Julian stared at him, his mind sluggish and heavy. He felt the coolness of the Duke's palm, a direct contrast to the blistering fire of the fever. It felt... real. Too real to be a dream.
"The... the pit," Julian rasped, his voice sounding like broken glass. "Lucius?"
"He's safe. He found me, Julian. He led me right to you." Alaric's hand shifted, his thumb brushing against Julian's temple in a gesture that was far too intimate for a Lord and a tutor. "You were dying when I reached you. But thank goodness, you survived. I thought I lost you, Julian."
Julian let out a shaky breath, his head sinking back into the silk pillows. The memory of the Emperor's smile flickered in the back of his mind, cold and sharp. He had almost died. He had been left in the dark like a discarded toy, and the only reason he was breathing now was that a mute child had braved the woods and a Duke had jumped into a hole for him.
