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She groaned and slapped her hands against her face. “Oh Cobalt, why?”

“I was hungry. Besides, he’s our friend now so he could have easily gotten us out of anything sticky if needed.” Cobalt jabbed his pointed finger in West’s direction. “Right?”

He looked towards him for confirmation.

“Right.” West snickered, and covered his mouth as she glared at him.

“Don’t encourage this behaviour.” Crimson groaned as she rubbed at her forehead. “It’s not good.”

“With how feisty he was when it came down to defending his well earned snacks, you might want to make room for him in the guard, Captain Saint.” Thalias leaned up against the doorframe, bracing himself with his arm propped up alongside the very top of it. His honey blond hair was pulled up today, in a tiny bun at the base of his neck. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to be a great warrior.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Would I get more treats?” Cobalt had the audacity to ask. “I might join if the answer is yes.”

“You are a sugar fiend.” Crimson lightly swatted the top of his head. “Focus on getting better, and then we can discuss your future as a soldier for the Empress, alright?”

He scowled. “You’re no fun, Red. All seriousness and no play.” He went to say something else, mouth open but then his face contorted into a mask of discomfort.

She paused, “Blue?”

He made a noise, followed by another concerning one. His cheeks bulged and he began to cough. Lightly at first but then they progressed into something more violent. Cobalt’s features turned to stone as he began to redden, hacking away as wet coughs followed. She reached for him as blood began to dribble out of the corners of his lips.

“Cobalt!” Crimson cried out as he fell. She caught him as her knees hit the floor. A sickening twist of pain shot through her legs but she didn’t care as he spat up more and more. He was shaking in her arms and nothing, nothing terrified her more.

“Just breathe, try to relax.” She whispered down at him, wiping his face of the thin layer of sweat that started to appear.Cobalt tried to say something, tried to urge her to do something but a large clot came up, spilling out of his mouth. “You’re going to be okay.” Her voice wavered.

Tears poured from her eyes as she tried to contain her sob. She couldn’t lose him,wouldn’t.Every single one of his bouts were terrifying for different reasons, but he’d been getting better only to relapse.

Her hope felt as though it’d been sliced in half.

“Get him to the infirmary,now!” West commanded in a near roar as he found a handkerchief from somewhere and dabbed at the splashes of scarlet that stained his face. “I want him in that bed for the next six days, do you hear me? Thalias, get to the ward now and get everything prepared. Damien, take him.”

Thalias darted into action to alert the healers of Cobalt’s arrival as Damien knelt before her and tenderly took her brother from her. “Let me have him, okay? I promise that we’ll take care of him.” His words didn’t comfort her as Cobalt spasmed but she handed him over because there was nothing that she could do to prevent this.

Crimson could hear her heartbeat in her head, could feel the pulsating pressure in her temples as she cried. It was painful and terrified and she didn’t know what to do as Damien gently carried her brother out of the apartments. Even West’s heartbeat was drowned out in the ocean of panic and horror that slammed against the shoals of her sanity.

“He’s going to be alright.” West knelt before her, drawing her gaze towards him as he took her hands in his. “They’ll make sure of it.”

“What if we leave and then we come back, only to find him gone? What if he passes away while we’re looking for my father?” She shook her head as the onslaught of emotions struck her overand over again, like the clapper inside of a brass bell. “West, Ican’tlet him die. He’s my world, he’s my everything. If he goes, then I-” She gasped for air in between tears. “I don’t know what I’d do.”

“I know.” He said quietly and wiped at her face. “So let’s get this over with as quickly as possible. Let’s find Heartache and return to him, to make sure that youdosee him again.”

Crimson steadied herself, locking his words in tight. He was right. “Let’s go.”

Within the hour, they both had everything they needed and made for the harbour. Osira saw them off, promising to take good care of her brother and check in on him every morning and night until their return, swearing up and down that she would give him everything he ever wanted as well. Crimson threw her arms around the female and hugged her firmly, unable to express her gratitude in any other way. Osira only hugged her back and waved goodbye to them as they boarded the ship.

But Crimson’s attention caught on her son, who watched them with an intriguing emotion displayed for full view. Why he of all people was here for their send off, she wasn’t sure. But every single tethered emotion that connected to her power, flared in warning and she tuned into them, as she had always done.

They’d kept her alive for this long.

Altivar had his arms crossed over his chest, a broad smile that suggested trouble as he caught her stare. “Did you need something, Crimson?” He practically purred like a lazy cat in her direction.

“No.” She uttered before turning towards the gangplank. “Nothing from you, at least.”

“Well then.” His voice was like melted metal, smooth andslippery and she didn’t like it. “I can’t wait to see what this little excursion brings back. I look forward to your return. Sail safely.” And with that, he turned around and headed back up the sandy path to the castle, leaving them all behind.

Crimson watched him depart, wondering if perhaps he had been the one to send her all of the threatening notes. With how West said he was searching for Heartache too, it would make sense. And she didn’t trust him in the slightest. But if it had been him, why would he have signed them as C? It made no sense, but it wasn’t just something she’d easily brush off. Until she could delve deeper into it all, he lingered as the number one culprit in the back of her brain.