The shed of morning light came and cast the room with a bright glow. If not for the curtains and veils that shrouded the bed and the arched windows, then Nathalie might''ve woken up so early.


    Even so, she knew she had so many things to do, enough to prompt her to move out and start the day productively.


    But then, the waves of numbness coursed through her body, somehow unwilling to move even by an inch.


    Never did she have it this way, most especially after what seemed like an endless night affair every time the curse came back. For most of the time, she was beyond active and healthy.


    Nathalie rustled on the sheets, but she could only move so little with Keith behind her. Her body became tense right away as she leaned so close to his bare chest.


    Not to mention his lower body closed off the gaps between her derriere.


    He was rather flaccid, but he sure would always have good credit.


    Her face now flushed with patches of red, thinking about the hours of the night, in which she covered her face out of instinct.


    ''Right, we did it, again…. And again…''


    She became all giddy and brimmed with panic, in deep contrast with his chest heaved up and down with such calmness.


    ''I feel so nasty… I couldn''t help but like every single moment of it.''


    While it was weird to think that no matter how much she gauged her body, she wasn''t at her utmost capacity, but it won''t let her get in the way of the plans she ought to do.


    Nathalie''s neck got cushioned on Keith''s forearm, and it might''ve not been the best way to sleep if not for the pillow that was beneath her head.


    She grabbed his hand that was on her hips, tucking it back to his side. After which, she anchored her other arm to sit upright with a stretch.


    Though she stopped her stretches when her wrist stung in pain; taking a good look found the marks of the bindings still visible to her eyes, and it had yet to be the worst part with trains of hickeys and bruises that trailed all over her body.


    With a squint in her eyes, she thought this had been the first time she thought this would''ve ever happened for all the times she had done it. She wouldn''t have any of the marks and she was beyond energized.


    ''Something isn''t adding up…''


    Her gaze roamed around, and clothes got scattered; she gulped hard for the hot mess that was in her room. To her side found Keith, who slept deep and ever-so-soundly.


    ''Look at this man— like a face of an angel''; but that night, he was… definitely not near that—! ''After her stares went for his peaceful countenance, she was now gaping at his well-defined torso.


    These streaks of scars never looked that bad in him.


    It was hot,


    Unfortunately, the feast in her eyes hadn''t lasted that long with the spare warm quilt that covered her waist. ''Seems so fresh that I would wake up first before him…''


    However, she caught sight of his heat signatures— rather dim and cold as she could''ve ever noticed.


    His chest and his core, however, were around a yellow-green shade while the rest of his body was around blue to a violet shade, and that kind of sign was no different from person hypothermia.


    ''What the? Am I tripping or something?''


    When her palm was on his neck, both her eyes and mouth went agape as soon as she noticed the rate of his heartbeat was slower than usual.


    ''Oh no!'' She then started to shake his arm, but then he was no different from the dead with little to no reactions from him.


    For all she knew, Keith would wake up right away, even from the slightest touch, and would react so aggressively.


    From the nightstand, she grabbed the pouch by arm''s reach, and then rummaged inside it as she thought of several antidotes and potions needed for him to recover right away.


    She nibbled her lower lip as she pulled out several tonics, now sprawled on the bed. Simultaneously, she shifted her position and pushed his body to lay on the bed properly.


    After stacking the pillows on his head, she opened one potion at a time. With a fizzling pop, she poured it over her mouth and brought their lips together with a kiss.


    Nathalie noticed that Keith had no choice but to swallow every single drop of it, but then his condition had yet to stabilize, or at least she looked at it thus far.


    Then, she went for another one.


    But then, it was all for naught with only but little improvements coming to her attention.


    ''This isn''t getting any good…'' she pondered, thinking what else she must do.


    Amidst her train of thoughts, she cut off right away when his body started to burn up, with the heat signature spiking in his body.


    Beads of sweat now came from his neck and forehead, and his chest rose and fell rather quickly.


    In a snap, she called her grimoire and went towards her pouch to look for necessary ingredients as she performed the small ritual.


    Pulling out several herbs and magical stones, she then drew a magic circle as she started to chant a spell.


    Not long enough the spell lit up, converging into his body, and the crazy fever had yet to calm down; but on the flip side, it didn''t rise higher than she thought it would.


    ''I lack something else…''


    Though, she didn''t expect that a tinge of golden glow lingered in his body— much like a speck of dust— which then caused her face now bereft with life and vigor.


    Now, she donned the peignoir and brisked her way. She asked for help from Jonathan from the chamber beside hers.


    She slammed her palms on the door, and not long enough the knob moved to a subtle clink, with Jonathan, still in a sleepy look, yawning.


    She began to nag, and tugged his tunic, almost to a ripping force.


    "Hey! Hey! Stop! Do you need any—"


    However, Nathalie cut her off, "I need your help…"