Marrying a Warhound (Cassian) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

ATASHA’S POV

:

:

78

55 vouchers

“My lady, I apologize but we cannot let you cross,” Lieutenant Sivi said. “The numbers outside are climbing by the minute. We have to deal with the beasts before letting anyone leave the gate.”

Rio stepped up beside him. “We’ve already called reinforcements from the mansion. Two squads from the inner posts and a supply team with spare weapons and fae–stone arrows. They should arrive soon.”

Sivi added, “Even with reinforcements, there’s another problem. The illness is spreading. We still don’t know what it is or how it’s passing between men. They aren’t bedridden, but they’re weaker. Grip strength, reaction time, balance, it all drops. If this keeps up, we won’t be able to push the beasts back.”

“Where’s Mendez?” I asked.

“With the Lord,” Sivi answered. “He said he’d remain on standby until you call for him.” He didn’t look curious, didn’t pry. None of them did.

I remembered what Mendez told me. In the north, the Lord sometimes stayed inside the carriage or the command tent for entire nights during the red moon. No questions or explanations. The lieutenants enforced the boundary without being told.

I nodded and turned to Rio. “Are the arrangements set?”

“Yes, my lady,” Rio said. “We tagged all men showing symptoms. They’re isolated in the east barracks, away from the armory and the mess. I posted guards and sent runners to list names, symptoms, and when they started.”

“Good.” I stood. “Start calling the sick to muster in the tent by the well. Physician Mendez will tend to them one line at a time. Anyone who can still stand comes first.”

Sivi glanced toward the carriage. “What about the Lord?”

“He would agree the fighters come first,” I said. “Move.”

Rio peeled off at once, barking orders. Sivi signaled two runners to clear the yard.

I left the tent. Soldiers along the walkway paused and bowed. I returned a curt nod and kept moving, boots thudding over the planks as I cut straight to the carriage.

Pulling the door open, I stepped in.

11:22 Wed, Sep 10

Chapter 74

:

78

55 vouchers

Mendez was inside, sleeves rolled, checking Cassian’s pulse with two fingers at the throat. However, the moment the door clicked shut behind me, Cassian’s eyes snapped open–red. His hand shot up and clamped around Mendez’s neck.

Mendez choked, both hands flying to Cassian’s wrist. He tried to twist out, dropping his weight to break the grip, but Cassian’s arm didn’t budge. The pressure increased. I heard the scrape of Mendez’s boots across the floorboards as he was dragged closer.

Seeing this, I crossed the space in two steps. I caught Cassian’s forearm with both hands and drove my shoulder into his bicep, pinning the leverage. With my other hand, I pried at his fingers, no use.

“Cassian,” I said, my voice low. “Look at me.” Then, I sent a sliver of my healing ability inside him. Just as I expected, there was nothing for me to heal. It almost felt like I poured some water into an endless pit.

Yet, this was enough to gain his attention. His gaze tore off Mendez and locked on me. The red burned hotter, focused, but just like before, the strength drained out of his grip. Mendez ripped free and stumbled back, coughing raggedly. Meanwhile Cassian’s eyes fluttered then closed. His head rolled to the side, and then he was out cold.

I held his wrist a second longer to make sure the tension was gone, then released him and moved to Mendez.

“Sit,” I said, guiding him down to the bench. He waved me off and then thought better of it, bracing a hand against the wall until his breath steadied. The skin on his throat was already mottling.

“Pulse?” I asked.

“Fast, but there.” He swallowed, winced, and nodded. “No heat spikes. It was just force.”

I nodded. Since we arrived, this was the second time that Cassian woke up. It was both with Mendez was with him. We went back to Cassian together. I lifted his shoulders while Mendez pulled the blanket aside. We shifted him up the mattress, straightened his arm, and tucked the blanket to keep him still.

Mendez exhaled. “It’s the same pattern,” he rasped. “Eye contact breaks it. Then he crashes.”

I shook my head. “No. That wasn’t it.” If it were that simple, then Cassian’s grandmother and previous family members would have noticed something or at least spoken of it. “I sent something inside him, just like the other two times. Then he fainted.”

78

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify