Touch of Flame

Her gaze shifted slowly, her eyes piercing his with an iciness that could make one shiver.

“I hope it will, King Malachi,” she said in a scolding tone. She held up the bullet to show him. “Obsidian shaped in a way where it glides around and it looks different. Could be poisoned or anything. Where did you go to get shot like this?”

“I had some things to take care of,” he said.

“Wherever you went, you knew you would meet humans. Something serious could have happened. You are King. You have to be more careful. Don’t you have guards or anything?”

God. Now he understood when they said breedmate’s nagged more than mothers.

“If your wound doesn’t heal, you are in trouble. They might have put something on this.” She smelled the bullet, leaning over him she put it on the tray.

He tried to sit up but she put her hand on his stomach to keep him down. “Patience. I am not done.”

“There is another one in my thigh,” he said.

“Another one?” Her eyes widened and she looked at the thigh she was kneeling on.

“Not that one,” he said and she looked a little relieved.

She shifted to see but his pants covered the wound. She took the knife and ripped open his pants. When it came to working she was focused and didn’t hesitate, but as she looked at his thigh, she paused and frowned. “This one doesn’t look good.” She said shaking her head slightly. “Where did you have to go?!” She insisted on knowing as she reached for her tools again.

At least she didn’t think he went to attack humans. Not once did she look at him accusingly.

She began to clean the wound and then he glanced his way when he remained still. “Are you ready for the pain again?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No. You might think this will hurt less but it won’t.” She warned him.

Well, it hurt more when he was shot with it, and even now but he had hoped removing it would be less painful.

“But it might be faster at least, so you need to endure a short time. I hope..” she added.

He just sighed.

She kneeled on his leg, “just in case,” she said. “Ready?” And then she dug in.

A stabbing pain that shocked him went through his leg up to his hipbone. His leg jerked causing her to lose balance and fall sideways, her hand shooting out to stop herself. She grabbed his groin as if he wasn’t already in enough pain.

Malachi groaned in pain and she shrieked pushing herself back quickly. “I am sorry,” she said embarrassed.

Alright. He gave up. He could just faint now.

“Are you alright?” She almost whispered.

He felt lightheaded. How much blood did he lose at this point?

“Malachi?”

It seemed like he was finally fading away. He could still hear her voice but couldn’t reply or see. His eyelids fell close.

“Malachi?” She touched his face now. He could feel her cold fingers. “Alright, maybe I shall remove it quickly while you are gone.”

Everything after was a blur. There was pain, coming and fading. He could feel her touch again on his face, and perhaps he could hear her voice too. He wasn’t sure, but his body was suddenly on fire. He recognized the feeling. It was indeed poison. He knew he would heal from it in time, as he had made himself resistant to even the strongest of them but it might take a while this time. He was losing blood.

When he could open his eyes and see again, he found Ravina still working on him. She was cleaning off his body and he noted that his wounds were bandaged.

She glanced up, sensing his gaze on her. “How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Is it out?” That was all he needed to know.

“Yes. Out, cleaned, put some medicine, and bandaged.” She said while on her knees beside the bed.

“How… long?” He wondered.

She seemed thoughtful, looking around as if she lost track of time as well. “You were gone for a while. Not too long. It is still night. You should rest now.” She crawled closer and patted his face with a wet cold cloth.

“It was poisoned. You might have a fever for a while.”

She had been taking care of him for too long. “You should rest. I am fine.” He said.

He was better even if he was sore all over. Ravina stood up, putting away things. “I will just wash up,” she said excusing herself.

He looked around the bed, she had cleaned up everything, even washed off his body. When she came back, she looked more put together. She walked around the bed and he followed her with his gaze.

“I will sleep here if you don’t mind,” she said.

Hallucination?

“I need to make sure you don’t die.” She just got into his bed and began to adjust the pillow. Then she reached for the blankets and covered him first before putting her head down and covering herself.

“Are you in much pain?” She asked, facing him.

He was sleeping on his back and turned to her. “No. It is much better. Thank you.”

But his eyelids were heavy again and he was in a state between slumber and being awake. He didn’t want to sleep yet when she was in his bed. He wished he could smell her at least, but his senses were not functioning well at the moment. He desperately reached out in the darkness, only able to move his arms.

“Do you need something?” She asked him.

His arm just lay spread between them. After a moment he could feel her fingers on his arm. “Malachi? Are you in pain?”

He grabbed her arm tightly, making sure she couldn’t get away. Only then could he allow the darkness to steal him.

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Thank you so much my supergifters, K-deck, and Onix_Rain25 <3.