Violet Detours (BOOK 2) : Badly, Madly, Deeply

NUMBING PAIN

Gusion woke up the next morning as he felt a small pinching sensation at the back of his neck.

Then he smelled a familiar scent, letting him know Guinevere was nearby.

Only when he felt another tiny tug from the back of his neck did he realize what was happening.

He rolled on his back swiftly and caught Guinevere's wrist before she could move away from him.

"What are you trying to do?!" He snapped, staring at her hand that he caught.

She was crouching right over him, and in the middle of her thumb and index finger was a rubber-like creature wriggling for its escape.

Guinevere froze for a moment, and only then did Gusion remember he was lying in a mattress on the floor with only his pants on, his chest wrapped in thick bandages, and his armor nowhere in sight.

She didn't even look ashamed for having been caught redhanded. She glared at him instead.

Gusion stared back at her.

He had been away for too long that he almost forgot how stubborn Guinevere was, and he doubted her stay with the Abyssal creatures mellowed it down.

"How can you be so stupid as to let a parasite live in you?" She scolded, pulling her wrist off his hold but he just held it tighter, ignoring the pain on his side as he exerted force.

He scoffed bitterly. "And how can you be so stupid as to end up in Dyrroth's camp, Guin?" He retorted.

She rolled her eyes. "Do not change the subject."

"No, actually, while we're on the subject, let me ask you this." He started, his temper now rising as he remembered how worried he was for the last week.

He yanked her sideways, making her yelp as she ended up on the mattress and he rolled up in all fours over her, trapping her in between his limbs.

"How the hell, Guinevere Baroque, did you end up in a camp full of Abyssal creatures when I clearly told you to STAY. IN. THE. CASTLE." He exclaimed, clenching his teeth for the pain that came along the rash movement that he just did.

But, same old Guinevere as she was, she pushed him by the chest strongly, making him grunt as she hit his injury and sent him to a sitting position as she sat up.

The look in her eyes had changed into a piercing look that almost made Gusion regret bringing up the subject.

"You dare to have the audacity to snap that into me? Need I remind you, Paxley, that YOU LEFT! Without considering everyone's feelings but yours?"

"I was considering everyone's feelings but mine when I left, Guinevere." He said, getting up to his feet.

It did nothing better for his anger that every move he seemed to make was painful for his wound.

She scoffed in bitter humor and stood up as well. "Really?" She asked, looking into his eyes and advancing towards his direction. "Have you forgotten the last thing you said to me?"

Gusion looked away. How could he ever forget that when he'd thought and regretted about it countless of nights.

She had no idea how many times he wished he could turn back time and do a different thing that time.

But she came close to him just to meet his eyes and yell at his face. "You told me to marry your brother and stay in the damn castle, Paxley!" She exclaimed, guilt spreading all over Gusion as he heard Guinevere's voice crack. "You know!" She slammed her palm against his chest to emphasize what she was trying to say. "OF ALL PEOPLE, you know how much I hated that!"