Chapter 32: Healing Touch
"Show me your tongue!" he requested calmly, his hand still near my face.
"Huh!" I stammered, surprised by his unexpected request.
"What did you just say?" I asked, seeking clarification.
"Madam, I asked you to show me your tongue, so that I can examine it," he explained with an unruffled demeanor. However, I was the one feeling flustered as his hand remained in close proximity to my face.
"B-but," I stuttered, my embarrassment evident.
"Duke, I can d-" Vix began to speak, but she abruptly halted, allowing me to comply with the Duke’s request. I reluctantly opened my mouth to display my tongue, feeling a profound sense of embarrassment.
He didn’t utter a word during the examination, but his gaze remained fixed on my lips as his fingers lightly touched my tongue. My heart raced, and I attempted to control my breathing, but he seemed to notice my unease.
"Madam, you can breathe. You don’t need to hold your breath," he reassured me. His words only served to intensify my disconcertment. His expression displayed no trace of the vulnerable emotions I had witnessed in my dream, yet here he was, scrutinizing my lips with the intent of inspecting my tongue. My mind buzzed with a whirlwind of erratic thoughts, leaving me thoroughly flustered.
"It has turned slightly red. But you will be fine," he reassured me, his diagnosis delivered with a detached professionalism.
"Bring some ice," he ordered, then promptly walked away from the table.
His departure left me in bewilderment. Why had he acted as if he had done something unintended, something he wanted to distance himself from? I watched his retreating figure, my gaze fixating on the very fingers that had touched my tongue. He shook his hand as if attempting to rid himself of an unwanted sensation.
Why? Why did you do it when you clearly recoil from even the slightest contact with me?