The Warlock (BxB)

Chapter 21

As Maira mentioned, there was small hut not too far from where they found her. From what she told Logain on the way there, she had been staying there for a week. At first, she was scared to hide there. She didn't know if anyone else was staying in the hut. It appeared to be abandoned, but she didn't know if someone would come back or not. After a few days, her worries vanished. It was inconvenient to stay there since she had to scavenge for food and water, but it was better than where she was trapped before. Anywhere was better than living as a prisoner and being forced to suppress herself and her powers.

It proved to be difficult for Logain and Maira to carry Casimir back to the hut, but they managed. Once Maira opened the door, they got Casimir inside, and then lay him down on the bed. The prince was heating up from the poison that ran through his veins. Logain was beginning to worry that Casimir's divine magic wouldn't be enough to save him. Casimir told him that only a fatal wound wouldn't heal. Maybe it was taking longer for the poison to go away, but it didn't help alleviate Logain's worries. He was scared of losing the prince. He didn't know what he would do if something happened to Casimir. Going back to his regular life wouldn't be an option, not after meeting the prince.

Maira glanced over at Logain, who was biting his nails. She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to try healing him? If we work together like we did against the chimera, then maybe we can help him."

It was worth a shot. Logain was willing to try, but he was also scared of making things worse. If his magic decided to act up now, then he could hurt the prince more. Hesitantly, he held a hand out towards Casimir. He wanted to save him, but he had his doubts. Before he could go through with the spell, Logain pulled his hand away. He couldn't do it.

"What's wrong?" Maira asked.

Logain shook his head. He was a joke of a warlock. If he couldn't even cast a healing spell, then what good was he? He only seemed to make things worse whenever he used his magic. If he was stronger, then he could have saved Maira without Casimir risking his life. He could have killed that chimera by himself without a problem.

"C-could you fetch some water? I'm sorry. I just need time to focus on the spell." It was a lie. Logain didn't believe he could cast the spell efficiently, even if he took a moment to concentrate. He couldn't admit his weakness in front of Maira. Maybe Casimir simply needed more time to heal on his own. He didn't want Maira around to witness Logain's shame.

She nodded, but she could tell something else was wrong. "If you need me, I'll stay close by."

The girl stood up, then left the hut to give Logain privacy. He took a deep breath as he tried not to break down. He sat down on the bed beside Casimir and looked down at his restless face. Logain could tell that Casimir was struggling to fight off this affliction. The prince was sweating and breathing heavily. He was still alive, but Logain was still scared of the poison taking his life. He didn't know how strong chimera poison was and if Casimir was strong enough to fight it.

Logain reached out to take Casimir's hand. His hands were clammy and warm. Gently, Logain called out to him, "Casimir . . . can you hear me? You must fight this. I need you to finish this journey with me. I can't do this without you."

While Logain was used to traveling alone, he didn't know if he could solve the situation with Maira by himself. He wasn't very good at dealing with people, but it wasn't so bad when Casimir was by his side. The prince pushed him to help people; something Logain never did willingly. If Casimir had been conscious, he would have been proud of Logain for offering his help to Maira without asking for payment. He wanted to see the prince's smiling face again when he learned what Logain did.

He squeezed his hand tightly and the prince opened his eyes again. Logain was hopeful that Casimir was getting better, but he could see that his eyes were cloudy. The prince might have regained consciousness, yet he didn't seem aware of the situation he was in. When he looked at Logain, a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Amaris . . . did you come to save me?" Casimir asked, then let out a small laugh. "I wasn't expecting a jerk like you to come back for me. I guess miracles can happen."

Amaris? This was Casimir's first time mentioning that name to Logain. The poison was affecting Casimir's brain and making him think Logain was someone else. Perhaps the poison made people see delusions. Whoever this Amaris person was, Casimir seemed to be fond of them. When Casimir looked at Logain, there was a tenderness in his eyes. Perhaps they were a past lover of the prince. Logain felt a tinge of jealousy that he didn't understand. He shouldn't be jealous at a time like this.

The warlock was in shock when Casimir grabbed him around the waist, then forced Logain to lie down with him. He made Logain lay on his back, before hovering over him. The prince caressed Logain's face, then leaned down close to him. Logain could feel his heart beating fast, but he didn't do anything to stop the prince. He wasn't ready for it when Casimir finally kissed him.

He didn't think the prince would actually commit to kissing him. He was too stunned to push him away. He let Casimir kiss him and was surprised with himself when he began to kiss him back. When Logain returned the kiss, the prince moved faster and made the kiss deeper. Logain's eyes went wide when he felt Casimir's tongue brush against his, but he still didn't push him away. Instead, Logain placed his hands on the prince's back and embraced him.

Perhaps it was his loneliness that made Logain react this way. He never would have allowed someone to kiss and touch him like this before, so why was he allowing the prince to get away with it? He knew that Casimir mistook him for someone else. The prince wouldn't have kissed Logain if he knew what was going on. As the prince mentioned before, he wanted to do things right with the warlock. Kissing him unexpectedly wasn't the right way to court him. However, Logain didn't mind at this moment. He accepted the affection, even if he would regret it later.

As they kissed, Logain was able to focus on the spell that would save the prince. He didn't know why, but as he held him in his embrace, Logain felt stronger and more confident. He could sense Casimir's divine energy still radiating inside of him. Logain focused on that energy and used it to rid the prince of the poison. Once the poison was dispelled, Casimir would go back to his normal self.

It didn't take long for Casimir to regain complete control of himself. He no longer felt weak, and his mind cleared. He stopped kissing Logain and pulled away from the warlock. He felt ashamed of himself for mistaking him for someone else, and for using him like that. Casimir didn't want to take advantage of Logain.

"I'm sorry, Logain. I didn't mean to . . ." He felt bad for his actions. If it weren't for the poison, then Casimir would have waited to kiss the warlock. This wasn't how he wanted to start his relationship with him.

Logain darted his gaze away from the prince, his face heating up. He thought he would be mad at him for kissing him, but he wasn't. Instead of being angry, he was more disappointed and embarrassed. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want the intimacy to stop. It wasn't like it could continue now, though. There was no way Casimir would kiss Logain again.

Quickly, Logain sat up and put distance between himself and Casimir. He crossed his arms, refusing to look at the prince as he said, "I-I'm just glad you're okay. Don't scare me again like that."

He didn't want to be in the same room as the prince for the time being. He was too embarrassed by what transpired between them. Nervously, he added, "I need some fresh air."

He didn't wait for a response. Now that he knew Casimir was safe, relief washed over him. However, he couldn't be in the same room as him right now. He needed some time to think about what happened. He excused himself and left the cabin.