🔹Act 12🔹

Orin’s pov

I was staring at Kaelis’s lifeless body on my bed. I had brought her to the one place that I could keep her safe.

Her fingers were pale, lying lifeless on the blanket and I couldn’t move. My arms felt heavy, my stomach twisted. My throat felt tight, and every beat of my heart echoed like a drum.

My hands itched to touch her, to make sure she was real, but I stayed frozen, afraid that even a small movement could shatter something fragile inside her.

My eyes traced the curve of her jaw, the soft line of her cheek, the shaking of her eyelids as she breathed. She looked peaceful, almost unaware of the chaos she had survived, but my body shook with guilt and fear.

“Dammit,” I muttered, pacing back and forth, the floor creaking beneath my feet.

‘You’re staring too hard. She’s alive and not dead— at least not yet. Stop pacing, Orin. It makes you look like a caged animal.’ Veythar groaned.

I growled under my breath, stopping mid-step. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “She could have died,” I snapped at him, my voice low, harsh. My heart pounded so hard I felt it in my throat.

Relax, Orin, Veythar said again, voice smooth, almost mocking. She’s still here and still breathing. You’re making this harder on yourself than it needs to be, also stop behaving like a pup’

my voice was sharp. “Veythar, she is barely conscious. I can’t risk—”

‘Risk? Come on, Orin, you’ve been holding this in like a bomb ready to blow. Look at you. Pacing and panicking. It’s pathetic— and quite adorable.’

I growled low, my chest tightening. “You always have to make fun of everything!”

‘Always,’ he replied, shrugging like it was the simplest thing in the world. ‘But seriously, she’s fine. You should sit down and take a breather, maybe touch her hand without doing something stupid.’

I turned abruptly. “This isn’t a joke, Veythar. You heard me. I shouldn’t have let her anywhere near me last time. And now… now she’s here, she’s—” My chest tightened. “She’s lying there, helpless. And it’s my fault.”

Fault? Veythar’s voice purred in my mind. You think this is all your fault? You think you didn’t try to keep her alive?

I felt a spike of frustration. My muscles tensed and my shoulders went stiff. I ran my hands over my face, rubbing the tension in my jaw. “What if the curse takes her? What if she wakes up and it’s too late?”

‘Then she dies,’ Veythar said softly.

“Veythar!” I boomed. The vibration sent ripples through my body.

‘Hey, I was only kidding. Geez, take a chill pill,’ he let out a soft chuckle for a few seconds then sighed. ‘You think last time could happen again?

I shook my head, pacing faster. “She’s not marked yet. The marking makes the curse take her fully, but what if I’m wrong? What if I miscalculated?”

‘Then we hope for the best then, right?’

I stopped pacing, my eyes locking on her pale form. My fingers twitched, and I clenched them into fists on the bed beside her. “I was trying to save her from me,” I admitted, almost under my breath. “That’s why I stayed away.”

‘Of course you were, Veythar said. ‘Typical Orin. Protecting everyone except himself— except, in this case, her.’

I turned my head sharply. “I don’t want her to need me.”

Too late, Veythar said, a smirk I could feel in my chest. ‘She already does.’

The door opened abruptly, and Myra stepped in, her cloak swaying as she moved quickly toward Kaelis’s bedside. Relief washed over me, though Veythar growled softly in my mind, his disdain was very clear.

‘Oh, wonderful. The witch shows up, just what we needed,’ he hissed.

I coughed to steady myself and to caution him. “Thank you for coming so fast,” I said aloud, keeping my voice steady as I moved closer to Kaelis.

‘Steady?’ Veythar’s voice purred inside me, low and teasing. ‘You’ve been pacing like a caged wolf. Steady, my ass.’

“Always fast for you, Orin.” Myra knelt beside Kaelis, pulling out roots and herbs from her bag. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice calm. “I know what to do.”

I exhaled sharply, trying to calm myself. “Just make sure she wakes up,” I muttered.

‘She’s going to make you owe her, watch.’ Veythar snorted. I still ignored him— all I wanted was for Kaelis to wake up and be fine… no matter the cost.

‘Do you trust her, Orin? Really?’ He queried like a nosy housewife. “After everything that has happened between you two?”

I didn’t answer, my lips were pressed tight. “Whatever it takes to wake her,” I said.

