Killian asked in a rather loud voice as he stepped inside the room with the pillow clutched in one hand.

    .28%_

    38)

    Mary immediately lowered her head and stepped away from me a little as if to show him that she wasn’t a part of this mess.

    Sarah, who had been talking all filth loudly, immediately mimicked pulling a zipper closed on her mouth and pretended to be all nice and shy upon seeing Killian.

    “Oh, we were just having some fun, Prince Killian. But please don’t punish Valencia whatsoever. She is rather pale and needs

    a bit of rest.”

    Sarah was back to being the timid girl from the temple, the decent, well spoken girl. I would have never imagined that she had a wild side had I not heard her speaking brazenly until Killian showed up.

    Killian smiled at her and nodded.

    “Sure. But I do believe it is quitete for you to still be away from the temple. Your warden wouldn’t like you lingering around in the castle for long.”

    Sarah suppressed a chuckle.

    “Oh, you mean Senior Priestess Nina. Yes, right. I should get going.” Sarah turned to look at her reflection in the mirror onest time before starting to untie her hair.

    “Hey, why are you doing that?” I asked.

    She still had to walk out of the castle and reach the temple without being seen by Martin or the others who would simply try to bully her for no reason. Keeping up with the appearance of a nobledy would make her look like one of thedies roaming around the castle halls already rather than an outsider.

    But she continued to untie her bun as she answered me.

    “It is already quitete and given that I ‘tainted‘ myself by visiting the castle, I know I would be required to bathe or do some other nonsense before I am given an entry again. So I just want to be prepared.”

    That made me worried about her.

    “Oh, no! Will she again torture you for leaving the holy premises of the temple?”

    Sarah gave me a wry smile as she smoothed down her hair and brushed her fingers through the knots to untangle her hair.

    “Not sure but I hope I pass the Cleric exam soon so I dont have to deal with her anymore.”

    Oh right. I had forgotten about her exams.

    I wasn’t even sure what was she required to study and what were the questions asked in the exam.

    “Will you be assigned to someone else, then? If you pass?”

    I asked, and she nodded

    “Yes, hopefully some other Senior Priestess who isn’t such an ass. She began but then realized Killian was around so quickly corrected herself

    “…who is not such an asset to the temple?”

    10:58 Tue, 26 Aug DE

    I tried to suppress a chuckle as Killian raised an eyebrow.

    “That line doesn’t make sense. Grammatically or otherwise.”

    Sarah didn’t bother responding to that and put on a shawl before approaching me.

    “Rest, and I hope you awaken your magic soon. Then we make her suffer together.”

    I nodded. “I will try my best”

    Then Sarah lowered her voice and added, “Maybe just pretend to be sick and faint on his bed”

    “Sarah!!”

    “Okay, I am leaving. Goodnight girl”

    Sarah said and hugged me before walking towards the door. Mary joined her too and wished me a goodnight’s sleep.

    Killian turned to walk with Sarah towards the temple as promised, but Sarah paused in front of the door.

    “Thank you for walking me here, Prince Killian, but I believe Mary can join me for the walk back to the temple.”

    “I can?” Mary asked, and Sarah shoved her elbow into Mary’s side.

    “Ow, why are you poking me?” Mary asked, and Sarah rolled her eyes at Mary, pulled her to the side and whispered something in Mary’s ear.

    Mary had a shocked look on her face, but Sarah didn’t bother with her and began pushing her away from the door.

    “It is gettingte, goodnight to you both.”

    Killian watched them leave with an amused smile as the two girls finally disappeared behind the walls.

    He turned to look at me and closed the door.

    “You made a really weird friend at the temple.”

    I grinned.

    “Weird, but she is honest and a good friend.”

    28%4

    “I hope you are feeling better now, and meeting your friend made you happier than just sitting here alone and getting bored.”

    “Yes,” I nodded, “and for that I have to thank you for taking the time and effort to get her here. It means a lot to me, though! had not thought you meant that earlier.”

    I had not meant to say thatst line, but I guess Sarah rubbed me off in the wrong way because I was muttering gibberish

    now

    Killian looked curious.

    “What do you mean?”

    I shook my head. “Nothing”

    But he approached me and insisted again.

    “No, tell me what it was.”

    10:58 Tue, 26 Aug 0b. /b

    I tried to shrug it off and pretend to be sleepy.

    ? . 28%2

    38

    “It is gettingte, and I will have to visit the temple earlier tomorrow because that old hag knows I wont be able to train for a few days.”

    Killian leaned forward and reached for the little jar of medicine Sarah had brought for me from the temple.

    He took a whiff of the salve and the cooling smell of mint and other herbs wafted towards me.

    “And your friend also got you a gift. But too bad she did not stay back long enough to actually put it on you.”

    Killian said, his voice growing darker and the corner of his lips curling up into a smile.

    I grew flustered and yed with the sheets for no reason and pretended to put my pillows neatly when they were already ced perfectly.

    “I dont need it”

    Killian took a whiff of it and chuckled. “Are you sure?”

    I wasn’t. I did want him near me but after that awkward talk with Sarah, I just couldn’t stop blushing and didn’t want to do something that I would regretter.

    “Goodnight Killian”

    I said and turned to the other side to go to sleep.

    He didn’t say anything at first but simply walked towards the bedside table to ce that jar on the table.

    My face was directly in front of the jar, and I saw a small, neatly folded note fall out of Killian’s hand.

    He bent to retrieve it and handed it to me.

    I gulped and took it from him as I opened the folded piece of paper. I thought there must be instructions on how to apply the salve, but instead there was just a simple drawing of an eye winking at me.

    “Maybe this is some isort /iof a joke because your friend definitely did not give you a salve for your aching nerves.”

    Killian said, pushing his hands inside the pockets of his pants.

    Confused, I looked at him and took a whiff of the earthy salve.

    “What is it then?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

    “Fellenwort mixed with a little pink ash and ragweed. Without the fellenwort, it is just what you assume it to be, a salve for aching muscles. But with Fellenwort added to it, it turns into something women in this castle might take a lot to keep up with…you know…my brothers.”

    I blinked, unsure if I was hearing him right and if my line of thought was not going in some misguided direction.

    But the cheeky smile lighting up his face told me I was guessing it right.

    “It rxes you to amodate a bigger size and also gives you more stamina to prepare your body for the knot.”

    What? Had Sarah just given me the werewolf equivalent of Viagra or something?