ChapterTwenty-Six
Covered in a mixture of blood that was and wasn't his, Leo stunk of unknown river muck, and would be feeling his bruises in the morning, but he'd made it to his gaming hell in one piece. It didn't take long to have Ambrose put into the nearest bed in one of his guest rooms.
A fae witch doctor had already been waiting on standby and had banished everyone from the room except for his healing assistant. Once Leo was kicked out of the room, he stood next to his brother, Laurie, in the hallway and asked the question burning on his tongue. "Where's Yesenia?"
His brother had arrived several hours ago, right before Leo had left. Laurie was calmer and in far better shape than Nora, who'd had to be sedated as soon as she'd seen Ambrose. Laurie frowned. "You're not going to like the answer, brother."
Leo growled, "Just tell me, Laurie. My temper is a hairsbreadth from igniting, and you're the closest target."
His brother's brows came together. And at the flash of worry, Leo's stomach dropped. Something was wrong.
Laurie answered, "She fainted a little while ago and is resting in her chambers."
Barking for his brother to keep an eye on Ambrose, Leo raced up another flight of stairs. It was quicker to see his bride himself than to question Laurie.
When he finally reached Yesenia's room and entered without knocking, the fae witch teacher, Rebecca, sat in a chair next to Yesenia's bed, and looked up from her book. Before he could ask anything, she stated, "She should be fine with some rest. I told her three attempts at using her magic so soon after discovering it was too many, but she wouldn't listen."
The female confirmed what he'd thought about the whole way home—Yesenia had somehow mastered her powers enough to send all those objects into the near future to help him.
Remembering how exhausted she'd been the day before, when only sending a button, he sensed Rebecca wasn't telling him the entire truth. He moved to the other side of the bed, took Yesenia's limp hand, and voiced his fears. "I've heard of a fae witch burning out before. If Yesenia did too much too soon and reached that stage, she won't wake up the same person, will she?"
Sadness filled Rebecca's eyes as she shook her head. "No. If a fae witch reaches true burnout, the person wakes up mindless, unaware of anything around them, for months or even years."
He tightened his grip on Yesenia's hand and brushed some hair off his bride's face. "Tell me she didn't go that far."
He couldn't lose her after finally finding and accepting her.
After growing to love her.
And yes, he did love his feisty fae witch. Leo had fought it from the beginning, but Yesenia had changed his life irrevocably. If she died, or became a mindless, unresponsive ghost of herself, he'd never be the same.
He'd never forgive himself. After all, she was this way because she'd tried to help protect him and his family.
And to think he'd thought her a weakness. She was most likely the fucking reason his nephew was alive and under his roof again.
The older female stood and sighed. "I truly don't know if she went too far this night or not. If she doesn't wake up within a day, then I'd start to worry. But for now, she's merely resting."
Needing to hold his bride in his arms, Leo moved to crawl into the bed, but Rebecca clicked her tongue. "Wash up first, Dark Lord Yates. If she wakes up to find you covered in blood, who knows what'll happen. Especially since I didn't put her magic-containing training bracelet back on, with the hope her own powers will help to speed up her recovery."
Leo vaguely remembered something about fae witches having survival instincts, ones where their magic would try to protect them and keep them alive, no matter what. Even if she wasn't a born healer, fae magic did things Leo couldn't begin to understand.
Looking down at himself, he grimaced as he acknowledged Rebecca was correct about his appearance. His bride deserved better than to wake up to blood and river filth.
Leo quickly rushed to his room to wash, changed into clean trousers, and then ran back to his bride's room. As he slid in next to Yesenia, under the covers, holding her close against his bare chest, he decided this would be the last time she wasn't sleeping with him in his room.
He was done trying to push her away or exert any sort of control around her. Yesenia was his, and only his, for the rest of their lives. And as soon as she woke up, he'd make sure she knew that.
As he gently nuzzled his bride's soft cheek with his nose, taking in her warmth and scent, he said to Rebecca, "You can leave now."
Rebecca held her book closer against her chest. "I will for the moment. However, I'm staying under your roof until she fully recovers, per Dark Lord Khan's orders. If she starts having nightmares, fetch me straightaway. Those can be an early sign of burnout, and the sooner we act, the better."
He grunted his understanding and the fae witch finally left.
As Leo held his delicate fae witch in his arms, he kissed her cheek, her brow, and then gently her lips, willing for her to know he was here to lend her his strength, desperate for her to get better and recover.
After kissing her neck, he held her a little closer and whispered, "I've grown used to having you around, witch. I'd be bored without you, as you said earlier; it's true." He lightly nipped her ear before whispering, "I love you, Yesenia Vale, and you'd better live long enough for me to say those words to you when you're awake and then get on my knees to propose. You'll be my wife, no matter what it takes." He kissed her cheek. "And I'm going to keep saying those words to entice you back: I love you, you maddening female. So wake up and drive me crazy. We'll both enjoy making up afterward."
When she remained still, and pale, her chest the only thing moving with each breath, his heart squeezed and emotion choked his throat. Fuck, what if she didn't wake up? What would he do?