“I’m here, my dearest,” Lady Bielsa whispered. “I’ll always be here.” She placed a hand on her husband’s forehead, then turned to Isa. “His fever is broken.”
“I’ll summon the physician!” Isa ran from the room.
The physician, pleasantly surprised at this turn of events, assured them that the worst was likely over and that with proper rest and nourishment he had every possibility of recovery.
Isa spent the rest of the day with her mother and sister, attempting to keep her father’s room calm and quiet while all they wanted to do was rejoice.
But her own thoughts frequently wandered to Aden. It had been six days since she’d left. She still had no idea whether she could break the curse or not, but she was going to try.
Exhausted from the day’s events, she went to her room to sleep through the night. She would leave for the mountains at first light.
“You don’t even realize what is right in front of your face,” Livia said, bursting into her room.
Isa waved her hand in front of her nose, repeating the jest she had used on Blanca. “Air. Air is in front of my face.” She was getting ready for bed, and Livia had come to her room to chat.
“Don’t be stupid!” Livia cried. “He loves you and you don’t even care!”
Isa dropped her hand, sobering quickly. Macklin had left the morning after she had yelled at him. He’d claimed he had business in Chendas. “He doesn’t love me. He loves himself.”
“You don’t deserve him,” Livia said, her eyes filling with tears. “You don’t understand him, and you don’t even notice or care about the things he does for you. I would do anything for him, but all he does is put himself in harm’s way to earn your attention.”
“Put himself in harm’s way?” Isa repeated. “Don’t be ridiculous. If he’s fed you stories about the beast, he was most likely lying. Aden is harmless.”
“You don’t know where he’s gone, do you?” Livia’s voice held a note of glee, as though she finally had something to hold over her older sister’s head.
“Of course I do. He’s just going to Chendas to meet with his old tutor.” As the words left her mouth, Isa realized something was wrong. The excuse felt hollow.
“Ohh...” Livia said, practically bouncing with excitement. “I know something you don’t know!”
“What do you know?” Isa narrowed her eyes.
“I’m not going to tell you!”
“That’s fine with me.” Isa turned away, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t care anyway.”
“He’s going back to the villa to kill the beast for you!” Livia yelled, unable to handle being ignored. “You don’t deserve him at all! Isn’t that the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard?”
Isa stood, throwing open her wardrobe and grabbing a long cloak to cover her nightdress. “That’s not romantic at all. That is the most heartless, cruel, obnoxious thing I have ever heard.”
“Of course you wouldn’t understand.” Livia stood. “You don’t even have a heart.” She dashed from the room.
“Livia!” Isa jumped after her sister and grabbed her by the arm, swinging her around to face her. “You are sure about this? You are absolutely positive Macklin went back to the villa to harm Aden?”
Livia nodded. “He brought other men with him, too. He talked some men from the tavern into coming with him for the glory and honor of defeating a cursed beast. He said the mountain villagers would be interested in fighting for their safety as well.”
Isa let go of her sister’s arm and ran toward the courtyard, headed for the stables.
“Where are you going?!” Livia called after her.
“To save my beast!” Isa yelled over her shoulder. She didn’t need to pack anything, for she did not plan on stopping until she arrived. The journey would be fastest on horseback again.
“What shall I tell Mama and Papa?” Livia asked, running after her through the courtyard, still in her nightclothes.
“The truth,” Isa yelled down from the horse.
“Which is?”
“That I love him!” Isa yelled her declaration in the wind, not sure if it carried back to her younger sister, but not entirely caring. Macklin had left that morning, giving him an entire day’s travel ahead of her. If she rode through the night, she might get there in time.
