Zelda pushed open the cavern door.
I froze, then rushed toward her. “Zelda, please. Call Healer Edrin. Ethan needs fever herbs.”
She was my only hope. For Ethan’s sake, I could beg her, even if she was the reason we were trapped here.
A faint, unreadable smile curved on Zelda’s lips. She opened her palm. “You mean this?”
“Yes. That’s it. Thank you.” I reached forward, but just as my fingers brushed the bundle of dried whiteroot, she flipped her hand.
The medicine dropped to the floor.
I lunged to grab it, but she pressed her bare foot down, grinding the crushed herbs into dust.
“I thought he would die in the desert,” she murmured. “He’s very lucky.”
I stared blankly at the pale powder smeared across the stone.
Zelda pinched my chin and leaned close. “Yvonne, listen to me. Kurt and I are bound by life and death. We were fated long before you existed.”
“Do you know what he told me when he held me?” Her voice softened. “He said he can’t sleep beside you. Only my scent calms him.”
I bit my lip hard, fighting the wave of pain clawing up my chest. I remembered clearly.
After our first night as mates, Kurt held me close and whispered, I can’t sleep without your scent.
“He doesn’t love you, Yvonne,” Zelda breathed. Each word sliced deeper.
“Why couldn’t you let go? Why did you bring a child into this world just to trap him?”
A cold dread crept through me. Holding Ethan tightly, I asked, “Did you do all this on purpose? Just to take Kurt from me?”
“Not entirely.” Zelda tilted her head, smiling sweetly with venom beneath. “I also wanted to watch you suffer.”
“You and I were both orphans. So why did you get adopted by the Kurt clan and win his heart, while I had to trail behind with no name and no rank?”
I said quietly, “Kurt wanted to adopt you. It was you who—”
“Who wants to be his adopted daughter?” she snapped, voice cracking into a scream. “I am his destined mate. His wife.”
Her fingers slid across my abdomen and jabbed Ethan’s flushed cheek. “When your baby died back then, I was thrilled.”
My vision blurred.
She continued softly, “Kurt protected me. Even though I killed his child, he still protected me.”
“That’s when I knew he was mine.”
Her nails dug into Ethan’s cheek, making him cry out.
I grabbed her wrist. “Don’t touch my child.”
Suddenly, Zelda stumbled backward with a gasp of fear.
“Ah!” Her forehead slammed into the iron door latch, and blood streamed down her face.
“Zelda!” Kurt stormed in, immediately gathering her into his arms and pressing his hand to the wound. “Steward, bring the healer.”
Zelda sagged against his chest. “Kurt, I’m alright. Ethan has a fever. Let the healer see him first.”
Then she looked at me with watery eyes that hid triumph. “I only wanted to give him medicine. Why did you push me?”
Tears mixed with blood trailed down her cheek.
Kurt’s face twisted with anguish. He turned toward me, voice cold. “Yvonne, why can’t you be more patient?”
“She fell on her own,” I said, pointing at the crushed herbs. “She destroyed Ethan’s medicine.”
His eyes dropped to the floor. For the first time, something flickered in them.
He knew how long I had waited to become a mother. He knew I would never risk my child’s life.
Hope flickered in my chest. “Kurt, Ethan’s fever—”
But before I could finish, Zelda broke into ragged sobs. “It’s my sister. She said Ethan would rather die than take my herbs. Kurt, please help him. He’s really sick.”
Kurt gently cupped her face. “Even now, you’re still thinking of him.”
Then he stood and approached me.
I will never forget the look in his eyes.
“Yvonne,” he said softly, the gentleness colder than any snarl, “I never imagined your jealousy would blind you to your own child’s suffering.”
He held out his hand.
“Give me Ethan.”
