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I tried to argue, but a shiver strong enough to shake my entire body racked through me and stopped the words from forming. Cyrus laughed lightly, squeezing me tightly into his side and leading me from the council rooms into the strangely quiet hallways of the castle.
Cyrus talked as we walked through the halls, his voice soothing and comforting as I tried to fight the growing wave of nausea, nodding along with what he was saying even though none of it was computing properly in my head.
We started to climb the stairs, and I hung onto the banister tightly, my hands slipping due to the sweat on my palms. Cyrus took his time, his patience seemingly never-ending as I had to stop to dry heave several times. He rubbed circles on my back, talking to me quietly and reassuring the passing staff members that I was fine, and it was just a stomach bug.
Maybe it was something I had eaten, and I was overreacting, but I felt as though death were trying to work his way into my bones.
I did not notice as Cyrus lead us past the floor where our chambers were and kept climbing the stairs until we reached the very top of the Western tower. I frowned at the unusual decor up here, the walls painted in a dark, blood red and the floor an old, twisted wood — completely different from the marble of the rest of thecastle.
“Where are we?” I asked, sighing, and leaning against Cyrus heavily, letting my legs rest for a second.
“I thought you might want some more privacy,” Cyrus explained, helping me walk through the old, wooden door into a bedroom I had never seen until now.
The room was dark, despite the open curtains, and the lit fireplace was the only source of light I could see. He led me through the living area, the red velvet sofas making me frown, it was as though no one had been in here in years. As we passed through the first of two doors, I realised where he had brought me. It was the royal suite, somewhere no one had been since his father died.
A large bed sat on top of a circular dais, the pillars reaching the ceiling and boasting velvet curtains, and, to my delight, it was decorated with thick, fluffy pillows and a duvet I wanted to get lost under. Candlesticks were lit on both bed side tables, and a large chest of drawers sat to the side, it’s top covered with dust.
“I had the bedding changed, and the staff will be in to clean the rest of the room for us once you’re feeling better.” Cyrus smiled at me softly, helping me sit on the end of the bed and taking my jumper off over my head.
I shivered at the sudden cold air on my skin, and Cyrus worked quickly to help me into a pair of warm, cotton pyjamas that had been brought up for me. He pulled the duvet cover back, showing a clean white sheet andmatching pillow cases, and relief flooded through me as I crawled under the thick duvet, the weight of it against my tired muscles an instant relief.
“I’ll be up to check on you in an hour or so,” Cyrus whispered, tucking me in at the sides and pushing sweaty hair from my face, placing a gentle kiss to my forehead despite the layer of sticky sweat. “Get some rest, Sweetheart.”
I nodded, my eyes already closing as I snuggled down under the heavy duvet. Cyrus’s retreating footsteps lost to the throws of my heavy sleep.
~~~
Someone’s hand against my forehead dragged me from my sleep.
I started awake, my eyes flying open in panic as I shot up in bed, expecting to see Cyrus, but being greeted with Tarian’s worried face. I slumped back into the pillows, letting out a heavy breath. I had been having the strangest of dreams, and while I was thankful that I had been pulled from it when I had, I had really wanted to know how it ended.
Tarian perched himself on the edge of the bed, his weight making the mattress dip slightly and making me roll in his direction. I groaned as the nausea hit again, and Tarian was quick to grab a small bucket that had been left on the floor for me.
As the contents of this morning’s breakfast left my stomach, Tarian rubbed circles on my back and held my hair out of my face.
“I have to say, you’ve definitely looked better.” Tarian offered once I had taken a long drink of water and collapsed back onto my pillows. The water still tasted like copper, and it brought me back to my dreams. Someone in the kitchen, pouring powders into the water jugs.
“Thanks,” I rasped, rubbing my face with my hands, “I think I’m dying.”
“Don’t be silly,” Tarian laughed, shaking his head and taking my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. “You have a stomach bug, Kira.”
“No,” I shook my head, my strange dream coming back to me now that I had time to think about it, “No. I don’t think this is a stomach bug.”
“What do you mean?” Tarian asked, frowning, “What’s going on?”
“The water I’ve been drinking,” I nodded my head to the large jug, enchanted to stay cold, “Taste it.”
Tarian frowned, eyeing the water suspiciously before sighing and standing up. He took the cup I had just used and poured fresh water into it, sniffing it cautiously before taking a large drink.
His face screwed up instantly, and he spun on the spot, sprinting from the bedroom into the bathroom and loudly spitting the water back out into either the toilet or the sink. I watched the door where he had just disappeared until he came back, his skin pale and his eyes wide, the glass still clutched in his hand.
“What is that?!” He asked, putting the glass on top of the chest of drawers and turning to grab the water jug, looking into it with shock written all over his face.
“I don’t know,” I sighed, “Every drink I’ve had for days has tasted like that,”
“Kira,” Tarian whispered, looking from the water to me with wide, panicked eyes, “Someone is poisoning you.”
Dread settled into my stomach, and I closed my eyes as I nodded my head, letting it rest back against the headboard of the bed. Tarian cursed out loud, taking the jug of water from the nightstand and disappearing with it, I heard him almost run through the living area into the bathroom, the sound of water disappearing down the drain filling the rooms.
