Page 36 of Beast and Remedy (The Last of the Heirs #2)
Keep It Together
B ringing our friends into our home was the hard part. The guards and staff recognized a king in their midst, bowing and acknowledging him.
It was awkward at first, but mercifully, Jean and Pierre cleared the air with the household before we gathered for a meeting.
They were kind and welcoming, and the tension looming over me eased.
But during our discussion, Beau revealed his abilities, surprising Jean and Pierre and all but confirming our beliefs.
And despite everyone getting reacquainted with the most recent updates, Pierre’s knowing gaze watched me. I need to prove bringing our friends here is worthwhile, or else his studious attention I feel even more now will never dwindle.
Now, in my alchemy room, I deposit the honey I received in Palaena into its designated vial while the others converse.
“You have so many bottles,” Jules marvels as she approaches from behind.
“And I thought you’d only have a massive collection of books,” Leo adds, earning a snicker from Marian and a shushing from Christine.
I scoff under my breath at Leo’s comment but smile at the supplies I’ve slowly recovered. “I used to have a lot more,” I say over my shoulder.
The scent of pine and lemon pulls my focus to Beau as he raises a tattered book and approaches. “Was this from the wolf you sheltered?”
I nod solemnly before facing the others. “We cleaned up the majority of the mess, but I kept the ruined pages, hoping to eventually put the information back together somehow.”
Everyone glances at the damaged tomes. The thin spines and ripped pages stacked higher than the three ledgers piled atop one another.
“I half expected there to be more,” Marcel comments.
“We are lucky there wasn’t,” Marian adds. “Vi already lost her shit with those three.”
I glare at my sister, and she shrugs, sharing a knowing look with Leo.
Beau reads the spine of the tattered book before filtering through some of the contents. “These might be useful for our research. They are directly related to wolves in general, and learning about their anatomy will help.”
“We can’t read them if they are damaged,” Marian grumbles.
“I’ll piece them together!” Christine volunteers, earning an arched brow from Beau. “Oh, come on, you know I have a keen eye. You use me whenever you can’t read medicinal documents.”
“We can all help,” Marcel suggests. “We all need something to do, anyway.”
Jules clears her throat. “I hate to add to this, but has anyone considered this could be affecting more than wolves? Should we be researching other animals, too?”
The stress I cannot escape from clings to my muscles, and I rub the back of my neck. “We don’t have any information that it is affecting anything other than wolves and humans.”
“What if the virus happened before the wolf was brought here?” Leo asks.
“Other than the fact it was injured, it seemed normal,” Marian answers. “At this time, let’s assume whatever started this infection, started in this room.”
Beau runs a hand through his hair, his biceps flexing underneath his dark-green tunic, and my fingers twitch with the need to touch him.
“Let’s break down in detail all the events leading up to the wolf’s attack.” His eyes flick to me, and I bristle, caught in the act of ogling him. “Vi, do you have a record of some sort with all the vials you had?”
“Y-Yes,” I reply, letting my waves fall forward, praying that he cannot see the blush breaking out across my cheeks.
“Good, we will need to write everything down and research the outcomes when combining these elements. If such a reaction to ingesting ingredients came from this, we need to look beyond the virus. We need to understand it and then we can treat it,” Beau says.
His suggestions are spot on, yet I can’t help but add, “That’s only part of the equation.”
“Indeed, I was about to suggest we divide into groups. One to work on piecing together these ledgers, one to list the ingredients and varying outcomes, one to read up on infections, and the last to record information from the reports we have and are sure to receive.”
Jules and Christine huddle close. “We can piece together the parchments!”
Beau tilts his head toward them. “You both know Jules is well-versed with ingredients. She would be better suited to that, along with listing potential outcomes.”
“I can help with reading any new material,” his brother says.
“So can I,” Marian volunteers, eyeing Leo. The two of them share a grin.
“Jules should work on the ingredients,” Marcel says, agreeing with Beau. “And I can help Christine put together the parchments. I have a feeling that will take the most time.”
“Leo and Marian could help with that, too, then we can read over the tomes faster,” Beau starts before his gaze finds mine once more, and my pulse quickens. “Vi and I can review the reports and discuss treatment options.”
