Chapter 134: Unstable

The conversation shifted naturally.

Away from flirting and tension and the complicated thing building between us. Toward practical matters. The journey that waited beyond this sanctuary.

“The border camp is a one day ride” ride from here,” I said, mentally calculating distance and terrain. “Ryse will have the procession ready to move the moment we arrive. Another week to the Frozen Court after that.”

Eris nodded, listening but not looking at me. Her gaze had gone distant. Already planning, already preparing mentally for what came next.

“We should leave today.” Her tone was brisk. Practical. The voice she probably used when issuing orders in Solmire, when being the Fire Queen instead of just Eris. “No need to waste time.”

Something in my chest tightened.

Not disagreement. Just… reluctance. The selfish part of me that wanted more time here, more time alone with her, more time before we had to face Vetra and the court and all the complications waiting in Nevareth.

“We could wait another day,” I suggested.

She glanced at me. Skeptical.

I tried a different approach.

“You should rest more. Recover fully before we ride for the whole day straight.”

Her eyebrow raised. Not buying it.

“The horse needs time,” I tried. “Solara’s been traveling. She should—”

“The horse is fine.”

Weak excuse and we both knew it. Solara could probably run for a week straight without complaint. Horses didn’t get more resilient than Eris’s mare.

I was running out of reasonable arguments.

So I tried something that felt deeply undignified but also potentially effective.

Made my expression softer. Almost boyish. The look I’d perfected as a child when trying to convince Vetra to let me have something I wanted, before I’d learned that looking vulnerable around her was dangerous.

“Just one more day?” I asked, letting actual want show in my voice. “Is that so terrible?”

Eris stared at me.

Blinked. Once. Twice.

Then her expression flattened into pure exasperation.

“You’re infuriating.”

Not falling for it. Not even slightly swayed. Just annoyed that I’d tried to manipulate her with what she probably thought was a calculated tactic instead of genuine desire for more time.

She turned away.

Started walking toward where Solara was grazing. Ready to start preparing for departure, ready to leave this place and move forward because standing still apparently wasn’t in her vocabulary.

I watched her go.

Torn between amusement that my tactic had failed so spectacularly and disappointment that we were actually leaving, that these few days of peace were ending, that reality was reclaiming us whether I wanted it to or not.

She took three steps.

Then stumbled.

Not a little. Not just losing balance. Her entire body tilted sideways like gravity had suddenly tripled, like her legs had forgotten their purpose, like every muscle had simultaneously decided to stop working.

I moved without thinking.

Crossed the distance before she could hit the ground, arms catching her around the waist, pulling her against my chest as her weight went completely slack.

“I’m fine.” The words came out automatic. Defensive. Her hands pushing weakly against my chest even as her legs refused to support her weight. “Just… just tired. I can—”

Her body seized.

Violent. Sudden. Every muscle locking up at once, back arching, breath catching in a gasp that sounded like pain.

She tried to hide it.

Bit down on whatever sound wanted to escape, jaw clenching hard enough I heard teeth grind together, eyes squeezing shut.

But I saw everything.

Her eyes had flickered gold.

Just for a split second. Barely noticeable. But I’d been watching her face when it happened, had seen her irises flash molten and divine before fading back to their normal color.

The temperature spiked.

I felt it through my hands where they held her. Sudden heat radiating off her skin like she’d stepped too close to a forge, like something inside her was burning hotter than it should, than her body could safely contain.

Her breathing changed.

Shallow. Quick. The rhythm of someone in pain trying not to show it, trying to maintain control when control was slipping.

Her body trembled.

Small shakes running through her frame. Not from cold. Not from fear. From something internal fighting to break free, from power that had been sealed trying to return before the vessel was ready to receive it.

I understood immediately and fear settled in.

“Eris.” My voice came out harder than intended. “This isn’t fine.”

She opened her eyes.

Glared at me through obvious pain. Stubborn. Defensive. Already preparing arguments.

