Page 53 of The Princess and Her Grand King

Unnaturally cold.

"It’s the frostfever!" Emeriel screamed.

The door banged open as the guards stormed in, alarmed. "Princess, what’s happening?"

"Get Lord Ottai! Fetch Madam Livia!" she shouted. "Now!"

Hands hovering over him, Emeriel was unsure where to touch. As she tried to find some part of him that was warm, the cold seeped into her fingertips, numbing her.

Everywhere was icy. Colder than she had imagined possible.

"Stay with me," she cupped his icy hands in hers, ignoring the biting cold. Touching him everywhere she could reach… his forehead, his shoulders, his arms. "Please stay with me, Your Grace. You can do this. Iknowyou can."

Driven, Emeriel sprang up and dashed out of the room, only to return with armfuls of blankets. She piled them on top of him, burying him under a mountain of wool.

Yet, it didn't seem like enough. He needed more.He needed more!

"I'm here! Step back, Emeriel!" Lord Ottai barged in, two buckets in hand, steam rising from them in furious spirals. "Get those blankets off him, quickly."

Fumbling, she tore the blankets away and Lord Ottai wasted no time tipping the first bucket over him.

The boiling water hissed as it hit his frozen skin, drenching him head to toe.

The heat vanished almost instantly, the water cooling within seconds.

Light-gods…This is not real. There's no way this is happening.

Swearing under his breath, Lord Ottai grabbed the second bucket and poured it over him as well.

The result was the same. The water turned cold before it could even begin to do its work.

More guards arrived, carrying an endless supply of steaming buckets. Lord Ottai continued to offload bucket after bucket over the grand king, each time the warmth vanished almost as soon as it touched his frigid body.

Emeriel lost count of how many buckets they’d used, her heart sinking deeper each time the water failed to warm him.

Out the window, she saw the night sky alight with firesticks. The grounds were filled with a crowd kneeling in prayer. Urekai…and humans.

Her breath caught. There were no soldiers pushing the humans back. No conflict, no hostility.Just peaceful coexistence.Prayers whispered into the night, for the grand king’s safe crossing and return. A moment of unity between the two species. So rare, so beautiful.

Looking back at King Daemonikai, puffs of air shuddered out of Emeriel in relief.

His temperature had begun to shift. A touch of color had returned to his skin. The cold was slowly retreating.

"That’s enough for now," Lord Ottai said, his voice hoarse but relieved.

"But his temperature is still low," Emeriel protested.

"We are trying to help him cross the Cold Sea, not drown him.” The grand lord glanced around. “Livia, use the washcloths."

Madam Livia stepped forward, knelt beside the bed, and began to carefully wash the grand king’s body with the steaming water.

The chill remained, but at least the water no longer hissed on contact. Finally, Emeriel relaxed.

But it didn’t last long.

Minutes later, the cold crept back, crawling up his body like a wakening tide.

Enough of this.

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