Blue Flames

Chapter 17

Harvey and Amanda joined Arthur and I a few minutes later. Harvey put a giant insulated tote bag on the table beside the bed while Amanda hugged me tightly, kissing both my cheeks. I felt like a spoiled daughter when she fixed the overbed table and began putting a variety of foods, mostly liquids, in front of me.

"You should eat," she said, handing me a spoon, "you need to flush out all those toxins so you'll heal faster. Have the soup first while it's still warm. Well, go on, then." she looked around the room and fixed Arthur with a glare, "you could've at least brought flowers with you! The room looks so bare, she'll be depressed!" Then she strode out the door with purposeful steps, grumbling under her breath.

Harvey and Arthur didn't seem to notice anything weird, when Harvey saw me still holding the spoon midair with my brows shot up, he chuckled, "don't mind her, she turns into a grumpy grandmother when someone she cares about is hurt. She'll be back to her normal self in no time."

Okay, then. I took a spoonful of soup. It was warm and delicious and it made me want to cry. I didn't. I tuned in to Arthur and Harvey's conversation.

"We'll take the vow after she's done eating."

"She's right here." I said after swallowing the warm liquid. Harvey smiled at me, Arthur's arrogant eyes simply glanced my way before going back to the other vampire.

"Yes, it's better she takes it before meeting the witches and the fae."

I choked on the soup. "I have to meet them?"

"Yes," Arthur replied, "if you don't, they will think something is off."

I grimaced, taking a sip of water. "I'd really rather not."

"The sire is right," Harvey said, "the more you hide, the more they'll be interested in you. It is better to meet them right now and get it over with."

"I believe," Arthur said, "the fae envoys are all young members of the royal court."

I looked away. That didn't ease my mind at all. Arthur thought that because they're members of the court, they wouldn't recognize me. It was the opposite, I especially didn't want to meet anyone close to the court.

"And," he added when I kept quiet, "you don't look like your usual self, anyway."

I stared at him. He was right, the scars on my face and the fact that I had lost a lot of weight in the two weeks I was down meant I barely resembled my usual self. I perked up. He was right. They wouldn't recognize me.

I put down the spoon, my arm muscles were already shaking from the effort, and leaned back. "Alright then."

Amanda came back with a giant bouquet of daisies and baby breaths. Where in the world did she find that?

She put the flowers on the bedside table and insisted I drink at least the smoothie. Since it had a straw, I didn't need to hold the glass up for long.

"Do you have to do this now?" she asked Arthur, coming to stand beside me with a concerned expression, "she's not really in a state to lose more blood."

She was referring to the blood oath I had to swear to Arthur. Harvey put his arm around Amanda and smiled, "sweetheart, it's just a little scratch. He's not going to drain her dry."

"I know, I just..." Amanda sighed, "okay, fine."

Harvey whispered something in her ear, and she turned her face into his chest and hugged him tightly. I had a feeling there was more to her concern than what met the eye.

Arthur nodded at Harvey, and the couple walked out of the room. Removing the over bed table to the side, Arthur took a seat on the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight. He held his hand palm up.