Morgen Curse by Gillian St. Kevern

Author:Gillian St. Kevern
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: paranormal, magic, folklore, fairytale, hfn, mermen, glbtq, kiwi, no sex, slowbuilding romance
Publisher: Gillian St. Kevern

Chapter Five

The water rippled above him.

Ieuan didn’t stir. His body dragged him downwards, heavy as the weight on a fisherman’s line. His dull thoughts pulsed in time with the ache in his head. Worse was the wound in his heart.

Tegwaret…

The water stirred. Something came closer. Bubbles rushed overhead, and in their midst, a distorted sound.

Ieuan didn’t understand the words, but the voice registered. Zane? Forcing his body to move, he stretched his arms up. “I am here.”

Zane’s rough hand gripped him tightly. With a grunt, Zane kicked his legs, propelling them towards the surface.

Ieuan tried to move them, but his body was dead weight. He felt Zane’s body strain. He must surely let me go. With one arm around Ieuan and the other injured, Zane could only use his legs. Why can’t I move?

With a choking gasp, Zane broke the surface. He trod water, still supporting Ieuan, his breathing rapid.

Cedifor knelt by the water’s edge. His face brightened with momentary relief as he saw Ieuan, but quickly turned to concern. “Give him to me.” He held out his arms.

Leaning on Zane, Ieuan half flung himself, half fell into him. “Cedifor—”

“Hush, child.” Cedifor’s bone-thin fingers stroked through Ieuan’s hair. “I have you.”

It was as if Cedifor spoke straight to the storm inside Ieuan. He clung to Cedifor as he shook, dissolving into sobs.

“How badly is Ieuan hurt? His head… Concussion?”

“Don’t be alarmed.” Cedifor continued to rub Ieuan’s shoulders. He was careful not to let his spines encounter Ieuan’s skin, far more gentle than Ieuan could ever have believed possible. “He is more stunned than hurt. His head looks worse than it is.”

Ieuan laughed, but it sounded more like a cry. “I am broken!” His throat was hoarse, and the words scraped the sides of it. “My heart is mortally wounded. I will die.”

“Not,” Cedifor said grimly, “if we have anything to do with it.”

It hurt too much to argue, so Ieuan took comfort in Cedifor’s intent instead. These are not the words of someone who cares not whether I live or die… “Tegwaret is gone to the others. He intends to tell all. Nothing I said could persuade him…” That hurt as much as the ache in his head. “I did not think one I loved could hurt me so much.”

“Chin up, Ieuan. You’re in good hands.”

Zane’s words brought a smile to Ieuan’s face. He shifted to look at the human who had dived in to find him in the deep water. “I know it. But to pull me from the water with a broken arm… Zane, are you hurt?”

Zane pulled a wry face, sinking to his knees beside a pile of driftwood, bleached white by the sun. He had removed his habitual red jacket, revealing that his chest was just as tanned as the rest of him and covered with a light scattering of hair.

Distracted, it took Ieuan a moment to realise that Zane was shivering. “You tremble! You must be injured indeed—”

“Not injured. Freezing my balls off.” There was a shake in Zane’s voice that underscored his words.

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