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“Do you think we’re safe now, Cade?” Zephy whispered, but I didn’t have a chance to answer before Maywin entered the room.
I hoped we were, but I didn’t want to lie to her, either.
I had no real way of being sure.
Chapter21
Zephy
The pre-natal healer stayed in the empty bedroom adjacent to our suite from that day forward, ensuring that I was checked on every morning and night, but she decided that everything was progressing as it should.
Guards were stationed outside the doors, and I was placed on bedrest for the next week, despite my protests that I was fine, but Maywin later explained that it was more for my safety than my health.
“There’s a sweep of the palace and kingdom happening right now,” she told me earnestly. “The best thing you can do is stay out of the way and remain exactly where you are.”
I sat up against the overwhelming number of pillows, worry taking me over as I stared at her. “Why? What’s happening? I should be out there. I’m tired of lying around, eating and staring at the ceiling all day.”
“Nothing is happening… not really,” Maywin reassured me. “Most of the faeries who rallied to Stralia have either turned themselves in at the Alpha’s mercy or fled Ironhelm for the mountains.”
I gasped aloud. “The mountains are worse than anything that Cade can do to them, aren’t they?”
“The King is offering leniency to most of them,” Maywin responded.
I was relieved to hear it.
Cade and I had discussed what we would do with the outliers at length. From what I had seen, Stralia had been the mastermind, her jealousy driving their fears, but the reality had not been what lay in the hearts of the staff who had followed her. Those who still showed defiance could be imprisoned or banished, but killing would be a final resort.
Cade had calmed enough to agree with me, adding that most pleaded they had gone with the devil they had known when siding with Stralia, a fact I had seen with my own eyes.
“Now that everyone is aware of your power and your loyalty to the kingdom, they accept you as the queen, Zephy.”
I wouldn’t be naïve again, nor would I lower my guard. There would always be those who wished us harm, both in and out of the kingdom, but for the time being, the threat was contained.
“Why is it better that I stay here?” I pressed Maywin.
“The King wants to be sure that the entire palace is ‘sanitized,’ as he says. He will not risk you being endangered again.” She smiled warmly. “And I don’t fault him for being so cautious. He trusted Stralia.”
Sadness washed through me as I thought of how much he had lost over the years, his parents, Stralia. He would hold on to our child and me at all costs. The least I could do was give him the peace of mind he so obviously desired.
“I can wait for him to do whatever needs to be done,” I agreed quietly.
“In the interim, there’s no reason for you to be bored—”
“Actually, I want to speak to you about that, Maywin,” I interrupted her.
She blinked once. “About what, Luna?”
I shook my head vehemently. “Stop calling me that.”
Her eyes blinked in confusion. “I-I don’t understand…” she breathed, looking terrified, as if I were going to terminate her employment.
I laughed to reassure her that I had no intention of doing any such thing.
“You are not my servant, Maywin, and you haven’t been since we’ve come to Ironhelm.”
She drew in a shaky breath, still uncomprehending. “I don’t know what you mean. I haven’t been anything but loyal. I never once believed that you would be anything but a wonderful queen—”
“Maywin,” I interjected, taking her hand quickly and squeezing. “I’m saying that I can’t keep you on as my maid, not when you’ve become so much more than that to me.”
