I was surprised that less than a week later, Mother was dead, and James was still alive. I did not want it to be the other way around, but I did not necessarily want mother to die either. The duke had already prepared for the funeral so there was little to do for Mother. He had not been wrong about her demise, though I had hoped he would be.
Cedric stayed with James while I attended the funeral with the duke and Amber. I kept Michael, who blessed me by sleeping the whole time. After, Duke Roland proudly looked at his son in my arms, and accepted condolences as people came to us. Amber, ever the diplomat in public, graciously accepted condolences herself but glared at Michael and me when no one looked.
Although it was my mother who was dead, very few people even spoke to me.
True to his word, the duke did not remove me from his home, but I was expected to check in on Michael a couple times a day. James and Cedric both helped me grieve, but it was mostly Cedric, as James was sleeping much more of the day. Cedric sat with me in James outer room and held me when I cried, and later held my hand.
I apologized profusely. I knew he was employed by the duke and I was keeping Cedric from his duties, but I relished the closeness and the way his thumb stroked the back of my hand.
"Sofia," he paused.
"Yes?"
"I…" he cleared his throat. "I'm here for you. Whenever, wherever. You are always welcome in the laboratory. Whether I'm there or not."
"Thank you, Cedric." His free hand moved to my cheek, and I pressed my face into him. He stroked my temple with his thumb, then smoothed back my hair. Just then, James began to cough in the next room and both Cedric and jumped to our feet.
We moved into the bedroom and helped James as he hacked blood and vile looking mucous into a pan held by Cedric while I rubbed my brother's back. The coughing lasted too long, and after, James groaned in pain, writhing against the pillows. He could not speak but he squeezed my hand and I squeezed his back. Once we were sure the coughing was over, Cedric gave James a few drops of a pain-relieving potion, then left for his lab.
After James fell back to sleep, I grabbed a book and settled down next to him to pass the time.
Over the next few weeks I brought Michael into James's room a few times. It brought brief smiles to my older brother's face. Cedric was a more common visitor at night, as he slept less to look in on James, and sit with me.
Cedric happened to wake me one night as I lay next to James on the bed. "Sofia," Cedric touched my hand. He glanced meaningfully over to James.
"No!" I whispered hoarsely. James's eyes were open a little. "Is he?"
"Not yet, but soon."
I gasped. "When?"
Cedric shook his head. "Probably before morning."
I threw my arms around James, afraid I was going to crush his frail body, but also not caring. His breaths were short and crackling.
"I don't want you to leave me, brother, but I don't want you to be ill anymore," I whispered. "I love you, James."
I lay my head on his shoulder and held one hand. Cedric was on James other side, his hand on James's shoulder. We stayed that way in silence for several minutes as James's respirations declined and he slowly slipped away. Then Cedric and I sat there even longer in silence, reverently remembering and honoring the young man that it seemed everyone else had forgotten.
Finally, Cedric rose. He came to me and pulled me into an embrace, allowing me to cry on his shoulder once again. I was not sure, but I thought I felt a few shudders from Cedric too, before he pulled away and said he would inform the duke. I nodded and sat back with James, taking his hand again, feeling the coolness of it and wishing that this day had never come.