Chapter 160
RYKER’S P.O.V
Two things went through my mind at the exact same time. The first was that we needed to get a grip on things and the second was that Camilla had to be suicidal or crazy to think I was letting her within range of the man who looked like death on legs. She started to move before I even realized what was happening. I reached
out to grab her but she was faster than I had accented for. I muttered a small curse under my breath before following after her. It didn’t take long for me to catch up to her and slide in front of her making her come to a quick halt.
“Where the hell do you think you are going?” I asked crossing my arms over my chest. She tried side stepping me but I was quick to stop her. “I love you, baby, but there is no way in hell you are going to him. He is one foot away from door’s death.”
“If you ask me he is already in,” Juan mumbled alerting us to his presence. Christine jammed her elbow into his side and all he did was smile widely. “I am just saying what we are all thinking.”
“Didn’t you hear what I said about my powers?” she asked and I nodded. “That should explain why I need to see him. There is something about him that is tied to my powers.”
“We don’t even know if he is contagious. Think about yourself and the girls, your lives are more important than finding out about your powers.”
It was a low blow to use our children but if it was the only thing that would get her to sit still then I was willing to do it. She fell silent not saying a word and I felt the air stretch between us as I waited to see her reaction. After a long beat of silence, she sighed. I let out a sigh of relief thinking she was going to drop it especially when she reached out and grabbed my hands.
She gave me a small smile. “I’ll never know until I ask. Besides, if he is contagious, we probably already caught it by now.”
I was too stunned by her words to notice when she slipped her hand out of mine and rushed towards the physician’s office. Christine’s expression mirrored mine but Juan looked… proud? I didn’t have the time to assess his expression as I was chasing after my mate. She effortlessly slipped into the physician’s quarters. I didn’t want to go in just in case whatever that man had was contagious but the truth was, Camilla was right. I muttered enough expletives to make a sailor proud before walking in after her.
The physician was talking but stopped once he saw me. “Your majesty, I was just explaining to the Queen the anomalies I found in the subject.”
“He is a man, not a subject,” Camilla corrected and the physician had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
“Right, of course, I apologize for the inconsideration,” he cleared his throat before turning his back on us so that he was facing the man. “He seems perfectly healthy if you ignore the paleness of his skin and the fact that he obviously looks sick.”
I frowned. “I am not following.”
“He has the reflexes of a healthy man, something is tricking his brain into thinking he is sick. I have never seen anything quite like this in my entire life. I can say with great confidence that this has to be the work of something powerful.”
“A witch perhaps?” Camilla cut in and he hesitated before nodding. “Do you think he is contagious?”
“I see no reason to believe so.”
Camilla shot me an ‘I told you so’ look and all I did in response was roll my eyes. I peered over the physician’s shoulder at the sick man. He was lying on the bed, he looked to be asleep but every breath he took looked labored. It was as if he were struggling to stay alive. I wasn’t sure why he was still trying. If I were in his position, I probably would have given up. I immediately knew he had something worth fighting for. No man would risk that much unless he had a family.
“Can you excuse us?” I asked aloud and the physician didn’t ask any questions before bowing and walking out. I made my way over to the man. I wanted a closer look at him. The moment I was within reach, he reached out and grabbed me.
“Help me,” he whispered. For a sick man, he had a surprisingly tight grip. “My mate, my son,” he coughed as he spoke. “I need to go back to them.”
“You’re sick, what you need is to get better. You are no use to them if you are dead,” I said simply as I pulled my hand out of his grip.
He let out a loud wail and reached out for me again but this time, I was faster. “Please, they will die if I don’t return. I know they will. I have to get better, help me get better. I know she can.”
He said the last sentence while looking pointedly at Camilla and I frowned. I had seen men claw after desperate attempts at life but this wasn’t it, this was a man who was certain that he was right. Someone or something had told him that Camilla could help him and it made my hackles rise.
“How do you know that?” I asked but he fell silent. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up so he was half hovering over the bed. “Tell me how you know right now.”
“I don’t know,” he yelled finally. “I can just feel it. It is like a tug in my bones, something about her is drawing me closer. She can feel it too, I know she can.”
I turned to face Camilla and there was something akin to pain on her face. I knew he was right and she did too. I could see her inching closer and I knew what she wanted to do but before she could, I pressed down slightly on a spot in his neck. He immediately passed out.
“What the hell did you do?” Camilla exclaimed as she came closer but I stopped her. “He said that I could help him. You know I can.
“Not at your detriment, Camilla. If I have to make a choice between a random man and you, I will choose you, always.”
“He has a family. He has a son, you heard him.”
“You have a family too and I am sorry to say but his son means nothing to me. They will have my heartfelt condolences and nothing more.”
I felt no ounce of guilt for my decision. My mate was always going to come first, before the kingdom, before my position and before the people. Some would say that made me a bad ruler but I didn’t care. What good was I as a ruler if I couldn’t protect the people I loved the most?
“Please, Ryker,” she begged. “Just let me try, if you feel it is too much then you can pull me away. I will never forgive myself if I don’t at least make an effort.”
“To what end?” I asked and she coc ked her head to the side in confusion. “Why does this matter to you so much?”
“I was given these powers to help people, allow me help them, please.”
I wanted to refuse, it was at the tip of my tongue but I knew that she would hate me for a very long time if the man died so I hesitantly nodded. I saw the relief flood her body instantly. She took slow steps forward showing that she was as worried and anxious as I was. I watched her glance over at the door and I immediately knew what she wanted.
I was quick to lock it, so far, no one knew how her powers had developed and I wanted to keep it that way. We were unsure if her blood still possessed healing abilities or if it was now just on her skin. This would have been a good time to try it but Camilla was as stubborn as a mule when she wanted to be and she wanted to do this her way.
She sat at the edge of the bed before leaning forward and holding his hand. At first, nothing happened and then I saw it. I had seen it a few times and it never got easier to watch. The way her body lurched was unnatural and the expression in her eyes was one of pure pain. I watched her double over for a second before gritting her teeth and forcing herself into a sitting position.
“I’m fine,” she managed out. “It isn’t as bad as the others. I think it recognizes us as kin spirits or something. I promise you, it is okay.”
It went on for what felt like hours but in reality was only a few seconds and I saw some of the spots on his arms begin to clear. I wanted to pull her away but she shook her head. I didn’t know why I was just standing back and watching her, it was almost like I wasn’t in control of my own body.
Finally, I watched as she lurched back from him. His hand left hers and I was immediately by her side. She swayed as she fell into me and I pushed her hair back so that I could see my face.
“Are you okay?” I asked and cursed when she didn’t immediately respond to me. “I should have never let you do this.”
“I’m fine,” she mumbled as she tried to wave me off.
“What happened, Camilla?”
“I don’t know how to explain it,” she glanced over at the man on the bed who looked a lot healthier than he did when he first arrived. “It was almost like whatever was in him wanted my powers. I felt it take and take until it had enough and it pushed me off.”
“What does that mean?”
She hesitated before shaking her head. “I don’t know.”
