Page 102 of Historical Hotties
The dog was snoring.
But there was more noise coming from her left side. As she slowly turned her head to see who it was, her gaze fell upon Father Lazarus at the foot of her bed, sitting in a chair but his head was lying on the bed. He was snoring, too, fast asleep. But she continued turning to her left only to catch sight of an enormous body on the ground next to her bed. She couldn’t see more than part of a torso and legs, but she noticed that whoever was sitting there was holding her hand.
It was a massive hand.
She recognized it.
“Cassius?” she said weakly.
He was the one snoring loud enough to wake the dead. It was so loud it was practically rattling her teeth. He was holding on to her hand, so she squeezed his big mitt.
“Cassius,” she said, her voice hoarse and faint. “Wake up, Cass.”
One big snore and he felt silent. She squeezed his hand again and, suddenly, he was in her face, his sleepy eyes wide with shock.
“Dacia?” he said in disbelief. “Angel, you’re awake!”
She was so glad to see him that the tears were almost instant. “Of course I’m awake,” she said. “Why would I not be awake? And… and you’rehere. But why? How?”
He could see her eyes welling and it set him off. Exhaustion, relief, and genuine joy filled him and he put a big hand on her head, leaning forward to sweetly kiss her lips as tears filled his eyes.
“Aye, I’m here,” he said tightly, kissing her cheeks. “I will always be here, Dacia. I will never leave you again, I swear it.”
Weakly, Dacia lifted her free hand, or at least tried to. Argos was laying on it. When Cassius saw what was happening, he gently shoved the sleeping dog aside to free her trapped arm. Her hand came up to his bearded face and he kissed it reverently.
“Why did you come back?” she whispered. “I was going to write to you and tell you… tell you… God’s Bones, my mind feels like mush. I do not understand why you are here, Cass. What has happened?”
Cassius could see how muddled she was. Meanwhile, their chatter had awoken Father Lazarus, who was standing at the end of the bed, beaming at the sight. Cassius turned to the man.
“Can you please send for the physic, Father?” he asked quietly. “And tell the duke that his granddaughter has awoken.”
Father Lazarus nodded and hustled off, leaving Cassius alone with Dacia. At least, for a few moments until they were invaded by well-meaning people. Knowing this, Cassius put his hand to her face, gazing into her pale, bloodshot eyes.
“What do you remember last, angel?” he asked softly.
Dacia had to think hard. “Amata came,” she said after a moment. “She came to apologize for telling her lies. I told her to… leave. I think I may have slapped her again. Truly, I do not remember much. Why? What is going on, Cass?”
He kissed her cheek gently. “I am here because Edie accidentally gave you a poison and not a sleeping powder,” he said. “She mixed up the powders, evidently, and gave you something that has put you to sleep for two days. Darian came to find me and brought me back here because no one was sure if you would awaken.”
Dacia’s eyes widened. “A poison?” she gasped. “What poison?”
“Something the physic from Sheffield called purpurea,” he said. “It slowed your heartbeat, your breathing. But you are awake now and you shall recover fully, thank God. But I want you to know, Dacia… I want you to know how much I love you. Until the end of all things, I will love you and only you. You told me once that your heart was mine and no longer yours to give. The same can be said for me, angel. My heart is no longer my own– it belongs to you now and always will.”
The tears returned to Dacia’s eyes as she cupped his big face between her two hands. “I am sorry I sent you away,” she wept softly. “I truly thought it was the best thing for you, but I know now that I should not have done so. You wanted to protect me and I should have let you. But I thought I was protectingyou.”
He kissed her as she wept. “I know,” he said. “I understand you thought you were doing what was best, but it is all over now. We are together again and we shall never be apart, ever.”
She returned his kisses with as much strength as she could muster. “Promise me, Cass.”
“I swear it upon my oath as a knight, my sweet angel.”
A knock at the door interrupted them. Cassius turned to see the physic standing there with Father Lazarus. Behind themstood Doncaster. He charged into the chamber in front of the others, his gaze riveted to Dacia. When he saw that she was indeed alert and looking at him, he nearly collapsed with relief.
“Dacia,” he said, putting his hand to his heart. “Thank God and the saints that you have awakened. There is something you must see!”
He seemed quite excited. “What is it, Grandfather?” Dacia asked.
The duke was quite excited, indeed. He waved his arms at Cassius. “Get her up, lad,” he said. “Pick her up and bring her. There is something she must see.”
