Page 60 of The Botanist and the Beast

The ground shook fiercely as if there was a stampede passing through the veil. Then out of the trees, a tangle of roots and vines burst forth.

They thrashed like angry whips as they snaked forward at high speed. They snatched Lyle's leg and yanked.

Lyle slammed flat on his back. The torch toppled out of his hand and was snuffed out in a pile of snow. At a rapid speed, he was dragged through the snow toward the edge of the kingdom.

The other guards rushed over, trying to grab Lyle's hands that clawed wildly at the frozen earth, but he slipped throughtheir fingers. It was futile. The veil was intent on consuming him.

Among the chaos, Theo was in a daze. He looked down at his hand and swore he could feel the weight of Lyle in the center of his palm. He curled his fingers ever so slightly and felt the resistance of invisible bones. The scent of burning fur wafted over him, and Sebastian's yelp echoed in his ears. Slowly, he curled his fingers further inward, fighting against the pressure. Lyle's cries rang out accompanied by a cacophony of sick snaps. He squeezed harder and harder and then arms wrapped around him.

"Theo, I'm okay. I'm okay," Sebastian said softly in his ear. He laced his fingers into Theo's and forced him to uncurl his closing fist. "Focus on me."

Relief washed over Theo as he felt the warmth of Sebastian’s arms and all the pain radiating through him fell away. Then the world went black.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Theo jolted awake. He wasn't in the snow or on the edge of town. Instead, he was now lying in Sebastian's bed. The room was quiet, and he rubbed his eyes as he tried to see if Sebastian was somewhere behind the sheer curtains.

"I'm here, don't move," Sebastian called. "You need rest."

The moment he heard the prince’s voice, relief washed over him. "You're alright?"

"I'm alright but I don't matter right now," Sebastian said as he tied the curtain back and sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Your ear." He reached up and lightly brushed the bandaged ear on his head. "Did Lyle hurt you too badly? Where is he?"

"It's a light burn. It'll heal. And Lyle's contained." He hesitated. "Theo, what do you remember?"

"Not much. I know you got hurt." He thought it over and his shoulders slumped. "Lyle told me your Chosen is the cure to this curse. Is that true?"

"It is," Sebastian said with a nod.

"So, it can't be me." His heart cracked under the weight of his words. "That's why you pushed me away."

"I hope you can forgive me. I had to be realistic. My people being free depends on me finding my Chosen, and far as I know it wouldn't be a human."

"I know your Chosen might come, but I don't care. Let's try and make it work until then. When your Chosen comes, if theyreally have your whole heart, I will let you go. Just let me be with you right now."

"Do you remember getting burned?" Sebastian asked, ignoring his plea.

He looked over his body and saw faint burn marks. "Must not have been that bad. Why are you changing the subject?"

"I need you to listen," Sebastian said with a gentle smile. "You were so burned I was scared you were going to die. I thought I lost you."

"If that's the case, how long was I asleep?" he asked, surprised looking at his arm again. "They seem mostly healed."

"A few hours."

"I'm not following. Did you heal me with some enchanted medicine?"

"I didn't." He took a deep breath and met Theo's eyes. "I'm just going to ask it outright. Are you certain you're human?"

"Of course I am. My parents are human." He laughed it off, but Sebastian stared at him seriously. "I would notice if my parents weren't human. Why would you ask me such a thing?"

"I mean, no offense, but all the signs point to you not being human. You said you breathe better in the veil, and your family always crossed in and out to the veil with ease."

"They practiced. I told you that."

"They sound like children of the veil, like us." Sebastian wrung his hands. "I really don't want to overstep, but you told me that when your parents died, your mother pleaded with the plants. That sounds like a nymph using their connection to beg the veil for help. It's a rare thing we do only in desperation. I did it right after the curse did this to all of us. We haven't been able to connect to the veil in years because of the curse, but we all remember what it looks like."

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