I lean into him as he wraps his arms around me in a tender hug. “This can’t stop you from your work. Next time, maybe someone at the clinic can knock me out first,” I try to joke, but my voice sounds thin.
He pulls back to meet my eyes again. “I can’t stand the thought of hurting you. Of thisthinghurting you further. Your well-being is the most important thing.”
“It needs to answer for its crimes. It wouldn’t be fair to the community to stop interrogating it.”
“But what’s fair to you? How much more do you need to put up with?”
“What doesn’t kill me…”
He looks appalled. “No Ada. That’s patently false. You must think of yourself, your own well-being. If anyone expects you tomartyr yourself, they are selfish fools. We can still investigate these crimes without bringing the fae out of containment. It’s not all or nothing.”
“Thank you for saying that. But now that we know what happens when it’s awake, I’ll make sure to prepare. It just makes sense. I’m willing to deal with this if it means my magick can be restored and the community can find peace again.”
“I don’t feel good about intentionally putting you in that position while not fully understanding the repercussions on your health. Let me explore other options first. We’ll only do this again as a last resort.”
Worry etches across his brow. The sight brings a sad smile to my lips. “I trust you. So trust me in return. Please don’t let this affect your work. We can’t let it win.”
He nods, still looking conflicted. “This discussion isn’t over. I’ll talk to my team and figure out our options. No matter what we decide, I’ll make sure we minimize the risk to you.”
“That’s all I ask.” I squeeze his arm reassuringly.
I head to my room to change into something cozier than my outfit from this morning. Sitting on my bed, I consider just going to sleep. I could easily sleep through the night even at this early evening hour. But I can’t shake Norrell’s promise that he would be here when I woke up. I shouldn’t care, but I do. It seems important that he keeps his word for once.
Determined, I walk downstairs again, my energy depleting fast, but there’s still no sign of him. Did he end up leaving? Again? It would be apropos. I step out the front door, checking if he’s outside. Looking around the front lawn, it’s immediately noticeable someone tended it since this morning. Raked, weeded, edged. It looks almost picture-perfect. Norrell must have been busy out here while I slept. Fire and ashes, I’ll need to thank him for his hard work.
When I go back inside, Norrell appears, walking down the stairs, shirtless as usual. He looks freshly showered. I stop in my tracks, staring at his brawny, powerful body, his pelt and hair still damp. His stunning form sparks a fierce longing in me. A curl of warmth settles in my core. I once knew what every inch of his body felt like. But that was ages ago. The thought cools my ardor a little.
Norrell studies me in return, his mouth pressed in a tight line. He walks over to me as I stand foolishly at the door glued to the spot. He halts directly in front of me. He raises an arm over and past my shoulders, leaning toward me. When I hear a soft thud, I belatedly realize he had to push the door shut behind me. I must not be as recovered as I thought.
“You are awake. When was the last time you ate?” he rumbles. His brows furrow as I crane my neck up to look at him.
“I had coffee today. And… well, then everything happened,” I respond self-consciously.
“You did not eat dinner last night, Ada. Why are you not eating?” he challenges.
“I don’t know. It wasn’t intentional. I just haven’t felt like it.”
“Were you planning on eating dinner tonight?”
“Maybe later unless I fall asleep again first,” I answer defensively. This is swiftly devolving into an argument.
Norrell’s sigh is long and heavy. “Fire of the frost. Ada, that is unacceptable. I will cook dinner and you will eat it. All of it. You need to keep up your strength. There is no way you are you are getting out of this, not after ending up at the healers clinic like you did. I know you skip meals more often than you would ever admit to me. Come with me to the kitchen. Now. You cannot leave until you finish your plate,” he scolds me like I’m a child.
My steps sound closer to stomps as I follow behind him. “Why does this matter to you?” I ask his sinewy back.
He abruptly turns and my face is inches from his chest. “Because this is not like you, Ada. You are strong and sharp. But you are weakening in front of my eyes. It is not just stress or a lack of magick. This fae has done something more to you. I will keep you healthy until we know what it is doing to you.”
I scrub my hands over my face. I ache to find comfort in that broad, warm chest but I hold myself back. It’s an illusion. He’s not safe. But he’s right though. Something is very wrong with me. “Alright,” I surrender. “Please make me dinner.”
When we enter the kitchen, the boys immediately swarm me, their purrs resonate like little motors. I fill their bowls and then obediently sit at the table while Norrell fetches ingredients from the fridge. I watch him in confusion. A lot of that food looks like it came from the farmers market. But I didn’t buy any of it.
“Did you go back last night?” I ask incredulously. I can tell by his face that he knows exactly what I mean.
“I did.” He nods. “It improved since the last time I was there.”
My eyes roll of their own accord. “Yes, that’s true. It doesn’t answer why you went back?”
“Because I inadvertently made you leave. You wanted to shop last night, and I ruined it for you,” he states plainly.
