Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
J ana’s heart ached as she checked on Jessamin again. Her breathing had grown more labored, her chest barely rising with each shallow breath. The years she’s spent studying herbs had been her way of escape, of rebuilding her life. But now it might save her friend’s life.
“Clear that table,” she ordered, and the servants jumped to obey as Ulric watched her. His face was etched in harsh lines, his eyes filled with desperate hope.
A servant appeared with the items she’d requested and she positioned them on the cleared table, taking comfort in the familiar process. But then she glanced at Jessamin’s still form, noting the blue tinge to her lips. Time was running out.
“Your Majesty, I’ll need honey if you have it. And wine - the strongest you have.”
The king barked orders and more servants scattered. She dampened a cloth and pressed it to Jessamin’s forehead, monitoring her pulse. It was thready but still there.
Lothar burst back into the room, his arms full of plants, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she started sorting through them, her fingers moving with practiced efficiency as she separated leaves from stems and roots. He’d brought everything she requested, but she also discovered an unfamiliar herb mixed in with the others - small white flowers with silvery stems that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. She started to set it aside, but something made her pause and lay it back down.
Her hands threatened to tremble as she poured steaming water into the bowl. The familiar scent of herbs filled the air, grounding her as she mentally reviewed the antidote recipe. These weren’t quite the same ingredients she was used to working with, but the properties should be similar enough.
She crushed the purple flowers in the mortar and pestle, releasing their potent oils. As she sprinkled them into the water, an unexpected sense of peace washed over her. Her movements became more fluid, more certain, as if guided by invisible hands.
“Three leaves,” she whispered to herself, reaching for another herb, but something made her pause. Something told her that four would be better, and she found herself adding the extra leaf without questioning why. The liquid turned a deep, rich purple, exactly the color she somehow knew it should be.
The calm certainty flowing through her felt foreign yet familiar, like a forgotten memory suddenly recalled. She continued working, letting this strange intuition guide her hands as she adjusted quantities and timing.
She found herself reaching for the white flowers, her fingers tingling as she touched the delicate blooms. Without understanding why, she knew exactly how much to use - three flowers, stripped of their stems, added just as the mixture began to simmer. She knew it was a risk, adding an unfamiliar herb, but a strangely familiar voice whispered in her mind: “Add it.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for the shimmering flowers, but the moment they touched the heated mixture, a pure, clean scent filled the air. The deep purple liquid cleared, becoming crystalline with hints of silver, like moonlight caught in glass. Her breath caught at the transformation - she’d never seen anything like it before.
The scent reminded her of morning dew and spring rain, fresh and alive. Her earlier uncertainty faded as she watched the liquid settle into a perfect clarity.
With steady hands now, she carefully poured the mixture through a fine cloth into a delicate cup, making sure not to waste a single drop. The liquid seemed to glow faintly as it filtered through, though she wasn’t quite sure if she was imagining it.
She carried the cup to Jessamin’s bedside, where Ulric still clutched his wife’s hand. Jessamin’s skin had taken on a greyish tinge, her breathing becoming more labored. Her heart clenched at the sight, but the rightness of the antidote gave her confidence.
“Will you lift her so I can administer this?”
Ulric obeyed immediately, gently slipping his arm behind Jessamin’s shoulders and lifting her carefully against his shoulder. The movement caused Jessamin’s head to loll back, her skin so pale it was nearly translucent.
“She needs to drink all of it,” she whispered as she brought the cup to Jessamin’s lips. The liquid touched them but didn’t pass through - Jessamin remained completely unresponsive.
She gave Ulric a desperate look and saw determination replace the fear in his eyes. He leaned closer to his wife, his voice deep and commanding. “Drink, my love.”
Jessamin’s lips parted, accepting the antidote. Jana carefully tipped the cup, making sure not to pour too fast. Each swallow seemed to take forever, but gradually the level in the cup lowered.
When only a small amount remained, Jessamin’s head suddenly grew heavy against her supporting hand. Her eyes fluttered briefly, then closed as she went limp in Ulric’s arms. He gathered her closer, cradling her against his chest as carefully as if she were made of spun glass.
Her fingers tightened on the nearly empty cup as she watched Jessamin’s chest rise and fall, praying it had been enough. Her breathing seemed slightly deeper, but she couldn’t be sure if it was just wishful thinking.
“I’ll make another batch,” she said and returned to her work table.
Lothar watched Jana hurry back to prepare another batch of the antidote, grateful for her knowledge and quick thinking and knowledge. The room fell silent except for Jessamin’s labored breathing and the rustle of sheets as Ulric adjusted his hold on her. He hadn’t placed her back on the bed but continued to cradle her in his arms.
