Chapter 24: Kama-Rasa

Aria had never cursed so much in her entire life—not even close. She glared furiously at the deranged healer, the only sign of his madness being the sick calmness on his face as he tinkered with something inside a small, gleaming vial. He looked disturbingly normal, which only made it worse. It had been a while since he started mixing the contents, and though Aria couldn’t quite make out what was in the container, every instinct in her screamed that it wasn’t meant for her benefit. Her eyes bore into him with all the hatred she could summon, watching from where she lay restrained on the bed. Bovan, however, was the picture of indifference. He hummed lightly to himself, almost cheerfully, as he finished preparing the mixture and began to approach her. "You’re completely out of your—!" Aria began to snarl, only to be cut off as he moved too quickly, grabbing her by the neck with firm hands and tilting her head back. She thrashed and fought, trying desperately to resist, but he forced the vial to her lips. The liquid, thick and warm, slipped down her throat before she could spit it out. She gagged violently, her body convulsing against the restraints as she coughed until tears streamed down her cheeks. "The hell is—" she choked out between gasps. "It’ll kick in soon," Bovan said cheerfully, his voice infuriatingly calm as he wiped his hands on a cloth, like he’d just completed a harmless chore. Aria could barely process the words. Already, something felt wrong. It started with a subtle tightening in her muscles—barely noticeable at first. But the discomfort escalated quickly, sharp pain stabbing through her limbs like invisible blades. Her breaths turned ragged, and tears welled in her eyes faster than she could stop them. This wasn’t normal. Her mind screamed at her to fight it, to cry out, to do something before the pain became too much. She opened her mouth and let out a scream so loud it echoed off the stone walls. Her voice cracked from the force of it, raw and desperate. Bovan just stood there, an amused look curling his lips. "Go ahead. Scream all you like," he said with smug satisfaction. "No one’s coming. I run this entire wing." Aria gasped, her voice hoarse. "Why—why are you doing this?" But before he could answer, another wave of pain tore through her, vicious and searing, enough to knock the breath from her lungs. "I told you already," Bovan said, watching her writhe. "I’d much rather have Lady Vivian and Lord Virelle owe me a favor. And trust me, they’ll pay handsomely for what I’m doing." "A few days in here... and your mind will splinter," he continued, his voice almost gleeful. "You’ll be so far gone even King Zyren won’t want you anymore." Aria heard him, but the words barely registered through the haze of agony. She twisted violently against the bindings, her body burning from the inside out. It felt like her flesh was being flayed from the inside, though her skin remained unmarked. Her stomach churned violently as a strange heat began pooling low in her abdomen. "What... what did you do to me?" she gasped, her voice breaking into a sob. Bovan stepped closer, leaning in with a gleam of sick pleasure in his eyes. "It’s something new I’ve been working on. My latest concoction. Closest thing I’ve come to a truth potion." Truth potion? More like one used for torture. She whimpered, barely able to hold her head up, but still filled with rage and hate. In her mind, she swore vengeance, vowing that somehow, someday, Bovan would suffer this same torment. And then, the door opened. Her vision blurred by pain and tears, Aria barely made out the silhouette that stepped through. King Zyren. Her heart surged with a mix of hope and disbelief. "Please!" she rasped, the word nearly torn from her throat. Zyren didn’t speak. He merely lifted a hand, and at once, the ropes holding her in place began to unravel as if obeying his will. Bovan dropped to his knees instantly. "My king!" he blurted, his face going pale. "The treatment—she’s sicker than we thought! I had to act swiftly!" "The potion I gave her has side effects, yes, but it will purge the infection entirely, I swear it—" He stumbled over his words, his head bowed low, clearly panicked. Zyren said nothing, but his silent approach sent a wave of terror rippling through the healer. Aria, now unbound, slumped forward and tried to sit upright. The pain was still burning deep in her belly, but the sharpness had started to dull. She looked around frantically, searching for a vial, a bottle, anything that could be the antidote. "The antidote!" she cried out, her voice strained and cracking. Her eyes locked on Bovan. "Now!" He didn’t move. She forced herself to her feet, swaying with dizziness, eyes flashing with fury. "Now!" she screamed again, the desperation in her voice slicing through the room like a whip. Zyren’s voice came next—cold, cutting, and deep with command. "What did you give her?" Bovan froze. The question wasn’t one he could answer honestly without sealing his fate. "I healed her!" he insisted, flashing a forced smile. "She’s better—completely better! Just a few lingering effects, but they’ll fade in time!" Aria wanted nothing more than to launch herself at him and claw his face apart. Her hands curled into fists, trembling not just from pain but from fury. But the pain was ebbing now, shifting into something else. Her body burned like it was trapped in a fever, heat pulsing under her skin. Worse than the fever, though, was the slow, creeping sensation blooming in her core—an ache she recognized, one she had fought before. Panic flashed through her as realization struck. She reached for the fur coat she had tossed over her gown earlier, wrapping it tightly around herself, desperate to conceal the way her body was reacting. Without a word, she turned and made for the door, storming past Zyren with her head down, hoping that he wouldn’t notice her trembling body and even if he did that he would still let her leave.