Black Keys (The Colorblind Trilogy #1) - Rose B. Mashal Page 0,30
here, how he told others about my size and tastes, knowing that I’d be staying here until I die.
I felt the tears welling in my eyes, but I shrugged them away. He wasn’t worthy of my tears, but it just saddened me beyond words every time I learned more about how far he had gone with his betrayal.
When I was finished dressing, I let Mona do her thing with my hair without objecting. It seemed to please her to be able to do her ‘job’, and to be honest, I was feeling so tired, and it was such a nice treat to have someone else hot-drying my hair and then brushing it for me.
In the reflection of the mirror that was attached to the dresser I was sitting in front of, I saw Mona smiling–but to herself, not to me–as she brushed my hair. I smiled politely when her eyes caught mine, but we didn’t say anything.
“We were so worried about you, Princess,” she said as she ran the brush through my blond locks.
“We?” I asked, even though I knew who she meant, but still needed confirmation–no idea why.
“The prince and I,” she told me, and when I didn’t reply, she went on. “You were unconscious, and I was barely able to feed you the drink I made of the heeling herbs, but given your fever broke within the hour, I can say you had enough to make it work,”
He was worried about me?
“Uh, thank you,”
“Not at all, Princess.” She smiled that smile she had before again. “Prince Mazen was so worried, he stayed up all night, replacing the towels we put over your head, he wouldn’t allow me to do it.”
He stayed up all night?
“Seeing how you were affected by his closeness and how it comforted you–even when you were passed out–was such a sight to hold, I’m so glad you grew so fond of each other so fast,”
Oh!
Was he the one who brushed my tears away?
Was the hand that soothed me his own?
I was comforted by his closeness? The thought startled me. But, soon, I was sighing at the realization that I knew that I was pleased with his closeness the second I woke up to his face.
What’s going on with me?
What’s happening inside my heart?
What’s going on inside my head?
“Here, all set,” Mona smiled. “You look so beautiful,”
“Thank you, Mona,” I smiled back.
She touched my forehead with her hand and her smile grew, “The fever is all gone, Alhamdulilah,”
“Yeah.”
“Do you need anything?” she asked.
“No, thank you,” I replied, then stopped her when she was about to turn around. “Wait! Uh, what does that word mean?”
“Which word? Alhamdulilah?”
I nodded.
“It means ‘Praise the Lord’ or ‘Thanks to Allah’,” she told me.
“Allah?”
“It’s God’s name.”
“You’re awake! Alhamdulilah! Alhamdulilah!” The prince’s words rang in my ears.
He thanked his God that I was well!
Did he care for me?
Why the heck did I care?
I was roused from my thoughts at the sound of knocking on glass. I looked to see Mona knocking on the mirror that separated the sunroom from the bedroom. I didn’t even realize she had walked away, too caught up with my thoughts. She then opened the door and looked inside, saying something in Arabic that sounded like a question. She nodded after a moment, then went and opened another hidden door–that I thought was part of the wall–and went inside, coming out after a few with folded clothes in her hands then disappearing into the bathroom once more.
Was that a walk-in closet?
I watched Mona as she left, after she told the prince what I supposed was that the bathroom was ready for his shower. Wondering briefly if she was going to come back and help him getting dressed, too. But then shrugged the thought away, it was silly.
The prince didn’t glance my way, as he made his to the bathroom.
I stood up and went to gaze out at the window again. I stayed there not knowing what to do with myself, wondering if I should apologize to the prince when he came out, knowing that I had to. I’d already hurt him with so many words, on so many different occasions.
No longer than ten minutes later, the prince came out, dressed in another pair of black sweatpants and a gray shirt, looking all fresh and clean with his damp hair and handsome face.
My heart beat faster when he moved in my direction, anger no longer present in his eyes.
“How are you feeling now?” he asked, his voice soft and comforting.