Luca would know. He would devise a plan. He would read every damn book in this house and figure out what needed to be done. All I could do was touch him, hold him, rely on the will of others to help him, and it killed me to be so fucking idle. To just stand there and stare like a pitiful fool. There had to be something more I could do. Anything to ease his discomfort.

There was a fireplace off to the side, already piled with logs and scrunched-up parchment. I reluctantly left my mate to snatch the box of matches on the mantel, sticks scattering at my feet as my hands shook. With a frustrated growl, I finally managed to grip one between my fingers and spark a flame, crouching to set the paper alight.

Soon the fire crackled, heat seeping into the room, and I returned to the bed, perching beside Luca to take his small hand in mine and kiss his knuckles. The chill against my lips made my heart pound. He would warm up, I told myself, as I frantically cupped my hands around each of his and blew into the space, rubbing until the white disappeared from his fingertips. Once the lingering cold from the wind melted away under the fire’s glow, he would be okay. He was going to be okay.

He has to be.

Zadok hurried in moments later, a satchel in one hand and a tome in the other. He set them on his untidy workbench before unbuttoning the sleeves of his shirt, rolling them halfway up his arms. I noticed twin, silvery scars across the insides of his wrists, but didn’t let my gaze linger. It wasn’t my business.

“When did you start noticing symptoms?” he said, striding over to the bed. He sank to one knee near my mate’s head, pressing two fingers against his neck, mouthing numbers as he stared at the clock on the wall.

“Several days ago,” I responded, the guilt of the admission bitter on my tongue. My eyes tracked Zadok’s every motion, my instincts clawing under the surface—he’s touching my vulnerable mate—but I stifled them. “It was gradual, and he waved it off as overexertion. He was more tired than usual, even taking his distaste of exercise into consideration. He ate less, had no interest in the sweet treats he would typically struggle to refuse, and eventually, he lost his enthusiasm altogether. He’s such a curious little creature, I should’ve realized sooner that this wasn’t just the consequences of the journey.”