His fingertips brushed against it.
The slick liquid left ugly stains across her milky skin. The thin fabric soaked with blood clung to her lukewarm flesh like seaweed.
Staring blankly at the sight, he lowered his ear to the bloodstained chest.
A faint heartbeat.
Only then did his frozen thoughts begin moving again.
Wrapping her together with the sheets, he lifted her into his arms and kicked open the bedchamber door.
Several maids who happened to be passing through the corridor froze stiff at the sight of him.
Varkas shouted loudly.
“Fetch a healer! Immediately!”
* * *
Her insides burned as though she had swallowed boiling water.
The searing heat made it feel as though her stomach was rotting away.
She writhed, exhaling hot breaths, only for a different agony to follow. This time, it felt as though pieces of ice had been driven into her bones.
Groping blindly, she reached out and pulled the blanket toward herself.
Perhaps taking pity on the sight, someone wrapped her tightly in arms as hot as heated iron.
Feeling the warmth sink into her blood, she let out a relieved moan.
But before long, flames began raging inside her again.
Sweating profusely, she tossed and turned.
Sensing her discomfort, the arm around her back withdrew.
She clung desperately to it.
Keep holding me.
Don't leave me alone.
Though the words merely echoed inside her mouth, it seemed they were understood.
The heat enveloped her body again.
It hurt.
Yet somehow, she felt safe.
Like a chick burrowing beneath the feathers of a hen, she curled up inside that broad embrace.
Not long afterward, the pain stabbing her abdomen gradually faded, and a silence like a grave settled over her.
It felt as though she were immersed in lukewarm water.
How long had she remained wrapped in that strangely peaceful sensation?
Her hazy consciousness slowly cleared.
Talia barely managed to raise her heavy eyelids.
Sunlight piercing through the canopy stabbed at her retinas.
She unconsciously let out a pained groan, and hurried footsteps sounded nearby.
“My lady! Have you finally regained consciousness?”
Turning her head, Talia found the nurse wearing a tearful expression and frowned.
The nurse immediately grabbed her hand and sniffled.
“Do you know how black my heart has become from worrying? Why do these things keep happening to you...?”
Talia looked bewildered.
She had no idea what had happened.
Clutching her throbbing forehead with one hand, she watched as the nurse, shedding tears like beads, suddenly sprang to her feet.
“Look at me! This isn't the time for this. Please wait a moment. I'll fetch the healer immediately.”
With that, she stomped noisily out of the room.
Only after the room fell silent did her head begin functioning properly again.
She slowly surveyed the modest bedchamber.
Several seconds later, she finally remembered arriving in one of the cities between the East and West.
But everything afterward was vague.
It was as though she had dreamed with her eyes open.
“So you've finally come to your senses.”
As she struggled to piece together her fragmented memories, a healer hurried into the room.