Page 199 of The Call of Crimson
“This is the former lover you mentioned?” Ayden asks, keeping his voice low so only I can hear.
I grunt in confirmation. “Does he seemharmlessto you?”
Ayden’s eyes sweep over Cillian slowly. “That’s not the word I would use to describe him.”
“What are we whispering about?” Rowina whisper-yells, inserting herself between us.
“Just how incredibly annoying you are, sister,” Ayden responds, playfully shoving her away.
“Can you read him?” I ask, gesturing to Cillian.
“Hmm, let me see,” Rowina hums, narrowing her gaze. “He’s conflicting. A mix of amusement, curiosity, and I think that’s arousal, but I can’t discern who it’s for.”
“Harmless, my ass,” Ayden huffs, striding toward Breyla. Taking her arm in his, he smiles at Elijah and Ophelia. “Come, love. Let’s show your guests to their rooms.”
“Please!” Ophelia squeals. “I’m dying for a warm bath.”
Rowina links her arm in Ophelia’s. “Well, you’re in luck. We happen to have a few bathtubs in the castle. Let’s get you clean.”
Elijah trails behind, and I fall into step beside him. “It’s good to see you, Elijah. She’s been… chaos without you.”
He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, falling swiftly. Sweat lines his forehead, and his heart rate is unusually high. He almost appears sickly.
My Hemonia Gift reaches out unbidden, exploring his blood for any signs of infection. While not common, thanks to our enhanced rate of healing, it is possible to fall victim to infection.
My heart nearly stops beating at what I find. I stop moving, grasping his shoulder to turn him in my direction. I wait until the others are out of earshot before confronting him.
“Elijah,” I start, voice catching in my throat. “Tell me I’m wrong, and that’s not the Fae poison in your veins.”
“Ophelia doesn’t know,” is all he says, a desperate, pleading look on his face.
“Fuck,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “How long ago did it happen?”
“Nearly three days back,” he says, swallowing hard.
My jaw goes slack. “You should be dead.”
“I know.” His voice cracks. “I don’t know why I’m not, but I understand I’m living on borrowed time.”
Tears pool in his deep brown eyes.
My Gift reaches out again, trying to gain an understanding of how far the poison has progressed. “It’s hard to say, but based on my limited experience, I’d say you have until sunrise tomorrow.”
He nods, a grim acceptance in his eyes. My arms wrap around him before I can process what I’m doing. I’m not a hugger. I can count on one hand the number of people I’ve ever hugged, but I’m hugging Elijah, and it feels right.
“Fuck you, Elijah,” I mutter against his shoulder as he finally returns my hug. “Fucking hells, what am I supposed to do? This will destroy her. How do you expect me to pick up the pieces of the female I love when you leave her shattered?”
“You’re the only one who can, Aurelius,” Elijah replies, breaking from my embrace. “I tried to warn you months ago that you two would need one another. I just pray someone is there to hold Ophelia together when I’m gone.”
“Why wouldn’t you tell her, Elijah? You can’t ask me to keep this from Breyla. If she finds out I knew and didn’t tell her, it will destroy the progress I’ve made in regaining her trust.”
A panicked look fills Elijah’s eyes. “You can’t tell either of them. If they knew…” he sighs, “they would spend my last hours trying to change the fate we both know can’t be undone.”
In this moment, I truly understand why he’s kept this secret. Breyla would undoubtedly spend what time he had left trying to fight the God of fate.
“I hate that you’re right.”
“So what are you going to do?” Elijah asks, wiping at the sweat pooling along his hairline.
