Luin

When I woke up, it was the middle of the night and I ached. Arrowan was plastered against my side. His body was sticky with sweat and his hair – which was probably due for a cut – was damp with sweat when I ran my hands through it.

We fae weren't prone to illness, and the kinds of illnesses we contracted didn't present like this. No, this was brought on from burning through too much magic, too soon. He would probably have been fine if he had stopped at funneling magic into me yesterday, but judging from the amount of blood Arrowan had gotten on his hands and that soaked Rahul's fur yesterday, the healing would have taken a lot out of him even if he had started on a full tank.

Normally I would have waited until he felt better, then given him a stern lecture on magic consumption. But I couldn't blame him for saving someone. Still, it was clear that he would be out of commission for the next day or two, and I wouldn't leave his side if I could help it. Magic sickness and a bad case of the flu shared a lot of symptoms. He'd be feverish, wobbly on his feet, achy, and probably nauseous. My own aches faded into the background and I hurried to make him more comfortable. I put a cool damp rag on his forehead and started making up a simple broth in the kitchen so we could keep him hydrated and fed. He probably wouldn't be able to stand anything else.

What would help him most was an infusion of magic, and as his bond mate, I knew I could give that to him. Hadn't he done the same for me yesterday? And wasn't he in this state because he did? But my stores were almost drained, too, and passing him what little I had wouldn't help him enough; it would just make me sick, too. Still, it was hard not to feel bad for not trying it. Arrowan was always so good and so generous with me, and he deserved the same in return.

The broth was simmering on the stove and I was headed back down the hall to refresh Arrowan's damp cloth when he came stumbling out of the room at a run, heading straight for the bathroom. The sound of retching followed seconds later. When he was finished, I got him a cup to rinse his mouth out with and helped him get settled back into bed. I made him drink some water, and he passed out again not much later.

We made it like that through to the afternoon. Arrowan didn't seem to be getting any better, which told me his magic stores must have been almost completely drained. How had he managed to stay upright yesterday if the drain was so bad?

The light broth I had made earlier didn't settle well in Arrowan's nauseous stomach, and I finally got desperate enough after another round of vomiting to funnel what little magic I had into him. If it got him through the worst of his magic sickness, I would accept the consequences.

Only... as I sent magic into Arrowan and watched his color come back, watched as his throat stopped working and he straightened up from hugging the toilet, my magic stores didn't go down. I sent more and more into him until I should have been collapsed on the ground and badly sick for days, but it just caused a slight pulling sensation in my chest; that was all.

I didn't stop until Arrowan gripped my arms and said, "What are you doing?! You'll make yourself sick!"

"I feel fine," I said. He frowned doubtfully and I rolled my eyes. "For real, not like you 'felt fine' yesterday."

He grimaced. "Sorry, I really didn't think it was going to be that bad." Arrowan's bright blue eyes searched me, looking for any hint of lie or weakness, but there was none to find.

"Are you sure?" he checked, still reluctant to accept my word – not that I could blame him. It didn't make any sense that I had been able to fully replenish his magic from my low stores without hurting myself.

"Positive."

Arrowan frowned and his eyes narrowed, but he nodded his acceptance. I still felt his eyes carefully following me throughout the rest of the day, but of course he found nothing because I truly was fine. Since I was still watching him to make sure he had truly recovered and he was still waiting for me to fall into a sickness I knew wasn't coming, both of us relaxed for the rest of the day. We took our meals from the ample stores of leftovers in the refrigerator and cuddled in front of the television until it was time to sleep again.

I didn't understand how neither of us was sick, but I didn't question it too deeply. There was a lot I didn't understand about fae magic, so I learned a long time ago to take new oddities into stride.

--

I woke up the next morning to steaming plates filling both of our end tables and Arrowan standing over me with a cup of juice in each hand. The scents of bacon and waffles filled the air, and I saw scrambled eggs and sliced fruit tucked away on some of the plates, too.

I sat up slowly, stretching out my stiff muscles and trying to blink off the dredges of sleep. When I felt ready, I asked, "What's all this for?"

Arrowan sat down on the edge of the bed and passed me a plate, making room on the table for the glasses he held. "You served me breakfast and lunch in bed yesterday. It's my turn."

I laughed and he joined in, warming me through. "That was different," I argued. "You were sick." Still, I cut off a bite of the waffle in front of me and hummed in pleasure when it hit my tongue.

"Okay, then. Let's just say I wanted to treat you," Arrowan said with a shrug.

Well, I wasn't going to argue with that. I passed Arrowan another plate and we ate in companionable silence until he asked, "What do you want to do today?"

"I need to check in with the pack. Really, I should have checked on them sooner."

"You know they'll understand," Arrowan said, but I didn't want understanding. I wanted to do right by them.

