Page 23 of Treasured

“Luna,” he breathed, sounding even more relieved than I was if that was possible. His voice was little more than a whisper, but it was music to my ears. Already, I felt more like myself than I had since he first collapsed.

“Hi,” I murmured, my voice cracking.

His hand rose, and he gently brushed back a lock of hair from my face. I leaned into his touch, and we remained like that, reveling in each other’s presence.

A footstep sounded. I looked over my shoulder at Genevieve. She smiled, her long white hair fluttering in the breeze from the open window as she nodded. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

“Thank you.”

The door slipped shut behind her.

I squeezed Sebastian’s hand, kissing each of his knuckles. I’d kiss him everywhere until the end of time if I could.

“You’re here,” he said, almost in disbelief.

My brows furrowed. “Of course. You needed me.”

I hadn’t left his side. Not for a single moment since he collapsed. There was a small, attached bathing room, and the priestesses had brought me a steady flow of coffee.

I stayed, not because of the Binding, but because I couldn’t lose him.

I hadn’t even seen Marius yet. The priestesses had confirmed he was here, offering to take me to him, but for obvious reasons, I’d declined. The Tether wasn’t exactly news we wanted to spread.

Now that Sebastian was awake, we would see my brother. Together.

“I always need you,” he replied, his voice still scratchy from sleep. “Come here.”

I’d waited so long to hear his voice again. Tears came to my eyes, but I held them at bay and leaned in. He met me halfway, our lips uniting in a soft, tender kiss filled with the overwhelming love that bound our souls together. With every passing moment, a rightness filled me. This was more than a simple embrace. It was a promise that whatever the future held, we’d face it together.

Eventually, we broke apart. Sebastian shifted, leaning against the wall, and I sat on the edge of the bed.

“How are you feeling?” I asked, running my thumb over the back of his hand.

He frowned. “Weak,” he said after a moment, seeming pained even to admit such a thing. “How long was I asleep?”

I glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Fifty-six hours have passed since we first arrived.” I pressed a kiss to his Binding Mark. “They were the longest hours of my entire life.”

Every single one had felt like an eternity.

Sebastian’s brows came together, and he kneaded his temples. “Why has the summons quieted?”

“The priestesses gave you a tonic. It took some time to kick in and completely dull the queen’s call.”

“I see.”

I squeezed his hand. “You must take it every day. If not, the summons will return. It’s a temporary solution, nothing more.”

For a long time, all we did was hold each other.

Eventually, Sebastian pulled away and tugged on my sleeve. “What are you wearing?”

Raising a brow, I glanced down. I’d almost forgotten about that. “The priestesses lent me one of their robes.” I raised an arm, letting the white sleeve fall. “They didn’t have anything else, and my clothes were dirty. The robe’s like… a wearable, billowing cloud? It’s very strange but oddly comfortable.” I picked at a stray loose thread and frowned. “Do you mind? I know it’s a far cry from your favorite color.”

Sebastian only ever wore black. It should have been tedious, but he made the color work. It matched his personality—or at least the one he showed everyone else. I knew him to be sweet and kind when it mattered most.

He shook his head. “Darling, you could be wearing a sack, and I’d still find you attractive.” My cheeks flushed, and he pulled me in for a kiss. “I don’t care about your clothes.”

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