The Lycan King's Healer
The Lycan King’s Healer – Chapter 54

I was going to join Theo for sleep, but my anger was so wrathful, I would never replace it. Instead, I stormed downstairs to where Clement told me I’d always be able to replace him if he was in the estate.

The library.

I walked into the grand library in my nightgown and slippers. It was one of my favorite spots; it was a universe of old and new novels, all color coded and stacked in shelves that towered up to the vaulted ceiling. I walked through the endless galleries and ventured through the ancient seating area, not replaceing a trace of him.

So I waited.

I sat down in one of the loveseats. To make the waiting process more enjoyable, I plucked a book from the pharmaceuticals section. None of it involved witchery, for the only ones that nursed that kind of information came from my cottage, so it slightly bored me. I felt each minute pass by as I sat in the early morning sun accompanied by the sound of the ticking grandfather clock.

Angry tears rimmed my eyes, threatening to spill over my cheeks. What did he think was going to happen by not telling me? Was he content with death? I remembered him confessing to me that he was not afraid of it, only afraid of me not knowing that he was in love with me. Now that I knew, was he fine with death?

After I counted 10 minutes, heavy and sluggishly dragging past, the cat-like, mystical Clement walked into the room.

“Dear Cathy,” he said with a question in his smooth voice as he entered, “what are you doing here?”

“I actually was wondering the same thing,” I said, smiling.

“I simply accept the gracious offers of my friends,” he told me, alluding to when I offered the library to him if he ever needed more information as far as teaching me.

“Friends,” I said as if it was a foreign word.

He strolled over, his gait graceful and calculated. I watched him as he sat down next to me in the love seat.

“We’ve known each other for many years, Cathy,” he said, his voice like glass. “We are friends, are we not? I sense you are distressed…” he observed amusedly, “you are tired, angry…only a friend would pinpoint such things.”

I grinned. A great legendary creature deeming you good enough to be a treasured peer was one of the most divine forms of flattery.

“And since I am your friend,” he drawled, looking down at me, “I care to replace out why.”

“I don’t suppose you care to indulge in relationship drama,” I argued with a chuckle.

He smirked. “Ah, relationship drama. That is why I don’t possess one of my own.”

This was definitely new territory for us; we never spoke of our personal lives, nevertheless our love ones. I watched him look toward the window reminiscently, admiring the glow of his illuminated irises.

“What happened between you and your dear Aldrich, if you don’t mind me asking?” he purred.

I sighed, exasperated. “He was lethally wounded in war a long time ago by a vampire’s poisoned arrow. I thought I fixed it but…he lied,” I muttered, looking down, “he hid it from me that he’s practically dying.” I was assaulted by the image of that lethal purple and the green of the ooze coming from the wound, suggesting a slow and painful end.

He raised his eyebrows, lips parted.

“I know,” I said, sucking in a breath as my jaw automatically clenched.

We sat in silence for a couple minutes. As angry as I was, a realization slowly settled in through the fog of rage. It would kill me to ask it, but I knew I would have to. Despite how mad I was that he was lying to me about it, that he was hiding something from me even though he got mad at me for doing the same, I knew I would have to do something about it.

“Clement…” I said with heavy reluctance, my entire body feeling uncomfortable. I wanted to melt through the floorboards, my bones feeling too big for my skin.

He turned to me with a knowing look. “Don’t beg me again, Cathy. You’re better than that.”

I hesitated. Chewing on my l*p, I folded my hands together, nervously playing with my fingers.

“Would you do it?” I asked, looking at him from under my eyelashes.

He seemed to not have made a decision yet; his eyes were contemplating, silently turning over the idea in his mind.

I didn’t know what to say, or if I should say anything at all. Clement brought my friend from the dead, taught me everything I knew, and is still planning to tutor me more. I physically could not ask any more of him.

He was a magnificent figure that floated into my life and out of it mysteriously. Clement was a figure of importance to the rest of the world as well; he was the best healer, and the only one who was thoroughly trained in bringing back the dead. I figured that was why he was never a constant presence, but regardless, I reveled in his mystery.

Clement made a face that suggested he made a decision, but seemed to not like it. It looked like he was fighting a mental battle, like he was willingly choosing the answer that was not correct. Reluctance cloaked his voice as he looked down to me.

“I’ll help you,” he promised.

Aldrich

I did not chase after her. Despite my promise to always run after her, I had a strong feeling she would most likely strike me ross the face if I did this time. across the face if I did.

In her absence, I decided to go to bed and sleep through the morning. The empty bed next to me felt jarring, but I knew it was my own fault. I didn’t tell her about the young vampire attacking me nor the worsening of the wound for her own good. But I should have remembered she put everyone she cared about before her own good.

Eventually, I woke up in the late afternoon. The plan was to leave her be, consult with Alan and our army, and continue to blueprint deployment through the night.

Before I could allow for myself to go about my day while she blew off steam, I had to ensure her methods in calming down were safe. I exited her bedroom and asked the first guard by the door where she went.

“The library, sir,” he answered.

A surge of relief went through me. At least she wasn’t wandering around the woods or the grounds.

I went into the meeting room to continue planning with Alan. We discussed our plans nonstop throughout the day until night was eventually upon us. We decided to take a quick reprieve for food, then we would get back to work.

I ventured down to the library to check on her if she was still there. If she was, I would ask if she still wanted to be alone, or if we could talk about it.

But she wasn’t alone.

I peeked inside the room to replace her sitting on one of the loveseats. A man sat next to her, and they were very close, their shoulders touching. She had a smile on her face as if she was laughing, and they were bent over the same textbook.

I did not take one more step inside; instead, I turned around, storming out of the room.