Page 192 of Soulmateless
The weather's even worse today, so maybe it helps that he's inside today. The hotel is conditioned, and even now my skin is glistening in sweat under this thin white shirt and beach shorts. I'm tempted to take my shirt off like Erasmus right now.
Erasmus slowly nods and takes the pot of soup out of my hands. I follow him in as he sets it on a marble countertop in their mini kitchen.
Past the kitchen, Amias sleeps on a bed covered in blue sheets, identical to his brother’s next to him. A documentary about dreamscreechers plays in front of him.
His body looks so frail as he whimpers in his sleep. His ribs are pronounced without a shirt to hide them. No amount of sleep seems to be decent enough for him.
A knife of pity must be twisting in my gut. Amias doesn't deserve this torture, and it's all because Amara cleansed him.
Erasmus takes a bowl with a spoon and ladles the soup into it. He walks over to Amias and he sits on the bed. I follow him and stand next to him.
“Hey Amias,” he prods his shoulder. “Wake up.”
Slowly, Amias’ black eyes flutter open. He glances wearily between us before looking towards the soup. “That smells… good.”
“Yeah it does, baby brother. It does.” Erasmus smiles meekly. He speaks like he’s talking to a five year old boy. “Glaide brought it for you to eat.”
He snaps his gaze to me. “Oh. You didn't have to do that,” he says softly.
I squeeze my eyes shut a second before offering a grin. “I'm more than honored to cook for my best friend.”
He returns my expression before he gasps and glances away, putting his hands to his head. “I can't eat! I have to kill Ignatia first!”
“Amias, no!” Erasmus says, grabbing his shoulder. “You can't kill Ignatia until you eat. You're starving yourself.”
“It's not me! It's the voices!”
“Please try to fight them for me! For Glaide. For Mother. Please. I need you to eat.”
Amias catches his breath. I come over to the opposite side of the bed and pat his shoulder as if it would comfort him. It's the least I can do.
“Please baby brother,” Erasmus pleads. “Just one bite at least.”
Amias finally looks at him, tears twinkling in his eyes. “Fine. I'll try.”
Erasmus gets a spoonful and holds it out. “Just think about how it smells and how good it's going to taste.”
He nods before Erasmus slowly starts to bring it to his mouth. All is calm. All is quiet. The spoon is still in Erasmus's hand. Amias isn't reacting. Everything is good.
Come on Amias. Eat.
It's only an inch away from Amias’ mouth, when he jerks back, his eyes flashing open. His pupils dilate beyond normal, consuming both of his eyes.
Oh fuck!
Black tenebris flowers spring up, twisting around the spoon and flinging it across the room.
My body freezes, goosebumps forming on my skin. Erasmus gasps before standing up to retrieve it. “Shit!”
Amias screams as the flowers start to twist up my arms. I try to pull away but it's no use. “Calm down!”
“Get out of my damn head!”
“Amias, please!” Erasmus runs back to him as the flowers wither quickly.
“No! I can't do it!” he shouts before lying his head back down on the bed. “There's no use.”
Each breath of mine is shallow and painful. Erasmus’s breath doesn't seem much better. “We can try again.” Erasmus sits down with the bowl of soup. “One more time. Please.”
