AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ellery placed a monitor over my eyes as they started to close before he started checking my limbs. “The princess seems intact. The monitor shows fairly normal vitals, just a few abnormalities that could be related to exhaustion and shock. I think she is a bit traumatized and is fatigued like she said, Hartwin. You can tell Prince Saboa the princess is safe and healthy.”
Releasing a sigh of relief, Hartwin left the room, shutting the bedroom door. “I need to do a full check-up on you tomorrow, Princess. The past two days have put you in danger twice. While I’m not an expert in Avalonian health, I know enough to know some of these observations are not within the norm.”
The comms came to life in the other room. “Well?”
“We’ve found her. Zira emerged from the water onto Norr beach only twenty minutes ago. Exhausted but unharmed. Royal guard Sampson found her, covered her, and brought her straight to the residence.”
“Did Zira say anything about what happened?”
“All she has said is that she is hungry and tired.”
“Get her fed, then find out what happened before she sleeps. I want a report within the hour.” The comms buzz switched off.
Hartwin slid the door open. “Food is on the way, Princess. I need you to stay awake long enough to eat.”
Removing his monitor, Ellery rose to leave. “I’ll come back in an hour to check on her, but I think Princess Zira will be fine.”
Waiting until the medic left to sit beside me on the bed, Hartwin took my hand in his. “By the stars, Zira, you scared the skit out of us. We were not sure if you were dead or if they had gotten you. What the blackness happened out there? Start from where Jervaise locked you in the throne room.”
Half asleep, I told Hartwin everything. Where I ran, the merc ship, the Avalonian’s, the royal guards, and why I jumped from the cliff.
“I saw you go over. I must have been maybe one hundred meters away when you took that merc’s handoff. Then you ran and jumped off the cliff. By the time I got to the edge, the Merc ship was hovering above the water. A few minutes later, it was gone, and there was no sign of you. One of the guards found your dress on the rocks about an hour later, and we were hoping you slipped out of it to swim faster.” Watching me, Hartwin touched my cheek tenderly.
“Luther told me you vanished in the bath yesterday. He said I could not tell anyone, but you may have pulled the same trick on them. We searched for hours on foot, guards swimming down to find any trace of you, ships searching until after lunchtime. At that point, I figured you may have found a hidey-hole and were not coming out while you could hear ships or anything in case it was not us. So, I pulled the search team back to the coastline and doubled the forest patrol just in case you already made it to shore. I was just about to admit to myself they got you when Sampson announced that he found you.”
“What happened, Hart? How’d they get in the palats?”
Shoulder’s tensing, Hartwin growled. “Someone left a courtyard door blocked open. It was probably the same person who set the fire in the alcove outside the Royal guard compound to prevent us from reaching you. The Merc ship must have dropped their first team off when the explosion happened at the airfield. There were probably fifty in the palats fighting the royal guard, plus the eight that attacked your guard.
“When the prince’s ship exploded, we automatically locked down the public channels. That meant we were locked into the ring, and we couldn’t cut across the center of the palats to reach you in time. It was a well-planned attack, Zira. They nearly got you. They obviously had not heard about you being able to do that ribbon thing. But you can bet your life they will all know about it now.”
“There is a traitor in the residence, Hart.”
Bowing his head, Hartwin blew out a long breath. “I know.” He met my eyes. “Jervaise told me what you said. I can promise you the traitor is not an elite, Zira. You are safe with us if no one else. All staff is forbidden to come to the fourth floor for the time being, and we have the royal guard re-vetting every single employee.”
Elite Chas stuck his head in. “Hartwin, the food is here. Did you want me to bring it in so the princess doesn’t have to walk?” Elite Chas’s dialect intrigued me. It was a mish-mash of Cyran and Avalonian like he was exposed to both as a young child.
Giving Chas a quick nod, Hartwin stood and put his hands under my shoulders, dragging me up to sitting. When I hissed at him, Hartwin leaned me forward slightly to peer down the back of the shirt and check my wound from yesterday. “I will get Ellery to recheck that when he comes back. You may have reopened it during the fighting.”
Placing a tray of food next to me on the bed, Chas left again. Hartwin tucked my hair back from my face. “Eat, then rest. I will be right outside that door all night if you need me.”
“Luther?”
“He is safe but furious. The King is enraged by such a brazen attack. We are going to war. Luther will stay in Cyra ‘til they have their strategy set. The Barbarian is going to wish he just forgot your existence.”
“I don’t want this, Hartwin. I don’t want my people to die protecting a king they don’t even want.”
Hartwin cocked his head to the side. “Zira, this war will be over before your people even know their country has been invaded. Eat, rest. When you are back to health, we will talk more.”
As Hartwin left, I picked up one of the sandwiches on the plate and started chewing. Managing five bites, I slumped down beneath the covers and fell asleep.
ChapterTwelve
When my eyes opened next, the room was full of light. Lifting my head, I was a little dazed when I saw the bedroom doors wide open. "Hartwin," I murmured.
Erhaird jumped up from the couch and was at the door quickly. "Princess. Hartwin is sleeping. Let me just call the medic; he has been waiting for you to wake. Already been back three times to check on you." Erhaird pulled his comms from his pocket and hit a button. "Ellery, the princess is awake."
Dropping my head to the pillow, I groaned. "I slept too long. Someone should have woken me." I felt lousy and absolutely devoid of even enough energy to sit up in bed.
