Chapter 7 Prince Sloth #2
I exhaled slowly, forcing myself back to that cold, calm center. I would deal with the fallout of this revelation later.
Right now, Lore needed help.
I inched us closer to the fire and tentatively ran my fingers through her long hair, gently detangling the strands to help them dry faster. The chocolate strands mixed with caramel were annoyingly soft and pretty.
I shifted her locks every few minutes, allowing each section to have equal time by the flames.
It was a slow, tedious process, but eventually it dried.
At least it was one less avenue for her to lose heat through.
With that task complete, I focused my attention on the next area. All the while, I kept forcing my mind to not wander back to the fact that I couldn’t get out of this realm.
The idea of being trapped didn’t sit well. It put me at the mercy of others. And even if I weren’t a Prince of Sin, that would be a problem.
Lore’s hands and feet were still blocks of ice, but her center had warmed a bit more.
I nestled closer, keeping one palm flattened across her torso for her organs, and started rubbing warmth into her hands with my other.
Holding her in place, I slowly rotated us to the other side, wanting to ease any discomfort from lying in one spot for too long while also giving her other side equal time near the fire.
I switched hands and continued my ministrations on her extremities, working to restore warmth to her fingers before moving to her palms and wrists.
I would do this all night if I must.
If the worst had come to pass, which I strongly suspected was the case, then the fate of my court and the realms depended on Lore now.
Which meant she had my protection, whether either of us liked it or not.
Two hours later, her hands and feet were cold but significantly warmer than they had been, her hair was completely dry, and her skin had a pleasant flush beginning.
It was too soon to celebrate; anything could change from one moment to the next, but I was cautiously optimistic.
I released her long enough to see if the clothes and blanket were dry yet.
There were still damp areas on her dress and undergarments, and my pants were no better, so I shifted them around and did the same with our boots.
Hopefully it wouldn’t be too much longer before we could redress; the more layers I could get back on her, the better.
I added another log to the fire, stoking it as I did so.
It had warmed our chamber well, but snow was still falling hard outside, and our supplies were limited.
I would need to make another run for wood and try to find some dry brush before daybreak.
When the time came for me to venture out again, I’d have preferred for Lore to be more stable before I left. I didn’t want her healing to backtrack when she was finally making headway.
I checked the blanket, relieved it had fully dried.
I tugged it over us and pulled Lore against me again.
Her skin was still too cold for my liking, but it was significantly better than when we first arrived.
I wrapped my arms around her and tucked her head beneath my chin, feeling the warmth spread.
I wasn’t prone to letting my thoughts wander like some of my brothers, preferring to utilize my time more efficiently, and it was a trait that served me well now.
I spent nearly an hour counting the beats of her heart, comparing the strength of it every few moments. As the next hour dragged on, her breathing improved.
In place of the short, raspy gasps, she now inhaled and exhaled steadily, the sound more akin to a deep, restorative sleep.
The worst of her symptoms were over.
She wasn’t healed yet, but if she made it this far, she’d more than likely survive the night.
I kept my attention focused on her for the next half hour, noting more positive shifts.
Assured she was indeed out of critical condition, I split my focus between monitoring her and plotting our next moves.
I could no longer cast off the truth of our situation.
Lore was more than likely a dreamweaver. A fact I still needed to test, but I prepared myself for the unfavorable outcome of it being true.
We were trapped in Somnia.
And that meant Xavier had succeeded in setting the Trials of Unbinding into motion. Otherwise, my magic would have worked to transport us out.
I should have known better than to think any simple binding spell was enough, especially when given to the old gods, who were masters at creating loopholes.
Every lock had a key.
And every villain had a chance for redemption. After the old gods had taken the druid spell I’d given them, they secretly created their punishment for Nyantha. It wasn’t until much later that I first heard rumors of the Trials, and by then it was too late to counteract them.
The Trials of Unbinding were a way for Nyantha to gain back all she’d lost. I cursed myself for not ensuring the original spell couldn’t be manipulated.
A dreamweaver would act as her champion, for lack of a better term, going through the Trials for her.
The easiest way to prevent Nyantha from winning would be to remove Lore from the game by any means necessary. But there was a catch: anyone outside the Trials who attempted to harm her would suffer her same fate; even an immortal could find True Death.
Technically, I wasn’t part of the tests and couldn’t risk my court.
Now that I knew the Unbinding was activated, and Lore was probably a dreamweaver, I’d need to use extreme caution from here on out.
And to do that, I needed information from my personal archives.
I checked Lore one more time, and the sounds of her even breaths were enough to convince me she’d be all right while I… utilized the full potential of my magic.
I closed my eyes, centered my thoughts, and called upon the secret power of my sin.
No one knew, not even my brothers, that I could connect with the ancient tree of knowledge in House Sloth.
While we respected each other, each prince kept certain truths to ourselves.
Especially where our circles were concerned.
Within the walls of my mind, I now stood in the heart of my enchanted library, leaning against the base of the ancient tree.
I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the space, knowing it might be a long time before I could see it again in person.
Then I called for the Library to awaken.