Page 115 of Curse of the Wicked Scoundrel (The Shadows 3)

“You will. Once she feels better,” Grace said. “Once you can stay awake.”

Keyon grunted a reply, but his mind wasn’t able to comprehend what he said. Probably just her name.Eloise.

* * *

Keyon. Eloise sat up in bed with his name on her lips. Where was he?

Every morning upon waking up, her first thought was of him. She looked around the room. Yes, she was still in her bedroom—the bedroom in Hades’ mansion. A light smile adorned her face.

She slowly climbed out of bed—her body still weak—and put on a dressing gown. She had no strength to wrestle with the day gown yet. She would ask Verity to help her dress a bit later. For now, she wanted to see Keyon.

After they came home that horrible night, they were immediately taken to bed. Eloise came down with a fever from the cold of the night and was ill, shaking, and delirious. Apparently, Keyon wasn’t in a better state either. It was so bad Ford had not risked moving Eloise and stopped insisting on taking her home. Worse still, he stayed with her in the Hades’ mansion.

Grace had come back to treat both Eloise and Keyon with her Eastern remedies. And as weak as Eloise felt, she found enjoyment in witnessing her brother bicker with the proprietress of private chambers about the healing properties of some herb.

Now that Eloise was feeling better, she needed to curl up in bed with Keyon and make certain he was out of danger, too. She opened the door and peeked out. Nobody was guarding the floor. The memory of finding Garric and Sal outside her doors hit her, and sadness invaded her heart, thinking of how it all played out.

She nudged the memories aside and tiptoed toward Keyon’s room.

The drapes were shut tight in the room, so it was extremely dark. Eloise stepped inside and carefully walked toward the bed. Keyon was lying on his side, the sheets thrown aside. He was definitely too hot, and his body was covered with sweat.

“His fever broke,” Grace said from the chair.

“Jesus!” Eloise jumped in reaction. She hadn’t thought anybody was in the room but her.

“It’s a good thing,” Grace said, nonplussed.

“Yes, thank you,” Eloise said drily.

“You would be better quicker, too,” Grace added. “If your brother wasn’t second-guessing my remedies. He does not believe in Eastern medicine.”

“He doesn’t believe many things, I am afraid. And he won’t be too happy once he finds out who you truly are,” Eloise pointed out.

Grace cocked her head to the side. “And who am I?”

“The proprietress of the Hades’ private chambers.”

Grace smiled her cold, dead smile again. “Not anymore.”

She stood and walked toward the door. “Bright light hurts his eyes. That’s why the drapes are shut. But he will feel better soon.”

As Grace walked away, Eloise sat on the chair by Keyon’s bed. The chair scraped, and Keyon moved in reaction to the sound.

Eloise shifted to the edge of the chair and took his hand. “Are you awake?” she whispered.

Keyon’s fingers tightened around hers. Eloise put her other hand over his. He was cool to touch. Grace was right, no fever. Not that Eloise doubted her, but it was a relief to confirm that he was indeed feeling better.

Keyon grunted and moved. His eyes opened, and he squinted at her. “You’re here,” he croaked.

“Of course, I am here. Where else would I be?”

“I thought I’d lost you.”

Eloise’s smile trembled as she shifted closer to him. She took his hand in both of hers and brought it to her lips. Her eyes closed as she felt his skin against her lips, the feeling of relief, happiness, completeness assailing her. She felt his thumb moving against her lips, tickling her, and she smiled.

“I thought I’d lost you too,” she whispered finally.

“But your brother—” he started.

---