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Tyran’s wings shifted. “That’s not what I heard. Or did you forget this door is monitored as well as guarded? Dr. Clark, Healers A’Nir and Vana, thank you for coming so quickly. This way.”
He turned and walked away from the guards without another word.
All three of them followed, none daring to break the silence until the door was once again sealed behind them.
“What in the six winds of Scera was that about?” Tariq asked.
“Power,” Tyran spoke without looking back. “The games of court have started in earnest, and so far, I have not been able to stamp them out. Braxon wants to banish anyone who tries to play these foolish games. I’m starting to think he’s right.”
They walked in silence again, aware that even inside the prince’s private space, it wasn’t safe to speak about some matters. It wasn’t until they reached his personal chambers, where no one but his most trusted servants had access, that they could talk without risk.
“What are her symptoms?” Tariq asked, his tone warm yet professional.
“She’s in labor!” the mask of leadership fell away and Jody looked at a male racked with worry for his love and their unborn child.
“Are you sure?” Sulat asked.
“Of course we’re not sure! But she’s in pain and her stomach moves in the strangest ways.”
Jody waited for one of the others to reassure Tyran, but no one spoke, not even to ask more questions. Instead, all of them looked at her for answers. “How much pain is she in? Is it coming at regular intervals?” she asked.
“She says it’s uncomfortable, but she also said that when her cranial implants conflicted with a Vardarian translator and the headaches caused her to pass out.” Tyran looked equally frustrated and adoring for a moment. “As you can imagine, we do not trust her to admit when she is in pain.”
“Understandable.” Jody nodded and then prompted him to answer her second question. “Is there a rhythm to these cramps?”
“I…” he scowled, suddenly looking much younger. “I don’t know.”
To her surprise, Tariq walked over and set a hand on the prince’s shoulder, his expression one of compassion and understanding she’d never seen him wear before. “Your mahaya will be fine. We’re here, and we’ll work together to take care of her.” He turned his gaze to her, and she basked in the unexpected warmth in his eyes. “You have the best team of healers on the planet.”
Team of healers. Did he really think of her that way, or was this all a show for Tyran’s benefit? She cast the unkind thought aside the moment it popped into her mind. For this moment, at least, that’s how he saw them. Saw her. As one of the team.
Maybe this evening wasn’t a total disaster after all.
“I know, but this is…” the prince grimaced with worry before mustering a smile. “I am grateful you are here, Dr. Clark. You came highly recommended, and I know you already have Phaedra’s trust. Come, I will take you to her.”
“Is it safe to do that?” With the threats against Phaedra and her baby, the princess had been in hiding for as long as Jody had been on the planet. Most of their appointments were done by video conferencing while a medical bot ran the tests and examinations. Not even Rae had access to the royal consort. The construct had been hacked once already, nearly killing someone. They couldn’t risk it.
Jody had only seen Phaedra a few times in person, and that had involved a great deal of secrecy, undisclosed locations, and the occasional use of untraceable shuttles.
“Quite safe.” The prince walked over to an alcove and twisted the top, or maybe it was the head of an abstract sculpture.
Across the room, another alcove with a matching statue rotated, leaving a narrow opening. “This way.”
From the expressions on her companions’ faces, neither of them was aware of the secret door either.
“Where are we going? Another shuttle port?” Sulat asked.
“Nothing so complicated this time.” Tyran passed through the door and gestured for them to follow, his motions more urgent now.
Once they were all in the narrow but brightly lit corridor, Tyran tapped a keypad and the door closed behind them. “You see, Phaedra has returned to the palace.”
Tariq chuckled. “I wondered how you could stay away from your mahaya for so long. It isn’t in our nature, especially when they are carrying our offspring. I found it difficult to let Raenia out of my sight for more than a few minutes.”
“And it infuriated her,” Sulat added.
Sulat lifted both wings before resettling them against his back. “I was not the only one who hovered. As I recall, she threatened to throw us both out of our bed if we didn’t give her more space.”
The friendly banter between the two healers was intended to ease the prince’s worries or at least distract him for a time. It seemed to work.
