Zaliayh felt the vibration of Harun's armor against his cheek, the warmth of Iruna's hand clutching his own, and the chilling sensation of the stars watching him. But inside, his body was no longer his own.
The Celestial Core, having been forced into a defensive mode, was refusing to settle. It felt as though he had swallowed a dying sun.
By the time the carriage reached the Castle , Zaliyah's skin was radiating a heat so intense it was melting the frost off the carriage windows. When Harun lifted him to carry him inside, the guard winced as the heat was beginning to penetrate his thick leather and plate armor.
"B-brother.. ...he's burning up" Iruna cried, her voice echoing through the silent, midnight halls. "Get the physician! Move!"
They burst into Zaliyah's bedchamber, laying Zaliyah on the bed he had so recently tried to escape. The maids rushed in with basins of ice water, but the moment the cool cloths touched Zaliyah's forehead, the water evaporated into steam.
