NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: Royal Castle
Their horse galloped into the bushes, losing Eden and his men completely.
The path Matteo rode to led to a smaller more local and underdeveloped part of the city.
A part where people who could barely get three squared meals a day lived.
"Where are we going?" Iris's bouce was low, and filled with pain. The pain from all the knife stabs were literally intoxicating her.
"To get you a healer. These cuts won't heal themselves," Matteo said with a smile.
Soon enough, they got to an old, dirty hut.
"Maryline?" Matteo knocked at the door.
It was way past midnight, and almost dawn, so people should still be sleeping.
"What if she's in bed?" Iris joined him by the door.
"She'll have to wake ip. These wounds won't heal themselves. The longer it stays on uour body, the worse it'll get."
His words were true.
"Maryline, It's Marteo! Ope up," He knocked harder.
A light came on, followed by the sound of someone grumblig and then, the doors opening.
"You always manage to visit at the most odd times," The woman, h
who looked like she was in her twenties said, when she oepnes the door.
A smile graced her face when her eyes fell on Iris.
"What have we got here" She grinned. Her wide green eyes traveling between Matteo and her.
The grin however faded when her eyes fell on Iris's neck, and then her shoulder.
Matteo had troed to stop the blood oozing ftom her neck with a piece of clothe. But it did only little work.
"Oh my gracious goodness!" Marilyn exclaimed, openeing the door widely.
"You're hurt," She pulled Iris in and Matteo closed the door behind them.
"Come," She took her to a long bed in the farthest end of the bed.
Iris laid flatly on the bed While Marilyn dud her thing. She both hands of Iris's bleeding neck. Closing her eyes, she said some chants, a faint glow of light appeared on the wrist. within seconds, the wound started closing up. Leaving only a scar from the knife cut.
She repeated the same act all over her body and within a few minutes the injuries were all gone.
"There, good as new!" Marylyn said with a pride filled voice.
She was so happy with her job's success.
"Thank you," Iris said, sitting up. The pain had subsided and she felt good as new.
"How are you feeling," Matteo, who had kept her distance all along said, making his way towards them.
"I feel great!" she gave him a weak smile.
Looking at him, and how worried he was made her heart soften, a softness that was so visible in her eyes.
"Matteo," she stood up and held his hands.
"I don't know where to start from. I don't know how I will ever repay this favor. I don't know…" Tears streamed down her cheeks, the cries choking her.
Matteo.placed a finger on top of her lips, making her shut up.
"Don't, you don't owe me anything. I'm just doing what any sane human would." He said.
But she shook her head in disagreement.
"No human would risk their life to save a total stranger Matteo! Thank you!"
"It's alright, Blondie. Get some rest. We'll leave at dawn."
"Leave? where?" she asked. She hadn't thought about it. She had no home and no shelter to hide.
Her only hope was the Baron's place and they betrayed her.
Everyone wanted her head on a spike.
The thought of Eden tore her heart all over again. But she pushed it aside, focusing on the issue at hand.
"I'll dind somewhere safe for you. Somewhere that thode psychos can't get to you," he said.
"Thank you Matteo." She rubbed his hands then lay back on the bed
Marilyn whi felt like she was interrupting something also put her head on the bed, drifting to sleep.
Leaving Matteo, who was too alert to fall asleep.
Morning came faster than it should. Less than a couple of hours later.
"Here, have breakfast," Marilyn said, handing her a bowl of hot soup and bread. This reminded her that she hasn't eaten anything reasonable for days. Apart from the watery soups they serve them once a day in the brothel.
She shuddered at the memory.
"We'll be leaving in thirty minutes. Take a shower, Marilyn would give you clothes," Matteo saud.
She was tempted to once again ask where theh were going but she didn't want to sound rude or ungrateful.
"Okay," She gulped down the rest of the soup.
Then followed Marilyn to the bathroom.
"Here are the clothes," Marilyn gave her a black dress which had a white collar and a white scarf to go with it.
It looked like dresses that servants and scullery maids wear.
"Thank you," She said taking the dress.
It was a bit bigger than her, but it was way better than what she was wearing.
"Matteo is waiting outside," Marilyn said to her after she was prepared.
"Please, take care of my little brother for me. He can be a handful some times," her smile was genuine as she spoke.
So Matteo and Marilyn were siblings, wow.
She couldn't have guessed because of their distinct features.
"I will," She said, even though it was clear he would be the one taking care of her.
"Let's go blondie," Matteo said, walking into the hut.
"Matteo, we need to talk," Marilyn said.
Iris staredvbrtween the siblings and there seemed to be some sort of yension im the air.
"I'll be outside." She said, giving them space.
She stood by the horse outside. Even though she had no intention to look at the siblings, she no choice since the window was widely open and she could see them both clearly.
Something was wrong because Marilyn was yelling and complaining about something while Matteo was trying to explain.
She couldn't hear them of course, and she was glad because that woild have been totally wrong.
Her brows scrunched at the view of marilyn pointing at her neck. Her finger moved in a circle around her neck as if she was trying to explain something.
"Are they talking about me?" Iris wondered, her hands also touching her neck where the injury did not exist and the only thing there was her Taffeite necklace.
The door sprung open, Iris turned away quickly, hopinv they didn't notice that she was looking.
Their faces didn't hold any sign that the argument happened. Infact they both had wide smiles on their faces.
"Take care!" Marilyn waved as they mounted the horse and rode off.
"Where are we going to, Matteo?" She asked.
"The Royal castle." awas his answer.