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"I did." Nyla touched my cheek. "Does he take care of you, child? He seems protective of you." When I nodded, she smiled. "Better a Cyran prince than a barbarian murderer."
"What's happening, Nyla?"
"Well, your companion is considering banishing me. Your uncle and cousin are on house arrest at your direction, and you were nearly comatose. I gave you a shot to bring you back." She smiled shyly. "Thank you for sending them, Princess. It's been too long that they have stayed away for your safety."
I imagined the reunion yesterday would have been emotional. "It was good to see them alive, but it's not what I meant, Nyla."
Pulling the sheet down, Nyla placed her hand over my womb. "You learn quickly, child."
* * *
"You disobeyed a direct order!"Luther yelled at Ellery as I opened the door to the outer quarters. I'd bathed, dressed, and eaten lunch, but the fight was still going. Everyone stopped when I stepped into the room.
"Medic Ellery, thank you for sending Medic Nyla. She needs to return home to brew some specific medicine for my condition. If you could accompany her out of residence, she will advise you on what care I'll require until I'm well again." Turning my gaze on Luther, I sighed. "Prince Saboa, I believe you wanted to talk? I think we have much to discuss."
Luther was angry; that much was perfectly clear from the way his shoulders were rolled forward to the clench of his fist. When he stepped forward aggressively, I raised a hand to stop his words. "Luther, I'm not well."
It was the first time I'd addressed my companion informally in front of others. Everyone acknowledged my slip with either shock, raised brows of curiosity, or amusement.
"If Ellery didn't call Nyla when he did, I may not have been well enough for Nyla to help by the time you relented. Be grateful for his sense, fine him for his disobedience, and let it go. Nyla is not the enemy. Once she has seen me through this illness and shown Medic Ellery how to care for my kind, I have released Nyla to return to her companion's side, should she wish to."
"You are joined?" Ellery asked, surprised.
"To my Uncle Ravid," I answered while Nyla nodded. "They have stayed apart to protect me. Luther, I will explain, but in private."
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Luther stepped back, sweeping his arm out towards his office. "I will hear you out, Zira. Medic Ellery, attend to Medic Nyla, then return here. Medic Nyla, thank you for your care to the princess."
Nyla curtsied and followed Ellery out of the quarters. Walking into Luther's office, I took the seat at his desk without asking. Luther closed the door. When he observed my occupancy of his chair, he moved to stand by the window overlooking the city proper. "How sick are you?"
"I won't die and should return to full health in a matter of months if I get the care I need."
"Which Nyla can provide?"
"Yes. She will teach Ellery simultaneously for the future."
"So, you will not make a full recovery if she expects you to need future care for the same ailment?"
"With any luck, I shouldn't get this sick again. It was my ignorance that led to me being this ill this time."
Luther looked over his shoulder at me with a raised brow. "Ignorance of what?"
"My people's abilities."
He looked back out the window as if considering. "But you will be healthy and able to bear healthy children when the time comes?"
I smiled. "Yes, Luther. I…"
"Good," he cut me off, turning to face me. "Let us talk. Hartwin was enraged when he contacted me yesterday and informed me of you putting yourself between your guard and two Avalonian men who arrived unannounced."
"I know Ravid, Luther. I know they would not betray me, and for their safety, they could not give you pre-warning to their arrival."
"Why their safety?"
"Luther, Ravid is the leader of the rebellion. If the Barbarian knows where Ravid will be, he will do everything he can to have him assassinated. Here, he could get two for the price of one. As for Nyla, she was never based in the palats because we weren't. She was still at my parent's estate when we were taken. She raised the alarm, and it was my uncle's men and my parents who rescued me. He sent Nyla with us to keep her safe and make sure I recovered from my… capture.
"Luther, Ravid is the reason the people will let my heir retake the throne. He has effectively kept the Barbarian from taking full control. If you are going to war with Avalonia, you are going to need Ravid on your side. Everyone who isn't a barbarian in Avalonia follows my uncle. He came to offer an alliance. He knows that after the assassination attempts, you'll have no choice but to declare war."
Listening quietly, Luther considered me for several moments after I finished talking. Taking the blood-stained pouch from his pocket as he moved towards me, Luther upended the die into his hands, casting them over the desk in front of me. Studying them for a moment, Luther finally bobbed his head. "I will give your uncle audience this afternoon."
