Page 93 of Hexed & Hazy

Don’t freak out.

Obviously, I’m already freaking out. Another text comes swiftly.

Rowan

But I’m coming home from the doctor now. I’m sick.

Chapter 30

Rowan

Never has my body had such an overreaction. The doctor’s words barely sink in, but Juniper is with me, listening like the dutiful sister she’s always been. My eyes burn, my hands and neck itch, and my nose is dripping.

Allergies, apparently.

Plenty of rest, use this ointment, Epi-Pen just in case, and you’ll be fine. After four hours of monitoring, they let me go.

Whatever medication they gave me has me groggy, dragging my feet out of Juniper’s car.

Seth—perfect, beautiful Seth—is already inside as I enter with Juniper sheep-dogging me inside. Grocery bags hang over his wrists, and he looks at me with eyes that can only be described as puppy-dog adjacent.

Adorable. Even through the fog, I can feel my lips tipping up into a smile—perhaps the biggest I’ve ever worn.

“Was it the flowers?” he asks.

The joy slides right off my face.

The last thing I want is to make him feel bad about a gift—a thoughtful, beautiful gift. He picked such unique flowers, and they looked absolutely perfect in my room. Now, they’re gone, on the kitchen table instead—where they can still be enjoyed, but I won’t be in such close contact with them.

Those flowers are in the trash now, I imagine. Poor flowers.

“It’s just allergies.” I sniffle. “I’ve never been allergic before, but… must have been one of the new flowers. Something I haven’t encountered.”

“Or it’s the hex.”

The doctor’s words ring in my ear: Flower allergies rarely cause anaphylactic shock. I’ve never seen anything like this.

Seth can’t know just how bad it was. I’m fine now. Why should I worry him?

“Nope. You’re not speaking about hexes today,” Juniper says, rounding on Seth, her eyes narrowing on the bags. “It’s right to bed for Rowan. The doctor pumped her full of antihistamines, and you’re lucky she’s not passing out at your feet. What did you bring her?”

“I was going to make sinigang,” he says. “It’ll take about an hour⁠—”

“Sounds lovely.” Even in this state, I can’t help but smile affectionately. He may or may not be the indirect reason for my allergy attack, for just how badly I long to itch my poor neck, but he’s so thoughtful. And good in the kitchen. And… gods, I’m a little loopy, aren’t I? “I love you.”

Seth’s eyes widen, and he exchanges a look with Juniper, who presses her lips together.

“Bed,” Juniper says, guiding me up the stairs. “Now. Seth will start the soup while you get your head on straight.”

Maybe I should be embarrassed, but a giddy sensation follows me with each step I take. I love him. I giggle as Juniper leads me to my room, and I burrow myself under the covers, still in my daytime clothes.

“That man is still hexed,” Juniper hisses, nearly jolting me out of the haze threatening to take me. “You’d better be careful.”

Be careful of what? Poison?

I gasp. “The soup⁠—”

“I’ll taste it first.” She sighs and pats my forehead.