Three days later.

"You should leave, eat something. You’ve been here for too long, Kai."

Kai didn’t reply. Didn’t move from his position. There was nothing in his form that showed he acknowledged Ray’s concerned voice.

"Hey," Ray moved closer and nudged Kai’s foot. "Get up. Seriously. When was the last time you visited your tank? You’ll dry up."

Kai still didn’t reply. His eyes, vacant and dull, remained focused on the unconscious Anna swaddled in blankets.

Ray returned to his seat, watching Kai, and occasionally Anna.

Three days ago, Kai had rushed back from the party with an unconscious Anna in his arms, palm prints around her neck, and her body colder than ice. Everyone immediately assumed the worst, he must have done something to hurt her. But that was far from the case. If that were true, she wouldn’t still be unconscious three days later.

Since then, Kai wouldn’t leave her bedside. He sat on the floor, his head craned at an odd angle and resting on the bed. He remained in that position for three straight days, despite Ray’s frantic efforts to get him up.

Azul came by everyday. Ray watched him, tall and broody. He’d stand by the Princess bed, watch her for minutes, then drop a single white flower on her pillow before leaving. Ray later found out the flowers were a native Northern plant believed to heal illnesses fast. Three flowers now rested on her pillow, one for each day, giving off a subtle clean scent, still fresh despite not being in water.

Meanwhile, Ray hadn’t seen Leon yet. And he knew exactly why.

At first, Ray read Kai’s mind. He found out about the kiss, about Kai knowing her true identity, and Leon’s sudden appearance. Why did Leon go to the party? Did he just show up, watch and leave? Did something else happen?

Ray, amidst his jealousy, wished he knew the answer. He did his best not to think of Kai kissing Anna, but at random times his mind would cut to the memories.

Why did he get to kiss her first? Is it because he knows she’s not the real Princess?

Ray wished he could ask. But asking would mean he admits he knows how to read minds. And again he wasn’t ready for that.

He tried to read Anna’s mind, but all he heard was a deafening noise that made his ears ring for six straight hours. Since then he hadn’t tried again.

Three days passed.

Three long days spent waiting, hoping, that she’d wake up.

The doctors found nothing. The king and queen were worried. The entire palace was on edge.

Ray looked at Anna, noting the pained expression on her face.

Please wake up...you can’t die now. Don’t die like her...please.

****

Kai couldn’t feel his body. His legs had become logs of wood, his skin had dried out, and his neck was permanently cramped.

He didn’t care.

Time blurred in his head. Everything around him vanished. All he could perceive was her.

In the past three days all he’d done was think. He was right all along, she wasn’t the Princess. But why didn’t that feel victorious? Instead all he felt was a harrowing guilt.

The hand prints on her neck didn’t heal easily and each time he looked at it, all he could see was her wide eyes filled with fear as he choked her.

She wasn’t the princess. She was just a normal woman, one not from this world either. Kai didn’t know how that worked and he didn’t care.

He had so much he wanted to ask her. If only she’d open her eyes.

Guilt filled his heart. I saved her from Leon and then I acted like him. He wanted her to wake wake up so he’d apologize. He was disgusted with himself, anxious and sick.

And the kiss? He couldn’t stop thinking about it.

It was the first time he’d ever kissed anyone. He used to think he’d never do it, the Princess would never allow it. But this woman? This Anna? She kissed him back. She liked it. And he liked it too. He liked that she liked kissing him.

He wanted to kiss her again. But how could he even he was the same reason she was now like this?

What if she wakes up and never forgives me?

What if she hates me? How will I atone for that?

Kai, who had never thought about atonement or apologies, suddenly wanted to lay himself at this woman’s feet and plead day and night for her forgiveness. He didn’t know why, or what had come over him. For all he knew, he liked the Princess Orchid. He liked her evil, her cruelty.

But this woman? She wasn’t evil or cruel. She was kind. She was sweet. She smiled at him and touched him and kissed him back.

The Princess would never do any of that.

And Kai didn’t know how much he craved being touched, not as an experiment or a lab project, but as a person. As a husband.

This Anna was the first person to show him kindness, real kindness without any strings attached. Ray thought back to the times she spoke to him, laughed with him, and she didn’t ask for anything. She didn’t ask him to kill anyone, or eat a disobedient servant.

She just...was.

Kai finally understood what he felt the moment he gave her his teeth and saw her crying. He didn’t know it then, but it was already taking root. Was that when I started feeling for her? Am I feeling for her?

His thoughts both alarmed and fascinated him. In the past, he’d never worried about feeling anything for the Princess. Even though they were married, it was in name only. Kai believed he was fine with anything, as long as he was with her.

Now? That was all different. He thought about the real Princess and he felt disgusted. How did he ever allow himself to be around her?

Please.

He moved, reaching out slowly and taking her hand. She was cold, deathly so. Even with the blankets wrapped around her.

