All I Need ✔️

Chapter 17

Safania's POV

I stared up at the ceiling, recounting what had just happened. I was lucky, I thought. This could have been much worse.

I thought about how it felt when Prince Cassius leaned over me. Despite my terror, I felt a strange, pleasant knot in my chest that radiated to my pelvis. My traitorous body called out to him, readying itself for contact with his. I had never reacted to a man in such a way. This was but a mere curiosity, purely physical and nothing more. I knew it would be a death sentence to be involved with a prince. There was no way I would ever sleep with him. But remembering the way he effortlessly scooped me up, brought me here, leaned over me...maybe I wouldn't have a choice. He had been a good and honorable man so far, but royalty were not known for their patience. They were known for getting exactly what they wanted.

Which is why I also knew the prince could not see me as weak. I had to be more careful about obeying him, but I also couldn't let him see me as a frail thing he could toss around at will.

I rolled out of the bed and fell on the floor with a not remotely graceful thud. The pressure on my injured leg caused a sharp pain that made me cry out. Ennis, who was sitting at the table reading, looked up. "My lady," he exclaimed, rushing over. "Let me help you back into bed."

"You are not to touch me," I said firmly.

"My lady?" he asked, confused.

I ignored him and began to crawl across the cool floor. It was at that point he realized my fall was intentional.

"Don't be stupid," he said sternly. "I will help you back into bed and we can pretend this never happened."

"I believe you are not to talk to me either," I said.

Ennis looked frustrated but took a step back and watched me slowly and painstakingly crawl across the floor. He followed me through the doorframe and down the hall, sometimes remarking under his breath, "this is foolish," and "you are going to get us both beaten for this." I ignored him.

About halfway to the library, I found myself completely exhausted. You can do this, I told myself. You have to do this. You need him to respect you. Instead of thinking about getting to the library, I just thought about moving forward, pull by pull. Extend arm, lift, pull, repeat. I ignored the screaming muscles in my aching arms, the dull pain in my injured leg, singularly focused on making it to my destination.

After what seemed like hours, I made it back to the library. I struggled to open the double doors, but by that point Ennis must have thought that I was beyond pathetic because he sighed and did it for me. I crawled up into my wheelchair, wheeled myself over to the Eirlin books, picked one, and began to read. Ennis continued to look at me as though I was crazy, but finally sank into a seat across from me and began to read as well.

A short time later, the double doors swung open again. Prince Cassius burst through them, looking furious and slightly out of breath.

"I told you not to touch her!" the Prince exclaimed.

"I didn't your highness," Ennis said, putting his book down and standing up.

"So you left her alone to get her wheelchair?" the Prince said, still angry.

"No my lord," Ennis replied.

"Then what?" Prince Cassius asked. "Do you expect me to believe she walked here herself?"

"Crawled actually," Ennis said, without a hint of humor.

Prince Cassius looked at me expressionless. I hated when he looked at me that way. I could never tell what he was thinking, if he was mad or impressed.

"Leave us Ennis," he told him. Ennis left without a word.

"Why are you never where you're supposed to be?" he asked pointedly. I didn't respond, but bowed my head to try to make it clear I wasn't trying to challenge his authority.

"You were supposed to be learning obedience," he told me.

"You never said to stay in the room," I replied simply.

"I didn't realize I had to," the Prince said. "I thought how I left you made that clear."

"Then I apologize for my misunderstanding your highness."

Prince Cassius looked at me closely.

"You just have to be difficult, don't you?"

I didn't know how to respond, so I stayed silent.

He walked closer to me. "You really crawled? The whole way from your bedroom?"

"Yes, your highness," I replied.

"And lifted yourself into the chair."

"Yes, your highness."

"Entirely by yourself?"

I paused for a moment. I didn't want to get Ennis in trouble, but I also didn't want to lie. "Ennis opened the door," I said softly.

Cassius looked at me with that piercing stare that seemed to go right through me. I was a little nervous I was in trouble until I saw the faintest, nearly imperceptible smile on his face. He was impressed.

"Ennis opened the door," he repeated, amused. His amusement quickly faded, replaced by his typical, stern expression.

"As much as I appreciate your spirit, I'm worried you didn't learn your lesson," he said, walking towards me.

"I have your highness," I replied, bowing my head.

"Look at me," Cassius said. I did so. "Close your eyes," he commanded. I resisted the urge to ask why and did so. "Good," the prince said. "Now keep them closed."

The prince smacked a table next to me, making me jump, but I kept my eyes closed. I felt the prince's fingers graze gently across my collarbones. My heart was pounding now, terrified. I fought to keep my breathing slow and even. I had to obey him, but how far was he going to push me? Where would this test end?

"What have you learned today?" Cassius whispered in my ear, startling me, but also sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.

"To obey you, your highness," I replied.

I felt the back of the prince's hand softly brush against my cheek. I inhaled sharply. Why was it suddenly so difficult to think? It was like my brain had been wiped of anything besides the present moment.

I felt the prince's fingers leave my skin. "Open your eyes," he said. I did, slowly.

"Much better," Prince Cassius told me.

"Thank you, your highness," I said, bowing my head again.

"Safania, look at me," the prince said, sitting on the edge of a table. "You're right that I don't want to hurt you. Trust me, obey me, and I promise no harm will come to you."

I looked away. "Define harm," I said quietly, without being able to stop myself.

Prince Cassius didn't respond at first. I thought that he may not have heard me, but then he took a step forward and gently turned my head so I was facing him. Once we made eye contact, he spoke. "Safania, you can trust me."

Trust him? After he tried to examine me while I was unconscious? After he flung me over his back when I refused to agree to his unfair terms? I nodded, but his soft touches and comforting words didn't shake my most fundamental truth.

I couldn't trust anyone.