Page 24 of The Curse Between Us

“That sounds wonderful.” Zephyr stood carefully and followed Edric towards the door. “I’m sure you will have many interesting stories to tell, which I will counter with the versions we tell in Eskarven. Let us see whose historians are the greater embellishers.”

Edric laughed, glancing back at Zephyr over his shoulder, the sound fading when he noticed the way Zephyr had stopped a few steps behind him.

“Zephyr?” he asked, voice sharp with concern.

Zephyr’s face had gone ashen, his eyes unfocused, and he pressed a hand to his side as though trying to contain something unseen. He opened his mouth, perhaps to reassure Edric or to call for help — but no sound emerged.

Then, without warning, Zephyr collapsed to the ground.

Chapter Seven

Zephyr dreamed of fire.

The shining spires of his palace melted in the inferno, molten silver dripping like tears down marble walls. Inhabitants fled, their screams echoing through corridors crumbling beneath their feet. The great frozen waterfall, frozen no longer, roared as it sent a flood surging through the valley, sweeping away the greenhouses and the frozen ponds, the meticulously curated rock gardens and the delicate ice sculptures within them.

All the beauty of his land, lost.

The images shifted. Familiar faces flashed before him, their features warped with sorrow and rage. His parents, long-dead, appeared with skin tinged silver with cold, snowflakes clinging to lashes that opened slowly to reveal blank white eyes. They reached for him with fingers blackened by frostbite, their mouths moving without sound. But Hadden's voice, deep and resonant, settled over him like a shroud.

"You have betrayed us, Zephyr. This alliance will destroy us all."

Zephyr woke with a gasp, his chest heaving as though he had truly run through the burning palace. He struggled against the fine linen sheets tangling his limbs, his body thrashing in instinctive panic, until a firm hand landed on his shoulder, steadying him.

"Easy." The voice was rough with worry, but unmistakable.

Edric. His husband.

The tension abruptly drained from Zephyr’s body, and he sank back against the pillows, blinking up at Edric’s face. It was tight with concern, his brow furrowed so deeply that it seemed permanent.

“What happened?” Zephyr rasped, his throat raw.

Edric swallowed visibly, then let out a deep sigh. “You fainted,” he said quietly. “I carried you back here, and you’ve been unconscious since.”

A shiver ran through Zephyr’s body, though he was far from cold. “How long?”

“Three days.” Edric bit his lip, the worry carving lines into his already exhausted features. “I was so frightened, Zephyr. I... I thought...” He broke off, running a hand through his hair. It had the disheveled look of someone who hadn’t slept or bathed properly in days. “I’m very glad to see you awake again. How do you feel?”

Zephyr took a moment to consider the question. His head throbbed, a relentless ache behind his temples, and sweat clung to his skin in an uncomfortable sheen. He lifted an arm, watching it tremble with the effort, and frowned at the visible fragility of his body.

“Not well,” he admitted.

Edric muttered something under his breath and reached to the bedside table, grabbing a damp cloth and laying it gently over Zephyr’s forehead. The coolness was a balm, and Zephyr closed his eyes gratefully, letting the sensation wash over him.

“Wait.” His eyes flew open, and he blinked up at Edric. “You cannot--”

“I’m still wearing gloves,” Edric replied swiftly, holding up his hands so Zephyr could see the supple leather protectingthem from skin-to-skin contact. “I have no wish to cause you any more pain.”

Only somewhat relieved, Zephyr narrowed his eyes. “But surely there have been others. Healers and such. How did you explain to them that they could not touch me unprotected?”

A faint flush crept over Edric’s cheeks. “I haven’t allowed anyone else into the chamber,” he admitted.

Zephyr blinked. “For three days?”

Edric shrugged, still looking somewhat embarrassed. “I played the part of an overly protective, possessive new husband. Insisted you would be nursed back to health by no one but me.” He laughed, though it sounded more like a sigh. “I must have been convincing.”

“Indeed.” Zephyr studied him, noting the way fatigue clung to Edric like a second skin. The idea that he had not left Zephyr’s side for three days, not even to rest properly, was both terrifying and humbling. He searched for the words to express the enormity of his gratitude and found none that felt adequate.

“Thank you,” he said after a long pause. “Not only for caring for me but for keeping our secret.”

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