Page 50 of The Krampus's First Christmas Gift

“Well, I got your tea for you.” Leo set down the tray and placed a plate of fish on the floor for Kali. He took a seat. “How are you feeling tonight?”

“Fine.” Jasper gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the spinning room and his throbbing head.

“How are your symptoms?”

“Fine,” he lied again.Why do I feel so fucking wretched?

“Maybe we should try and find you another healer,” Leo suggested, not for the first time.

Jasper held in a sigh. He didn’t need a new healer. He was almost certain he knew why he was sick. It was some weird, bullshit side effect of an incomplete mate bond with a krampus. And when the partial bond disappeared, he would be magically cured.

Then Kraghol won’t want anything to do with me anymore.

“It’s fine, Leo. Don’t worry about it.”

For a second, he wondered if he should explain to Leo what was happening. But recently that hadn’t gone well. And what good would it even accomplish? Everything between him and Kraghol was so uncertain.

If he told Leo, his twin would have a million questions that Jasper couldn’t answer. Leo’s worry would increase, especially when he realised how uncertain Jasper’s relationship with Kraghol was.

No. It made more sense to wait and see what happened.

“But you should be better by now. That’s what the healer said. But you’re not,” Leo pushed.

“You think I don’t know I’m not better?”

“But the healer has no explanation for why that’s the case! So you should find a new healer!”

“Leave it, Leo.”

“Just tell me why you don’t want to see a different healer?” Leo nagged.

Jasper shook his head and immediately regretted it. The room spun faster and faster. Bile rose in the back of his throat as the nausea rolled through him. “It doesn’t matter.”

Leo opened his mouth to speak.

“Just leave it, Leo. Please!” Jasper pleaded.

Thankfully Leo didn’t say anything more on the subject. The conversation moved on to other topics and Jasper could breathe easier. He drank his bitter, medicinal tea.

“And you and Percy? How’s that going?” Jasper forced a chuckle, trying to keep the conversation upbeat. “Actually, I don’t need to ask. I can hear the two of you at night. I know things are going well.”

Leo beamed. He gushed about the phoenix, filling Jasper in. “I’ve never felt like this for anyone before. I can’t get enough of him. We spend all our time together, and I still feel like it’s not enough. He just makes me really fucking happy.”

“I’m glad.” Jasper smiled and squeezed his knee. “You deserve to be happy.” And he meant it. “You’re practically glowing.”

“I can really see us having a future together,” Leo said. “And I get the sense that Percy does too.”

Jasper tried to keep the smile on his face, but his stomach sank. He turned towards the window so Leo couldn’t properly see his expression. Because suddenly, all Jasper could think of was how he wanted a future with Kraghol and he doubted Kraghol wanted the same.

“Jas, what’s wrong?” Leo asked.

Keeping his gaze on the window, Jasper shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Look, I know something is wrong. I know you aren’t telling me everything. I can feel it.”

Jasper kept staring at the window. He didn’t have the strength for this. He just wanted Leo to go away so Jasper could lie down and wallow in self-pity. And why did Leo not know how to take a hint?

“Please, Jas. You used to tell me everything. I’m your brother. Your twin!” Leo gripped his shoulder. “You know you can tell me anything.”