“Mare?” He rolled to his knees, concern slicing across his features.
The pressure climbed higher. My body locked up. My lungs refused the air.
“It’s happening—again. I can’t—I can’t breathe.Help.”
Chapter 37
Marin
Gavin was on hisfeet in an instant. His grip found my shoulder, firm and grounding as another shallow breath rattled in my chest.
“Mare, listen to me. I need you to hold on. I have an idea.” His voice was steady, but there was an urgency beneath it. “You said the moisture in the bog helped. We need some steam.”
His hand left my shoulder. A sudden cold absence. Across the room, metal clattered as he wrenched open a cabinet. The rush of water. The scrape of a pot against stone as he shoved it over the fire. I pressed a shaking hand to my ribs. Black spots danced in my vision.
“It hurts—Gav—”
The composure in him cracked, something raw bleeding through. No charm. No teasing. Just him, stripped bare.
His hand trembled against my back.
“I know, sweetheart.”
A single, ragged breath slipped past my lips as he lifted me in his arms, gathering me close. “It won’t take long. Just listen to my voice.”
He lowered me to the floor in front of the fire, whispering calmly in my ear. His arms were still wrapped around me, my back pressed to his chest. But my throat burned. The darknesspressed closer.
I'm dying. Not here… not now.
The curse coiled deeper. Tivara's magic spread like thick mold, my lungs growing tighter until I felt them convulse. A final, failing gasp.
Then, nothing.
Utter stillness as my lungs stopped working.
Fear. All-consuming fear slithered through me.
“Breathe, Marin.” Gavin bent forward, lifting the pot from the fire, holding the edges with one of his shirts, and pressed the pot under my face.
I tried to tell him I couldn’t. That it was too late. But the words died in my airless throat. My heartbeat was too loud… too sluggish. I dug my fingers into his arms, nails biting into his skin, but he didn’t flinch, only pressed a hand to the back of my neck and gathered the hair from my face.
The steam rose, bathing my skin. I coughed. A hard, wrenching sound. My lungs spasmed as they heaved back to life.
“Slow,” Gavin murmured gently.
A small inhale. Hot and raw. Burning from the inside out.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “As long as it takes.”
I sank against him, letting the steam pass through my aching throat. It curled in waves, easing the pain. Loosening. Gavin’s thumb drew slow, grounding circles over my ribs.
“That’s it, Marin. It’s working.”
It was. The pain faded. My breaths evened into a smooth rhythm.
For a long time, I just sat there, letting Gavin hold me. Letting the fear subside, knowing he had vanquished that monster, too.
“Do you need more?”
