Page 34 of Alec

Chapter Nine

In the infirmary Ben checked Elspeth’s vitals as he did every hour. Her pulse had slowed from forty to thirty beats per minute, but at least the rate was regular. So were the soft, shallow breaths she took. Without a thermometer he could only estimate her body temperature, but it seemed at a normal level. The substance keeping her in stasis also made her retain all of her body fluids, which would soon create a problem. Unless the enchantment locking her inside the glassy shroud could deal with that aspect, her organs would soon begin shutting down.

He didn’t know whether or not it would—or could—keep Elspeth alive under these circumstances. He had no idea how Fae magic worked.

Ben covered her up before he went over to his worktable and stared at the herbs and tinctures he’d made to use as medicines. Nothing he’d made could cure anything more serious than a tension headache or sleepless night. He took down a crock of hawthorn berries, which he had been adding to his brews simply because he liked the taste. They had all sorts of positive effects on human beings, but they couldn’t revive Elspeth.

Nothing can. Her heart will continue to slow until it stops. She’s going to die.

Ben turned and heaved the crock into the hearth, taking great pleasure in seeing it shatter and spill its contents all over the burning wood. He turned to reach for another container, but before he could fling it into the flames a big hand caught his arm.

“Burning yarrow shall only make the infirmary stink,” Ulf told him as he took the pot from his fist and set it down. “Our poor lass doesnae deserve that, surely.”

“Get out.” He wrenched his arm away and hurried across the room to put space between them. When he glanced back he saw the blond man standing beside the chambermaid and pressing his hand to her cheek. “Don’t touch her.”

“’Twillnae harm her.” He bent down and pressed his mouth to her full lips for a moment. “I’d never dare do such before now. I’m done with waiting and longing from afar. The moment she wakes, I mean to kiss her for hours.”

“You’d better first get her permission next time, or I’ll beat the shit out of you.” Ben suddenly grew exhausted. “Please just go.”

Ulf straightened and regarded him. “I reckoned ’twas her you desire. ’Tis why I never acted on my wonts before now. You want us both.”

How could he explain what it was to be bisexual to a man who believed in gods of thunder and war, and that his tattoos would protect him in battle? That when Ben looked at anyone he saw a person, not a gender?

“I am physically attracted to men and women,” he finally told the hunter. “I know it’s not acceptable to people of your time. In my world many share your prejudices, but that’s simply how I am. I’m not interested in monogamy—being with just one person—either. I’ve never had the romantic relationship I’ve wanted because most men and women don’t understand people like me. It’s easier being alone than trying to find what I want.”

“Ah.” Ulf’s furrowed brow smoothed. “’Tis called a tripling among my clan. My lady màthair’s husband had great affection for his steward, and so she took him into their bed. I’ve the same nature.”

“Fine, then I suppose you do understand.” He looked over at the other person he adored. “None of it means anything if Elspeth dies.”

The hunter crossed the room and put a hand on his face. “Then you must save her, Healer, for I intend to have you both.”

All the loneliness welled up in him; two years of restless nights and endless days of longing from afar. He put his hand on Ulf’s nape and bent down to press his face against his strong neck.

“I’ve been dreaming of you and her for so long.” He’d always avoided confessing, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “Whenever you got too close to me I’d have to lock myself in the sitting room for an hour.”

“Indeed.” Ulf drew him closer and put his arms around him. “Did I make your cock hard, Benedict? Did you take it into your hand and imagine me touching you thus?”

He already had an erection that had grown so hard and swollen he wondered how it hadn’t torn through his pants.

“I thought of you and Elspeth in bed with me, touching and kissing me.” He had grown so sick of being ashamed of that. “You putting me in her, and then coming inside me.”

The hunter urged him over to the cot, where the chambermaid lay locked in sleep. Ben gasped as he saw for the first time her eyes moving under her lids, which was an indication that she had entered REM sleep.

“She’s dreaming,” he said, pointing at the subtle shifting of her eyes. “Maybe she heard our voices.”

“Do you like what we said, love?” Ulf asked her, and placed one hand on her belly. “Do you dream of sharing a bed with me and the healer? Come back to us, and we shall love you together every night you wish.”

“You’re out of your mind,” Ben murmured. “She probably has no idea that you and I both want...” His voice trailed off as he saw that the hunter had pulled up her skirts. “What are you doing?”

“Rousing her may give her the strength to break free of the enchantment.” He tugged at the lace of her drawers.

“Not until she’s awake and can agree to that,” Ben said flatly, pushing his hand away and pulling down her skirts again, and then an idea came to him. “Maybe we could share her dreams.”

Elspeth wandered the strange world where she had been left and forsaken. Everything here looked exactly as Dun Talamh did, save for the colors. Instead of the warm red granite of the stronghold, the vivid green of the sky, and the dark brown of the earth, everything around her looked white and frozen. Yet when she touched something it seemed to be hard, like bone, but only cool. She walked endlessly around the stronghold, passing through the alabaster gardens and following the curve of the milky stone inner curtain wall, afraid to go inside and see the people she loved transformed into blanched statues.

She also feared she might be turning to one, for it had become almost impossible for her to move quickly. Her feet dragged, and her arms had grown heavy. Indeed, if she slowed any more she would soon be left a statue herself.

Elspeth.