Magnus Grimwood was an attentive man. He had the ability to observe discreetly the people around him, noticing small details that revealed weaknesses, or warning signs, even from a distance. And when it came to his husband, his attention was even sharper.
At the beginning of their relationship, he saw with ease that the Eighth Prince was far from being as rumored. Neglected in the Imperial Palace itself, without ever leaving because he had no support even from his own family, Magnus expected someone pathetic and cowardly. But the image he held was the complete opposite. Lucian proved someone cunning as a fox. Since then, Magnus was unable to stop accompanying his husband, as he looked like someone manipulative with his false innocence.
So, Magnus knew the person he had married very well. And it would be easy for him to find out when something was strange.
In the last few weeks, Magnus noticed that something was not right. Lucian kept his routine, dividing himself between the commitments in the mansion and the visits to the Temple, but he had lost the usual brightness, the ironic spark that always emanated from each gesture. Magnus watched carefully, waiting for the right moment to question Lucian about what was making him different.
"Hey, little rat, did something happen in the Temple?" Asked Magnus one morning, trying to hide the restlessness in his voice.
Lucian smiled enigmatically and took a sip of juice, looking away before answering.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." he said calmly. "Why?"
It was the answer that Magnus had heard before, but this time, Lucian's smile could not hide the fatigue in his eyes. In the following days, the servants commented on the persistent fatigue of the prince, who spent more and more time motionless, his forehead slightly frowning as he tried to hide his tiredness. Magnus began to be irritated by the silence of Lucian, who insisted on rejecting any suggestion of rest.
"Stop working and go rest, Lucian" demanded it one night, not containing the frustration.
"I already said, I'm fine" replied Lucian, slightly frowning as he looked away. "It must be just the beginning of winter... in a few days I'll be used to the cold."
Magnus almost laughed at the excuse. He knew that Lucian had spent his life in a neglected palace, without proper heaters or special care during the winter. It was evident that now, in the Grimwood mansion, Lucian enjoyed warmth and comfort. Magnus realized that any attempt to extract the truth would only make Lucian keep the facade, and decided that, at least for now, it was better not to insist.
But it was the next morning that doubt turned into certainty.
Magnus woke up with his body sweating under the weight of Lucian's arms around him. It was uncomfortably hot, even for winter. As he moved, he felt the body of Lucian trembling next to him and noticed his face swollen, his lips half-open and dry. Magnus held his shoulder, calling him in an urgent tone:
"Lucian, are you all right?"
No response. Lucian's breath was heavy, irregular, and his face was taken by a hot fever unbearable to the touch. In one jump, Magnus sat on the bed, his heart cramped with anxiety.
"Hey! Call a doctor, now!" shouted, causing the servants outside to run down the corridor, alarmed by the urgency in the Grand Duke's voice.
While changing clothes, Magnus barely took his eyes from Lucian, who was still, breathing heavily. Within minutes, the servants gathered around the bed to help: Argus held a small pot of fresh water and tried to offer Lucian drinks, while others changed the sheets and applied damp towels on his forehead, hoping to control the fever.
After what seemed like hours, the Grimwood family doctor arrived at the mansion. Her grey hair and serious, experienced countenance conveyed calm, but the intensity of Magnus' gaze kept her focused and without delay. She approached Lucian, examined him meticulously.
"Red eyes... stiff muscles... and high fever" he muttered as she touched Lucian's chest to hear the heartbeat. After a few minutes, she removed the stethoscope and turned to Magnus "At first it seems like a strong flu, but some symptoms do not fully match. Let's start a treatment to relieve the symptoms and observe the next few hours."
Magnus nodded at once, his face impenetrable, but the anguish evident in the way his fingers clenched the edge of the bed. He refused to leave Lucian's side, his eyes fixed on the husband's fevered face, while Argus and other servants followed the medical instructions carefully.
Lucian's room was steeped in silence and the smell of medicine. Magnus watched his husband's expression of pain as the fever continued to rise and forced rest kept him in a restless sleep. The doctor, careful in every detail, spent much of the time checking that Lucian remained hydrated and monitoring signs of improvement. Finally, after another examination, she called Magnus for a brief chat in the hallway.
"The fever should soon give way, but it is essential that he remains in absolute rest, Your Grace" explained, keeping her voice low. "We will try a new treatment to strengthen your system, but please avoid any kind of stress. And also, it would be good to avoid contact with His Highness, so as not to run the risk of contagion."
Magnus nodded, but the frustration was evident in the way the red eyes shone with a dim flash. The wounded pride bothered him, because he could not help thinking that in some way he had been negligent. Restless, Magnus forced himself to leave the room, taking a last look at Lucian's face before going down to the office.
If he could at least focus on work, Magnus could control your willingness to be on the husband's side. Clenching his fists, he contained his own frustration with every step he took as crossed the corridors, now filled with servants having to deal with one of his sick masters.
As soon as Magnus entered the dark environment of the office, he felt the familiar smell of wood and leather, but the usual comfort did not appease the constant concern. Barely had time to settle at the table before Carsen came in with hasty steps and delivered a report, the serious expression.
"Your Grace, there are reports from the Temple that may merit attention."
"The only thing that deserves my attention and has something to do with the temple, is bedridden." He answered ironically, without taking his eyes off the documents on his desk.
The butler hesitated a little, accustomed to that tone in his master. Still Carsen needed to make his report as soon as possible, so remained serious to make it clear to his master.
"It seems that a number of patients have come to them with symptoms similar to those of His Highness."
Magnus raised his eyebrow, red eyes fixed on the butler.
"What kind of symptoms?" he asked, keeping his tone calm but clearly interested.
The butler read the report, highlighting what he noticed to be the same symptom as his other master had. That would be enough to draw even more attention of the Grand Duke, and make him accept to help them.
"High fever, pains and... progressive weakness. Many of those affected are commoners who participated in recent charity events. The Temple has been distributing food and water to communities, but apparently there have been complaints that after these donations many began to fall ill."
Magnus frowned, taking the report from Carsen's hands. He knew that Lucian had spent long hours in the Temple, committed to helping those in need, offering his time and even distributing groceries which he had financed himself. Thinking that the place could be involved in something like an epidemic did not bother him so much, the problem was that it involved Lucian now.
"Do we know anything about the cause?" asked Magnus, without taking his eyes off the report.
"Not exactly, but there is suspicion about the Temple supplies. It seems they are trying to find a source for the contamination. Priest Skyler sent messengers asking for assistance to deal with the situation."
Magnus drummed his fingers against the table, his mind bubbling with possibilities and consequences. This clearly affected the image of the Temple and consequently that of Lucian. But he was not so willing to take care of it.
That fox Skyler was certainly asking for help just because of Lucian's involvement with the temple.
"Are they right to call this an epidemic? Or is it just an isolated outbreak?"
"It seems that many families in the western region have already been affected" replied Carsen, his voice slightly anxious. "And from what they have said, the priests suspect that this is spreading rapidly."
Magnus' expression hardened even more. He had avoided getting directly involved in the affairs of the Temple, knowing of Lucian's devotion to the mission that he had embraced only by their covetousness. But with the epidemic hitting citizens and now threatening their own home, Magnus had no intention of waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
"Send a message to my squad" ordered Magnus, rising from the table. "I want my personal team in the Temple by the end of the day to do a resource inspection and investigate any abnormalities."
"Yes, Your Grace." Carsen nodded and quickly left the office to send the orders.
Magnus sighed heavily and took the report, analyzing the information repeatedly. The pages almost trembled in his hands, such a mixture of anger and concern that dominated him.
As if that disease dared to challenge Lucian's life.