The Princess Guard

Chapter Sixty-Seven

New Salem?

I guess I had fallen asleep again during the ride home. I don't know how long it took us to get back to the castle but I was grateful to be back. I cried with Victoria and Alyce.. I just couldn't keep a lid on my feelings anymore. Salem had disappeared shortly after we got back. My heart longed to go to him. I needed to fix the disconnect I felt between us. Could time apart like that really just .. affect the mate bond so easily?

"There is only want thing I absolutely need to address with you before you go rest, Daya" Dad was using his gentle voice. He had been ever since I got back. I just finished telling him everything I had learned. I looked at slowly, taking in the caution in his eyes.

"So, Salem.." he trailed off with a sigh and I froze. Did he know!? He couldn't know..

"Well.. he did..er die" he stammered and my eyebrows went together in confusion.

"Somehow, he came back. Which obviously thank the Gods for that. He can tell you about that part. He and I and one other worker kept that a secret until we rescued you. We did hold a fake funeral so Dominic and his people would be convinced he's dead..." he trailed off and I nodded. Okay. That made sense. That was actually a really good idea. No matter how much it hurt me.

"The thing is, when he came to.." he trailed off again and I got impatient.

"Spit it out dad" I sighed and he frowned.

"Right.. no sense in beating around the bush. He doesn't remember, Daya. His memories seem to cut off to the day after I asked him to come here, according to him." He spoke bluntly and my eyes widened.

"He doesn't..remember?... anything?" I whispered and he shook his head.

"He doesn't remember his time here, no. He woke up thinking he had just gone to bed at the Westard Kingdom. Rest assured, we're looking into some things." He smiled reassuringly and I nodded. At least he was alive, I reminded myself. That was the most important part. His memories .. well.. it was okay. As long as he was here.

Dad let me go back to my room after delivering me that bombshell. Do I tell Salem that we're mates? Well.. I guess this Salem. This version of himself.. or do I keep it to myself?

When I left fathers office he was waiting for me outside of the door. I smiled at him sheepishly. Why did this feel so weird now? It was him but.. seeing his eyes it's like it isn't him..

We walked silently back to my room, he hesitated in the doorway.

I sighed to myself, turning to face him.

"You probably don't know how this works, huh?" I tried to joke and he shook his head slowly. I sat on my bed when he stepped in and shut the door.

"You and I were.. close friends. We became best friends." I whispered and he nodded, still looking at me with such..dead eyes.

"That's probably why I do feel extremely.. better now that you're here, safe." He nodded to himself and I could tell he was confused.

"Right. Well.. since you're going to bed now I take it I just go back to my room?" He pointed to the left and I stared at him silently. A cry threatened to escape my throat. I cleared it, shrugging.

"That's entirely up to you. You often slept in here." I muttered quietly and he tilt his head at me. I couldn't help but smile.

"Huh?" He blurt out, eyebrows going together in confusion.

"I struggle with nightmares sometimes. Bad ones. It woke you up once, when you were asleep in your room. You slept in here sometimes. I think you stayed in here until I fall asleep some nights and go back to your room. All I know is, you're here when I fall asleep and when I wake up you're waiting outside my door." I fiddled with my hands nervously.

"Princess.." he trailed off and I looked at him. He looked so.. just completely out of sorts.

"I have to be honest" he spoke firmly now and I nodded.

"The last thing I remember, is how I wasn't going to take this job. I didn't want to turn the king down immediately. I never intended on taking this job." He rushed his words out and my eyes widened slightly.

"You've never told me that before" I whispered and he rubbed the back of his head, leaning back against the door.

"I guess I obviously had a change of heart somewhere along the line and took it. Did we meet beforehand or something?" He tilt his head at me again and I shook my head.

"No.  I actually didn't show up to our first meet,either. I had snuck out to the club with Victoria. When I came home, you were in my room, snooping through my things." I couldn't help but laughed quietly at the memory. The memory he didn't have. He smiled lightly.

"That does sound like me.." he trailed off quietly. I could tell he was trying so hard to remember.

"Look, as tired as I am, I had that nap on the ride home. If I fall asleep now it'll mess up my sleep schedule. Why don't we talk?" I offered this nervously. I didn't want to startle him or scare him off. He nodded slowly and I stood up.

"I am starving. Thirsting. Everything, all of it. Let's go get food." I definitely need to restore my energy more than I needed to sleep.

Luckily there was no one else in the dining room. I was ready to go nuts on this food and blood. Waiting for it seemed to take forever.

"I'll tell you anything and everything. We always had a completely transparent relationship." I peered at him from behind my cup, drinking again.

"Can I ask why you were going to turn down the offer?" I asked quietly and he nodded, sipping his own cup of blood.

"I didn't think I was the person for it. I was terrified of the thought of failing. It's a big responsibility. I guess..well I did fail." He sounded nervous now. I shook my head quickly and instinctively placed my hand on his.

"You didn't fail. I'm still alive, and you saved me. You've saved me countless times and been there for me through some bad things. You've never failed me." I spoke seriously and his eyes flicked to my hand on his, then to my gaze. My breath caught in my throat as we stared at each other silently. I slowly pulled my hand back, letting my finger tips trail across the top of his hand. I missed his touch. It was taking everything in me to not just tell him we're mates. I wondered how long it would take for him to rediscover it...

"The King said you know the uh.." he trailed off awkwardly and I couldn't help but giggle.

"The secret? Yes" I laughed and he smiled slightly.

"And yet you still trust me to be by your side?" He tilt his head and I nodded.

"Speaking of.. you've gotten rid of almost all of your guards. Even I know that. How'd I make the cut?" He raised an eyebrow at me and I scoffed.

"You wouldn't let me fire you! Trust me, I tried!" I laughed harder now and he let out a small laugh. I could tell he was closed off.

"You're different though. You were different from the start. You didn't treat me like I'm some expensive vase that would shatter at the wrong tone of voice." I spoke quietly now. The reminiscing was.. making my heart hurt in a way.

"You sassed me, often. You were sarcastic and always teasing me. I resisted it for a long time but.. I really have come to enjoy your company." I tried not to get too emotional. I couldn't say the wrong thing.

"So you kept me around because I was mean to you?" He laughed quietly and I nodded, giggling.

"Yes pretty much. I.. I really was the mean one. I used to ignore you sometimes. I tried to get you to quit. I wasn't nice for awhile.." I trailed off, feeling ashamed at myself. He stayed silent. We finished eating and retreated back to my room.

I was getting ready for bed when my stomach turned violently. I ran for the bathroom and threw myself at the toilet, vomiting. Salem stayed outside the bathroom, calling over to me to ask if I was okay. He sounded so awkward. I cleaned myself up and sighed.

"I think maybe you're not used to having real food?.." he trailed off and tilt his head at me. I kept my eyes off him. Embarrassing.

"That's probably it. 2 weeks without a real meal and only so much blood probably messed with me." I spoke quietly and got in bed. He stayed standing at the door. Exhaustion overtook me and I fell asleep.