Chapter 37
Thirty-Seven
Sabina
Sunlight streaming in through the window wakes me and I groan as I straighten from my uncomfortable slouched position.
As soon as I remember why I’m sleeping in a chair, my eyes snap open to check on Anya.
She’s still sleeping, eyes still swollen, face still scarred and red.
My shoulders slump. I was hoping she was waking. Or that it wasn’t real.
“Good morning, Your Majesty,” the matron enters the room with a basket of vials and cloths. A younger woman follows her with a bucket of water in her hands. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and she lowers her head into a bow.
“This is my apprentice, Yasmin,” the matron says.
“Nice to meet you, Yasmin,” I say.
“Your Majesty,” she replies.
“Do you mind if we check on her?” The matron asks.
I set Anya’s hand down on the bed next to her, then rise from my seat. “I’ll be in the other room if you need me.”
Caiden is washed and in fresh clothing. The slice across his cheek shimmers from whatever salve was smeared across it. “How is she?”
“The same.” I cross my arms over my chest, feeling underdressed in my nightgown and robe. “I forgot to ask something.”
“Go on.”
“How did you get back here with her? If this happened at the tower, beyond the castle, how did you get here? And why? Why not go to the castle instead?” It was something that had been swimming in my mind last night, a piece of a puzzle that made no sense.
“I should have taken her to the castle,” he admits. “But she was conscious at first, and none of the swelling showed until two days later, after we passed the castle.”
“Did she insist on returning to me?” My chest tightens. If I lose her because she wasn’t taking care of herself…
“No, that was my fault. I told you nothing would happen to her, that I’d return her to you safely.” He shakes his head. “I should have waited to bring her to you until she was recovered, but I wanted to show you that I can be a man of my word.”
“You were trying to impress me?” I ask.
“I went there to retrieve her. To bring her back to you,” he says. “Whatever happens to her, you blame me. I shouldn’t have sent her there in the first place.”
“Your Majesties, come quick,” Yasmin calls from the doorway, her face alight with hope.
I move so quickly, I nearly run into the young woman, and she jumps to the side to avoid me. I wince. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright. Go. She’s awake.” Yasmin gestures toward the bed.
My vision is already blurring by the time I return to the chair at Anya’s side. I take her hand and watch as her eyes flutter and her head turns. She makes a few small sounds like she’s trying to speak.
“Your eyes are very swollen, my lady,” the matron says. “If it’s painful to open them, it’s alright to keep them closed.”
“I’m here,” I tell her. “You don’t need to rush anything for me. I’m not going anywhere.”
She squeezes my hand, and I suck in a relieved breath, then squeeze her back. “I’m here.”
“If you are willing to keep them closed, I can apply some salve to help the swelling reduce, but you have to keep them closed for a few hours. Can you nod if you understand?” The matron asks.
I hold my breath while I wait. When she nods, I make a choked sound that is half laugh-half cry. “That’s so good, Anya. You’re going to feel better soon.”
The matron carefully applies the salve, then talks her through each step of her process. She applies scented oils to her temples, and pours a few different liquids into Anya’s mouth. She’s able to swallow and keeps the medicine down.
“I’ll return when she can open her eyes, but Yasmin will stay with you to assist you,” the matron says.
“Thank you for your help,” I reply.
After about an hour, Anya manages a hoarse whisper. “Can I sit?”
“Of course.” I release her hand. “Let me get a few more pillows and I’ll help you.”
Yasmin helps me situate Anya so she’s seated, then offers her some water. Anya sips it, and keeps it down.
“We should call for some broth, it will help her regain her strength,” Yasmin says.
“You know, I can hear you. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not here,” Anya says, her voice still rough.
“You have no idea how glad I am to hear you speak,” I say.
“I thought I was going to die there,” she says.
“I’m so sorry for everything. If I could change it, I would.” I take her hand in mine again.
“How is she?” Caiden asks quietly from the doorway. He’d peered in a few times in the beginning, but mostly had stayed away.
“She’s going to be alright,” I say, more for myself and Anya than him.
“Good. Is there anything I can help with?” he offers.
“Broth. Can you please order some?” I ask.
“Yes, of course. And I’ll get you some food as well.”
“And for Yasmin,” I say. “Make sure there’s enough for everyone.”
He nods, then leaves the room.
Anya keeps the broth down and the swelling on her eyes is nearly gone.
Whatever that salve was, it works like magic.
She’s talking more now, telling me the story of the attack and the journey back.
It sounds like she was just scratched and bruised, like Caiden said, but the swelling came on when they were only a day’s ride from here.
“He asked if I wanted to stay in the village and have healers come to me, but I knew you’d worry. I wanted to be where you were,” she says.
