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The next day, Valkus and I are relaxing with some tea in his studio. We sit side by side as he gives me a painting lesson. I mimic his strokes, following his expert advice as I glide the bristles along the canvas.
“You’re doing very well,” he says.
“Don’t tease me, yours looks far better than mine.”
“Even if it does, you’re still remarkable for a novice.”
“Well, I suppose I…”
No further words leave my mouth as Valkus hangs on for a reply. His smile slowly drops as the color from my world fades to black.
“Althia, are you alright?” I hear his voice speak, but it has become echoed.
When I open my eyes, I’m back in bed, glancing in confusion at the group of people watching over me. Valkus stands there with Nexus, casting a worried look my way while a healer scribbles some notes on parchment. Behind the healer is Yiosha.
“Can you hear me?” asks the healer.
“Yes… What happened? One minute I was conscious and then…”
“Hush now, you need some rest.”
“Were you able to find anything?” asks Valkus impatiently.
“I didn’t detect anything. Just seems to have been food poisoning, but I’m not sure. Humans are very fragile, you know.”
“Not sure? You’re a healer, isn’t there anything you can do?”
“Calm down, there’s nothing to be worried about. Althia should be back to normal in no time. Now if you excuse me, I must be returning to my office.”
I watch in bewilderment as the healer spins around on his heels and makes for the door. Yiosha gives him a bag of coins for payment as Valkus comes to the bedside.
“I hope that healer is right,” he snarls. “You were feeling ill yesterday as well, but maybe this is the worst of it.”
“I’ll be okay. The healer said so,” I tell him reassuringly.
* * *
I’m on all fours trying to breathe. It hurts to the point where each breath sends a wave of agony through my body. I’m supposed to be getting ready for breakfast. Valkus expected me to be in the dining room ten minutes ago.
A tear falls from my eyes. My lungs feel as though someone is holding lava to them. I hear Valkus’ quick footsteps approaching, turning towards the door as it swings open.
“Althia, what’s taking you so long?”
His eyes widen in fright when he sees the state I am in.
“Help me,” I mutter. “I can barely breathe.”
“Fuck!” He rushes over and carries me to the bed.
“I think… I’m still sick.”
“Fucking healer said you’d be fine,” he growls.
I peer up at him and see a look of pure, unadulterated rage in his eyes. I thought I had witnessed the extent of Valkus’ anger when he attacked the man who tried to violate me but this is something else, like a predator begging to be unleashed onto its prey.
“I don’t understand what’s happening to you. The food we eat here is fresh, everything is cleaned daily, and no one got near enough to you to give you an illness while we were in town.”
“Maybe the healer could…”
