The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Fifty-Four

I sit on the ground, breathing heavily. My eye and cheekbone, sore and tender.
I stare at Jax who lies in the grass, his body unmoving.
"D-Did you kill him?" Cethin looks at me.
"W-What? No, I didn't try to! I thought I couldn't kill someone with my powers!"
"You still can! It just causes damage to your soul!" Cethin looks at me and back at Jax.
I stare down at the crimson hot blood, heavily dripping down my face, painting the fresh grass.
I lift my hand, finally noticing the trembling rushing through my body. My hand shaking, the numbed shocked sensation instantly turning into a cold familiar fearful sensation.
My trembling hand supports my weight as I sit up to take my other hand up to my cheek. My shaking fingers touch my cheekbone, the pain and stinging finally being felt.
I wince in pain as I come out of my daze of confusion.
The pain hits. The stinging swelling feeling on my cheekbone, the hot blood rolling down my cheek to my chin before dripping onto the ground under me.
I stare at my hand, my fingers instantly coated with my blood.

"What's all the commotion?"
A man shouts.
Cethin turns to see a man running up.
My body in shock, I slowly turn to see Duke Oslo. His expression, twisting into worry.
His eyes widen as he sprints up to me.
"My lady!" He shouts.
He falls to his knees, staring at me with shock.
"What the hell happened to her!" He shouts.
His voice, always calm and composed has now turned into an authoritative raging shout.
"Y-Your grace..." I whimper.
I stare blankly up at him, my body numbed as the familiar sensation of fear and pain engulfs me.
"My lady, let me bring you inside at once." Duke Oslo looks at me worried.
He holds his hand out to me, attempting to assist me.
"You will all be under investigation. I suggest you return to your rooms at once. Bring that man to the infirmary." He calls out.
The assassins are quiet as they watch Duke Oslo and I leaving the field.

Duke Oslo assists me down on a sofa.
I stare blankly, my body feeling numbed and cold, with only the wound stinging.
"My lady- My lady?"
His voice brings me out of my daze. I stare at him confused.
"Y-Your grace." I whisper.
"Are you all right?" He asks.
I stare down at my hand and shirt covered with thick blood, the scent of metal, hitting the tip of my nose.
"I-I don't know." I mumble.
My hands tremble uncontrollably as I fade in and out of my daze, my thoughts running wild of the horrific past.
"My lady!" Duke Oslo exclaims, a cold wet feeling hitting the base of my neck.
"Ah!" I yelp.
I look up at him, my eyes watering as I hold my neck.
"W-What was that?" I whimper.
"It's a trick I use. Sometimes you get lost with yourself and a small jolt can bring you back." Duke Oslo smiles, holding a wet cloth, "Though I usually just throw cold water on my face, couldn't do that to you, now could I?"
"Oh... I see."
"It worked though, hasn't it?" Duke Oslo smiles.
I stare down at my hands. The trembling stopped, feeling the wet water on my neck and my cheek stinging.
"It did..." I mutter, surprised.
"Lady Luna, please bear with me. I'll bandage the wound."
Duke Oslo stands, opening a drawer and taking out a bottle of disinfectant, cloths, and grabbing a saucer filled with water.
He places the equipment on the coffee table in front of me.
I stare at the unfamiliar coffee table, finally noticing the room.
The room is large, with the dukedom's crests hung around the room, along with the empires insignia. A bright office with dark furniture and bright coloured accenting.
"I-Is this your office?" I ask.
"Yes. Technically, one of them. I tend to use this office for political affairs regarding the empire. My home office is where I generally do my main businesses." Duke Oslo explains.
He douses a cloth with water from the saucer. He sits on the coffee table in front of me.
"Lady Luna, I'm just going to clean up the blood before I bandage up the wound."
I nod.
Duke Oslo gingerly wipes my chin, neck, and cheek from blood. The cloth is soon heavily drenched with red.
"This might sting." He gently whispers.
His eyes focus on my cheek. He dabs the wound lightly until his hand abruptly stops.
"Oh." He exclaims.
"W-What's the matter?" I ask.
"The wound... It's disappeared."
I quickly touch my cheek. The pain and swelling disappeared in an instant.
"Oh... Well..." I take a deep breath, trying to remain composed.
I go into details, telling him about my abilities, and explaining how they woke up.
He listens silently, and nods.
"I see." Duke Oslo shrugs, taking another cloth and wetting it.
He wipes my hands gently.
"I just don't want my powers to be well know, so if you could, could you keep this a secret?" I ask, feeling drained as I look at my lap.
"I promise I won't tell a soul." He smiles, bowing his head.
"Thank you..." I whisper.
"To awaken with great powers as yours is a blessing and a curse it seems." He mutters, drying my hands.
"A curse?"
"Oh yes, I mean no offence, but to have abilities to heal others is an amazing gift. To heal yourself is still a gift, yet the furthest it can go is to just heal the visible wounds, never the wounds we can't see..." Duke Oslo looks back up into my face.
He smiles pityingly, his hand lifting to wipe my eyes.
I realize my cheeks are drenched with tears. My lap catching all the tears that roll off.
"Oh, forgive me, I don't mean to show such a disgraceful expression." I cover my eyes with my hand, facing away from him.
"My lady, would you like some tea?" He kindly asks.
I nod. He sits on the table, keeping me company as I silently sob.