Knights of Zothia: Momentum

Koz • Twenty-one • How about a dead princess?

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 Chapter Twenty-one

How about a dead princess?

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Somebody poked my cheek, and I groaned in response. How dare they interrupt me...Wait, what was I doing again? Everything seemed fuzzy. No matter how hard I tried to think, my mind was blank.

"Earth to Ivory?" Another poke.

I tried to gain my bearings, but a sense of confusion and disorientation washed over me. It was then that I realised I had absolutely no recollection of the events that had led me to my current situation, nor could I discern my location. The world around me felt foreign and unfamiliar, leaving me with a growing sense of unease.

With a sudden burst of light, the area was illuminated, and I felt a searing pain in my eyes. I winced, struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness. As my vision slowly returned, I became aware of a throbbing pain in my head. I groaned in response, rubbing my temples in an attempt to ease the discomfort.

I blinked a few times to clear my vision and make sense of my surroundings. Gradually, I realised that I was lying on a king-sized bed in a luxurious penthouse. It was then that I noticed Xavier sitting on a chair next to the bed, looking at me with a concerned expression. I tried to speak, but my throat felt dry, and my head was throbbing with pain. Xavier handed me a glass of water, which I gratefully accepted and drank.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

"I do not know," I replied weakly. "What happened? How did I get here?"

Xavier's face darkened, and he hesitated for a moment before answering. "You don't remember anything?" I shook my head, and he sighed. "You passed out at the bar last night. I brought you back here to make sure you were okay."

I nodded, trying to piece together the events of the previous night, but nothing came to mind. As I lay there, trying to make sense of my situation, I could not help but wonder how I ended up in Xavier's bed.

Hang on.

Events from yesterday came swirling back like lava erupting from the ground. It was then I realised that Xavier's own actions were why I drank. My facial features suddenly changed from pain to anger.

Xavier seemed somewhat concerned and rubbed the back of his head. "Now, Milady, don't get any—"

"How dare you!" I snarled at him. "How dare you pretend to care!"

I tried to get out of bed to punch his handsome face. I accidentally got my legs tangled in the sheets. As I reached out to steady myself, I lost my balance and fell towards Xavier. He quickly got up to try and help me, but I still ended up colliding with him.

With me lying on top of him, Xavier grinned. "Now, princess—" That was as far as he got before my hand made contact with his right cheek. "What was that for?"

"As if you do not know," I huffed, climbing off him and attempting to stand, but I lost my balance again.

I found myself in a dangerous position when Xavier unexpectedly caught me. Before I knew it, I was perched on his lap with my knees planted firmly on either side of his legs. His hands gripped my waist to steady me.

Eyes the colour of a sun-drenched meadow flickered to my lips as a hand moved from my side to cup my cheek. For some inexplicable reason, I found myself leaning into his touch. My eyelids fluttered closed.