Chapter 9: The Cold Prince Regan

It was around midnight that Evelyn gained consciousness again. Her long eyelashes, which were resting on her cheeks, moved slowly. When she opened her eyes, she closed them again because of the brightness of the room that was lit with candles and lamps. A moment later, she opened them again, and slowly her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. However, confusion flashed through her green eyes when she felt the softness under her back. As a slave, she was used to sleeping on the floor, so the softness under her body made her feel strange. As the confusion slowly passed away, her eyes went wide with panic and shock. Because she soon realized that she was inside the room she was not supposed to be in...at least not lying down on this huge and soft bed. Shocked, panicked, and confused, she immediately tried to climb down from the bed, but a calm and deep voice stopped her from doing so. "Lie down." Evelyn stiffened when she heard the voice because she recognized it. She slowly turned around and saw the prince sitting on the chair on the other side of the bed with a book in his hands. His face was covered with the same mask. At this moment, he was looking at her with his red, cold eyes. "Lie down." He said ag, again, but this time it came more like an order, unlike the last time when his voice was still calm. She struggled with the conflict inside her heart. Could I lie down on the bed of a prince as a slave? However, Evelyn’s conflict was put aside when she heard Regan say it again. "Evelyn, you are supposed to follow my order." Indeed. All the conflicts were wiped away, and she obediently lay down. It would be a lie to say that she didn’t like the softness of the mattress under her back. It made the pain she was feeling all over her body bearable. On the other hand, Regan had closed his book and kept it aside on the bedside table. He stood up and left the room, but returned soon and sat back on the chair he had been seated on. A few moments later, a physician entered the chambers. "Check her again." Regan ordered the physician. Evelyn was surprised to hear these words and looked at the physician as if she were looking at an alien. On the other hand, Regan looked at Evelyn with an emotionless expression on his face and asked suddenly. "When did you eat last?" It took Evelyn a moment to answer the question as she was caught off guard, but she soon replied. "Three days, Your Highness." Since she was not looking at Regan, she was unable to see how the cold and aloof prince looked at her with narrowed eyes when he heard these words. "Did I not order you to have your lunch?" Evelyn sensed the anger in his voice and didn’t know what to say. In the end, she sighed and said "This slave did go to have lunch, but...the lunch time was already over by then." His face returned to its coldness back but this time his voice was calm as he asked her. "Did they refuse to give you the meal?" "No!" Evelyn said immediately. "The cook gave this slave the food, but Your Highness, the head-maid told this slave that in the Imperial Palace, the slaves are not allowed to have lunch after lunchtime. So this slav...ah!" Amidst her words, Evelyn screamed suddenly when the physician pressed her wrist accidentally while taking her pulse. The physician was surprised and left her hand immediately. Regan frowned as he saw her holding her wrist. He stood up from his chair and walked to her. "Give your hand to me." As he said these words, he already extended his hand to take her wrist from her other hand and pushed the sleeve of her dress slightly upper. A large blue and purple bruise graced the white and pale skin on the thin wrist. Regan’s eyes were cold as ice as he looked at the bruise. After staying on the battlefield for so many years, he could easily recognize a new bruise from an old bruise. It was a fresh bruise. His voice was emotionless when he asked Evelyn. "Did someone hit you in my absence?" Evelyn looked at the bruise and hesitated as she wondered about the consequences of telling the truth. The head-maid might hate her for doing this. In the end, she just didn’t want to get beaten like a dog again. Regan saw the silent girl and said coldly. "It would not make any difference if you lied. I have my ways to find out the truth." Hearing these words, Evelyn felt there was no use in lying. She could only tell him the truth. Regan’s face went colder and colder as he heard her speak. He even asked her how they beat her. "They tied this slave with a rope, and the maid hit this slave with the rod." Evelyn was calmbut her heartbeat was fast as she spoke. She would have waited for dinner time silently if she had known the rule. Even the physician was shocked to hear about the cruelty. When Evelyn finished, Regan turned to look at the physician and ordered. "Give her the medicine to relieve the pain." And then he left the chambers. His eyes were sharp and cold, and his fingers caressed the sword hanging on his waist.