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The darkness on my skin slightly fades.
That’s interesting.
“You put her life in danger,” Godric growls, but doesn’t move, “and now we’re all going to have to watch her be ripped apart on the Deadlands… or worse.” Each word rumbles with the anger of his wolf.
“You give her too little credit,” Arwan says with a tilt of his head. I’ve heard him say that before, and Godric fills in his line as if they have this conversation rehearsed.
“And you give her too much,” he replies.
The two males glower at each other. Arwan finally lowers his hand, and Godric glances at me before releasing him.
He turns over his dark palm, which I now stupidly realize is the same color my fingertips had been turning, and reveals a vial of thick red liquid.
It looks like blood.
“As I said, the evaluation is today, and she’s going to need to use this.”
“What?” Godric says. “It’s just a fertility blood test. Why would you use someone else’s for that?”
I grip the sides of the bed as dizziness washes over me, and I stare at Arwan.
He knows.
How does he know?
When did he find out?
Arwan peels open my palm and places the vial in my hand. “Look at her. She has the bond sickness. It’ll skew the results. This is one of the reasons the king doesn’t allow mating before the games; she will degrade until she’s impregnated. And any test is going to be negative for fertility right now, if her current state is any judge.”
My eyes widen.
What?!
Slight problem. I can’t be impregnated, but the conflicting look in Arwan’s blue eyes holds my secret.
He knows.
He just doesn’t want Godric to know.
Godric blows out a breath and begins to pace. “Impregnation isn’t the only requirement to resolve bond sickness.”
I raise a brow at him.
“We can’t complete the triad without the king lifting the block he’s put in place,” Arwan answers. “So we do this my way.” He glances at my fingertips that still hold a clinging darkness to them, but they are getting better. As he traces them, the color finally returns to my nail beds. “Any other symptoms, little queen? You’ve been very quiet.”
“She can’t speak,” Godric answers for me.
Arwan tilts his head again, sending his dark hair draping over his shoulders. His dimples form as he smiles. “Ah, now it makes sense. The bond sickness is showing for the mates she’s been kept away from.” He presses a kiss to my fingertips. “I apologize I didn’t come sooner. After the evaluation, we’ll get you to Ze’ev.”
Godric curses. “I forgot that bond sickness can do that. But it’ll be a problem getting her to Ze’ev. He’s in the den.”
Arwan shrugs. “Then work your little Alpha swagger and get us in.”
Godric rolls his eyes. “Us? You’re insane. Hybrids are not allowed to tread on holy ground unless they’re in chains.”
Arwan grins as he offers his wrists. “Then tie me up, Alpha. It’ll be like a wet dream for you.”
The two glower at each other, and the spell is only broken when a hybrid wearing a white coat comes in. He has eyes almost as blue as Arwan’s and a sharp jawline that makes it impossible to guess his age.