‘Never trust a witch,’ Veythar muttered, but with a teasing edge. ‘But fine.’

Minutes turned into hours as her chest rose and fell steadily, the herbs working their slow magic… way too slow.

“How long…”

“Ssh, let the magic do its job,” she cautioned me before she stood up and faced me. Her eyes met mine like it was searching for any feelings or thoughts that she could use.

I have known Myra for a really long time… way too long for my own comfort and our relationship hadn’t always been good but she was helpful. One thing I had gotten used to is hiding my thoughts from her— else she could use them against you.

And Veythar was wrong… I didn’t trust her, rather she was a means to an end.

“Did you do it with her?” Myra questioned me, her voice was sharp but I knew all too well what she was up to.

“None of your business,” I snapped at her.

“When you called me to come help you out then it became my business,” She shot back. “So, for the last. Did you mate with her?”

“No! Nothing happened. You should have been able to stop her and let her not see me but I am sure you are enjoying this,” my voice was low but condescending.

Her eyes trailed off mine as she swayed her hips to and fro, around the room. My eyes followed her every movement as she was full of mischief and I needed to be alert.

“I haven’t seen you like this with just anyone, Orin. One might say I am jealous,” she responded but her voice was softer and calm.

“Like I said, it is none of your business,” I resounded.

Veythar groaned, ‘Damn, she doesn’t know when to quit. Does she?’

“Well, you know I have always been very open to helping you out with your little and tiny problem.” Her hand found my chest as she made it wander over my body. Then, her breath was hot in my ears but I let out a smile and held her hand from going any further.

“Thought you would get tired of being just a needy slut,” I blurted out.

She met my hard gaze and scoffed but before she could say anything, a sharp sneeze was heard.

“Kaelis!” I ran over to her bed and sat beside her— leaving Myra to her own dirty thoughts but before I had said another word… I heard the door slammed hard.

‘Finally, we can get rid of the bad energy in here,’ Veythar said, mockingly.

“Kaelis…” I called out again to be sure she was awake. I didn’t want to ruin her sleep.

Her eyes opened and she let out the most beautiful smile I had ever seen and that sent Veythar into a giggling mood.

“How… how are you feeling?” My voice was barely audible even though I tried to make it firm and steady.

She blinked slowly, a weak smile forming on her lips. “I’m… good. I’m fine.” My thumb brushed her hand and her skin was warm and not cold like before.

‘Why is she smiling though?’ Veythar queried but instead of a reply, I felt her hands caressing my cheek as she sat upright on the bed.

I pulled back almost immediately, a small growl escaping my throat. “No, you’re not. You’re better off without me. You need to be safe.”

She frowned, eyes narrowing slightly. “No,” she said softly. “I need you. While I was out… all I could think about was you.” Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she bit her lip, hesitation and courage mixed together. “I had dreams… of you… in different times.” She chuckled softly, a little breathless but that sound was everything.

“Probably a hallucination… wasn’t real,” I assured her but couldn’t assure myself that was all it was.

“It did feel real, by the way.” She turned her eyes to scan the room and they rested on the herbs. “Oh, you didn’t have to go through all of these. I wasn’t dead,” she chuckled as she pushed her hair backward. “I just didn’t want to wake up from the most beautiful dream that I have had since all of these.”

“What?”

‘What?’ Veythar repeated my shock. ‘She got me worried for nothing!’

“You were worried? Thought…”

‘I lied. Keep up, will you?’ His voice was calm and soft.

My eyes met hers and the glow in them was different— this time her eyes radiated with such beauty that I could see myself getting lost in them and would be so glad that I did without wanting to find my way back.

I’ll make you something to eat. A killer meal,” I said. I had no idea what to do or say but I knew I could not keep silent anymore.

Her lips quivered slightly. “Yes,” she said softly.

I rose, my body still not in the state of rest, and left her side, heading to the kitchen to prepare a simple meal.

Veythar’s voice echoed in my chest, teasing, low. ‘You’re a mess, Ashvale. She’s awake and you’re still worried.’

“We need to be worried.”

“Do you think… she’s remembering?” Veythar asked suddenly, his voice serious now.

I froze, glancing down at Kaelis, watching her take in the surroundings. “I hope not… for her sake and ours,” I said quietly, my chest tight, and my voice almost breaking.