“Bring her. Now.”
Morena arrived within the hour, smuggled into the castle through a servants’ entrance to avoid attention. She was older than I expected. Silver-haired, with eyes that seemed to look right through you, seeing things others couldn’t. The kind of presence that suggested she’d seen horrors that would break lesser beings and emerged stronger for it.
“You need me to check someone for magical influence?” she asked without preamble. No pleasantries. No small talk. No bowing or “Your Highness” nonsense.
I appreciated that. Finally, someone who didn’t waste time.
“My mate. She’s in the healer’s quarters. Someone has threatened her life, and we need to know if she’s been cursed.”
Morena studied my face for a long moment. Whatever she saw there made her nod. “Take me to her.”
The walk to the healer’s quarters was tense. I led the way, Morena following, my parents and Patt bringing up the rear. My wolf paced inside me, anxious to see Riley again even though I knew she didn’t want to see me.
When we arrived, Thessa met us at the door.
“She’s resting,” Thessa said, her gaze moving to the witch with obvious curiosity. “Finally asleep. Took forever to calm her down. What’s going on?”
“Someone is threatening her life. We need to check for curses. Quietly. Don’t wake her.”
Thessa’s face went pale. “Curses? What the hell...”
“Later. Let us in.”
Riley was asleep when we entered. She was curled on her side, one hand resting protectively over her stomach even in sleep. Her face was tear-streaked, exhausted. Dark circles under her eyes. She looked fragile in a way that made my chest clench, made my wolf whine with the need to protect her.
I wanted to go to her. To brush the hair from her face, gather her in my arms and hold her until she woke and tell her everything was going to be okay.
But she didn’t want me near her. Even unconscious, her body was angled away from where I stood. My mate had excellent instincts for avoiding me, apparently.
So I stayed back and watched from across the room, aching.
Morena approached the bed slowly, carefully, making no sound. She held her hands above Riley’s form, closed her eyes, and went still. The air around her seemed to shimmer slightly, magic I couldn’t see but could feel pressing against my senses.
Minutes passed. Long, agonizing minutes. I barely breathed. None of us did.
Finally, Morena stepped back. Her expression was unreadable.
“Well?” I demanded, keeping my voice low but unable to hide the urgency.
“There’s no magical signature on her. No curse, no hex, no enchantment of any kind.” Morena shook her head. “Whatever threat she’s facing, it isn’t magical.”
Relief and frustration warred in my chest. Not a curse. That was good. But then...
“If it’s not magic,” my father said slowly, “how could her fate be in someone’s hands?”
We all looked at each other, minds racing. The note’s words echoed in my head. Her fate is in my hands.
“Poison,” Elspeth said suddenly.
Everyone turned to her.
“Poison,” she repeated, and the word sent ice down my spine. “If someone has been poisoning her slowly, gradually, they would control when she dies. Whether she dies. Her fate would literally be in their hands. They could give her the antidote or let her suffer.”
Dread pooled in my stomach. Someone had been poisoning my pregnant mate.
“Poison.”
The word echoed through the room. Hung in the air. Made everything suddenly, horribly clear.
