It, too, was covered in green spots.
A sick feeling rose up my throat. I was dying. This was it.
Then… how had I made ithere? And wherewashere?
I pushed up from the wall, straining with every ounce of strength I possessed. My limbs shook, making me feel frailer than an old crone. I took several shallow breaths, trying to remain upright without falling.
“Theron,” I rasped, but my voice was nothing more than a wisp in the air.
I needed a sparkwood apple.
I needed time.
I needed acure.
No… I just needed Theron. He was all I needed.
“Theron,” I tried again, louder this time. The sound of my voice resonating in my chest sent a modicum of clarity to my senses. Shapes came into view, and I caught a glimpse of a sparkling gold chandelier as my vision adjusted.
The sight made my breath catch in my throat. I was in the grand hall. Gleaming marble walls and pillars surrounded me. An ornate crimson rug lined the floor. Everything was so familiar, and yet it felt like a shadow of another life. A life that was no longer mine. A flood of memories assaulted me, rushing through my mind like the rapids of a river.
My father, a warm, gentle smile on his face. Calista, with her arm in his, her cold smile telling me what my father was too blind to see: she was cruel and unkind. Even from the first moment I saw her, I knew she would never love me as her own daughter. I wasn’t even sure if she loved my father.
And yet, he’d been enamored with her. Completely besotted. When I’d expressed my concerns, he’d tucked me into atight embrace and kissed my head, murmuring reassurances that with time, Calista would come to love me as he did.
And then he had died. Poisoned by the wife he adored so much.
Footsteps echoed nearby, jolting me from my thoughts. I stumbled forward, ducking behind a pillar. My pulse raced as the footsteps drew nearer. They were heavy and purposeful. Certainly not the light footsteps of a maid or a servant.
I peered carefully around the pillar, my vision still not as crisp as it normally was. My brow furrowed as I made out a vaguely familiar bulky figure. I sighed with relief.
It was Theron.
“What are you doing?” I hissed at him.
He turned, his dark eyes sharpening as he looked me over. “Are you hurt?” He strode toward me and grasped my shoulders, looking me over as if to assess for injuries.
I clutched him in a tight embrace, my face crumpling in part despair, part gratitude. All I’d wanted washim. I was dying, but he was here. That was all that mattered.
He grunted in surprise, his arms circling around me. “What’s this for?” he murmured. Then, he withdrew slightly, a frown on his face. He pressed a hand to my forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“I—I can’t fight it anymore, Theron,” I said weakly, my hands trembling as I clung to him. “I’m sorry. I’m just… glad you’re here with me now.”
“It’s all right, Eira. I have something that might help.” He dug through his satchel until he withdrew a familiar shiny red apple.
I choked on a laugh, covering my mouth to stifle the sound. “A sparkwood apple? How the hell did you find one?”
He grinned and handed the apple to me. “I have my ways. I figured you’d be hungry for one right about now.”
The sight of that beautiful red apple brought tears to my eyes.Time.This bought me more time. Time to defeat Calista. Time to help my rebel friends.
Time to be with Theron.
Without hesitating, I swiped the apple from Theron’s grasp and bit into it. A strange, satisfied smile spread on his face. It wasn’t the gentle, affectionate smile I’d been expecting. No, this expression was… triumphant.
My chewing slowed as I narrowed my eyes at him. “What…”
“How could I forget the filthy little rodent you were, always climbing those trees to snack on apples?” Theron sneered, his face twisting until he became something unrecognizable. “Like the wild creature you are.”
