*Book One of The Accursed Chronicles*
August was a man from a normal world, living a mundane life until one night everything changed, and he was sent spiraling into a world stuck forever in winter, full of magic, creatures, and a curse that has grip...
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My eyes slowly slid shut before I forced them wide open and sat up. I'd had my head rested on Ronan's arm for long enough that the day had died down and the frigid night had come. I rubbed my arms for heat, then blew my breath into my hands and massaged them together before I touched the back of my hand to Ronan's forehead. It felt like ice again. He'd been fine before I had almost fallen asleep. What was wrong?
Saint had given him the two antidotes and it had slowed the effects of the poison. Ronan's aura had returned to a steady pulse, hardly weakened to the point it had been the night prior.
I frowned and rested my chin my hand, elbow perched on the bed and body leaned towards Ronan. He seemed too still now, no movement of his eyes beneath his eyelids or tremble of his lips. I hated the people who had done this to him and had uprooted his life. He was ready to make a move away from Darrose, all to keep me safe, but now... now he had to leave or risk being imprisoned. His life had been ripped from him and I knew that would impact him when he woke up. I dreaded him finding out what had happened.
Then when I straightened up, readying to get Saint to ask him about Ronan, I paused and blinked twice at Ronan. Maybe I was sleep deprived or crazy from not having eaten anything, but I swore I saw a tear leak from his eye. I reached out and swiped at the tear, feeling it to be real when it wet my thumb.
My heart pulled in my chest. I'd never seen him cry. He never so much as spoke about his past or things that pained him. He was vague about anything within that realm and kept to himself, except to lecture or scold me. For once, he showed me the truth that somewhere inside him was a man hurt and tired. I knew I couldn't rewrite the past or give him a miracle cure, but I knew that I could be here for him even if he didn't want me to be.
I delayed going to get Saint as I pulled Ronan's hand into mine and transferred my heat to him. I'd give him my strength if he needed it. I'd be going nowhere for as long as I wasn't a danger to him or anyone around me.
Then when I found myself lulling off to sleep again, soothed by the touch of Ronan, I heard a voice as it entered the room.
"It's ready."
I blinked wide awake and looked across to Saint when he came towards me with a shimmering vial in his hand, and what I knew to be the third antidote. Half awake, I sighed in relief and watched as he went around my chair and up to Ronan, leaning over the bed to him. My gaze shifted my shoulder at the sound of a creaking floorboard, to see Leuthar waiting by the door. We both were on eggshells and nervously awaiting Ronan's recovery.
Then, glancing back to Saint, I watched as he opened the cork on the vial before he tilted the contents into Ronan's parted lips. When he had finished, he pulled back and waited with me for Ronan to wake up. I held my breath and didn't blink an eye, and as time ticked on, I chewed into my lower lip. He would wake up, there wasn't a single doubt in my mind.
As if I had spoken it into the universe, Ronan squinted his eyes open and groaned weakly. I placed my palm on his cheek and felt the warmth of his skin returning, but my touch didn't last long when he shoved my hand away. That one stung. He grunted then leaned up, making both me and Saint grab for him when he slumped forward, hair flopping in front of his face. He had just been resurrected and this was what he chose to do?
