33. Unknown Intentions

[ELARA]

Blood trickles from Magnus’ nostrils and down the sides of his face, staining the blanket beneath him scarlet.

No, this can’t be happening.

The royal physician had managed to stop his nose bleeding before, but he warned us that if it happened again it’d mean he was beyond saving. That he was close to death.

“Magnus,” I whisper his name helplessly as I bring a cloth to his nose. He begins to choke, emitting a guttural noise with his eyes closed. “Hold on, Magnus,” I plead. “I’ll call the royal physician. Just hold on.”

The distance between the bed to the exit of the chamber, albeit small, seems to stretch for miles. ‘Magnus can’t die, he just can’t,’ I tell myself repeatedly. I even trip on the length of my gray gown and topple over an urn from a table.

Alistair is at the door guarding, but he’s not alone. Morgana is with him, and he’s blocking her way. I ignore her and inform him hurriedly, “Magnus… his nose is bleeding again. We have to call the royal physician at once!”

“