His Majesty responded, looking immensely flattered. Celeste turned to me.
“Lady Narcissa! Thank you for obliging me tonight,” she said, smiling. Her stage makeup looked garishly intense up close. “I was sorry to see you leave before the first act was complete. Are you quite alright?”
I managed a nod. The headache had faded into a dull throb, not unlike the one I felt the other night. “I needed some air.”
Celeste tilted her head. “Oh dear. I hope it was nothing serious.” She rearranged her robe and pulled out a small lavender vial, spritzing something into her mouth. “Keeps my throat comfortable after all the singing,” she said with a wink. She tucked the spray bottle back into her robe pocket. “Now, off I go. The ensemble will be cross with me if I’m late.”
She swept into a low curtsy and glided off.
King Maximus grunted. “Good to know someone still respects royalty.”
Bennett touched my arm when I returned to my seat. I knew the question on his lips before he could vocalize it.
“I’m fine,” I whispered.
Intermission ended far too soon. My hands were shaking inexplicably when the curtain drew open once again, flooding the auditorium with colored light. There was something I couldn’t put my finger on. Something strange...
Celeste’s singing drowned out all thoughts. My eyes were glued to the stage, my limbs stiff in my chair, my head sluggish with dull throbs.
Then, something slashed my eardrums.
I keeled over in pain, clutching my head. My reaction must’ve been more disruptive than I thought.
“Narcissa!” Lady Vanessa and Bennett said in unison. I slid from my seat. Bennett knelt before me, grabbing my forearms.
“Get back to your seat, Bennett. And quiet down,” King Maximus whispered harshly to my left. “Narcissa, what ails you?”
I didn’t understand how the king’s voice was perfectly audible when my ears felt like they had been cut off. “A-a headache,” I said. It came out more like a whimper. Something wet dripped onto Bennett’s hands. Tears. My tears.
I wiped them away quickly.
“Something’s wrong,” Bennett said. Somehow he managed to pull me up. My knees buckled. He wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me against him. I gasped into his chest when another surge of pain hit me.
Whispers started along the surrounding boxes.
“Good heavens. What happened?”
“Lady Narcissa appears ill.”
“Look at the crown prince. That is the most I’ve seen him emote.”
Then, the agony stopped. No residual throb remained. My limbs felt strong enough to support me. I teetered back from Bennett’s embrace, bewildered.
Bennett cupped my face, wiping my tears away with his fingers. “Cissa. What’s wrong? What is it?”
King Maximus stood, exhaling.
“Should we call for the physician?” Lady Vanessa asked, touching my hand. “My dear, you’re shivering.”
I shook my head. “No. No, I’m fine.”
Bennett began to protest, but King Maximus quieted him with a stern stare. He did not look pleased.
“Narcissa. Bennett. To my office,” he said, and abruptly exited, disappearing behind the curtains.
“I-I’m sorry,” I managed to say to Lady Vanessa.
She furrowed her brows. “Don’t worry about me, dear. You must rest if you aren’t feeling well. ”
