Chapter Thirteen

CASPIUS REFUSED To leave her side. He barely gave Isla the space that she needed to properly work on Lily. He couldn’t help it though. He needed to be there. He wanted her to know that he would be there in her darkest of hours, even if he wasn’t there this time.

I should’ve been there. He mentally scorned himself. I should’ve been there to protect her. She shouldn’t have to be here, once again.

At this point, we might as well wrap her in bubble wrap, and keep her locked up. His beast shook its head. She’s so fragile.

Given her circumstances, yes she was. How could he blame her though? Lily had been through more traumatizing shit—in such a short time frame—than most people deal with in their lifetime. Her fragility was probably going to be a long lasting effect. That was going to have to change if she was going to last in this world. Hell, if she was going to last at all.

“She should be okay. Make sure she applies the antibiotic ointment to her wound every couple of hours. She should start healing fairly quickly,” Isla said. She rubbed her temples, sighing. “Explain to me why you left her? You knew those two had an agenda for her from the start.” Isla folded her arms across her chest.

Caspius frowned. “It was, either I shift, and let out my excessive energy, or I risk an unintentional shift from back up, and rip Lily to shreds.” He twirled one of her curls around his fingers. Caspius admired her features, her peacefulness.

“Well, you can’t be doing that.” Isla started collecting her emergency equipment, stuffing them in her bag. “You should be happy I hadn’t gone to bed yet. I just wish you idiots wouldn’t have moved her. You could’ve done a lot more damage moving her around with a head injury.” She gave a heavy sigh. “Take care of her. She’s the only seer, and if she dies because of you three idiots, it will be a problem.”

Typically, if someone would have insulted him, or his friends, there would have been an issue. If he were Donte or Elias, he woul have tortured them, or a quick execution would hve been in order. However, he was always the more mild of the three.

Isla was also the only person who knew how to concoct their all-healing elixir. If she died because of irrationality and hurt ego, then that secret would die with her. That couldn’t happen.

“I’ll make sure they don’t hurt her again.” Caspius looked up at Isla, then back to Lily. “I promise.”

“We’ll see.” She rolled her eyes. “You know, I may be young, but I don’t think I’ve ever recall a generation of seers that harnessed an ounce of power she holds.” She started towards the door with slow strides. Isla slouched, which was quite unlike the chimera woman. “Maybe she’s more than she seems.” She opened a door with a flick of the wrist, swinging it wide open. “I’ll have Lucien flash the two of you upstairs. There’s no need for excessive movements for her.” With that, she was gone.

Caspius shook his head. This should not have happened. He should’ve have stayed. He could have protected Lily. He could have made sure no harm had came to her at the hands of those two bastards he called friends.

There would be hell to pay. They would both suffer by his hand. If they knew what was good for them, they would both willingly submit. His beast enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. They’d only risk inciting a monster more furious than he was.

When Lucien finally came to assist them, he made it quick. Caspius spared him any formalities of socializing. He knew how much the phoenix hated small talk.

When Caspius and Lily were safe upstairs—in his room—Lucien quickly escorted himself, though he did spare a quick glance between the two of them and scowled.

Him you can trust with her. His beast grumbled. It wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of possibly leaving Lily again, however, it seemed to approve of Lucien. Of course it had approved of Lucien!

Caspius was gentle with her. He had gathered a cotton cloth, and some warm water and salt to clean her stitched up wound. On the occasion he would soak the cloth in the water, and dab around the area. He had let it dry, then applied the antibiotic ointment, as instructed.

Lily was as still as a corpse. She didn’t stir once. She just laid there. At one point or another, her lack of movement became incredibly concerning to him.

Caspius curled up beside her on the bed, and draped an arm over her middle. The subtle connection between the two of them, was enough to put him at ease. He could hear her breaths, her heart beating in her chest. He could even feel her ever-radiating heat. It was a comfort Caspius had never experienced before.

He didn’t want to move. At least here, he knew his woman was alright. She was alive and breathing, and that left him at ease.

Caspius buried his face into the crook of her neck, and took in a deep breath of her scent. By the gods, it would never get old for him. He was addicted to it.

She moved! She actually moved after what felt like an eternity to him. He could feel a wave of relief washing over him.

Lily rolled onto her side, and buried herself deep into him. Her wild, midnight curls tantalized him. She grabbed his shirt, fisting the material tight.

She gave him a sense of belonging he didn’t know he needed. He belonged here, in this bed with her. He belonged in reach of her, enough that he could scoop her up from any danger. He belonged to her.

Lily looked up at him with sleepy, blue-hazel eyes. By the gods, they could pierce through anything. “I want to go home.”

His heart sank to his stomach.