“I wouldn’t have cared as long as you were safe,” I tell her.
I catch Caiden peeking into the room every so often, but he walks away quickly, never lingering. It’s not what I expected from him. Had he changed, or is he pretending to win me over? Or is this who he is and the version I met was who he had to be under his father?
I wish I could trust my instincts when it comes to him, but there’re too many blurred lines there.
“So, you’re officially married,” Anya says after a bit of silence.
“Yes.”
“What’s that like?”
“About the same as it was. Only, the guards listen to me more now, and Ludis has to pretend to be nice to me when there’s people around.”
“I can’t believe Lee was hiding all that.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “You really can’t trust anyone, can you?”
I squeeze her hand. “I trust you.”
“I know. And you don’t count when I say that. Me and you, we’re not just anyone.” She smiles, then it fades. “I’m sorry about the enforcer.”
“I don’t want to talk about him,” I tell her.
“For what it’s worth, you two have a lot more in common than you realize. That man would do anything to protect his sister.”
“He’s still there with her?” I ask.
“Yes. I heard the emperor telling him he had to figure out how to get her to stop releasing those monsters. But she likes the creatures.” Anya lowers her voice. “She calls them her friends.”
“She was locked alone in a tower,” I point out.
“True.”
“Did she tell you anything? About her magic or what it was like or where she came from?” I ask.
“Not really,” Anya says.
“I feel bad for her. It wasn’t like she chose that gift.
Magic shouldn’t be a death sentence.” I can’t imagine the way Nate’s daughter must feel.
If she has the same gift, is she summoning monsters on accident?
Or is it just manipulating the future that causes them?
What if she never tries to see the future, would she be spared?
I need to talk to him. Tell him what I discovered. But also, I don’t want to risk Brevan’s sister. I need to wait until he returns. Find out more before I share his secret.
“Do you think that’s why they took it away from normal people?” Anya asks.
I force myself to the present, then consider her question. Does Rosalyn’s magic have anything to do with how regulated the gods’ gifts are?
“I don’t know. I’m still not sure how it used to be here. It looks like there’re places where people are born with it. But in Pendralia, it has to be given in the temple. It doesn’t make any sense why it’s so different,” I say.
“How are you feeling, Anya?” The matron asks as she enters the room.
Caiden enters, staying a few paces behind her. He looks over at me, and I get the sense that he’s seeking my permission about staying. I nod, and he returns the gesture before moving to the back corner to observe.
“I’ll wait nearby,” I tell my friend, then I cross to where Caiden is standing.
“She seems better,” he whispers.
“Yes. She’s acting more like herself.”
The matron conducts a few tests, asking Anya to move or breathe, then has her open her eyes slowly, before closing them again. She’s directing her through a whole process, getting her used to the light and checking for pain as she does.
Caiden watches, completely focused on my friend. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was worried.
“How did you get her inside?” I ask. “She wasn’t with you when you entered.”
“She was carried in the from the stables. She was in a wagon from the village to here.”
“Thank you for making sure she was cared for,” I say.
He looks over at me. “All you have to do is ask, and I’ll give you anything.”
“How about Pendralia?” I taunt.
“I already changed the bylaws. If something happens to me, you’ll rule in my stead.” He returns his attention to Anya.
My pulse races. “Why would you do that?”
He shrugs. “You’re my wife.”
“And I’ve been trying to kill you,” I hiss.
Yasmin glances over at us, then quickly looks away.
Caiden smirks. He enjoyed that. Of course he did. I resist the urge to roll my eyes as he leans closer to me, his lips hovering above my ear. “You may have been trying to kill me, but you haven’t. And you’ve had opportunity.”
“You had my best friend held hostage,” I remind him.
“Then I suppose we’ll see if you have the ambition to become empress.” He straightens.
“Everything is healing nicely,” the matron announces. She looks over at me and smiles. “In about an hour, she’ll need to rest her eyes again. Would you like me to come apply the salve?”
“I can do it myself,” Anya insists.
“I can help her,” I offer.
“Of course,” the matron says. “Three hours again, then an hour of open eyes, then back to the salve for the rest of the night. Tomorrow, you can switch to just nighttime if the swelling remains low.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Yes, thank you,” Anya adds.
“I can walk you out,” Caiden offers.
The matron inclines her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty. And of course, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to summon me.”
“Would you like me to stay?” Yasmin offers.
“I think we can manage,” Anya says.
“Thanks for your help,” I tell her.
She curtsies then follows the others out of the room.
“What was all that whispering over there?” Anya asks. “Since when are you and the emperor getting along?”
“I’m not sure, honestly,” I admit. “But I think he might have just dared me to try to kill him.”
“Why would he do that?” she asks.
“I wish I knew.”