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“This isn’t about what youcando. It’s about what youshoulddo. I think the two of us both know healing me wasn’t exactly easy, and you should rest up in case this spreads to anyone else.”
My stomach twisted. I should have thought of that but hadn’t. “You think it would?”
“I don’t know, mostly because no one seems certain of what it was, other than it was a disease unknown in Camdaria. Did you figure it out?”
I didn’t want to go into a whole explanation about how malevolent the illness was, like some living creature wasdevouring the wolf from the inside out, or how it seemed less like a biological plague and more a product of the curse. I was blaming myself, but I didn’t know if I could deal with him blaming me, too.
“Not entirely.”
“Must have been a doozy, then. But seriously, I’m fine. You go get some real sleep, so you won’t be miserable tomorrow.”
I acquiesced begrudgingly to his request and gave strict orders to the healers to let me know if anything changed, then made my way to my room, where I flung myself across my bed and fell asleep in my clothes. Hopefully, once I woke, my luck would have changed.
I should have known better.
I jolted awake yet again from someone touching me, but this time my response was a little less violent. Darla was looking at me curiously.
“Hey there, sleepy,” she murmured, brows knitted in confusion. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I groaned, sitting up as I realized my mouth felt like sandpaper. “Just needed some rest, apparently.”
“I take it healing Maddox put a strain on you?”
That, and the stress of finding out my already pretty awful curse was becoming even worse. “It wasn’t exactly easy.”
“I’d say so. You missed brekkie, and that isn’t like you.”
My eyes widened. “Holy shit, I did?”
“Yeah, but don’t worry. When one of the cart-pushers told me you hadn’t answered your door, I insisted they leave a platter with me for when you woke up. I figured you wouldn’t be going up to the dining hall.”
“You got that right,” I said, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
“Besides, you probably want to save all your socialization for Princess Seraphina’s afternoon tea.”
I paused, my stomach sinking. “For what now?”
“The invite came in this morning with breakfast. I know it’s not really your scene, but you should at least make an appearance. That girl islonely.” Darla paused, as if she was considering something. “You know, she’s like you. A younger, sweeter, friendlier, less traumatized you.”
“So, not like me at all,” I said.
“Nah, loneliness is an author with a specific type of penmanship, and you’ve both got it scrolled all over your habits. Now, come on, eat this semi-cold food, then get into the shower. I had our uniforms washed, so we’re not going to be super dolled up, but I want us to be at least presentable.”
“Uh-oh, I think I’ve come down with the strange malady Mad Dog had. Who could have ever predicted this?”
“Har, har, har. If I have to dig through noble’s heads, you’re at least going to be there to listen to the snarky inner monologue I build up. Now, hop to it! Don’t make me pull rank.”
It was easy to forget Darla was an officer while I wasn’t, but she was right. I gave her a good glare, then went about stuffing my face with the food she’d saved for me before hiding away in my shower, wishing for the steam to wash away so much of what was troubling me.
Thankfully, it wasn’t like it was an entire production to get ready. The longest part was Darla drying and styling my hair, then putting the thin strands into a series of braids she pinned into a simple bun at the back of my head. It still kept the white-blonde strands out of my face, which I appreciated, but it looked effortless and classy.
Hers took a bit longer, with her twisting some of her hair into tight coils, then she pinned them in specific lines to her scalp before letting it explode in a cloud of loose and luscious curls behind her head. I hadn’t realized how much her hair had grown since we’d first gone on the journey together to my oldcoven. Actually, had any of us had time for a haircut? That was something worth scheduling while we were in the capital.
I tucked the idea in my head for later as Darla and I walked to the little soiree. I’d never been to an afternoon tea, so I didn’t really know what to expect, which made me nervous, so I distracted myself by bothering my best friend.
“Hey, did you ever end up talking to Oren? Like a real, actual conversation?”
“Not yet, but I had an eye-opening conversation with your mate, so it’s on the docket. I just need to think of what I want to say.”
