“Then eat. Everything. Or I will force feed you myself,” he warned her, and he was completely serious. He was determined to keep her fed and hydrated. Her body needed all the help it could get to fight the infection.
He sat by the small table and dug into his own food, lamb in mint sauce and potatoes. Delicious, although the worry he felt tainted his enjoyment of the meal.
What would happen when they ran out of supplies? Would her condition worsen to the point where it would be impossible to move her to a place from which they could depart? Before the mission, they had charted several points around the city that were safe for their time travel, meaning the risk of accidentally dragging someone was minimal. But if Kalli became too weakened by the disease, she might not even be able to make it to one of those. Let alone to the ducal estate.
He observed her through lowered lashes. She had dropped the spoon and was once again lying listless against the pillows. Her eyes closed and her breathing shallow. He was not one to scare easily. His methodical mind meant he approached every challenge with equanimity. But he didn’t like the chances this time.
Damn it, he had to do something. He stood up and went to the medical kit. He knew the contents by heart, but still hoped to find some overlooked medication or instruction he could use to treat her. Sitting and waiting were not his strong suits.
Working systematically, he started taking out and analyzing each item in the kit. He already knew he had one more dose of the antiviral. And the antipyretics shots had already run out. But there were over a hundred different medications and devices here. Maybe he had overlooked something that could help.
Halfway through his search, he had already identified two medications that might help, when his blood ran cold at the sight of the next pills he held in his hands. His heart pounding, he checked the inventory, verified the name, use, and amounts. There was no mistake. Dread settled in his chest like a cold, wet blanket. His gaze snapped to Kalli, still unresponsive on the bed.
Good God. Was it possible? Why would she do that? How could she have kept this from him?
CHAPTER 28
What day was it? Andwhat time? The light filtering through the edges of the curtains suggested it was daytime, but she couldn’t tell if it was morning or afternoon. The last few days were all a blur in her mind. Had it been two days? Four? Her foggy brain couldn’t make sense of time. But at last, she felt better. Her body didn’t ache, and her head was not pounding as if it was being squeezed in an iron press. She coughed and felt movement on the bed.
She turned towards it, knowing who she would find on the other side of the bed. Even through her febrile deliriums, she knew he had not left her side. Dariux looked at her with a solemn expression. He seemed worried, displeased. But maybe that was just her imagination, or the fact that he had just woken up. She smiled tentatively, trying to ease his expression, but he looked away and rubbed his hands over his face.
“How do you feel?” he rasped, his voice still husky from sleep. The sound curled through her with the warmth of hot tea on a frosty night.
She tried to speak, and it came out as a croak. She cleared her throat and tried again.
“Better. I think I’m on the way to recovery.”
He nodded somberly and jumped out of bed, wearing trousers and a shirt. Had he slept in his clothes? Without looking back, he went to the nearby table, poured a glass of water, and brought it to her.
She drank, the smooth coolness of the water moisturizing her throat and allowing her to speak with ease.
“How many days has it been?”
“This is the fifth day. The fever subsided last night.”
“Wow, almost the entire week has slipped away.”
