one truly wanted to increase their own. Killing is the easiest way to do so.

“Right,” Aemond says, accusatively. “And you are still in denial about Lady Dinalia being your mate because… ?” his voice trails off.

“Because it interferes with the plan to infiltrate Princess Saphrina’s heart.”

“Her heart or your heart.”

I whip my head towards him. Giving him a warning look. My heart is not to be involved. My heart has nothing to do with this. It has no place in what is about to occur. Unless, it is me pouring my heart and soul into killing my Father.

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