I gesture toward my vials and my old records, leaning into my stubbornness to help with my resolve. “I should help Jules with the ingredients, though—”
“That’s alright, Vi.” Jules beams. “You’ve always had good penmanship. It’ll be easy to look through.”
And there goes my attempt.
A small smirk grows across Beau’s lips, his dimples hinting at satisfaction. “Then, it’s settled.” He puts the tattered book in Christine’s hands, and Marcel gathers the rest of the ruined pages.
Leo and my sister move, grabbing the stack of books from Palaena I will not get a chance to read first. “We can rotate on reading while we put a few ledgers together,” Marian says to Leo, and he agrees as they join Marcel and Christine.
Jules scoots me out of my place, taking in each of my vials with delight. “Time to get acquainted with each one of you.”
The group occupies themselves with their tasks well before I’ve even had a chance to do—let alone say—anything. And it doesn’t sit right with me.
“Excuse me,” I speak up.
Everyone’s rustling stops, and they turn. The fierce determination in their eyes and the nostalgia of being with them all again steals my breath.
A hollowness creeps into my chest as my resolve wavers.
Marian clutches a book to her chest. “What is it, Vi?”
I work my jaw, but the words run dry on my tongue. I sigh, slumping. “Don’t make a mess.”
Jules snorts. “Since when did you like things being tidy?”
I glare at my friend as she bursts out cackling, Marian biting her lip to suppress her own amusement.
“Since you all helped yourselves to my study,” I retort, but it does nothing against their snickers.
Even Beau covers his laugh, and my mouth falls.
“Not you too,” I groan, betrayed even he feels the same.
His teeth gleam, his chuckle full of lightheartedness and contentment. “I’m laughing because I would be the exact same if my friends took over my space.” Those damningly beautiful, golden irises hold me captive as he asks, “Do you need a different place to think? Read through the reports with me?”
He winks, and my heart skips before I ensure no one saw him.
But everyone has resumed their work, and I hate the agony building in my chest being a clear punishment and a reminder of what can never be.
I swallow down the bile churning in my throat as I force myself to deny alone time with him. “The library has seating arrangements. We could all work in there more efficiently.”
Beau’s expression falters, and I try not to overthink it and the shiver rattling through my soul.
“The library?” Jules perks up. “Damn, I’ll have to stay here, though.” She gestures to the vials.
“Don’t worry. The library isn’t going anywhere,” Marian says. “But now, you can think of it as motivation to get done faster so you can join us.”
“Vi and I can stay and help Jules. It shouldn’t take too long, and then we can all work in the library and keep Vi’s study tidy.”
Beau’s thoughtful compromise works well for everyone, and they agree, but I can’t help but feel it is targeted toward me.
Does he understand? Can he see what I mean and why we can’t and shouldn’t be alone? Should I even say anything?
My mind wanders in circles with never-ending questions as Jules, Beau, and I stay behind, recording everything in my collection as the others head for the library.
The torture I am enduring today is only the beginning.
Correspondence from each kingdom filters in as my friends and I gather, collect, and note the possible outbreaks of infection. Palaena shelters our people in their lands and sends books and letters with their messengers. And Papa’s responses are one thing keeping Marian upbeat.
It was a relief to receive a response from Unterkirch, the kingdom where all healers traveled to learn the craft. Many students and professors in their region share their knowledge with us and offer suggestions for treatments.
Northtry, however, didn’t offer the same budding assistance. They simply wished us well and will await news with a solution. It struck me as odd to receive such a response, given the prince and the king recently visited. They were formal but seemed likely to help us should we ask.
But then again, they have always kept to themselves.
My eyes feel permanently glued open and fatigued from poring over texts from Palaena, letters from Unterkirch’s healers, as well as our own books and the ingredients on hand.
It doesn’t help that Beau studies me day in and day out, nor does it help that Jean and Pierre berate me into updates at the end of each day.
We don’t have much to go off of, and the pressure buries me.
Beau has taken over monitoring Marian. His healing sessions with her will be easier to offer and allow him to track any changes.
But I haven’t been brave enough to ask him if he gained any insight while treating her. Being in close proximity to him may trigger warning signs of the deep affection we keep secret from everyone.
Yet, as I take turns helping everyone read, record, and list possible outcomes, nothing is happening. No mentions of new animal attacks or others getting infected.