Alaric frowns at his empty hand before addressing Delphine. “Is there a problem with that?”
“No, forgive me, Your Highness.” Delphine bows and backs toward the solarium door. “My business can wait.”
But her puffy red eyes and shuddering breaths tell a different story.
“Delphine, wait! What’s wrong?” I call. Seeing me with Alaric clearly surprised her, but that couldn’t possibly be what’s making her so upset.
Delphine doesn’t answer or slow, and when I jump to follow her, Alaric’s frown deepens. Who leaves a prince alone in the dirt to chase after a maid?
I’m navigating this all wrong—offending them both—but I don’t have a clue how to juggle so many tenuous alliances.
I catch Delphine by the shoulder before she disappears into my chamber. “Tell me what’s going on.Please,” I beg.
Delphine casts a wary glance back at Alaric before quietly uttering,“It’s Cloudia. She’s taken a turn. I’ve never seen her this bad. I’m worried she’s going to—to—” Delphine crumples to her knees, and I awkwardly collapse with her, trying to break her fall. “I need you to come see her.” She squeezes my hands painfully tight. “There must be something you can do, some herb or poultice you haven’t tried?”
I nod, even as I mentally comb through the inventory of herbs I’ve grown these past weeks—all the failed remedies. I’m not a healer, and I’m out of new seeds. Out of ideas.
Except for one. There’soneplant we haven’t tried. The same plant I just so happened to cultivate with Alaric.
I look back at the tall stalks of bagrava, heavy with fruit.
It feels wrong to even consider disobeying Earth Mother by administering bagrava to Cloudia, but if bagrava tea can soothe Queen Tessa and her courtiers without driving them mad, perhaps a small dosage might be able to calm Cloudia too. It may not cure her illness, but it might offer a little relief. Surely, Earth Mother would be willing to overlook my disobedience this once, since it’s a matter of life and death? Especially if I beg her forgiveness and serve her with perfect devotion going forward.
To my surprise, it isn’t Earth Mother who condones or rejects my decision.
It’s Rowenna.
You need to stay focused, Indira! You can’t flit off to help a worthless maid and her sick sister when Alaric is finally opening up.
Her use of the wordworthlessmakes me bristle. Just because she and Delphine didn’t get along, it hardly makes Delphine worthless. And who’s to say I can’t do both? Alaric revealed so much just now. I don’t want to press too hard and make him suspicious.
Careful, sister, or I’ll growsuspicious of yourpriorities, Rowenna whispers darkly.
“Who’s Cloudia?” Alaric asks, bringing me back. “And what’s the matter with her?”
Delphine casts me a terrified look, and I scramble to explain in away that won’t put Cloudia in more danger. The last thing I want is for Soren to take an interest in Cloudia’s strange illness and separate the sisters thanks to my “help.”
“Cloudia is Delphine’s younger sister,” I say. “She’s been ill recently, so I’ve been making simple remedies for her.”
“Thisis the friend you’ve been helping with your herbs?” Alaric asks with a note of surprise. “Your maid?”
Delphine tries to shrink back, but I clasp her hand and force her to remain at my side. “Yes. She’s been helping me, so I’m helping her. Do you take issue with that?” I raise my chin defiantly.
Alaric studies us for a long beat before shaking his head. “No, actually. I find it oddly refreshing.”
I’m certain he’s being sardonic, and I wait for him to mock me and forbid me from going to Cloudia, but he continues watching Delphine and me with curiosity rather than contempt.
“Does this mean I’m allowed to leave the palace to go to her?” I cautiously ask. “And may I take a bit of bagrava?”
Alaric tilts his head back and laughs, making Delphine and me jump. “Nowyou’re concerned with asking for my permission to sneak out?”
“This is different—” I start to say, but surprisingly, Alaric reaches for my satchel, which was propped against the planting bed, and holds it out. “The bagrava doesn’t belong to me—as you so love to remind me. Take whatever you need.”
Our fingers brush as I take the strap, and I feel it again: that sudden jolt of electricity. The tickle of his stare dances across my skin as I pluck a few ripe bagrava and stuff them into the satchel. I still can’t believe he’s allowing this. There must be a catch, some angle of attack I’m missing. But then I think of the feel of his hands atop mine in the dirt, the buzzing silver button he willingly shared.
“Ready?” Delphine asks.
I nod and hurry toward the door, eager to get away from the unsettling swooping in my stomach. But before we slip out, Alaric clears histhroat.
