Across the Midnight Sea

Chapter 19: Fever

By nightfall that same day Imre was having trouble discerning what was real and what wasn't. The rocking of the ship, which had never particularly bothered him before, kept alternating between a soothing rocking lullaby and a torturous rolling that had his head pounding and his stomach heaving.

Dehydration had his mind playing tricks on him. 

Memories blurred with the present.

Where Verek's hands on his neck, at his shoulder, a dream or were they real?

He struggled against the bonds.

He struggled against the pain.

Then cool gentle hands were touching his face and he looked up.

Glowing light from the nearby torches framed her face in a Halo of light.

The only one he loved.

He could see here clearly, her dark eyes warm as they always were, golden hair falling around her face, as she looked at him with such concern.

Like an angel: Her touch cool and soothing.

She couldn't be here on the ship.

She was some where back in Shaynari...

Or maybe her spirit was here letting him know his time had finally come and the angel had taken her face to make the climb into the next life more bearable.

-

"You're burning up," Adira touched the amber eyed Shaynari's face with her hand. Despite how warm he was he shivered at her touch as if her hands were made of ice.

His eyes were unfocused and though his eyes were facing towards her she could not help feeling like he was looking right through her.

Adira suddenly wished she had come sooner. She had paced in her cabin for hours debating whether or not to go and see him.

Embarrassment seemed like the obvious winner to keep her from him. That queasy feeling was still lodged in er stomach for asking the questions she had. All her life she had been taught to be this proper young lady and she had thrown it all out the window talking with him so candidly.

Avoidance had seemed like the best and safest choice.

And then she had thought about how thirsty he had been. How he had gulped down the water greedily.

The idea that he might be that thirsty again and have no one to bring him water had her feet moving almost before she was even conscious of her decision to go and check on him.

She was glad how that she had come.

"Can you hear me?"  she lifted his chin and dipped her head to catch his eyes trying to get him to focus on her and not that place beyond.

A bare nod.

"I'll be right back, okay?"

Retreating for a moment she returned with the ladle bringing it to his lips. He drank it down then coughed sputtering and shivered.

His head lolled to the side.

Panic gripped her chest.

This was not someone who was merely tired.

He was sick.

The kind of sick that would have permanent affects if not dealt with.

Adira bit the inside of her cheek.