“I performed a strength sigil on him, but I didn’t know what else to do,” I admit, dropping to my knees beside Marcus’ bed, taking my honor guard’s hand in mine.
She shows me a spell for strengthening the heart and keeping it beating as she performs it on Marcus, then teaches me a spell to ease convulsions in someone that’s been hexed.
“Though I hope to the saints you’ll never need to use it,” she sighs. “Lastly, a spell to relieve his pain.Agoniatargets the nervous system and can cause spikes of pain for hours after the hex has been cast, but pain spells should be used with care.”
“I don’t want one. They dull my senses and make me slow. I won’t endanger Juniper further,” Marcus grits out. “I’ll be fine.”
“He will be,” Doc agrees with a sigh. “With rest. You did the right thing, Juniper. Who on earth hexed him?”
I look up at the other omega with tears in my eyes. “Rad. To punish me.”
Doc lets out a curse. “That fucking monster. It must have been a strong hex to bring down an alpha like Marcus.”
“He took me by surprise,” Marcus says in a weak growl. “Juniper, I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop him.”
“What are you talking about?” I demand, my voice shrill from the adrenaline my fear has left behind. “You’re the one that got hexed!”
“I couldn’t protect you and I’m in no state to do so now, even without the pain spell. Please, call Cassian. Have him pick you up and take you back to the pack house. Please, for me?”
“I’m not leaving you,” I snarl, pressing my cheek against the back of his hand. It’s cool, almost clammy, not warm with Marcus’ usual vitality.
“Call him, Juniper,” Doc says quietly. “If you’re going to stay, I want one of your alphas here with you. The infirmary is warded to prevent malevolent spells from being cast within it, but I don’t trust that will be enough. Not after this.”
I relent and call Cassian. Within twenty minutes, he’s there at my side.
I can tell it kills Marcus to be seen like this, but my stoic honor guard doesn’t protest.
“Something has to be done about Radcliffe,” Cassian says quietly.
How can I disagree when Marcus is in an infirmary bed because of me? Because I didn’t behave, and Andrew Radcliffe wanted to punish me?
The thoughts plague me as I curl up in the chair beside Marcus’ bed, and though Marcus sleeps, exhaustion from being hexed pulling him under, I barely do.
When he wakes in the night, calling out my name, I slide into the narrow bed with him, curling around him.
Cassian, sitting vigil in the same chair I once sat vigil in, catches my eyes in the low light of the infirmary. “Rest,” he tells me. “I’ll watch over you two.”
* * *
Marcus shakesme awake just as dawn is slanting in through the infirmary’s windows.
“You have to get ready for your courting date,” he murmurs, already standing beside the bed we shared last night. He says nothing about how he called out for me, about how we slept, tangled together, as he healed.
“I’m calling it off,” I mutter, sitting up and curling into a ball. “I’m not leaving you while you’re still healing.”
Marcus rubs absently at his heart, and I realize theagoniahex must have struck the ember of dark magic embedded there. Saints, no wonder he’s still so weak. “You can’t, sweet-tart. It’s what he wants. He wants any excuse to punish you, and you can’t give him the opportunity. You’ll have Willow with you. He won’t be so bold with her around. Just don’t let her out of your sight.”
“You think I’m worried about myself?” I snap. “Marcus, his hex could have killed you!”
Doc emerges from her office with a yawn. “Juniper is right. We don’t know how the Ever Ember hex interacts with other magic like theagoniahex. You’re lucky you’re only weakened, Mr. Haley.”
“See!”
“She said I’m only weakened. I’ll be fine with some rest, right Doc?”
The young healer looks between us and finally nods. “I’d recommend bed rest for the rest of the weekend. Otherwise, you’re free to go. You can call me if anything changes, but I think rest is the only thing to be done for you at this point. You’ll take it easy?”
Marcus nods, and Doc heads back to her office, leaving the three of us in the quiet infirmary.
