Heading back to his and Brannal’s rooms after dropping off the basket in the kitchen, Perian thought about Renny and an illness that couldn’t be cured. How frustrating it was not to know what to do. Yes, the doctor had said that what he was doing seemed to be helping, but he didn’t think his positivity could actually cure Renny. But he would act as though it could. If it was really possible that reading stories to Renny with silly voices was contributing to her feeling better, then Perian would read every story with every silly voice that he could possibly think of.
Maybe he needed hope as badly as she did.
He supposed he did understand why people were so protective of her in a way that she found stifling. Maybe some of Cormal’s bad behavior really did come from concern. (Maybe. If he was being generous.) Perian had only known Renny for a few months, andhe desperately wanted to help her. He could only imagine how hard it was for those who had been living through this for years.
He could probably have been more diplomatic when he told everyone he thought they were taking care of her wrong. He’d have to remember that for the future.
In their rooms, he found that Brannal was waiting for him. Perian perked up immediately.
“Are you early or am I late?” he asked, crossing the room to lean into Brannal, who immediately wrapped his arms around him and held him close. Perian leaned into the touch, relishing it.
He still felt a little as though his body and mind hadn’t gotten used to the idea of them being separated for hours at a time. It was ridiculous, really, when he considered that they had only gone away together for a handful of days, and they weren’t actually tied to one another’s hips.
Mm. Tied to one another’s hips.He was pretty sure that presented some very interesting possibilities.
Brannal pressed a kiss to the side of his head.
“I think it may have been a combination of both. How are you feeling?”
Perian yawned. “Good.”
“You sound tired.”
Perian snuggled closer, breathing in the scent of leather, smoke, books, and all the other things he’d once tried to describe to a drunken Nisal. The thought made him smile. “Does tired preclude good?”
Brannal chuckled, a vibration that Perian felt through his chest.
“True enough. But you are tired?”
“A bit, I guess,” he admitted. “Although I would argue that our sex was entirely athletic”—Brannal snorted—“I guess it wasn’t as active as getting back into training this morning. I managed to get through it all right, though, and I didn’t actually feel like I forgot absolutely everything, which was nice. And then I spent the whole afternoon with Renny, and she’s doing so much better!”
Perian didn’t think he could put into words how happy that made him.
“More energy?” Brannal asked.
“So much more,” Perian agreed, yawning again. “And she seemed happier. Sort of like I argued yesterday and this morning, but I really didn’t mean to insult anyone else who loves her and cares for her.”
Brannal smoothed a hand down his back. “No one thought you were doing that.”
Perian suspected that was a generous description of what had happened, but he would accept it.
“The doctor stopped by before I left, and she’s really happy with Renny’s progress as well. She might be able to leave her bed in a couple of days. We’re not going to rush anything, but I think it made Renny feel so much better to see that she was making progress so quickly—a lot more quickly than she has in the past, if I understand correctly.”
He could feel Brannal nod. “She would sometimes be confined to her bed for weeks. The dizzy spells were much more persistent, and they seemed to empty every reserve of energy she had.”
“This seems to have been just a tiny one, then, which is so, so good,” Perian said happily. “I wish it hadn’t happened at all, of course, but tiny is good. It lets her keep hoping.”
Voice rough with emotion, Brannal said, “I don’t think she could ever lose hope while you’re here, Perian. You’re so encouraging and bring her such happiness.”
Perian smooshed his face harder into Brannal’s shoulder and chest.
“Thank you,” he murmured, both touched and embarrassed. “I really do try.”
He yawned again.
“Do you need a nap before dinner?” Brannal asked, sounding amused.
Perian sighed. “I was reading from the most boring book ever so that Renny would fall asleep after the doctor left. It seems to have got me, too.” He pulled back enough to leer very unsubtly at Brannal. “I think I woulddefinitelybenefit from some time in bed if you’re going to join me.”
