Chapter 70 Set it down
BRYNNE
Soma's scent immediately overwhelms me the second I enter. James stirs, his ears flattening against his head as he inhales a lungful. It’s my first time here, and my eyes drift over every surface. She has the biggest room in the house, but it lacks any personal items.
There are no pictures on the wall or on the nightstands on either side of her bed, just two lamps that are off now. A pile of books sits on her study desk, with her school bag at the foot of the chair. I continue to the bed, my fingers brushing against the napkin placed on her damp forehead.
“What did the doctor say?”
“That she needs rest,” Jade answers from behind.
Nudging the napkin aside, I press the back of my palm to Soma’s damp forehead. She’s burning up.
How can the doctor say she needs rest?
“Did he give her anything?” I whisper.
Jade appears by my side with a steel tray and a bowl. “Yes. Some herbs. He asked me to make soup with them.”
“And? Have you done that? Did you give it to her?”
Her gaze lowers. “She refused it, Your Highness.”
As soon as I remove the lid from the bowl, my other hand flies over my nose and mouth. A foul stench permeates the air, and my stomach twists into knots. Bile floods my throat, and I drop the lid back before I puke into the bowl. No wonder she doesn’t want it.
Using my hand to fan myself like it will dissipate the smell, I ask, “Is this really the only thing he offered?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Set it down.”
Jade lowers it back to the bedside table, and I sink onto the bed. I grab Soma’s shoulders, shaking her gently. She doesn’t stir, so I add more force. When her eyes finally open, they look hazed, like she’s not fully present. Pushing my leg onto the bed, I pull her onto my lap, and my arm curls around her protectively to steady her. Jade gasps, and I pretend she doesn’t exist. If anything happens to Soma, they’ll blame me, so I might as well do whatever I can to save her life.
“Soma, you have to take the…” I stretch my hand for the bowl, mentally bracing for the smell.
Couldn’t her maid have added something to tone it down?
Jade places it delicately on my palm, and I force down the urge to swallow when the stench fills the air. I scoop a spoonful and direct it to Soma’s lips.
Soma’s eyes shut. She shakes her head weakly and turns away from the spoon. I try two more times and fail both times. My hand tightens around the bowl, the foul smell of the herb rising with the steam.
“Are you sure this is the only way?”
“Yes,” Jade replies. “I already asked the doctor.”
What am I supposed to do if she won’t drink this? I exhale, my jaw clenching. Should I call Lilith? My eyes shift from Soma’s pale face to the untouched bowl. I stare at it, then back at her, the weight of helplessness tightening in my chest.
Fine. I thrust the bowl back into Jade’s hands and gently lay Soma on the bed. My gaze lingers on the bowl, then drifts to the unconscious girl again.
A chill crawls down my spine. With a sigh, I grab the bowl and lift it to my lips. Eyes closed, I empty part of the liquid into my mouth without swallowing.
This is…
My eyes fly open, and my throat constricts. It tastes more bitter than it looks. Jade heaves, like she’s the one forced to drink it. Her hand trembles as she accepts the bowl from me. She says nothing, but her expressive face does all the talking. I return to the bed, my mouth drawing too close to Soma’s as I press my fingers to her cheeks, coaxing her lips open.
The memory of that night, of her body pressed into mine in the living room, and how accepting of the kiss she was, crashes over me. I force myself to stay calm, letting the liquid slide from my mouth into hers.
A few droplets trickle down the corners of her lips, but most of it makes it successfully into her mouth. Wonderful. Small, but progress. When I glance up to take a breath, Jade has the bowl stretched out to me.
Not again. I stare at the bowl for too long, and she whispers, “There’s no other option, Your Highness.”
One look at Soma is all it takes to act. I fist the sheet and accept the bowl to repeat the process.
We continue in this manner until the bowl is empty. Once Jade collects it from me, I dash to her bathroom and make for the sink, flooding my mouth with water to rid it of that bitter taste.
That doesn’t work, so I head back to her room. Jade glances up with a smile, tugging the blanket over her lady.
“If you mention this to anyone, you’re dead.”
She nods. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Soma whimpers, drawing our attention. Her fingers twist in the blanket, clutching it like a lifeline. Her face contorts, her brows furrow, and her lips tremble.
“No… no,” she mumbles. Her voice is faint and too hoarse. “Where are we going? I’m tired… please…”
Her legs twitch beneath the covers, as if she’s trying to run. Jade leans forward, dabbing the sweat that gathers on Soma’s forehead with the damp towel.
A single tear slips from the corner of her eye, then another. My chest tightens. Jade looks to me for help.
“Soma,” I call softly. “Soma.”
Nothing. Anxiety claws at my chest. I reach for the bond with my siblings and try to establish a mindlink. Only Kade’s mind opens to me, but it’s more than enough.
Can you come to Soma’s room? Please?
He shuts the connection without a word, and I crouch beside Soma, brushing a curl from her damp cheek.
“You’re safe,” I whisper, hoping that reaches her.
She flinches. “Don’t take me. I want to go home…”
“My lady,” Jade breathes.
“It’s just a bad dream,” I say. “She’ll be fine.”
The door opens, and Kade enters the room. His disapproval thickens as he closes the gap between us. Soma makes another protest, and his brows furrow in realization. Once our eyes meet, he shakes his head, already understanding what I want from him.
“No,” he tells me.
Jade stares between the two of us, her confusion etched on her face. If Soma is having a nightmare, Kade can help.
“Leave us,” I tell the girl. “Don’t let anyone inside.”
The second Jade leaves, I turn to my brother. “I think she’s having a bad dream. Can you try to calm her?”
That’s the best part of his ability. He can make you relive your worst memories as well as the best ones.
“Brynne…” My lips pinch together, and I offer him a pleading look. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “We both know her mind is always protected. I don’t think it will work. What if it backfires?”
Soma whines, and I grab his hands, squeezing them tight. “Just try. Maybe the protection will be weaker now?”
A moment or two ticks by. Kade pulls back from me with a silent nod and lowers himself to his knees beside the bed. After steadying his breathing, his palms brace Soma’s head, and he pries her eyelids open. I stand over them, every muscle in my body wound tight. My fists clench and release again and again as seconds stretch into long, stifling minutes.
Soma finally quietens. Her trembling stops, and her breathing evens. The panic smooths from her brow, leaving her looking peaceful.
Kade exhales and rises to his feet. Relief punches through my chest, and I let out a short, shaky laugh, half disbelief, half gratitude. I reach out and clap him on the back, but he jolts.
His entire body seizes, and his limbs lock. For one frozen second, his eyes go wide, and he crumples. The sound of him hitting the floor echoes too loudly.
“Kade,” I shout, my voice cracking with panic.
Heart racing, I drop beside his immobile frame, my hands moving before my mind catches up. I roll him onto his back and falter. His jaw is slack, his mouth barely open, and only the whites of his eyes are visible.