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“Do you need me to take care of your wound?”
“No, it’ll heal on its own. Nothing serious was hit. It’s just going to take a long time. Are you all right?”
“Yeah. They didn’t hurt me much. I’m still recovering from when they found us during your trial, but no new major injuries. I will be fine. It’s crazy…”
“What is?” Tempest prompted when he didn’t continue.
“It’s just, I have no clue how I was injured. I remember being up on the wall watching what I could of the trial, and the next thing I knew, I was beside you outside the wall in incredible pain. I blacked out soon after. Do you remember what happened?”
Tempest considered telling him about the god using him, but was afraid of how he would take it. She’d wait until she knew more.
“No. I don’t remember.”
Tempest slumped against Aiden. Her head was spinning and her body felt completely drained of strength. She tried to lift herself off of him, realizing he also needed healing and therefore shouldn’t be used as a support, but Aiden placed his hand on her head and laid it back on his shoulder.
“You don’t need to move. We can lean on each other as we wait it out.” Aiden’s voice was soft. He laid his head on top of hers. “Are you sure there is nothing more I can do to help you? You’ve continuously saved my life, and I’ve done nothing in return.”
She took a deep breath, powering through another wave of nausea as she prepared to answer. “There’s nothing. I appreciate you asking, though. Please, don’t be offended if I suddenly nod off. I’m really not feeling well.”
Aiden held the back of his hand to her forehead. “You’re burning up! Were you ailing still when you came to find me?”
“No. I had healed. This is from the cresten iron. It poisons the wound. If injured too badly, it can kill even a god.”
“But you said you weren’t seriously wounded.”
“Exactly. That’s why you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll heal.”
Aiden huffed, but didn’t argue. After all, only a fool would argue with a god.
The two sat in companionable silence in the dark room, Tempest fading in and out of consciousness while Aiden kept watch. Her head slid down his shoulder, causing both of their heads to bump into the wall every time she caught herself. Her head eventually slid off his shoulder entirely. Tempest cried out from the sudden pull of the movement on her wound and Aiden’s head landing on her back.
“Tempest, lay down.”
She mumbled something in return, but she didn’t even know what, her brain was so foggy. Aiden gently helped her shift until her head lay in his lap.
“Thanks,” Tempest whispered as she faded out.
“You’re welcome.”
Chapter 17
“EmperorAiden!It’syou!”
The guard’s voice pulled Tempest out of her slumber. She hissed as her back protested when she moved.
“Send for a carriage to bring us back to the palace. Neither of us can handle a long walk,” Aiden ordered.
Tempest slowly sat up, gently shifting her back and shoulder to see how much the wound had healed. Her eyes welled up with tears, but it was still considerably less painful than it had been before.
“How are you feeling?”
She wiped the tears from her eyes and forced a smile. “Better. You?”
“I wouldn’t say better, but I don’t feel any worse. Not all of us have a god’s healing powers.”
“Can we keep that between us? While the gods know I’m here, I think letting everyone know that I am a god will only make things more difficult.”
“Agreed.” Aiden groaned as he rose to his unsteady feet.
