Page 88 of Dueling the Suitors

—That would be me,Skylar interrupted her thoughts.Spyrah and I can project our minds to each other. It’s a little tricky, but we figured it out. She wanted to keep Cyrus as distracted from his weariness as possible. I agreed to help,Skylar finished with a roll of his tiny, furry shoulders.

Astoria looked at him, impressed.And you didn’t bother to tell me?

I was planning to tell you later. You were busy protecting him, and we were busy entertaining him.

She turned her eyes back to her husband and found him watching her with a smile. How could he smile at all after learning he was being poisoned?

“What are you smiling about?”

His smile, though weak, widened. “You.”

Astoria stared at him, her heart fluttering. Then, a smile rose on her lips as well.

“So all I need is a strong emotion to produce the healing magic, and you would be able to gain some strength to stay awake and talk with me?”

“The healing magic is very advanced, darling. It will wear you out, unlike the other ones. You won’t be able to hold it for long, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself—not for me, not for anyone. I’m fighting for you, trust me; even in my unconsciousness, I’m holding onto the hope of a bright future with you where we will watch a thousand sunrises and sunsets together.” He smiled. “You said you wanted to know me more. I’m fighting with everything in me to give you that, even if it’s the last thing I do. Now, come here and let me hold you for a moment.”

Astoria lowered herself next to him, unable to form a response, and slid under his arm as he lifted it for her. His arms came around her, and she snuggled up to him, closing her eyes. Her magic still encircled him.

“Let it go, love,” he murmured.

She gave a subtle shake of her head. “No.”

He sighed. “It will wear you out.”

“Then let it,” she said stubbornly. However long she could hold the magic and help him stay conscious, she would. The feelof his arms around her and the warmth radiating from him that was no longer the fever consumed her soul. A strange feeling of belonging touched her.

“Ever the stubborn little dragon.”

She smiled against his shirt. “Just hold me as long as you can.”

“As you wish, my darling.”

“And dream of me when you slip back to sleep.”

“Always.”

Her heart did a double backflip at his answer. She managed to hold the magic for ten minutes straight before she began to grow weak. Cyrus must’ve sensed the shift in her power, so he whispered, “Let it go, love.”

This time, she did as he said. Exhaustion took over her, and her eyelids drooped. She fell asleep in his arms until Skylar woke her up and said someone was knocking on the door.

Astoria pushed herself up on her elbows and glanced at Cyrus’ peaceful, sleeping face.

“Astoria, it’s me,” Rowan’s voice called out from the other side of the door.

Astoria flicked her wrist and unlocked the door. A grim-looking Rowan and an ashen-faced guard entered. The one she had sent for the healer. Astoria climbed off the bed. Something was wrong.

“What is it?” she demanded in a shaken voice.

Rowan nodded at the guard, who stepped forward and bowed to her. “Your Majesty,” he began, his voice shaking worse than hers. “I went to the healer’s workshop and knocked on the door, but she didn’t answer. I asked in the bakery opposite to know if she was inside and they said she hadn’t left since yesterday. I waited over half an hour before I broke in and—” The man took a deep breath to steady his next words. “—I found her body on the floor.”

Astoria grabbed the bedpost to steady herself. “What do you mean you found herbody?” she whispered.

“Her throat was slit, Your Majesty.”

Astoria shifted her horrified, wide eyes to Rowan’s concerned ones that were already on her. This couldn’t be happening. Not her only hope.

“Go and wait outside,” Rowan instructed the guard. Once the door closed behind him, Rowan turned to Astoria. “Don’t let this get you down, Astoria. We will find another way. I give you my word, wewillsave him.”

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