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After several more minutes, her sobs shuddered into sniffs, and she scrubbed her face with her sleeve.
“I’m sorry, Jalissa. So sorry. For all of this.” He rubbed her back and brushed hair from her face.
“It is not your fault. You did not ask to be poisoned.” Jalissa sniffed. “It is Jimson’s.”
“Still, I drank that brandy, knowing it was poisoned.” Edmund could not help the way his arms tightened around her. “I gambled that you could keep me alive with our heart bond. I—”
She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “And you were right. I kept you alive, and we survived. We made it safely to Winstead Palace, and General Bloam and your brothers are rounding up Lord Farnley and Princess Bella as we speak.”
“I still gambled with both our lives, and we nearly lost.” Edmund could not bring himself to meet her gaze.
“But we did not.” Jalissa rested her head on his shoulder. “We always knew going into Mongavaria in the first place was a gamble. Your gamble got us out of there as safely as possible. You found information that will be vital for keeping Escarland, Tarenhiel, and Kostaria safe for years to come. I think we should count this as a victory. Do not spend more time worrying about what could have been and instead celebrate the fact that we are alive and safe. That is all that matters.”
He relaxed his hold until he was gently cradling her instead of clutching her to him so desperately. “How did I get so lucky to marry someone as amazing as you?”
How he loved her. He would not have survived that last mission without her at his side. He would never forget that, no matter how long they both lived thanks to their heart bond.
Edmund tilted his head to glance at her. He hadn’t dared kiss her back in Mongavaria. But they were safe now, and there was little chance he’d poison her through a kiss now.
Jalissa met his gaze, then grimaced. She placed a finger against his jaw and tilted his head away from her. “No offense, love, but your breath reeks.”
Right. He faced the ceiling again so he wasn’t breathing on her. The last time he’d brushed his teeth had been back in Mongavaria on the train before they’d ditched their toothbrushes with all nonessentials in the forest. All that vomiting and nearly dying wouldn’t have done his breath any favors. There would be no kissing until he had gotten reacquainted with a toothbrush.
Come to think of it, he likely didn’t smell all that great right now either.
Edmund tried to subtly tilt his head and sniff at his armpit. Yep. A shower needed to be the first thing on his agenda as soon as he was strong enough to get up. “I’ll be fine now, if you’d like to go into another room to get some rest away from my less-than-pleasant smell.”
Jalissa stilled, her body tensing as her fingers fisted in his shirt. “I do not want to leave you. Not yet.”
There was an edge to her voice, a hint of the desperation of the past few days still tight in her tone.
They’d have to discuss it eventually. But, for now, he’d rather keep their conversation light. Even if that meant mocking his own stench. “Even though I smell terrible at the moment?”
“Worse than terrible.” Jalissa relaxed once again, her fingers loosening to smooth over his shirt. “But I have become rather used to it by this point. I do not smell like a flower garden either at the moment.”
He chuckled, making sure he kept his face turned away from her so he didn’t laugh barf breath on her. “I really am blessed with the most amazing wife who will stick by my side in sickness and in poisonings, in lack of bathing and teeth brushing. Perhaps I should make a few suggestions to update the standard Escarlish marriage vows.”
He didn’t have to look at her to know she was rolling her eyes as she laughed. Her laugh turned into a yawn.
“You should rest.” He peeked down at her, but he could only see the top of her dark hair without tipping his head toward her. All joking aside, the past few days had been rough. She should get all the rest she could.
“So should you,” she murmured against his shoulder as her eyes sank closed again.
“I’ll sleep soon, don’t worry.” Edmund patted her hand as she rested it against his chest, as if to reassure herself that his heart remained beating. “But I’ve been unconscious for the past day. I think I’ve gotten plenty of rest lately.”
She gave another soft, sleepy laugh.
He just held her, gently rubbing her shoulder until her breathing slowed with sleep.
A light knock came from the door, and his mother peeked inside once again. Her gaze flicked from Jalissa to Edmund, and she kept her voice low. “Nylian is here to check on you.”
Edmund nodded. “Send him in.”
Nylian strode inside, his expression dour as always. He might pretend he disliked being here in Escarland, but Edmund knew the truth. All the elf healers in Escarland had volunteered for the duty, even Nylian.
The elf healer gave a short bow. “May I, Your Highness?”
“Please.” Edmund closed his eyes as Nylian rested his hand on his forehead. A soothing sensation spread through him, easing the lingering ache.
