34. Easton

Chapter 34

Easton

On a moan, Royal's eyes slowly opened, and Easton heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank God you're all right."

"Where am I?" Royal asked, squinting against the light.

"Home. In your bed. How are you feeling?"

"Worse than the average Bruichladdich X4 Quadrupled whiskey hangover at a Chucky Cheese children's birthday party." He glanced at his bandaged shoulder.

Although Easton smiled, angst remained in his expression. "That good, huh?"

Royal pushed himself up on his elbows.

"No, don't try to get up. You need rest. That was some fool thing you did, throwing yourself into that carbonated vapor."

The corners of Royal's mouth curled upward. "You make it sound like a soft drink."

Leaning back in the chair he'd dragged beside Royal's bed, Easton folded his arms across his chest and scowled. Concern bunched in his eyes, and he no longer could suppress the torrid bounds of emotions lingering a fraction below the surface.

"You could have died, Roy. What were you thinking?"

"Someone had to pay the debt. You would have died if I hadn't."

Anger replaced concern. "Then you should have let me. It was my debt." And then the anger melted into tears. "How was I supposed to live without you? You were just going to leave me here alone."

"Oh, sha , don't cry."

Easton sniffed hard and swiped at his eyes. He hated this, despised sniveling like a child. Never in his adult life had he cried, and now he couldn't turn off the waterworks. Fat tears tumbled down his flushed cheeks.

"I'm okay," Royal reassured.

"You wouldn't be if Salethia hadn't shown up."

"Duchess was there?" He looked around the room.

"She's gone out for supplies. Said she needed more kalanchoe to help heal you, but she'll be back soon. She's brewing a potion." He swiped his eyes again. "I gotta tell you, for something so necromantic, it smells pretty damn good."

"Wait. Back up. How did Duchess know to come to the chapel?

"She said she sensed it. Something about bellows from the chapel cemetery and generational bonds." He shook his head. "I didn't understand everything she said, but the important thing is that she arrived in time and did what she did."

"What'd she do?"

Easton faltered, uncertain if Royal had recovered enough for the truth.

"Maybe you should wait for her."

"No, I'm asking you."

Easton's shoulders lifted and fell. He couldn't keep it from him.

"When you let go, I grabbed a piece of broken floorboard and struck whatever had hold of me. It let go, and I stood up. I tried to find you, but I couldn't see through the mist. No matter what I did, I couldn't shear it. It was so thick and had risen to my knees. Then, suddenly, your mother ran inside in total badass mode. I didn't understand what she was saying, but it drew the mist to her. Every time it would go at her, she'd chant something, and it would gather like a mushroom cloud and disperse. Then it began swirling as if it was being sucked down a drain and disappeared. When I finally could see you, you were barely breathing. We brought you here so she could treat you. She said you'd been exposed to toxins that a hospital wouldn't have an antidote for. That was five days ago."

"Huh." Royal's relaxed back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling as if contemplating. After a moment, his eyes lit with awareness. "Duchess," he whispered, barely audible. "Makes sense. Explains a lot." He looked back at Easton. "I've been out for five days?"

"Not entirely. Mostly, you've been disoriented and flailing about like Regan in The Exorcist, but oui. " Easton nodded. "Salethia said it was a sign of her potion purging your body."

Royal rubbed his forehead. "I don't remember any of it."

"She said you wouldn't."

"What about you? Are you okay?"

"Peachy except for this sweet little hickey." Easton tugged the collar of his shirt to reveal the purplish bruise encircling his throat.

Royal's mouth fell open.

"No, no. Don't do that. It doesn't hurt."

"But what if it comes back? I didn't get rid of it."

" Mais , you did. It was like in the fairy tale. When it dragged you under, it told you its name. You said it when I pulled you from the floor. That's when it was sucked away. Salethia says it fears you now because by you knowing its name, it's enslaved to you in this world."

"You're…." Royal clasped Easton's hand and squeezed. "You're free."

" Oui , we both are. Free of all of our demons and free to love each other."

Speaking the words rejuvenated Easton, and the tension in his neck and shoulders released fully. A joyful and relaxed smile pulled up the edges of his lips. He didn't delude himself that being with Royal would be cotton candy and candy apples. In the same way leopards didn't change their spots, people didn't change their hatred and bigotry. He knew there still would be challenges but had the confidence it wouldn't be anything he and Royal couldn't face and defeat… together.