It occurred to me that Roderick and I had transported a good third of their members to another pack's safehouse two days ago and then left them there while we recuperated. That might be for the best, since there was no telling when the Thorne pack would attack again, but did those people have everything they needed? The safehouse was nice enough, but it only had maybe ten bedrooms. Almost everyone would have had to sleep on the floor, packed in with hardly any space for walking. Surely they didn't have enough pillows or blankets. Or maybe that pack had other places they'd been able to put up our displaced pack members?

Had I really been so focused on Arrowan yesterday that none of this occurred to me?

It wasn't my problem, I told myself, but I didn't believe it even though I wasn't one of the alphas. Heck, I was only an honorary pack member, not an actual one. I had done my part, but that didn't mean they hadn't needed more from me.

I carefully extracted my phone from between the plates that filled my end table, but Arrowan took it from my hand before I could do anything. "After we eat," he said. I didn't argue, but it was hard to enjoy my breakfast while I was so worried.

Arrowan saw my preoccupation and passed the phone over early, not looking happy about it. I took a few minutes to read the dozens of texts that had been sent in the past couple of days, and I calmed with each one.

Glenna texted me to assure me Roderick was recovering just fine and to check in on us.

Lachlan texted that their injured were healed and their people would be fine with the other pack at least through the weekend.

Magnus texted to thank us for the warding, which only made my stomach churn guiltily. I should have done it so much sooner and I didn't feel like I deserved his thanks. Rather than accepting his gratitude, I sent back a message offering further help if they needed it.

Fen had texted, too, saying he heard about the fight and wanted to check in on us. Earlier today, he sent a follow-up threatening to show up at our house if we didn't get back to him soon. I smiled to myself and sent back a quick "We're okay. Let's catch up later" and I tucked my phone back away.

It was much easier to enjoy the meal Arrowan had so thoughtfully made for us with that taken care of, and by the time we were finished, there were plates scattered all across the bed and crumbs everywhere. It was the sort of thing that normally would have had my eye twitching in stress – I hated a messy bed – but I was having a hard time getting worked up about anything. It was too nice to spend a morning together with Arrowan.

"You never did tell me what you want to do today," Arrowan said.

I shrugged, then sat up straighter as realization struck. "Wait! Don't you have appointments?"

Arrowan waved this off. "Glenna postponed them when the fight came up. I don't have to go back until I'm ready."

But... his work was healing people. His customers might be suffering because he was having a lazy morning. "Maybe we should go to the shop just for a bit," I decided. "You can take any urgent appointments.

Arrowan

I agreed since Luin had a point, so we walked across the street to Safiya and Glenna's. Glenna opened the door for us before we could knock and said, "Arrowan, you have a client waiting in the back."

Would I ever get used to her gift of foresight? She must have seen us coming and set up appointments for me – it wouldn't be the first time. It was a little spooky the way she could do that. I walked back toward the little area the sisters had set aside for me, with its privacy curtain, exam table, and three chairs that made up a sort of waiting area, and froze in horror when I saw the person who was waiting for me.

My mind raced as I waited for my brain to reconnect with my body, and I don't know how long I would have been held down by the sheer force of abject terror if the situation hadn't grown even worse when I heard Luin and Glenna enter the room. They were chattering and I registered their casual tones even as their words washed over me. They hadn't seen the danger yet, and that meant they were vulnerable.

Though the moment felt like it dragged on, in reality I was frozen in my spot for a few seconds before Luin's presence jump-started my system and got me moving again. I had to get him out of here. Or, he had to get us out of here... because the Unseelie was standing right in front of the full-length mirror I used for travel.

I dove for Luin, clutching him against me and angling us so my body shieled him from the Unseelie in the room. "Get us home, now."

Luin didn't hesitate. Thankfully, we landed in front of our living room couch, because I didn't know how much longer my knees could hold me up. I liked to imagine that I was usually a bit more capable than this, that I wouldn't fall apart so easily, but this was too unexpected and too dangerous for that kind of calm. How had we been found out so quickly? I was so sure that the Unseelie truly believed I was dead, and even if they saw through our ruse, why couldn't it have taken them longer to find me?

I should have stopped taking clients. I should have changed my name so no one would talk about an Unseelie fae named Arrowan where the wrong ears might overhear. I should have taken Luin far away from here before any of this could land on our friends, too.

God, Glenna. I had left her there, alone with that Unseelie. He should have no reason to harm her, right? But if he wanted information on me badly enough...

My heart hammered in my chest and I looked at Luin, who was staring at me with obvious concern and confusion. Our bond would tell him what I was feeling, but not why. "What's going on?" he asked.

I shook my head. If I explained now, he would never let me go without him. "I need to go back, just for a minute. I'll explain everything after."

I got up off the couch and started toward our bedroom, but Luin snatched my hand and yanked me back. "Oh, no you don't. I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is, you're taking me with you."

