Courting War (Vicious Gods) by Hazel St. Lewis

Author:Hazel St. Lewis [Lewis, Hazel St.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hidden Siren
Published: 2024-01-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

THEODRA

Extremely Enraged Ex-God

INFIRMARY, CITY OF THE GODS

Shivers danced through Theo’s bones, and everything ached. Her head lolled to the side, and her breaths were stilted—painful and wheezing.

Her mouth burned like she’d eaten the world’s hottest pepper. Fire clawed at her eye sockets, and a regimental drum filled her skull. Chills coursed through her veins, her body shaking with cold and death’s stalking presence.

A fever killed far more people than any weapons of war. Infection from a cut. Sickness. A too-high fever was a death knell.

“So cold,” Theo croaked. She was freezing. Her limbs convulsed from it. She needed to warm up. “More, I need more.” Theo clawed at the blankets covering her body. She was far too cold.

Strong hands caught her and pinned her arms in place. “Shhh, you’re okay.”

“So cold.” But the big muscular body beside her made her feel slightly warmer.

“You’re burning up, Morrigan.”

“No. Not Mor . . .” Theo trailed off. There was something important she wanted to say, but she couldn’t quite find it.

The world twirled on pointe like a sweet ballerina dancing her final show. The artistry of it haunting and coated with delirium. Theo knew she was delirious. She felt her consciousness going in and out. She felt strong hands at her back and a velvet whisky-like voice whispering comforting words into her ear.

Ice coated her forehead, and she tried to bat it away.

“Why did I think you would be more biddable while sick?” The velvety voice was amused.

“You’re a pretty human man.” Her speech was slurred, delirium sinking its teeth in and not letting go. “I think I like you . . . I don’t like human men. But you’re—”

The fever came on fast and unyielding like the off-key strokes of a violin. Theo clung to the sounds. The cadence of his breaths and the sweet harmony of his deep voice tended to her. The feel of his arms around her, rocking her and comforting her through it all. The smell of him was magic. Musk, sandalwood, and a hint of leather.

Masculine and warm.

He told her stories of the time he had a fever as a child and funny tales of his adventures in the Agoge. He did all he could to distract her from the agony clinging to her body.

He was gentle, kind, and patient.

Three things she didn’t know men could be. Kellyn held her and cared for her. It was the first time anyone had ever done such a thing. Theo didn’t know how to feel, but luckily, she was too incoherent to figure it out.

A problem for another day.

Theo fell into fitful dreams, in and out of consciousness.

When she woke, Kellyn was no longer holding her. But she was utterly clean and tended to.

She shuddered.

Theo didn’t know how to handle kindness. She didn’t know how to handle being taken care of. All at once, she wanted to clutch onto the feeling while simultaneously running as far away from it as she could.

Tangled, tainted emotions bloomed inside her chest, and she tried to rub them out.

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