Afternoon light filled the nursery softly.
Warm gold spilled across the marble and over the scattered toys resting on the play mat near the window.
The room was quiet except for the occasional small sounds coming from Zarek.
Happy ones.
Tiny laughs.
Soft babbling.
Leah sat cross-legged on the floor beside him, one hand resting against the mat while she watched him reach clumsily for the lion plush sitting in front of him.
His teddy bear with the red ribbon had somehow ended up behind him.
Ignored for once.
Leah smiled faintly.
"…You replaced him already?"
Zarek looked up at her immediately at the sound of her voice.
Bright red eyes blinking slowly.
Then he grabbed the lion plush with both hands triumphantly.
Leah laughed softly.
"There it is."
Zarek made another happy sound and immediately tried shoving part of the lion's mane into his mouth.
"…Absolutely not."
Leah gently pulled it away.
Zarek frowned instantly.
Offended.
Leah smiled.
"You can glare at me all you want."
He did.
Tiny angry expression and all.
Then suddenly—
he coughed.
Once.
Leah barely reacted.
"…Slow down."
Another cough followed immediately after.
Then another.
Zarek's face scrunched suddenly before he started crying.
Leah's expression changed instantly.
"Hey—."
She moved immediately, lifting him carefully from the mat and against her shoulder.
"It's okay."
Her hand rubbed gently up and down his back.
"You probably swallowed wrong."
Zarek continued coughing against her shoulder.
Small.
Weak.
Uncomfortable.
Leah frowned slightly now.
"…Zarek?"
She patted his back more firmly.
"Come on, sweetheart."
Usually he calmed quickly when she held him.
But now—
the coughing continued.
And his crying became more upset.
More distressed.
Leah's stomach tightened slightly.
"Hey, hey…"
She shifted him higher against her chest and gently pressed her cheek against the side of his head while soothing him.
Then froze.
Hot.
Too hot.
Leah pulled back immediately.
One hand moved to his forehead.
Then his neck.
Heat spread against her palm instantly.
Her expression changed completely.
"…Oh no."
Zarek cried weakly again against her shoulder.
Leah stood immediately, holding him closer.
"It's okay," she whispered quickly, though her own voice sounded less steady now.
"You're okay."
But fear had already started settling into her chest.
Because he wasn't supposed to feel this warm.
He wasn't supposed to cough like this.
Zarek buried his face against her shoulder while making another unhappy sound.
Leah adjusted the blanket around him quickly before leaving the nursery.
The mansion suddenly felt too large.
Too quiet.
Every hallway seemed longer now as she hurried downstairs with Zarek against her chest.
"It's alright," she whispered again while rubbing his back gently.
"Mommy's here."
But Zarek kept coughing softly between cries.
And every sound made her panic worse.
By the time she reached the main staircase, her heartbeat was loud enough she could hear it herself.
Elias was sitting in the living room when he noticed her.
At first, he only looked up casually from the newspaper resting in his lap.
Then he properly saw her expression.
And immediately stood.
"…Leah?"
She walked toward him quickly.
"I think he's sick."
Elias's expression sharpened instantly.
Zarek coughed weakly again against Leah's shoulder.
Leah tightened her hold on him automatically.
"He started coughing and he's really warm."
Elias stepped closer immediately.
"Let me see him."
Leah shifted slightly so Elias could touch Zarek's forehead.
The second he did, his expression changed.
Concern.
Not panic.
But enough.
"He has a fever."
Leah swallowed hard.
"I know."
Zarek whimpered softly.
Leah rubbed his back gently again.
"He won't stop coughing."
Elias immediately gestured toward the hallway leading deeper into the mansion.
"Come."
Leah followed him quickly.
The medical corridor sat in a quieter part of the mansion away from the main rooms.
Clean white walls.
Soft lighting.
Cold compared to the warmth upstairs.
Leah hated it instantly.
A nurse noticed them the second they entered.
Her expression changed immediately when she saw Zarek.
"What happened?"
Leah adjusted him higher against her chest.
"He started coughing and he feels really hot."
The nurse stepped closer carefully.
Zarek cried softly again.
The nurse gently touched his forehead.
Then nodded quickly.
"Come with me."
She guided them through the corridor toward one of the examination rooms.
Leah followed immediately while Elias stayed close beside her.
The room itself was bright and clean.
Medical equipment lined the counters nearby.
The nurse gestured toward the examination bed.
"You can sit there."
Leah sat carefully while still holding Zarek tightly against her chest.
The nurse checked his temperature first.
A few seconds later her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"He definitely has a fever."
Leah's stomach tightened further.
"How high?"
The nurse gave the number calmly.
But Leah barely processed it.
All she could focus on was how weak Zarek suddenly felt against her.
His tiny fingers weakly grabbed at the fabric of her shirt while soft cries continued leaving him.
"Why is he coughing like that?" Leah asked quickly.
"Did he choke on something?"
The nurse shook her head gently.
"No, it doesn't sound like choking."
Leah looked down at Zarek immediately.
His cheeks were flushed now.
Eyes watery.
Exhausted.
The nurse continued checking him carefully.
"Has he been eating normally?"
"Yes."
"Any fever earlier today?"
"No."
The nurse nodded thoughtfully.
"It may just be a virus or infection starting. Babies can develop fevers very quickly."
Leah pressed a kiss against Zarek's head immediately.
He felt unbearably warm.
"He's never been sick before."
Her voice cracked slightly at the end.
The nurse softened immediately.
"I know it's frightening."
Leah looked down at him again.
Zarek coughed weakly against her chest before starting to cry harder again.
Instantly Leah started gently rocking him.
"It's okay," she whispered shakily.
"I know, sweetheart. I know."
His tiny hand gripped her shirt tighter.
And suddenly Leah felt tears burning behind her eyes.
Because he looked so small.
Too small.
Too fragile.
Elias noticed immediately from where he stood nearby.
"You're doing fine," he said quietly.
Leah nodded once.
But she didn't fully believe it.
The nurse finished writing something down before looking back at them.
"The doctor will come shortly."
Leah swallowed hard.
"…Okay."
The nurse quietly left the room afterward.
Silence filled the space immediately.
Except for Zarek's soft crying.
Leah held him closer instinctively, gently rubbing his back while pressing another kiss against his forehead.
"You're alright," she whispered again.
But this time—
she sounded like she was trying to convince herself too.
Elias watched quietly for a moment before speaking.
"…Have you told Izana yet?"
Leah froze slightly.
Her eyes lowered toward Zarek immediately.
No.
She hadn't.
And suddenly—
the fact that Izana was far away felt unbearable.