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My routine consisted of training the soldiers early in the morning and returning to cavern quarters well after dark when I knew Harper would be fast asleep. Then I'd slip into bed beside her and fall asleep myself to her slow, gentle breathing. But I would leave again before dawn.
I didn’t want her to see me. I sensed the beast within. It scratched the surface. Though weak from the serum, it wanted to come back. It would get the chance because there were no remaining doses to stave off the feral change.
I was a ticking clock. Time would run out soon. If I did anything with my remaining time, I would free Racopia from Isath.
Then there was Harper. I didn’t want to be free from her. That was impossible. Harper was my mate. I wanted her to stay with me, but how could I ask her to give up more of her time if I was soon going to lose my mind?
"King Varus." Lerun entered the training yard. "Harper made a discovery."
He sounded excited. Lerun hardly ever sounded excited. "What is it?"
"She’s putting together the last dose of medicine to cure you."
"She’s recreating the serum?" For the first time in weeks, I felt hopeful where my life was concerned.
"I just spoke to her and Maagda in the infirmary. They were in the field today to gather the ingredients."
"Left alone without permission to go into dangerous territory?" Harper was going to hear it from me. Eventually.
"She says for you to let the soldiers go eat dinner." Lerun stepped past me and called out for the soldiers to line up and be dismissed.
"Is Harper in command now?" I watched the troops quickly follow those orders.
Dremos nodded in the direction behind me. "Let’s ask her."
I turned around and there she was. The tail of her jacket sailed behind her as she hurried towards the field. Strands of her black hair escaped her bun as she ran into the wind. I spotted the gleam of the top part of a steel syringe in her closed hand.
My neck and arm hurt just looking at that thing. "Ah, here she comes now with another big needle. So excited to stab me again that she’s running."
Dremos laughed. "There’s a fighting tactic we could utilize."
"Indeed. Lerun should’ve let the soldiers stay here so they could learn how it’s done."
I stepped away from them to meet her. Harper took the last fifty yards in a sprint. She came to a stop in front of me and thrust the syringe in my face. "I found it. I got enough moth heart flower extract for one dose."
"Let’s not waste it or any more time then." I rolled up my sleeve.
"Uh-uh." She tapped the syringe canister against her jugular. "It works faster in the neck."
“We need to work on your bedside manner.” I got close to her and presented the side of my neck. She swabbed it with a cold, sharp-smelling liquid that stung on contact. "What’s this? Do I require an acid bath first?"
She wiped the residual liquid away on gauze. "Be a good patient and I might find a lollipop to give you after the shot."
"I can think of something else sweet I'd like to lick."
She rewarded me with a dark berry blush on her cheeks and a death glare in her dark eyes. I pondered whether my time might end before the serum was administered.
Dremos and Lerun crossed the yard to stand nearby. "Do you want us present?" Lerun asked. "You always hated taking medicine as a child."
"I still hate needles. Nothing’s changed." I heard Harper hide laughter under breath.
Dremos clapped Lerun on the shoulder. "Let’s allow the king his dignity and go grab some food. Aklan’s making spicy ingreberg stew tonight."
"Please save me a bowl," Harper chimed in.
I looked at her as she prepared the syringe, removing the cap. "You sound more excited about a bowl of stew than you do me being cured."
She gave me a deadpan face. "It’s very good stew."
