Zephyr zeroed in on the sickest girl first. She was alone on a cot, her mom on the floor while she held the little girl’s hand.
Zephyr lurched toward her like he didn’t have a choice, taking her mom’s hand and pulling her up as the haggard woman rose to greet us.
“Palace Healers,” Marion explained. “His Royal Highness, the Prince Rafael is here in the flesh. These are his personal Healers, here to help us.”
The mother of the sick girl deflated with relief. “Thank the prophet,” she murmured. I narrowed my eyes at that. She looked atZephyr in desperation. “Please help her. I don’t know how much more her body can take.”
Zephyr’s hands were already moving across the girl’s sickeningly pale torso, resting on her stomach. The girl barely stirred from his cold hands. The mom stood at the bedside, hands over her heart, nervously looking on.
‘Thank the prophet.’
What the fuck was that about?
I cleared my throat, and the mother looked at me while Zephyr continued to work.
“The prophet?” I asked politely. The mother’s eyes widened before she looked past me to Marion, who was very carefully pretending she hadn’t heard. “Forgive me,” I said quickly. “I was just curious. I study history, so…”
The mother relaxed. “Oh,” she chuckled nervously before looking at her daughter. “Sorry, we’re just used to judgement.”
“You’ll find none of that here,” Zephyr said, keeping his focus on the little girl. “His Royal Highness is accepting of all beliefs.”
I barely held back my eyebrow raise of surprise. That was…a really good response.
“I had no idea,” the mother said, rubbing her hands together nervously. “The Princess hasn’t visited, so I…”
I nodded. “Prince Rafael is not his mother.”
The mother looked past me, again to Marion, who was now nodding in agreement, and I didn’t think it was forced.
“The tempest,” the mother said shakily. “She was too much for us. I expected the prophet to save us, but he didn’t step in.”
“Mother nature is a force to be reckoned with,” Zephyr commented lightly.
The mother only pursed her lips and nodded.
“Does the prophet visit often?” I asked.
The mother shook her head. “No. We aren’t the most devout of his followers. I’ve been trying to get us moved elsewhere, like the West Coast or the Gulf, but my requests have been denied.”
Zephyr stiffened at the same moment I did. Even Marion’s silence somehow turned more grim.
Rafe,I reached out, my voice a little shaky.
What is it?He came back immediately.
This is a commune.
I know?His reply was irritated.
No, it’s one of theCrusader’scommunes. This woman just called him a prophet.
Holy fucking fuck,Rafe replied.I can see it everywhere now that you’ve mentioned it.
Where’s Skye?I asked.
Don’t make me laugh, she’s the safest person in this camp.
Well–