Why did he have to be so stubborn? Usually, I didn't mind. It could be kind of adorable, even. There was something comforting about knowing your partner had that kind of tenacity... but not when it threw him into danger. "Luin, please."

My begging only made him more worried. "No. Explain or take me with you."

Luin's phone started ringing and while he was distracted, I tried to pull away so I could make a break for it. There would be hell to pay later, but it was a price I was willing to pay. Luin's grip was stronger than I accounted for, though, and he only tightened his grip on me and glared as he answered his phone. "Hello?"

Luin frowned as he listened, then he glanced at me and said, "I don't think that's such a good idea." He paused again and his irritation with me was replaced by uncertainty. "Alright, I'm putting the phone on speaker.

Luin did so and held the phone between us with Glenna's name on the screen. "Arrowan?" she said.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to put Kashiel on the phone. Please hear him out, okay? He needs your help and he made it through our wards," Glenna said. Their wards were specially calibrated not to let in those with ill intentions, but such wards could be circumvented if you were canny enough. I wasn't willing to trust my life to them.

I turned the name Glenna offered over in my mind, Kashiel. It was a popular name back home, like Michael or Benjamin here. It told me nothing about who this was.

I wanted to hang up the phone, snatch up Luin, and hide away from this new reality where we weren't nearly as safe as I thought. I couldn't do that, though. Kashiel knew about me, knew I was alive. He wasn't just going to disappear. At least if I heard him out, I might learn more about our new situation and gain some control over it. Maybe.

"Okay," I agreed.

Luin and I locked eyes while we listened to the small shuffling noises in the background of the call while Glenna passed off the phone. Then a deep voice came over the line. "Hello, Arrowan?"

He had my name. Was there any point in attempting to deny it? Could I possibly get away with pretending to be someone else? I wished that could work, but Kashiel would have to be a complete moron to even remotely believe me. "Yes, I'm here," I finally said after letting the silence drag on.

"Please, I know how it is to encounter other Unseelie. I know what you must be thinking, but my bond mate is badly injured and you're the only healer I can find who might help us. Please," the low voice begged.

I frowned at the phone. "If you were there to have your bond mate healed, why were you there alone?" He was going to need a much better lie to catch me. Not that there was any way I was going back to that shop, anyway. Not ever again now that Kashiel had found me there.

"She was on your exam table, behind the curtain," Kashiel answered.

I shut my eyes and tried to remember whether the curtain had been drawn, but from the instant my eyes caught sight of Kashiel, I had been blind to everything else in the room.

"Please," Kashiel begged again. This time there were tears in his voice. "I fear for her life."

I made the mistake of looking up at Luin, whose eyes were pleading with me. My heart sank. He was buying into Kashiel's story.

I put the phone on mute and said, "He's lying."

"You don't know that for sure," Luin said, "and what if he isn't? What if someone loses their bond mate because we were too afraid to help them?"

I shook my head, exasperated with his naivete, and unmuted the call. "What's wrong with her?"

"She took something," Kashiel said. "I don't know what. My bond mate, she has been distraught over our inability to conceive. She put her trust in a swamp witch, who gave her some concoction that was supposed to help. Instead, it's made her horribly ill. She's been unresponsive since yesterday morning. I don't know what to do."

The desperation in the man's voice was obvious. If he was an actor, he was a good one... but maybe he was overselling things just a bit. Luin clutched at my arms and I saw real conflict in his teary eyes. He was torn between fear and the need to help. He was such a beautiful, selfless person, I knew how this would go. He would weigh the risks and realize he couldn't live with himself if there was a possibility someone might be hurt because of our inaction. I would either have to live with letting him down or prove to him that Kashiel was lying.

"Give the phone back to Glenna."

"Arrowan, please," Kashiel said, but I hardened myself to him.

"Just give her the phone," I demanded.

"What did you need?" Glenna asked seconds later.

"Switch to a video call. I want him to show me his bond mate," I said. With any luck, he wouldn't be able to corroborate his story and this nightmare would be one step closer to over.

Only, that's not what happened. Within a minute, Luin's screen showed a Seelie woman laying on my exam table looking completely dead to the world. The veins of her hands were deep red, with the unnatural coloring fading as they moved up her arm. Poisoning, indeed. But who was to say Kashiel didn't just capture a Seelie woman, poison her, and lay her out as a trap to snare me in?

That would be a good plan, one that stood a fair shot at working. I looked at Luin and at the man Glenna was now displaying on the screen, whose chalky white cheeks were streaming with tears beneath eyes that were red with what looked like very real pain. I looked up from the screen at Luin, and my heart sank.

"You have to help them," Luin said. "Please."

I sighed, and accepted I was about to make a decision I was bound to regret. "Okay."

--

Sorry about switching perspectives partway through the chapter like that.  I somehow didn't notice until the chapter was already finished and edited.  Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

Cheers,

Nia