Page 24

Chapter Twenty-Two

M arric felt the cold all the way to his bones. He shook so violently he was sure he’d land on the floor soon.

Something touched his lips. Liquid ran from his lips to down his face. When the herbal scent finally hit his nose, he knew he needed to drink it because it was one of Zinnie’s potions. He must have gotten sick again.

“Iven.” He needed to tell Iven not to worry. Marric could feel his mate’s panic. It mingled with his own.

“Shh, it’s okay.” That was Zinnie’s voice. But where was Iven?

Marric told himself to calm down because Iven could feel his emotions too.

He opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he saw Zinnie as she tried to put a straw to his mouth.

She smiled. “Drink. It’ll make you feel better.”

Marric did as she said. He shook his head when he couldn’t drink more, and she pulled the straw away. “I need Iven.”

“Iven’s looking for a cure. He told me to tell you he loves you.” Zinnie said it as though that was a good thing, but what it meant was Iven thought Marric was going to die. He wouldn’t have said it otherwise.

“I need to talk to him. Please.”

Pleading did the trick.

Zinnie pulled out her phone and then pressed the screen. The phone rang. “Start talking right away. He’s going to think the worst.”

Iven was already talking as soon as he picked up. “Oh fuck. Tell me he’s not…” Iven’s voice cracked.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry for scaring you.” Even as Marric said it, he could feel the fatigue wash over him. It pulled at his mind, threatening to drag him under.

“You did nothing wrong, love. But I’m going to find out who did and put an end to the curse once and for all. I promise.”

Marric should be with Iven. Not laid up in bed. “I want to help.”

“You can help by staying alive. Do what Zinnie tells you and get better.”

“I love you too, by the way.” Marric’s vision blurred to the point of not being able to see. The room blacked out and then came back as if his eyes had shutters he couldn’t control.

“Aww, honey.” Whatever else Iven said faded into the walls of the room.

It was as if Marric was hearing and seeing things from underwater.

Maybe he was drowning. Maybe that was his reality and Iven was the dream.

A river held Marric in its current, pulling him downstream from the best thing that had ever happened to him. Nothing could stop it.

****

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed.

He knew some had because Zinnie wasn’t in the room with him anymore.

Or he didn’t think she was. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, so he didn’t know.

But Zinnie had a calming presence about her that surrounded Marric in warmth.

He didn’t feel that anymore. Instead, he felt a small body pressed against his left side and a slightly larger one on his right.

Marric tried to turn on his side, but Emery and Regan lay on top of the covers next to him.

They must have felt him move because Regan sat up. “Papa’s waking up.” And then he disappeared from the bed. Marric heard his little feet pound out of the room and down the stairs. “I’ll get Zinnie and Gran.”

It was then that Marric opened his eyes. He found Emery lying beside him.

Her eyes were red rimmed, and she clutched a tissue in her hand. The only reason he saw the tissue was because her hand was close to her face.

She sat up, cross-legged on the bed. “Okay, so here’s the deal I’m going to make with you, and I think you should take it because it means dad will be off your back about that stupid dynasty shit.”

Marric knew she was serious, but somethings weren’t as important in the face of death. Dad’s agenda was one of them. So he couldn’t help smiling at her deal making.

But his smile was short-lived when her chin quivered, and tears gathered on her lashes. “I’ll literally give you my firstborn. You can raise it as your own.” The tears spilled over. She tried to hold back a sob. “But you have to live.”

Marric pulled his arm from under the covers and gathered her close, letting her cry.

He shivered, so Emery climbed in with him, giving him her body heat. He was grateful to have her body heat.

When the tears dissipated, he addressed her attempt at making a deal. “I won’t give Dad the satisfaction of winning the dynasty war.”

The chuckle was watery, but he got her to laugh. He counted that as a win. “You bonded with Iven. That’s a loss for him. And believe me when I tell you, he left with Iven and Cass knowing it.”

Marric growled. “He better not hurt my mate.”

“He threatened him, but they still left together.” Emery snuggled in. “Iven wasn’t scared of him.”

Maybe not, but Iven was running on fear regardless. Marric could still feel Iven’s emotions. Nothing about them had changed in the time he’d been sleeping. Iven did everything out of fear for Marric.

Regan came back into the room, holding Zinnie’s hand. He climbed onto the bed and then under the covers. “I got Zinnie.”

“I see that.” Marric smiled at her.

“The herbs are working, I see. You seem a little better.” She felt his forehead and then his cheek before sitting in the chair next to the bed.

“Iven?” Marric wanted to know how the investigation was going.

Zinnie shook her head. “He hasn’t called, but it’s only been a couple of hours since you’ve talked to him.”

Marric didn’t want to interrupt Iven by repeated calls, so he let it go. “Can I talk to Zinnie alone for a moment?”

Emery was the first to move from the bed. She held out a hand to Regan. “Come on. Let’s see if Gran will make some cookies for us. She’ll let you help, I bet.”

Marric winked at her when she left and mouthed the words ‘thank you’. Once they were out of the room, he met Zinnie’s gaze. “How much time do I have?”

The curse worked faster this time. Marric wasn’t sure what fueled it, but he could feel it working through him, killing him every minute that went by. He wouldn’t make it past the last couple of days, but he didn’t know how much time he had.

Zinnie smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Don’t focus on that.”

“I want Iven to raise Regan. He’s a warlock and can teach him how to use his magic properly. Tory, Emery, and I had needed a teacher when we were young like Regan. Dad just couldn’t give us the education. Not with the pack so prejudiced.”

“Iven’s a wonderful dad.” Zinnie smiled.

For being exes, they seemed to have a great friendship.

They still loved one another and treated each other like family.

“He’s hard on himself and doesn’t give himself enough credit.

But he’s fantastic at co-parenting, which will be what happens here. Do you want to know how I know that?”

“Yeah. I do.” Marric would love to know how Zinnie knew the future. Because Marric knew it too. He could feel his future growing shorter. “And you still didn’t answer my original question.”

“I don’t know how much time you have because Iven will solve this case, and you’ll live to be an old man. You’ll probably out-live Iven.”

Marric shuddered just thinking about Iven being gone from his life. He pursed his lips at her. “You’re an evil woman. Do you know that?”

Zinnie chuckled, but it was short-lived. She cupped his cheek. “He’s an excellent investigator. Have faith in him.”

Marric nodded. He wanted to take her advice. He really tried, but it was difficult when he could feel himself falling under again.