Horse Stone (Book 1 of Ilyrian Series)

Chapter 92

There was a knock on Dr. Anthony's door as soon as I finished my shower, and I stopped getting out of the shower and stared at the bathroom door with my heart skipping a beat before it started to pound faster in my chest.

He's here...

My mouth went dry while I slowly got out of the shower when there was a knock at the bathroom door, and I had a feeling that Dr. Anthony wanted to check on me before he went to let my father in.

"Princess?" he asked, and I held back an eye roll when he used my title. "I have a towel and then clean clothes for you. Quickly. You can stay in the bathroom if you'd like, but I know that His Majesty will want me to talk to him."

I picked my pace just a little and stopped in front of the bathroom door without saying a word.

Making sure that my whole body would be covered by the door, I opened it just a crack so that I could get the towel and my clothes. "Thank you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper while I grabbed them.

"Of course," he replied and bowed his head, looking anywhere but at me. "Are you feeling any better?"

I hesitated but nodded. "Yes," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

The knocking on the door grew louder and more intense, and I flinched and ducked further into the bathroom, closing it a bit more so that I was hidden.

Dr. Wilson looked at the door and frowned. "Hmph," he said with a small tsk. "It seems to me that he is getting impatient, don't you think?"

I hesitated but nodded before I shivered, cold. I grabbed the stuff tighter and looked at him with wide eyes, praying that I didn't have to see him.

"Stay in here," he said, "and get warmed up. I'll make sure that your father doesn't come into the apartment until you are ready. Ok?"

I bit my lip and slowly nodded, and the wizard nodded and smiled before he left and walked out the door.

Biting back a sigh of relief and trusting him, I started to dry myself off while my cat entered the bathroom and sat on the sink to watch over me.

"Is she here?" my father asked as soon as Dr. Wilson opened the door. His voice shook slightly with anger, and I flinched and ducked away from the door some more. "Where is she? Let me in. Move."

"Now, now, Your Majesty," Dr. Wilson softly scolded and blocked his way. "I am not going to let you in until you have complete control over yourself. She is afraid."

My father sighed, and I had a feeling that he moved a hand across his face. "Do you know what happened?" he asked, his voice growing softer.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said and nodded. "I know what has happened."

"How?"

Dr. Wilson cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he looked away from him. "I've been working with her for a while," he said softly and bowed his head while he looked at him again. "I also have... informants keeping tabs and an eye on her."

"Then why didn't y-"

"Because you told me not to," Dr. Wilson said, interrupting him. "You ordered me not to intervene in her life. I have tried to warn you about many things dealing with her, but you did not listen to me. I do not understand why you didn't listen to me, but you didn't."

My father sighed and cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he rubbed his face again. "Of course," he said softly. "I should have taken you seriously. I apologize."

"Hmph," Dr. Wilson said, unamused. "Now, I suggest that she stays here for the evening. Tigra is here, and she will watch over your daughter."

"And when will I be able to talk to her?" he asked, and I bit my lip to keep from whimpering. There was a small underlying tone of anger in his voice, but that seemed to not hide the sadness and pain he felt.

Please, I silently begged and clutched the towel closer to me, I am not ready to talk to him.

"Tomorrow," the doctor replied, and I bit back a sigh of relief. "For right now, I believe she needs to rest and prepare herself for the conversation that needs to happen."

My father sighed again, and I had a feeling that he rubbed his face. "Does that mean I need to tell her about Ilyrian?" he asked, his voice holding the tiredness that he felt. "Don't you think that it is a bit too soon?"

"No, Your Majesty," he said and shook his head. "I believe that this would be the best time to tell her."

My father stayed silent before he sighed and nodded. "Ok," he said softly, and I bit back a sigh of relief, grateful that he didn't push nor question why Dr. Weiner thought it would be best to talk to me about everything.

He cleared his throat. "Here," he said, changing the subject and handing something to Dr. Wilson. "This is for her. It has clothes in it for her for tonight and tomorrow morning. Do you know if she will go to school?"

"I don't think she will," the warlock replied, and there was something in his tone that even I picked up on. "I believe that this trumps even that; don't you agree, Your Majesty?" he asked.

My father hummed before he nodded. "Of course," he said. He sighed and moved a hand through his hair. "Can you let her know that I am sorry and that I love her?" he asked, not sounding like a king but sounding like a sad father, afraid of what his daughter thought of him.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Dr. Anthony said and nodded.

"And can you let her know that whatever happened doesn't change any feelings that I have for her. She is still my daughter."

"I will let her know."

"And that I will see her tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, of course," he said. He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Is there anything else that I can do for you, Your Majesty?"

"If anything happens to her in your care, then I will find a way to see to it that you will stay in Ilyrian fully and not live here. Is that understood?"

There was a small warning in his tone, and the hair on my arms stuck up a little while my father used a small bit of magic in warning.

Dr. Anthony chuckled and nodded, not fazed about his use of magic in threat. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said and bowed before he cleared his throat. "Good night."

"Good night," my father said. "Tell her that I love her and give her a hug from me."

"Of course."

And with that, my father left while Dr. Anthony closed the door, and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Thank the Gods, I thought and closed my eyes a little while I dipped my head closer to my chest. Thank the Gods.