Page 4 of Nanny for the Minotaur

He shakes his head. "I think it's best if you evaluate her. I can answer any questions you have after." He nods toward his housekeeper, and I turn, determined to help this child.

I follow Mrs. Bramble up a sweeping staircase, my boots silent against carpeted steps. Kai clutches the wooden ship in one hand, his other wrapped tight in his father's massive fingers. The contrast strikes me - those tiny black fingers disappearing into his father's protective grip.

The hallway narrows, and Theron has to duck slightly to avoid brushing his horns against crystal wall sconces. His shoulders nearly brush both walls, yet he moves with careful grace, each step measured as if the floor might shatter beneath his weight.

Mrs. Bramble pushes open a door decorated with painted flowers, and my breath catches. Silver-white fur gleams against dark sheets, so pale it almost glows in the dim light. The little girl looks lost in the massive four-poster bed, her tiny frame barely making a bump under thick quilts.

"Mira?" Kai scrambles onto the mattress, settling beside his sister with practiced ease. His hand finds hers atop the covers, and she stirs at his touch.

I set my satchel on a nearby table, cataloging symptoms as I move closer. Her breathing comes in short, shallow gasps. Sweat darkens the fur around her temples. When she blinks up at me, amber eyes like her father's struggle to focus.

"Hello, little one." I keep my voice soft as I perch on the edge of the bed. "I'm Lyra. Your brother's been telling me you're not feeling well."

Behind me, floorboards creak under Theron's weight as he shifts closer. The movement draws my attention to his shadow falling across the bed - how it seems to curl protectively around both children. His presence fills the room like a physical thing, all that power held carefully in check as he watches me reach for his daughter.

Kai never takes his eyes off his sister, his young face set in lines too serious for a child. He holds himself like a shield between her and the rest of the world, even as he makes space for me to work. The wooden ship charm rests in his lap, forgotten in his concern for Mira.

I press my fingers gently against her throat, feeling for swollen glands. Her pulse flutters beneath my touch, too fast and irregular for my liking. Heat radiates from her small frame - not just fever-warmth, but something deeper.

My fingers trace each rib beneath Mira's fur, counting breaths and heartbeats. Her heart skips and flutters like a caged bird, but there's strength beneath the irregularity. The fluid in her lungs hasn't settled deep - caught early enough to treat.

I pull back, meeting those amber eyes that watch me with such trust. "You're very brave, letting me poke and prod like this."

A tiny smile curves her muzzle. "Kai says being brave means doing scary things anyway."

"Kai sounds very wise." I glance at the boy who hasn't left his sister's side. His shoulders straighten at the praise, though worry still clouds those blue eyes.

Theron looms closer, his shadow falling across the bed. "Well?" The word comes out rough, almost challenging.

I stand, squaring my shoulders as I face him. "Her condition is…serious." Panic flashes in his eyes, and I raise a hand. "But not hopeless. She needs intensive treatment at first - herbal compresses every few hours, special teas, careful monitoring.But it's manageable. With time and proper care, we can get this under control."

His massive hands clench and unclench. "You're certain?"

"I don't make promises I can't keep, Mr. Blackhorn." I meet his gaze steadily. "Your daughter is ill, yes, but not beyond help. Once we establish a routine, she can live a normal life with daily maintenance."

Something flickers in those amber depths - hope warring with ingrained skepticism. He glances at his children, at the way Kai has curled protectively around his sister. The sight seems to pain him.

"I'll need to stay close," I continue softly. "It will probably take a few weeks before she's up and moving and then I can work on conditioning her body to get used to movement she's never had before." I look over at her and her brother. "I hope I can give her a semblance of a normal life."

"Stay." His voice cracks on the word. He clears his throat, drawing himself up to his full height. "I mean - I'm offering you a position. Live-in healer. Whatever salary you-"

"Yes."

He blinks, thrown off by my quick response. "You haven't heard the terms."

"I don't need to." I gesture to Mira, to Kai's too-serious face, to the sheets draped over every mirror and painting in this too-quiet house. "They need help. And that's why I became a healer."

He studies me for a moment, like he's not sure he can trust me. But I see the weight he carries, the way his children strain under shadows that have nothing to do with illness. Mira will never heal in a home like this, and I am determined to do whatever I can for them.

As if his decision has been made, his shoulders drop slightly, just enough to show relief. "When can you start?"

"I already have." I turn back to my patients, pulling herbs from my satchel. "Now, who wants to help me make some special tea?"

3

THERON

Ilean against the doorframe of my study, arms crossed over my chest as I observe the scene before me. The morning sun streams through the window, casting a warm glow over Lyra as she guides Mira through her morning exercises. My daughter's tiny silver-white form looks even more delicate next to the human woman's copper hair and earth-toned dress.

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