Kai felt a stir of emotions he’d never felt in his life.

The back of his eyes burned and he couldn’t breathe. He felt like he’d shifted into his beast form on land, left to suffocate and die.

Please. Please wake up.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldnt have hurt you. I’ll give you back my teeth, as many as you want. You can take them yourself. Punish me as you’ll like just...please wake up first.

He knew that she’d never do such a thing. She wasn’t the princess. She didn’t even want his teeth.

But what else did he have to give?

He held her hand tighter, his shoulders trembling and his heart racing.

Please wake up.

Please.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

***

On the fifth day, Azul came visiting again.

He walked over to the Princess’s bedside, his sharp eyes checking for any abnormalities. She was still unconscious, and Kai was still lying by her side.

Azul wished he could say something to Kai, seeing how affected the shark beastman was by the Princess’s ill health. But Azul had never been good at comforting people.

Even right now he felt like a failure. Especially as a husband. His wife was sick and he hadn’t spoken a word to her.

He wracked his mind for what to say. Anything at all. It didnt matter that she was unconscious and wouldn’t hear. The others talked to her freely. Azul had seen Ray telling her about everything ongoing in the palace. And Kai spoke to her too, mostly silent pleas for forgiveness.

For the first time in his life, Azul experienced jealousy. Why was it so easy for them and not him?

All he could do was bring flowers and hope that she’d wake up. He felt like he wasn’t doing his duty as a husband, and he was failing at the most basic task.

Comfort.

Shaking his gloomy thoughts off, he walked into the room. This time he came with three flowers, hoping they would work faster. He prayed to the northern gods that they’d work faster.

Gently, he placed the flowers beside her head.

He paused, his eyes drawn to the Princess’s pale cheeks and furrowed brows. One might think she was just dreaming, but everything they’d tried to wake her up failed.

Gently, Azul reached out and touched her face. Her skin was cold to the touch, to the point his palm was warmer. Then something happened. She moved, a soft groan coming out of her.

"She’s waking!" Kai jumped to his feet for the first time in four days.

Her frown deepened even as she tilted her head into Azul’s palm.

But her eyes didn’t open.

Instead, her brows smoothed over and she exhaled.

"She’s reacting to you," Kai muttered, his voice defeated. "Why is that? What is she reacting to you?"

Azul didn’t know. All he knew was that he was happy. Even though it was little, he was finally able to provide comfort to her.

He lowered himself to the floor, making sure not to move around too much. If he was able to help, he didn’t mind staying here till she woke up.

***

Leon smashed the empty bottle of spores against the wall.

Six days.

It had been six days and she still wasn’t awake.

The last thing he was going to do was step foot in the clinic, but that didn’t mean he was without information.

Leon fumed.

The last days had been pure torture. In his waking hours, even in his sleep, all he could see was them. Anna and Kai, kissing.

He closed his eyes and he saw her. In the silence of the cell, he heard her moans. Everyday was pure torture. And the culprit was blissfully unaware.

Lately his corruption flared even harder, to the point the bottled spores weren’t helping anymore.

Words weren’t enough to describe how much Leon hated her.

He hated how much he wanted to see her walk in and soothe him. At the same time, if she walked in, he would strangle her.

He hated how much he wanted to break out of this place and see her.

He hated the bottled spores.

He hated thinking about her.

He hated how much he count stop thinking about her lips, what it’d feel like to taste her.

He hated her. With all his soul he hated her. How dare she? Start this war inside him and vanish like it was nothing? Was this funny to her? But of course, it’s Anna DeMarchess. She toys with people for her satisfaction.

Leon ran his fingers through his hair, barely wincing as the sharp ends cut through his skin. They’d heal fast anyway.

He needed to do something. Take the edge off. For six days he’s been able to resist the temptation of seeing her.

He felt his mind fracturing. Whether it was from the corruption , or Anna, he didn’t know. Frankly, he didn’t want to find out either.

Anna. Anna. Anna.

All his thoughts were Anna.

His eyes cut to his desk, where her bent crown was.

Rage washed over him again and he growled.

Her crown rolled away and she didn’t even notice it!

"Fuck!" His fist came flying into the closest target, which happened to be the wall. A massive fist sized crater appeared in the brick, bits of the wall crumbling down.

Anna.

Anna.

Anna!

Leon picked up the crown, paused, and dropped it back.

What am I even doing?

Pivoting his steps, he grabbed his sword. Without hesitation, he sliced an opening into the steel bars of the cell and walked out. All the soldiers keeping guard knew better than stand in his way, especially with how his body was growing bigger and straining against his clothes.

They watched him leave, whispering a silent prayer for whoever was about to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

***

On the evening of the seventh day, Anna woke up from her coma.

But when she sat up and opened her eyes, they werent their soft pink anymore.

Her eyes were pure black.

The white flowers beside her pillow instantly withered, crumbling into soft black ash.