Oriel's wound wasn't healing as fast as she had wanted it to. She had laid back against the bed and refused to meet Tassian's eyes. She was burning up. She didn't just hurt around the wound anymore, her legs hurt, her arms hurt, her neck; everything. 

Something must have been on that sword, she thought to herself as she closed her eyes. She tried to listen to Draya and Borus tell their story to Vega. She tried to focus on their voices, but she was having difficulty. Her hand inched for her wrapped side.

She felt another pair of eyes on her. She opened her eyes and turned her head to the side, meeting Vega's bright blue eyes piercing into hers. Her eyes held a question that Oriel didn't want to answer. Wasn't going to answer. 

Vega slowly stood up and smoothed out her dress. "You two can take this bed." She turned to Draya and Borus. "If you will follow me, there are separate rooms upstairs." Without waiting for them to follow her, she turned around and started up the stairs against the far wall. 

Borus helped Draya up to her feet before hurrying off after Vega. Draya turned towards them and spoke to Tassian. "Take care of her."

"I always will," he replied.

Oriel watched as Draya nodded, satisfied before she walked over the stairs and followed her son. She waited until Draya was gone and doors were closed before she closed her eyes again. 

"Oriel," Tassian's voice roamed over her. She felt his hand rest on hers. "Please, look at me."

Oriel took a deep, shaky breath as she opened her eyes and looked at him. He was worried, she could tell. She knew that he could see that she was dwindling. This necklace won't let her die, but it will leave her wanting to. She gripped his hand tightly. "I'm hurting," she croaked out. 

Tassian moved his hands down and started to unwrap her side. He was gentle as he finally unwrapped it. Oriel looked down and tears started to form in her eyes. The skin around her wound was turning blue and purple. Her veins were a dark blue around the wound, spreading out along her side and stomach. 

"Tassian," her voice shook as she pleaded for him. She didn't know what she wanted him to do, but she needed help. 

His hands were shaking above her skin. "Poison," he breathed out. 

Oriel leaned her head back against the rough pillow and closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. She started to reach her hands up towards her necklace when Tassian grabbed both of her wrists. Her eyes flung open to see him staring at her with a pleading look in his eyes. 

"Don't you fucking do it, Eagle," his voice cracked. "Give me a chance to figure this out. We had lesson's about this. Just," he looked back down at her wound. "Just give me a chance."

Oriel nodded and dropped her hands back down at her sides. "W-what if you can't figure it out?" 

Tassian just shook his head, not answering her. 

"Tassian," she reached out towards him and pulled on his shirt. She pulled him so he was leaning over her. She placed her hands on either side of his face and made him look at her. "What if you can't figure it out?" 

His eyes were filled with panic. He balanced himself on his forearms on either side of her head. He bent down and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm going to figure it out, Eagle. I'm not going to lose you." He brought his lips down to hers and Oriel met him in a hungry kiss. 

Tassian broke the kiss and started to trail light kisses down her chin and neck. "I'm not going to lose you." Another kiss. "I just got you." Another kiss. "I just made you mine." Another kiss. He sat up and sat in between her legs. "I think I remember something."

Oriel tried to sit up as she watched him start to lay down between her legs. "Tassian, what are you-?" She stopped, her eyes widening as she watched him lean over her wound. 

He didn't look at her as he said, voice gruff, "Trust me." He covered his mouth over her wound and without warning, started to suck on it. His mouth was hot against her skin. Her breathing started to become ragged as she gripped the blankets. The spidery veins started to drift back towards her wound. 

What he was doing was working. Her eyes widened as she watched the veins in Tassian's face start to turn purple. "T-Tassian." She started to reach up to his face to pull him off of her, but he grabbed her wrists and held her arms down. His sucking on her skin started to get rougher. 

Finally, he separated himself from her quickly and sat up on his knees. Oriel was watching the veins on his face swarm around between the colors of blue, green, and purple. She sighed as the colors started to fade and the veins disappeared. His eyes weren't on her. Instead, they were trained on her stomach. 

Oriel moved her eyes down to her side and saw nothing. Not even a scar was left. She sat up slowly, testing out her side. No pain. Nothing. She felt stronger again. She sat up quickly and looked at Tassian. "How did you know that would work?"

Tassian shook his head, his eyes slowly trailing up her body before meeting hers. "A memory."

Oriel could tell that he didn't want to elaborate on that answer. She held out her hand and let him pull her over to sit on his lap. She straddled him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you feeling okay?"

His hands roamed her sides, his fingers hot against her skin. "I'm much better now." He ran his hands up her back and pushed her closer to him. "I told you I'd figure it out."

Oriel chuckled lightly as she pressed her forehead against his. "You did. Thank you."

"Anything for you, Eagle."