“Briar’s not with him?” Lake asked, ears perked up.
Unease settled in the pit of my stomach, but then I forced it away. Jumping to conclusions wouldn’t do anything but give me anxiety. “The clinic’s been busy lately. Maybe he’s catching up on work before coming home.”
“His sugar mother might’ve sent more documents from the academy for him to read.”
Sugar mother.I nearly fell off the porch from laughing so hard.
Lake and I stood and walked down the steps, meeting Maddox in the yard. My earlier laughter died away when seeing his shadowy expression. He slid from the saddle and tugged me against his chest without a word.
“Hey, big guy.” The scent of warm spice and leather infiltrated my senses. “Is Briar working late?”
“Yes.” Maddox petted my hair with a shaking hand. “I plan to return to the castle and join him soon but needed to see you.”
That’s when I noticed a dark stain on the front of his armor. Panic set in. “Are you hurt?”
“No. The blood isn’t mine.” His gravelly voice shook just like his hand. “It belongs to Callum. He… something happened, sweetheart.”
A wave of fear rattled my insides, sweeping through the space between my ribs.
“Breathe.” Maddox took my face in his hands. I hadn’t realized I’d started hyperventilating. “Inhale. Exhale. There you go. Nice, deep breaths.”
“What happened to him?” I dreaded the answer but needed it even more.
“Around midday, a unit from the Third Order sighted demons in the outer fields and gave chase. A squire informed us of the attack, and we rushed to their aid. The matter was contained at first. But then everything changed.”
“Changed how?” Lake asked.
Maddox’s brow furrowed. “The demons showed more aggression than normal and seemed to be in a sort of frenzy. Like how a rabid animal behaves. A young Third Order knight fell from his horse and was swarmed. Callum dove in front of him, and his protection charm shattered as a Fenrir went for his throat. Another one then lunged and tackled him. I… I slayed the beast but not before…”
“How bad is it?” My vision tunneled. Distorted around the edges.
“If not for the protection charms, it would’ve been much worse.”
“Tell me how bad, Maddox,” I snapped, feeling like I was about to shatter like one of those stones. “Please.”
Pain glinted in his eyes. “I wish I could ease your mind and say all is well, sweetheart, but in truth, I’m unsure of the severity of his wounds. Before he lost consciousness, he…” Maddox placed a trembling hand to the blood stains on his armor. “He said your name.”
My knees finally buckled. Maddox caught me and held me as I cried so hard I couldn’t catch my breath.
“Don’t you see it, Ev? There’s only one person I see. Only one I want to touch. He’s beautiful and clumsy and so damn perfect.”
I had intended to talk to Callum when they returned and tell him everything. Tell him thathewas beautiful and perfect and stubborn just like his captain. That my men approved of us being together. That I loved him too.
And now, I might not get that chance.
Chapter Fifteen
Firelight and Cinnamon Roll Kisses
Tall windows let in soft moonlight. A fire burned in the hearth, cozy unlike the hospitals from my old world that were freezing cold and smelled of antiseptic cleaner. Rows of cots lined both sides of the room, with space between them for a small bedside table.
All of the cots were empty apart from one. The person occupying it laid much too still.
A lump cut off my air, and my legs felt wobbly. “Will he be okay?”
“Yes.” Briar touched my lower back as he guided me farther into the medical ward. “He’s lost a lot of blood and has faded in and out of consciousness since they brought him to me. Several of his injuries were severe, but I was able to administer a powerful healing elixir in time that mended the worst of them.”
I nearly collapsed with the relief. Relief that waned as I noted all the bandages on Callum. They covered his torso and one arm. His neck was wrapped too. More like a mummy cinnamon roll now. “Any permanent damage?”