“It’s nothing new.” She tried to pull away from my grip. Failed because her legs still weren’t working properly. “I can handle it. I’ve handled worse.”

The casual dismissal of danger made something snap in my chest.

“You’re too reckless with your own body!”

Louder than I meant. Not yelling but close. Voice hard with genuine fear that I couldn’t quite suppress, couldn’t hide behind calm reason or logical argument.

Because she was being reckless.Throwing herself into danger, minimizing injuries, acting like her life was expendable, like she didn’t matter, like keeping herself safe was optional rather than necessary.

And it made me terrified.

Terrfied of watching her hurt herself. Terrfied of catching her when she collapsed. Terrfied of being the only one who seemed to think her survival was important.

Her expression shifted.

From pain to shock to defensive anger in the span of heartbeats.

“It’s none of your business Soren.”

The words landed like a physical blow.

None of my business. After everything. After carrying her through wilderness. After staying awake watching her heal. After last night when she’d come apart in my arms and I’d held her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

None of my business.

The hurt must have shown on my face.

I tried to hide it. Tried to school my expression back to neutral. But it flickered through for just a moment before I could stop it, and I saw her see it, saw recognition cross her face that she’d landed a hit she hadn’t fully intended.

She was building walls again.

Shutting me out after I’d spent days breaking through. Retreating behind defenses that said she didn’t need anyone, didn’t want help, could handle everything alone because asking for support was weakness.

I hated those walls.

Hated that she felt like she needed them. Hated that her first instinct when vulnerable was to push away the people trying to help. Hated that I’d apparently not proven myself trustworthy enough for her to let me in when it mattered.

She tried to pull out of my grip.

Hands pushing against my chest. Body twisting. Trying to extract herself even though she couldn’t stand on her own yet, even though releasing her would mean watching her fall.

I didn’t let go.

Tightened my hold instead. Not rough but firm. Making very clear that releasing her wasn’t an option I was considering.

“Let me go.” Her voice had gone cold. The tone that had probably terrified her entire kingdom. “Now.”

“No.”

Simple. Final. Not up for negotiation.

We stared at each other.

Her glaring. Me refusing to back down. Both of us too stubborn to be the first to break, to admit weakness, to acknowledge that this argument was about more than just leaving or staying.

The nymphs chose that moment to intervene.

Swarmed around us suddenly. Few of them circling, chiming urgently in overlapping voices that created a cacophony of ancient language and genuine alarm.

“The fire returns too fast!”

“The seal fractures unevenly!”

“She cannot travel like this!”

One of them flew directly in front of Eris’s face. Brave or foolish. Chimed with particular intensity.

“You need another day at least. Maybe two. The seal must settle or it will shatter you from inside. The river cannot help if you leave before healing completes.”

Eris stared at the nymph.

Then at me. Then back at the nymph.

I watched realization settle over her face. That this wasn’t me being overprotective. That this wasn’t me trying to manipulate more time together. That this was genuine necessity confirmed by beings who’d been guarding this place and understanding its magic since before her kingdom existed.

Another surge of pain hit her.

Visible this time. Her body seizing again, eyes squeezing shut, breath catching in a sound she couldn’t quite suppress.

The fight went out of her all at once.

Shoulders slumping. Resistance fading. Accepting what she couldn’t change because even stubbornness had limits when your body was actively betraying you.

“Fine.” The word came out quiet. Defeated. “One more day.”

She looked away, avoiding eye contact. But at least not pulling away anymore, not trying to leave when leaving would kill her.

I adjusted my grip.

Lifted her properly. One arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. Carrying her like I had before when she’d been unconscious, when she couldn’t protest, when helping her didn’t require navigating walls and pride and all the complicated reasons she hated accepting help.

“We’re going back inside,” I said.

She didn’t argue.

Just let me carry her. Head resting against my shoulder. Body still trembling slightly from aftershocks of whatever had seized her moments ago.

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