Page 188 of The War God’s Favorite

She turned around and left the room, but she had kept the little dragon toy with her. For some reason, she liked that stuffed toy. It only needed a bit of cleaning and sewing. As soon as she was next to him, Kairen put an arm around her waist and held her close. He was still glaring at the abandoned room.

“Let’s go,” he said.

He gently kissed her forehead, and Cassandra nodded. Somehow, she felt like she shouldn’t ask about that room now. He obviously didn’t want to talk about it, and she didn’t want to push him to.

They walked back together, the Prince guiding her silently to Missandra’s room. Her sister was still asleep when they got there, and Cassandra, worried, checked her temperature. She frowned, her hand on her sister’s forehead.

“She has a bit of a fever. I hoped she wouldn’t…”

Despite her worry, Kareen had already ordered some fever medicine to be prepared, just in case. Cassandra had nothing to say against it, so she gave it to her sister, once she was sure it had been tested, and let Missandra rest again.

“Son, your dragon is making a fuss in my garden,” said Kareen.

The Prince went out to go and handle an impatient Krai. The dragon had been waiting in the garden all afternoon for Cassandra, and was getting impatient and grumpy. The young concubine sighed.

“I’m so thankful to you, Lady Kareen. If it wasn’t for your help…”

“Don’t say such things. Of course. When an old woman like me can help, she will. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my children.”

Cassandra blushed a bit, honored to hear the Imperial Concubine speak about her like so. She already knew Kareen was fond of her, regardless of Kairen’s relationship with her, but this was the first time she referred to her like she was her own daughter. For an orphan like Cassandra, this was probably the nicest thing Kareen could have told her.

“Lady Kareen, earlier… I got a bit lost and ended up in an… abandoned ell,” she whispered, hoping Kareen would understand.

“I know,” sighed the Imperial Concubine. “My son has had that upset expression since earlier, and… that toy… Did he say anything?”

Cassandra looked down at the dragon plushie, and shook her head.

“No… I didn’t ask either.”

Kareen nodded sadly.

“It’s good that you didn’t, Cassandra. Men are men, they do not like to show their weakness and they do not share their secrets easily. Even the War God… Give him time. He will talk when he is ready.”

Cassandra understood. She wasn’t curious enough to pry into someone’s past. She felt that whatever it was about, it was something Kairen wouldn’t share easily, either. Something dark and painful happened to the War God.

The two women discussed Missandra’s health a bit longer, but when it became clear that the young woman wouldn’t wake up for a while after taking the fever medicine, Cassandra finally agreed to leave her for a bit.

In the garden, the sun was setting, and Kareen’s servants had prepared a little space for them to have a cozy dinner outside. The black dragon almost jumped on Cassandra upon seeing her, dangerously wagging its tail around and growling happily. Thankfully, the garden was large enough for the dragon to move around, or else it would have been a disaster.

To her surprise, the dragon seemed curious about the toy, too. Krai kept sniffing it, and Cassandra wondered if he could remember it somehow. She turned to Dahlia.

“Could you get me a washing basin? And a sewing kit, too…”

“I can do it for you, Lady Cassandra!”

“No, thank you, Dahlia, I would like to do it myself.”

“I understand. I will go get it then!”

Cassandra thanked her and went to sit nExt to Kareen on the large rug on the grass. There was a whole buffet waiting for them, their own little Celebration. Kairen and his sister joined them right after, too. The War God sat behind Cassandra, wrapping her in his arms, while Shareen laid down.

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Shareen, grabbing a cheese cube.

“There is no plan for now,” replied her mother. “We will treat Missandra, and as soon as the Celebrations are over, we are flying back to my Palace. I want to see Srai, too.”

Cassandra had almost forgotten about the little dragon. He probably missed his mom. Their baby’s egg was still in the Diamond Palace, too. Kareen had it safely guarded back there, and Cassandra trusted her fully with it. Cassandra wondered what color the baby dragon would be?

“Oh, I’m bored!” sighed Shareen. “Brother, come and spar with me! Like old times!”

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