Chapter 119 - Keep your distance

HADRIAN

Emma places a big, steaming bowl of soup in front of me. The scent of tomato, garlic and basil should be rich and mouthwatering, but instead, the scents are dull. I lean down and breathe in, but the blockage in my nose filters the smell.

“It’s because of your cold, it blocks your airways,” Emma explains when she places bread with cheese on the table.

“I’m not cold.” I grimace when I notice that Emma’s scent is deluded as well. *I don’t like this.*

Emma chuckles as she gives Graciella her bowl of soup. Graciella is tense as she sends her gratitude towards Emma. I know that Emma doesn’t want to be treated as a princess. I however appreciate that Graciella recognizes her future Luna.

Emma sits down next to me and places a spoon in her bowl. “It’s because of the flu, it causes all sorts of ailments.” She dips a piece of bread in her soup.

“This is not all?” The lack of smell, the itch in my throat and the burn in my chest seem plenty. How do people live like this?

Emma bites off a big piece of bread and shakes her head. “It’ll probably get worse before it gets better.”

“Maybe you should see a healer, sir,” Graciella suggests.

“He already has a healer,” Emma grumbles as she forcefully dips her bread in the soup again.

“I already have a healer,” I confirm at the same time.

Emma and Graciella go back to eating their soup and I follow their example. The flavors I expect are absent and I drop the spoon. “I don’t taste anything.”

“That’s normal.” Emma gives me an encouraging smile that is filled with compassion.

I take another spoon and swallow the tasteless soup. Emma is a great cook, so I know that it cannot be the dish itself. “How is this normal?”

She moves her chair to me and it scrapes over the floor. “We all have the flu every once in a while.”

“You have this too?” Fear settles at the idea of my mate having to go through this. It’s horrendous.

“Of course, I’m human.” She places a hand on my chest. It soothes the burn in my chest and the raw feeling in my throat. It also instantly opens my airways. Her healing ability works on me as well in some way, but only if she’s close enough.

All the hidden scents are revealed and my mouth waters. My stomach growls loudly with a dramatic roar. I grab a big piece of bread and swallow big spoons full of soup. I was more hungry than I realized. I inhale the bread together with the cheese. I keep her hand firmly placed against my skin until I swallow every last drop.

“Now, tell me, what do you remember?” I ask Graciella.

“Not much.” Graciella stirs her soup and her eyes cloud over. “I was locked up.” There’s visible strain as she fails to provide more information to her answer.

Graciella seems like someone loyal to the throne. Even if she has enough reason not to be. Her town was disregarded for years. My father was responsible for the death of her father and for the loss of many blue-eyed women in her town.

“Do you know who did this?”

Graciella shakes her head. “They had something that made me weak, I couldn’t shift or sense anything.”

“It could be Zeno.” Emma speculates.

It could be. Zeno has the motive and is close enough. He has also used poison before to kill his victims. But why would she end up here? Graciella had gone missing months ago. So what is Zeno planning now?

“Are you okay?” Emma turns her attention to Graciella, who is paler than a minute ago.

“I don’t know.” Graciella’s hand is trembling when she lifts her spoon. She looks like she’s about to collapse.

“Don’t exert yourself, let me show you your room,” Emma says and pulls her hand from my chest. “I can bring you more food later.”

My airways almost immediately block again. The burn in my lungs and the itch in my throat make me cough again. Maybe I should just permanently strap her against my body.

“You are too kind,” Graciella says as she stands to follow Emma

“One more thing…” I say and place my spoon in the empty bowl. “The people here don’t know who I am. I like to keep it that way.” I enforce the urgency in the demand of my voice.

“What he means is, that werewolves are not exactly appreciated. These people have suffered a lot.”

That’s not what I meant. Emma gives me a look and there is a scolding edge in the set of her features.

“You have to keep your identity to yourself.” I clarify.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“My name is Jack,” I say and bite on a piece of tasteless bread.

———————————-

The front door opens as I wait for Emma to come back. Dex walks in with a bunch of vibrant blue flowers. He doesn’t spot me at first but halts in his tracks when he does.

“Hey Jack…” Dex scans the room and eyes the three empty plates on the table. “What are you doing here?”

Footsteps sound from the stairs as Emma comes down. “You’re not going to believe what Gra—” Her voice is lighthearted until she walks into the room. She spots Dex and stumbles over her words. “Uhm, Grace just said…”

Dex lights up when Emma walks in. I grind my teeth when I see the smile and the joy in his eyes. “Who is Grace?”

“The girl *Jack* found in the woods.” Emma scratches at her arm and her discomfort is clear.

“Well, what did she say?” Dex must see the discomfort too because his joy turns into worry.

“Oh… Uhm… It wasn’t that funny actually.” Emma says and busies herself with clearing the table. “What are you doing here?”

“I brought you flowers.” Dex offers the flowers to her with a crooked smile. His infatuation becomes clearer every day. It also becomes harder to ignore. “I noticed the others were gone.”

The spot on the table where a vase filled with fresh flowers usually stands is now empty. The previous vase shattered when Emma, Lucas and Kelsey tried to break free.

"Uhm, thanks." Emma has her hands full and her eyes flit for a moment to me. It takes a lot of effort to hold my composure and help Emma with the plates so that she can take the flowers.

I place the plates in the kitchen while Emma fills a vase with water and the flowers. She twists some of the stems and arranges them to make the arrangement more cohesive.

Dex leans against the doorframe. “So, where is she?”

“Who?” Emma walks back into the living room with the vase and places it on the dining room table.

“Grace.” Dex clarifies.

“Oh, she’s sleeping.” Emma chews at her tender bottom lip and I wish she wouldn't be so harsh on that delicate piece of skin. "She needs to recover."

“Of course, it’s no issue.” Dex leans in and moves a fallen lock of her hair. “I will meet her another time.”

The little bones in my fingers crack with the force of my restraint. Emma jumps back and her eyes flit my way. “*Jack* has the flu.” She places the lock behind her ear herself. The nervousness is practically illuminating from her.

Dex follows her gaze to me. “Sorry about that, buddy. Did Em give you some medicine?”

“I was about to.” Emma moves through the house and collects different containers, bottles and pouches. She dumps everything she finds on the table.

She holds up three pouches. “This is tea, you should drink a lot of water.”

I try to smell what's inside but my nose refuses to cooperate.

She picks up a glass bottle next. “This is cough syrup, it helps your throat.”

I move towards the table and pick up a small glass container. I open it and the strong scent of eucalyptus comes through through my dulled sense of smell.

“That’s an ointment that you need to rub, uhm…” Emma looks up and her eyes linger on my chest. A flush blooms at her cheeks and travels to the tips of her ears. “Rub on your chest.”

Her flush intensifies when she notices me and Dex watching her. “I-it helps with opening up your airways.”

Dex moves his gaze to me with a questioning frown.

“I also have some echinacea root upstairs, hold on.” Emma leaves the room and her steps up the stairs are rapid.

“What was that about... between you and Emma?” He crosses his arms and turns his focus on me.

I collect the items from the table. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Dex chuckles. “Right, you’re a married man.”

I turn to Dex. “Right.”

“I think Emma might have a little crush on you.” Dex smiles at me, but there is a serious edge in the tone of his voice. “It’s probably better if you keep your distance.”