Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 116: Gus's Gift

The fur on the nape of his neck stood up when Gus walked over. Ella glanced at the two of them and frowned when she saw that Xaphile's tail had fluffed out to the maximum. His ears were pulled very low, plainly giving away that he was extremely uncomfortable or upset.

"I've not seen his tail look that ruffled before, ever," she muttered, leaning back. "Is he in pain?"

"I don't know, but he won't respond," Gus noted, scowling. "Phil, are you awake?"

When there was no response, the man nudged him with his foot. It was like an electric shock had zapped him: letting out a yelp, he jerked away and actually let out another cry at the friction of his body moving across the furs. Ella let out a gasp and clutched her stomach in shock.

Everyone looked up, eyes wide.

"Phil, are you wounded?" Ella wheezed, staring at him in alarm. "What sort of sensation was that?!"

Vordt snorted, then calmly lifted his eyes and gave her a foul look.

"You are an absolute disgrace," he growled. "He is not wounded. It is something I've been anticipating would happen for a while now. It's best to just leave him alone until it passes."

"What do you mean?" Gus demanded. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing is wrong with him," Vordt shot back, going back to his cooking. "Just don't touch him and everything will be fine. This is all perfectly natural when you consider his age."

"Let me rephrase that," the hunter slowly enunciated. "Why must we not touch him?"

Vordt sighed through his nose, looking more than a little disgruntled. "You really wish to know?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then I will tell you part of the reason," Vordt muttered, keeping his eyes on his task. "To put it as simply as I possibly can, my nephew is... well, for lack of a better word, ill. He is experiencing a very unpleasant fever at the moment, so it would be best to let him be."  

"A fever?" Ella worriedly asked. "Is his illness contagious?"

"No, it is a species related illness," Vordt carefully explained. "It is something that all of us catch at different points in our lives. You mortals could not begin to understand it, so don't try to. Just do not touch him and let him rest. The first day is always the hardest to endure, but by tomorrow, the fever will have calmed immensely."

That subdued everyone.

For several moments, nobody said anything, but then Sinmir opened his eyes.

"Since you're here, and I'm fully awake now," he said slowly, "I'd like to address something that concerns you."

Vordt lifted his eyes with a grim stare. "What is it?"

"Your attire," Sinmir explained, nodding at the loincloth that only barely spared him the indecency of being fully naked. "If you are to travel with us, you must wear clothing as we do so we won't draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"I am aware, but if you cannot see," the faery growled, gesturing at his torso, "I am larger than most, and I find it highly improbable that any of you have clothing that would fit me."

"My own clothes will suffice," Sinmir snorted. "Since you and I have a similar body shape, width wise, my trousers and a few of my tunics and shirts will fit you easily."

"And how do you expect me to wear a tunic or even a shirt?"

"Pardon?"

"My wings, fool. If you have not noticed, they are too large to fit beneath human cloth. It will be an impossible feat to wear clothing over my upper body without breaking them."