Stolen by the Rebel King

32  In Sickness & In Health

Jonah immediately leaped into action, jumping into the water to pull Atticus out.

"Your Grace! Atticus! This isn't funny!" Jonah yelled as he tried to pull Atticus up from the water. However, Atticus was heavier, and he seemed to slip out of Jonah's hands. He slid further under the water, as though he was a puppet with his strings cut.

Seeing this, Daphne panicked further and leaped into the bath. She grabbed Atticus's body to steady him, desperately trying to shake him awake while Jonah kept his head above the water.

"Atticus! Wake up!" Daphne shrieked.

To her horror, Atticus's pupils rolled backward, revealing the white of his eyes.

"Atticus!"

Together, Jonah and Daphne managed to drag Atticus's body from the tub.

"He's not breathing!" Jonah could only look on helplessly as his king, his best friend lay motionless on the tiled floor. He didn't know any magic that could draw water out of his lungs.

"I'll look for Princess Cordelia!" Jonah leaped up. She was skilled with water magic, she would be able to save him. "Your Highness, please wait here― what are you doing?"

Jonah's eyes widened when he saw his queen pry open Atticus's mouth with her hands. Then she leaned over him and kissed him straight on the lips! This wasn't the time or place for that! Did the sight of the king's drowning body cause her to take leave of her senses?

"With any luck, saving him," Daphne said grimly. She tried to recall the teachings given to her by her servants, family, and royal tutors alike. Her lack of magical ability meant that everyone was wary of her accidentally dying, so she had to learn all sorts of mundane skills.

One of which was to save a person from drowning.

Daphne had never practiced it on a real person, but she had no time to hesitate. She enveloped his lips with her own as she thumped at his chest.

"You're saving him… by kissing him?"

Jonah wanted to pull her away, but he was struck dumb, transfixed at the sight of Princess Daphne leaning over Atticus, kissing him fervently as she was still clad in a towel.

And Atticus was still naked too!

Come to think of it, if anything could bring Atticus back to life, it would be the sight of his scantily-clad wife kissing him. Perhaps Princess Daphne had the right idea after all!

"Come on… wake up… you stupid man… wake up…" Daphne pleaded as she continued her attempts to save him. Her lips touched his repeatedly, with none of the hesitance she displayed in the past.

In her desperation, she didn't see the pleased flash of amber. However, Jonah was sharp-eyed and spotted this tiny movement. He narrowed his eyes. Surely his king wouldn't be so…

There was only one way to find out.

"Your Highness, I am sure you're tired," Jonah said. Daphne's movements were becoming more uncoordinated and sloppy, her thumps barely making an impact. "Let me help you instead. I'll take over."

"Really?" Daphne asked hopefully. "Alright, come here. Take a deep breath and open his mouth―"

But before Jonah's lips touched Atticus's, the man choked, spewing bathwater into Jonah's face. Jonah coughed and moved away, wiping his face clean with his sleeve, muttering how disgusting it was under his breath.

"You're alive!" Daphne cried out, slumping over Atticus' body in relief. "How could you nearly drown in your own bathtub? What kind of idiotic king are you?"

"One that you married, sunshine." Atticus wheezed, but there was a slight smile on his face as he gazed up at his wife, who was worried about him. If a near-death experience was what it took to get her care, Atticus didn't mind trying again.

After all, he and her had made practically no progress. Every time Atticus thought their relationship had gotten better, it would revert back to its original place.

He wasn't dumb. Atticus knew fairly well that she was trying to put distance between them, and he, too, was doing the same. Nevertheless, the sight of her leaning over him as he lay there 'dying' made Atticus think for a moment that perhaps he had, in fact, died and gone to heaven.

It was hard to resist peeking through his lashes, admiring the sight of his beautiful wife. Her face had been so flushed that it resembled apples, her eyes doe and filled with worry. And sweet lord, Daphne's lips were as soft as what Atticus imagined clouds would be like.

If it meant he had to be tethering between the edges of life and death in order to be met with the face of an angel, Atticus would be willing to do it all over again.

"Good to see that you are awake and alive!" Jonah said, looking at him suspiciously.

Atticus tried to look as innocent as possible, but judging from Jonah's unimpressed expression, clearly, he was onto him. Good for Jonah. Atticus never thought he would be able to fool the man but it certainly couldn't hurt to try.

"Would take more than that to kill me," Atticus said with a cheeky smile. Then, an idea darted through his mind.

Jonah caught the light in Atticus's eyes as quickly as it came and went. The man furrowed his brows, watching his liege make a complete, utter fool of himself once more as he strung Daphne along in his games. Yet, Jonah didn't say anything. He even put in extra effort to not roll his eyes in front of Daphne.

True enough, Atticus didn't disappoint. He began to cough, cupping his hands over his lips. When he removed his hand, there was a red stain on his palm.

Inwardly, Jonah groaned. 'Where did he even get that much fake blood?' he wondered.

On the other hand, Daphne was completely clueless about Atticus's ploy. Her eyes widened in horror as she eyed the small pool of blood cupped on Atticus's palm.

"Atticus!" she exclaimed in horror. "You're bleeding!"

"I…" Atticus looked down, his face paling several shades. Jonah would've believed him if he hadn't known Atticus for so long. "I…" He trailed off again.

This time, Atticus's eyes rolled back and closed, his body quickly falling limp into Daphne's arms.