Ulric’s jaw clenched, muscles working beneath his skin as he stared down at Jessamin’s pale face. His massive body seemed to curl protectively around her smaller form, and his thumb gently stroked her hand. The gesture was tender, intimate - not the action of a male fulfilling a political arrangement.
“You care for her,” he said quietly, the statement more observation than question.
Ulric’s shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, Lothar thought he would deny it, maintain the facade of a purely political match. Then the king’s usual stoic mask cracked, revealing the raw anguish beneath.
“I tried not to. When the arrangement was made, I told myself it was just politics. That I would treat her with respect but keep my distance.” He brushed a strand of hair from Jessamin’s forehead. “But she has such spirit, such wisdom. She sees solutions where I see only problems. And now…”
“She won’t.” He gripped his king’s shoulder. “My mate knows what she’s doing. And Jessamin is strong - she’ll fight to stay with you.”
“She deserves so much more than politics,” Ulric whispered. “More than duty and arrangements. When I first saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful female I’d ever seen. But then she spoke, and her mind…” He shook his head. “She challenges me, makes me want to be better. Not just as a king, but as a male.”
He remembered Ulric’s earlier advice about not rejecting the mate bond out of fear. The king had spoken from experience, even if he hadn’t admitted it then.
“You should tell her,” he said softly, echoing Ulric’s previous words. “When she wakes up, tell her how you feel.”
Ulric’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with vulnerability. “But what if she doesn’t-”
“She will wake up,” he said firmly, praying he was right. “And when she does, she deserves to know the truth. The mate bond is too precious to waste on fear and doubt.”
Ulric continued to stroke Jessamin’s hand, even as he shook his head.
“It’s more complicated than that. My kingdom-”
“No.” He cut him off, his heart pounding as Jana came back towards them, carrying another batch of the healing potion. Her face was drawn with concern, but determination burned in her eyes. The sight of her made his chest ache with emotions he’d been trying to deny.
“The only thing that matters is how you feel about your mate,” he said, unable to tear his gaze from his mate.
Everything he’d been afraid of seemed foolish now. What did it matter if the gods hadn’t specifically sent her to him? What did it matter if he wasn’t worthy? The mate bond thrummed between them, real and precious.
“I spent too long letting fear hold me back,” he continued, speaking as much to himself as to Ulric. “Wondering if I deserved happiness, if I was worthy of finding a mate. I couldn’t even admit to myself that I entered the Bride Trials because I wanted a mate. And look what that got me - a potential bride in love with someone else.”
He remembered the ache in his chest as he’d watched Garak’s female rush to his side. How empty he’d felt leaving Port Cael alone. Then fate, or the gods, or simple chance had brought Jana into his life.
“We can’t let fear make our choices for us,” he said firmly. “Not when it comes to matters of the heart.”
He looked up to find Jana watching him, an unreadable expression on her face before she turned to Ulric.
“Let’s see if we can get her to drink this.”
Once again, Ulric had to order Jessamin to drink but she obeyed and this time she finished the entire cup before sagging back against him.
Jana took the empty cup, then spoke to Ulric, her voice gentle but firm.
“Your feelings might give her something to fight for. Sometimes knowing you’re loved can make all the difference.”
Ulric looked up at Jana, his expression raw and vulnerable in a way he’d never seen before. The king nodded slowly, then cleared his throat.
“Would you… give us a moment?”
He wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her to the far corner of the room. She leaned into him, fitting perfectly against his side. He tightened his hold, remembering how close he’d come to losing her. The Beast inside him growled protectively, but he kept it in check. She was safe now, here in his arms where she belonged.
He glanced down at her, taking in the way she watched the other couple with such compassion. His brave, beautiful mate who’d even found the compassion to try and understand her captor. The last of his doubts crumbled away as the mate bond hummed between them.
The sound of quiet murmuring reached them as Ulric bent over Jessamin, cradling her closer. As he watched Ulric with Jessamin, his own words about not letting fear hold him back echoed in his mind. She felt so right in his arms, her warmth and scent calming his Beast even as it made his pulse race.
He turned to face her, taking both her hands in his.
“I need to follow my own advice,” he said softly.
Her dark eyes met his, curious and trusting. The sight nearly stole his breath. He’d never seen anything more beautiful than the way she looked at him now.
“I love you.” Tears welled up in her eyes and his heart clenched. He rushed to continue, “I know it’s too soon, and I understand if you don’t feel-”
“Stop.” She squeezed his hands, her voice fierce despite the tears tracking down her cheeks. “I love you too.”
Joy rushed through him so intensely it made him dizzy. His Beast purred in satisfaction as she hugged him, pressing herself against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent, still hardly able to believe this remarkable woman was his.