Home is a Treasure Beyond Price

Chapter 20

The tightness in Nick's chest progressed to a persistent cough. He could feel Cadence's concern every time he wheezed or coughed, concern she showed by remaining curled around Nick as much as possible.
After a particularly cold night when Nick had coughed himself awake several times, he woke up in the morning to the sight of Cadence asleep next to his bed. Cadence must've dragged her nest there after Nick's last bout of coughing. No wonder he'd felt cocooned in warmth and been able to sleep through till morning.
He turned on his side and watched Cadence sleeping, enjoying the muted bass rumble of her breathing. With slow, careful movements, he laid his hand on Cadence's side, wanting to memorize the feeling of Cadence's scales under his palm, the serenity of her breathing, and the dry heat that radiated off her body. It was only when Cadence began to stir that he pulled it back under his blanket.
A few days later, his cough turned wet and tearing. At the first sign of fever, Cadence changed into her human form and insisted on taking care of Nick. This included hectoring him into finishing his broth, and making him willow bark tea. Cadence's cooking was extremely horrible, so they both agreed that Nick would continue cooking, fever or not. He was glad to have something to do, needed to feel like he was pulling his own weight, and wondered if that was Cadence's intention all along.
The fever continued to worsen, until one night, he slipped into a delirium. Only flashes remained of that night. Feeling Cadence's worry for him in every gentle touch. Cadence's voice in his mind, asking Nick to stay with him. Hearing Cadence—as though from far away—calling for Nick.
The fever broke some time near dawn, and he finally fell into a deep sleep. He woke up feeling like a wet rag that had been wrung out, and the miasma of his fever sweat hung in the air, shaming him. Here was all the evidence that Nick was no kind of treasure.
Cadence seemed troubled and withdrawn even after Nick was back on his feet. He pretended not to notice Cadence's distraction, pretended everything was normal between them, but inside, he prepared himself for the worst. Despite his initial resistance to the idea, he'd gotten used to Cadence thinking of him as her treasure. And sometimes, with the way Cadence cared for him, he even felt... treasured. But Cadence would leave eventually, because her need to guard Nick wouldn't last forever. Then Nick would say goodbye, and never let on that the worst thing he could imagine was watching Cadence fly away without him.
He was leaning against Cadence's side, warming up after her sponge bath, when Cadence finally said something two days later. It was a relief to finally have it out.
<That night,> Cadence said, <when you were sick, there was a point when I thought—Your heart wasn't beating properly, Nick.>
He couldn't meet Cadence's eyes. Defective. That was what some people called him. He pulled the blanket tighter against his chin. Ignore the jeers and mockery, his mother had counseled. He tried his best—his pride wouldn't let him show any weakness anyway—but the words still lodged inside him; tainted fruit waiting for moments like these to spread their poison.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice hoarse from coughing.
<Why do you apologize?>
"Well, because I'm a—" he broke off. He hated acknowledging how much of a burden he was on everyone around him. "I'm supposed to be helping you but instead..."
<Why can't I help you too? Are we not friends?>
Cadence sounded—anxious was the only word Nick could think of to describe the particular feel of Cadence's words in his head. He freed one hand from his blanket and rested it on Cadence's cheek. "You're my friend, Cadence."
<good.> Cadence nuzzled Nick's palm. <Because—there's something I want to ask you.>
"Alright." He tucked his hand back inside the blanket, very unsure now about where their conversation was heading.
Cadence's wings twitched and resettled several times, shifting in an unusual display of agitation. <A dragon can form a bond with a particular human,> she said, watching Nick carefully. <We call that human a Companion. Once the bond is created, dragon and human remain together always.>
"Oh." Nick's heart felt like it was halfway up his throat as he thought about it, thought about spending the rest of his life with Cadence. "Are you asking me to be your—your Companion?"
<Yes.>