– What do you mean? I don't understand. – My mother's face was troubled.
– I don't understand anything either! – I laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. – Whenever Sylvia is near me, my heart skips a beat. I'm irresistibly attracted to her. But as soon as she escapes my gaze, I begin to wonder how sincere my feelings for her and her feelings for me are, how I hate demons… I miss her, I worry, but at the same time I realize that we are too different and alien to each other, that there should be anything but love between us.
– My dear, I have no answer to your question. – Mother shook her head negatively and headed toward the door. – I can only assume that you cannot forgive each other's mistakes, that you cannot forget your past and the war between your kingdoms. Hence the hatred. Love, on the other hand… It comes at the most unexpected moment. Perhaps you are attracted by Lucifer's mark, or maybe it is a real feeling… I am not given such knowledge, my son. I'm afraid not even God himself can give you the answer.
– In that case, what should I do?
– Just go on living. It doesn't matter what's going on between you, as long as you're happy together. Isn't it? – Mother opened the door, but suddenly slammed it shut again and looked at me. Her beautiful eyebrows were furrowed. – On your wedding day… You took her by force, didn't you? – The question sounded very quiet, but I heard it.
– Yes. It was intact. I didn't know and I shouldn't have acted like a beast. But the wine and anger took away my mind. It's my fault, and I'm not going to look for false reasons to clear my name of this disgrace," I admitted, bowing my head in shame.
– Don't ever do that to your wife again, under any circumstances. She forgave you once, though she shouldn't have… If you do it again, she'll turn into the one you hate so much, my son… A demoness. – Mother closed the door behind her, and I was alone with my thoughts.
Why would she bring that up? Why did she suddenly decide to bring it up? Had she been concerned about the incident for a long time and now that we were talking about Sylvia, she wanted to give me a motherly instruction? There was nothing wrong with that, but I would prefer to put that low act behind me.
At the moment, I was burdened with other thoughts: right now, my wife was sourcing the ingredients for an antidote to save my life at the risk of her own, and I dared to doubt her sincerity. How low I have fallen. After what I did to her and her people, another woman would have just let me die. What keeps Sylvia close to a man like me? Or does it? Could it be that she is already far from Kaldwind and melting in the arms of a handsome healer?
"Just don't think about it, Derek. Think of the good things. Worry makes your hair fall out and your bones break" – A familiar lazy voice suddenly sounded in my mind, making me smile. Well, the big cat was right: why suffer and kill myself with jealousy when I don't know anything yet?
My body felt incredibly tired, and I hurried to the bed. My legs were groggy as if I were drunk, the floor floated beneath my feet, and the surrounding objects lost their shape. It was the effect of the poison, and I was familiar with this strange condition, and more than once. Fortunately, I managed to get to the bed, and falling on the featherbed, I fell into darkness.
