Page 52 of Cursed Fae (Fae War Chronicles 2)
We rematerialize back at the camp. “Go tell Fin. We need eyes out at all times. All areas of the camp need to be under surveillance. Double the guards, shorten the shifts.”
Both Paulina and Larson nod in response and turn away from me, so I make my way toward the tent up ahead. Since the pooka attack, Ember’s tent is under constant surveillance. Even now, the guard standing outside offers me a nod before he steps away.
I’ll take no chances with her. Especially not now that Ailis has marked her. With a deep breath, I push inside. The fire is going, making the tent substantially warmer than outside. It’s empty and quiet—the only sound that of Ember’s soft breathing.
As silently as I can, I cross the room and stop at her bedside. She’d nestled under three heavy blankets, each one of them stacked on the other and pulled up to her neck. Face far too pale, she looks barely alive as she sleeps.
My chest tightens, throat constricting as I stare down at her. How long do we have left? How long before she slips out of my reach for good.
Unable to help myself, I reach out and brush a strand of hair from her face. She turns into my touch, eyes remaining closed even as a soft groan leaves her lips.
Lips I long to taste.
“Rafferty?”
My name on her tongue brings me to my knees at her bedside.
“Yes.”
Copper eyes flutter open, and she watches me, confused at first. “Is everything all right?”
“We found a tear in the Veil,” I tell her.
“The same one?”
“Not unless you walked through a tree to get there.”
She shakes her head. “No, I didn’t.”
“Then there are more than one.”
Ember tries to sit up, but she sucks in a breath and lies back down. If only there were something I could kill to bring her ease—then I could do something rather than sit here and watch her slowly fade away.
“That’s bad, right?”
“It is,” I confirm. “But we’re dealing with it.”
The silence between us stretches on, the weight of things left unsaid baring down on me.
“Are you all right?”
“No.” Not seeing the point in lying, I face her. “Ailis having a way to escape…I don’t know how to explain how bad that is. She is a monster, Ember.”
“She didn’t hurt me.” Ember insists. “And she could have. Maybe she’s changed—”
“She sold my little sister to a dark fae,” I remind her, the memory of it still fresh as the day it happened.
“I know. Just trying to help.”
“How is your arm?”
“Where she touched me?”
I nod, and Ember reaches up to tug the blankets down. My cock hardens, even knowing she is sick, knowing I can’t have her, my body reacts.Fuck.
“It’s better. No more tingling.”
“Good.” Clearing my throat, I get up and move across the room to the pallet I’ve crafted in the corner. As soon as I’m lying down on my back, Ember calls my name.
“Rafferty?”
“Yes?”
“You can sleep up here. There’s enough space—”
I’d love nothing more than to climb up beneath those blankets with her, but given the current state of my body, it’s the last thing I need to do. “I don’t think that a wise idea, though I appreciate the invitation.”
“Okay.” The room falls silent, and I close my eyes, doing my best to think of anything but the way she’d felt pressed against my body in that closet—what feels like ages ago. And how badly I want nothing more than to experience it again.