Page 92 of A King's Oath

A pause. Then — “Can I come up?”

She thought for a moment. But her balance was awry. She slapped a hand on the wall, holding herself up.

“S'il vous plaît, laissez-le monter.[37]”

Avantika did not have the time to put her appearance back in place. There was not even a full minute. All she did was stumble back to bed and pull her hoodie on before the doorbell rang. She opened her eyes wide, pushed her hair back from her face and marched valiantly to the door.

“Hey…” she opened the door with a grin.

“What happened to you?” His face instantly creased in worry, his body pushing in, hand raising to hold her shoulder. She didn’t realise until then that her body was shaking.

“Sleeplessness…”

Samarth pushed in and closed the door behind him — “Is somebody here with you?” He set the back of his hand on her forehead, her eye mask hanging from his fingers. She was so gone in her head that she comically reached for it. He abandoned it, using his other hand to push her bangs off her side.

“You are warm. What’s wrong with you?”

Avantika huffed.

“Don’t tell my mother but I had the worst stomach all day.”

“Why would I tell your mother?” He frowned, leaning down to peer into her eyes. “Ava, look at me?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you with me?”

“Yes,” she nodded loopily, knowing she was swaying.

“Alright then,” he grabbed her shoulder, pulled her into his side and walked her to the long, arched sofa set. “Sit here.”

She didn’t just sit, she lay back, curling into herself as her stomach churned again.

“Ava?” He sat by her head, caressing her hair. “Did you eat something?”

“Medicine…”

“What is happening?”

“Samarth?”

“Hmm?”

“Since you are here, can you make me nimbu paani? Lots of salt and sugar and lemon…”

“Yes. Yes. Do you need a blanket?”

She nodded.

He did not bring her a blanket. Instead, he lifted her into his arms. Her heart, chest, stomach jolted. She felt so small in his arms, so happy close to his chest. Avantika wished she could have been out of pain and haze to fully live this moment. She was sure she would remember this as a raving dream when she was cured.

“Rest here,” he lay her in the nest of her messy linens and pulled her blanket over her. “I’ll go grocery shopping. Your kitchen looks bare.”

“Hmm mmm…” she nodded, her eyes falling shut. “You’ll pakka come back na?”

“Yes, Ava. I will be back in 10 minutes. I am taking your key, ok?”

“Ok.”

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