Breathing hard, she glowered at him, his pain so fresh in her mind. “What is the matter with you? I could have brought us back!”
He grunted as she helped him to the bed, and he dropped on it like a sack of grain. “I felt the stirring of my powers. I had to try.”
He lowered his head, eyes shut. His skin appeared almost waxen.
Anxiety cramped her belly. She crouched in front of him and touched his thighs. “What is it?”
“I-I need a moment. I’ll be fine?—”
No, you won’t. I just experienced what you’re going through.
His mouth tightened.
She shot to her feet, but the potion and jar were no longer on the bedside table. Someone had tidied up. Even the bedding had been replaced.
Nia sprinted for the bathroom, found what she needed beneath the vanity sink, and hurried back.
She unscrewed the bottle and held it out.
“My…my wings. Those wounds didn’t heal properly.” The pain in his voice and the tightness in his jaw revealed the stark truth. He felt their absence deeply. Away from everyone, his mask slipped, and she witnessed his torment.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, eyes dampening. “The potion does help, doesn’t it?”
“I suppose.” With a sigh, he took the bottle and gulped some. “Hell,” he grunted. “This doesn’t get any better.” He scrunched his face, reminding her of a little boy.
But he had never been one, had he? Angels were all formed fully grown and didn’t know what love was either. It didn’t matter. He had her now.
She recapped and set the potion on the bedside table. “Lie down. Let me apply more salve to your wounds.”
When he made no attempt to open the buttons on his shirt, she did it for him, carefully sliding it off his shoulders and dropping it on the bed.
He grasped her hand. “While I’m in a healing sleep, don’t go outside alone, Nia. Promise me?”
Dread flooded her. “They will still come after me?”
“It’s one way to kill us both. You die, and I will, too. Without you, I wouldn’t care for this existence anyway. But I refuse to let them destroy the life we’re trying to build.”
She smoothed back strands of his bright hair from his face. “I promise. I’m so sorry about your wings. I did try to give you the seraph’s power, the one I unintentionally took, hoping it would heal you, but it seeped right through you into the ground.”
“It’s all right.” Exhaustion bled through his every word, his movements awkward as he lay on his belly. “I no longer belong in that world. The Guardians seem formidable enough with their powers, so I’ll be okay once I’m at full strength and blessed with whatever abilities the ancient goddess has bestowed on me.”
Nia sat at his side and opened the small jar. The familiar, mossy smell drenched the air. She scooped up some green ointment and carefully applied it to the swollen skin and bumpy scabs running along both shoulder blades. Some spots had cracked open again and were bleeding.
The lump in her throat grew thicker as her fingertips passed over each wound. She blinked back tears and stroked the angry red edges.
“I sense your tears, my heart. Don’t cry. It hurts me more.” He made to turn, but she pressed gently on his back, keeping him down.
She bit her trembling lip. He tried to soothe her when he was the one trapped in this torture.
“I hate what you were subjected to. But I’m so incredibly happy I have you back.”
“Me, too.” A deep sigh. Then, he quieted, succumbing to sleep.
Nia wiped her wet eyes on her sleeves, desperately wishing she still had the seraph’s powers to help him.
Once she was done, she tidied up and put the salve and bottle back in the bathroom cabinet before washing up.
Back in the room, she removed Lore’s shoes and socks and dropped them on the floor. Then she drew the drapes shut and undressed. In her underwear and t-shirt, she crawled into bed, shifting closer to him.
