Page 109 of Beast and Remedy
“I told you I was fine,” she hisses. “Why are you seeking out Beau?”
I twist and meet her vexation with my own. “Just because you feel fine doesn’t mean you are. You still have a fever.”
Marian opens her mouth—
Knock. Knock.
“Vi? Marian?” Beau calls from the hall.
Relief washes over me as my twin presses her lips together and throws herself on the bed. I ignore her, knowing she is worse off than she cares to admit, and open the door.
The air in the room snuffs out as Beau’s golden irises rake down my body. I cough to remind him we aren’t alone, and he jerks up before smiling politely.
“Jules said you wanted to see me?”
“I should have known you’d say something,” Marian scoffs, and I roll my eyes, glancing back as she crosses her arms. “Vi’s making a fuss about me sweating. I told her I was fine. It’s clearly the heat. But,apparently,she wants you to examine me.”
Sweet Makers, is this the illness? Or is it really her?
I sigh, offering Beau a sidelong look, pleading for assistance with my eyes.
His lips lift, a hint of reassurance passing between us before he invites himself in, casually approaching my sister.
“I know you are,” Beau replies. “But I didn’t do a full healing session this morning.”
I stiffen as I close the door and whirl on him. “And why didn’t you?”
Beau peers over his shoulder, completely at ease. “I wanted to see how she would do with two sessions a day compared to one.”
Marian’s confusion matches mine.
Could he tell this morning she would need another? Was I right in thinking her symptoms are getting worse? Will Marian be less agreeable with healing sessions?
If that were true, I shouldn’t say anything. But I need answers.
I rest my hands on my hips. “Care to explain?”
“I mean, one long healing session a day for an ongoing illness might not be the best treatment plan. Smaller spurts in the morning and evening might be better for this type of infection, given we don’t know enough about it.”
He turns, and a deep pit of uneasiness makes me nauseous at the tightness in his jaw, the empathy in his gaze.
Pain caves in my chest from his unspoken words. Words he could have said at any point during our travels.
She’s getting worse.
“Well, that makes sense,” Marian says, her demeanor lighter.
I cast aside the turmoil wilting my heart, silently agreeing as I approach the bed. Settling beside Marian, I take her hand and squeeze it twice.
She meets me with a grin and returns the gesture.
Beau opens his palms. “May I?”
Marian lets go of me and leans against the headboard, closing her eyes.
Light manifests from Beau, trickling down his form, from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.
His magic glows underneath his skin, almost like it lives in his veins. Strings of incandescence stream forth from his fingertips and cascade over my sister.
