“Maybe he can teach you not to let a boy half your size get a knife to your throat,” the King continued coldly.
Maalik’s face turned thunderous, and he started to step back but the King stopped him.
“One more thing, Maalik,” he said. His fist flew out and struck the boy, sending him flying. Fast as a snake he was on Maalik, the boy’s face clenched in his hand. “Call me ‘Father’ again before you have earned that right and I will cut out your tongue.”
Maalik lay, pale and shaking for long moments after the King released him and returned to the throne. He dismissed us with a wave of his hand, and we were escorted out.
The Overseer locked me in the kennels after we were dismissed to keep Mitera or Erix from sneaking me food. It wasn’t much of a punishment because I’d already eaten. I’d been raised around the dogs, and fed them myself enough times that they didn’t bother me. They kept me warm that night.
The next morning saw Agnes receive her twelve lashes, and I made it through the day. While annoying, I’d endured far worse hunger and thirst in the past.
Mother was in the good graces of the King once more, it seemed, at least temporarily. He had his personal physician verify her pregnancy and treat her head wound. He sent her back to her chambers with new clothing for herself, Erix and I, as wellas a necklace of yellow diamonds, “The color of hope,” he said. “Hope thatthischild shall be an Elusian.”
The phrasing seemed odd to me. Did he think Erix and I wouldn’t be Elusian?
When I got back to our dark apartment Erix was seated at the kitchen table, already dismantling the necklace to sell the stones and setting.
“You okay?” he asked, looking up at me, his lower lip clenched between his teeth in concentration as he pried apart the necklace.
I nodded.
“Just thirsty,” I said, shrugging. “Where’s Mitera?”
“She’s laying down. The physician has said she requires bed rest if she is to hope to carry the babe to term,” he answered.
This drew a frown from me.
“You know she planned it, right?” I asked.
“Planned what?” he responded as he focused on the jewels.
“The story, the blood, the fainting spell. I think she planned it, then made it out worse than it actually was,” I said.
He shrugged.
“I’m not surprised,” he muttered and shrugged. “Whatever it takes to get him to leave her alone.”
I nodded thoughtfully as I gobbled down some cold chicken, cheese, and only slightly stale bread.
After eating my fill I stopped in the bedroom to see my mother. She was propped up on the bed, a new, warm-looking dressing gown around her shoulders as she stared listlessly across the room.
“Mitera?” I said hesitantly. She was pale, with a small bandage over her temple where Agnes’ blow had caught her.
“Elex,” she replied, rousing only slightly from her reverie. “How are you doing, my little defender?”
“Fine, now that I ate,” I answered as I sat on the edge of the bed. “How are you doing?”
She seemed to shrug.
“This one is making me sicker than either you two or your sister did, but the doctor said there is nothing to worry about,” she answered, her hand lying on her stomach. She didn’t really seem to look pregnant yet, but I guess women know these things.
“Is there anything you need?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“Nothing you can give me, my son,” she said.
A knock sounded on the apartment door, startling us all. We never had visitors.
