Page 38 of Protecting his Secrets

Once again, Malachi woke to the sterilised scent and decoration of a hospital room. That one was no less effluent than the previous one, but the pounding in his head was a recent addition. He tried to lift his head and groaned when pain shot through him. Reaching up to his forehead, he felt a bandage, and there was no denying the lump beneath it.

“What the hell?” he tried to say, but his voice wouldn’t work properly.

It must’ve been enough, though, because seconds later, Nick was beside him. The low-level lighting could still pick up how pale he was.

“Hey,” he said, grasping his hand gently. “How are you feeling?”

Malachi checked in with himself while Nick helped him to drink some water. “My head has a gymnast on a trampoline, and my right side aches a bit. What happened?”

“We’re not certain. What do you remember?”

Malachi blinked, trying to remember what happened, his stomach churning with nausea. “I remember using the toilet and washing my hands. Then I felt a migraine blast through me. I must’ve lost consciousness.”

Nick grimaced. “I don’t think it was a migraine. Someone hit you with something and knocked you out. They used the secret tunnels to get in.”

“Secret tunnels?” He frowned as he tried to figure out what Nick was telling him, but then his brain caught on, and he smiled. “They’re real?”

Nick huffed a laugh, his shoulders lowering as he shook his head. “You and your reporter head. Yes, they are, but not for much longer. We’ve had far too many issues with them, so we’ll be closing them up indefinitely.”

“That’s a shame. I bet they’re handy.” He felt his eyes growing heavy again.

“Truthfully, they’re rarely used.”

Malachi floated away. “I’m sure…we can think up…a story.”

****

The next time he woke, he was more alert, though he was extremely glad the lighting remained low. He eased his head until Nick’s prone form came into view. Slouched in an uncomfortable position in a chair not made for sleeping, Malachi guaranteed he’d be hurting when he woke up. Malachi took check of himself. His head still hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as before. His side ached a bit more, but he assumed that had something to do with a bruise coming out. He touched the side of his head, gingerly pressing at the lump, causing him to hiss.

Nick woke immediately. “Are you okay?” he said, rising without a hint of an ache.

“How can you sleep like that and not hurt?”

Nick chuckled. “Many years of practice. It’s almost like being in the Army. Catching snatches of sleep when you can and being alert the second you need to. But you’re avoiding my question. How are you?”

Malachi sighed. “Aching, but I’m okay. Someone really attacked me in Windsor Castle?”

Nick exhaled and settled carefully onto the edge of the bed. “Yes. It’s not the first time something like this has happened.” He paused, his mouth twisting. “Off the record, those secret doorways were how someone got around the castle to hurt the royal family during those years of unrest. We kept that quiet.”

Malachi blinked, his head spinning for a second. “Wow. I knew there had been whispers of secret tunnels, but nothing had ever been confirmed. I could understand it was to safeguard the family.”

Nick nodded. “We have to have some secrets.” He grinned.

Malachi chuckled and winced as a sharp pain shot through his head. “Okay, laughing is a no-no.” He rested his head back again, breathing deeply.

“Sorry.”

He gently rolled his head to the side to meet Nick’s gaze. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

In an uncharacteristic show of uncertainty, Nick dropped his gaze to the floor. Malachi wished he could comfort him as much as receive comfort in return.

“Nick?” Nick didn’t look at him. “Nick, look at me.” It took a few seconds, but he did. “It’s not your fault, okay? You weren’t to know this would happen.”

“I should’ve been keeping an eye on you instead of talking with the king.”

Malachi sighed. “Nick…you couldn’t have known.”

“I should’ve!”

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