Sweat rolled off my temples, falling onto my wrinkled—covered in dirt—trousers. My throat bubbled, my limbs shook.
I must have had a fever.
“Cordelia?” Francis called from down below.
“I am coming!” I rushed to my feet through the shivers, gathering myself as much as possible: the gloves slipped onto my hands, the ends of my cloak tightly tucked inside of them, hiding the sickness.
“Are you well?” Francis looked me up and down when I opened the door. “You look pale.”
“I am merely tired,” I lied, setting my feet onto the first rung of the ladder.
“Would you like to stay at the cabin for another day?” Concern rang through Francis’ voice.
“No!” I blurted. I needed to get to Roxanne and her mysterious medicine as fast as I could. “I would like to sleep in my own bed.” Especially since my previous day was spent on the floor...
My head spun senseless on my way down the ladder, my hands gripped onto the rungs for dear life.
“You are shaking.” Francis caught me by my waist when my foot slipped off the last rung. “Are you hurt?” His eyes bored into mine as he set me down on the floor.
“I am well, I promise.” The words burned on my tongue. “I’ve had a long day and want to get back to the castle.”
“Are you well enough to ride?” The crease between Francis’ brows deepened.
“Well enough.” I nodded, storming out the main door.
The cold air brushed over my face, soothing the fire that spread through my veins. My legs still shook, making it harder to mount Annabelle, who wouldn’t stop swaying from side to side. Was she always like that?
“Do you need help?” The snow crunched behind me. The sound banged on my ears.
“I am all right.” I squeezed the horn of the saddle, gathering all of my strength before pushing off the ground, forcing myself atop.
“If you need to stop for a break—”
“I am fine.” I ordered Annabelle forward: towards the dark forest, towards the Moon that I prayed to for the strength to reach Roxanne before the inevitable.
Relief washed over me when my eyes caught the proudly standing castle behind the line of dense spruce. My sickness worsened by the time I brought Annabelle to a halt near the stables. It was a miracle I had not fallen off the horse on our journey.
Everything spun and blurred as I walked Annabelle to the stables. I leaned on my horse—mere seconds from collapsing onto the ground. My eyes closed when the darkness of the stables welcomed me into its embrace.
“Cordelia?” Francis’ voice carried through the fog in my mind. “Cordelia—”
Cordelia—
My body felt weightless—
“I cannot believe you two left without consulting us!” Roxanne’s voice rang in my ears like church bells. I was going to be sick from the sound alone.
I forced my eyes open. His face was inches from mine, his eyes—
“We didn’t have time to wait,” he told Roxanne without breaking his stare.
“What’s wrong with her?”
I drew a small breath in, fighting with the nausea.
“I don’t know.” Francis shook his head, his hands catching me in an embrace. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“I am well—” A moan broke through me when Francis' chest pressed against my injured arm. My vision darkened, dozens of stars lingering in front of my closed eyes.
