She was the first one who had asked. The other doctors had inspected her and prodded her, but none of them had askedherwhat was wrong. Bisma was clearly practiced, and she was so gentle that all of a sudden, tears sprang into Sonya’s eyes.
‘Dear me,’ Xander said, eyes widening. Bisma glanced at Xander, and he gave Sonya a kind smile. ‘I’ll take that as my cue to go. Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘Bisma is the best there is.’
He left, leaving the girls alone. Bisma reached for Sonya’s hand. ‘Would you like to tell me?’ she asked. ‘I think I have an idea, already.’
‘Is it so obvious?’ Sonya asked, sounding absolutely miserable.
Bisma’s lips twitched. ‘I have more sisters than I can count. I know a thing or two about afflictions of the heart.’
Tears fell from Sonya’s eyes. ‘Is it possible to die from a broken heart?’
Bisma frowned. ‘It is, but you won’t,’ she said. ‘We will fix this.’
‘How?’ Sonya asked.
‘Why don’t you start from the beginning?’
Sonya told Bisma everything, about falling in love with Azam, his betrayal, and then his distant behavior ever since she arrived at the castle. ‘He won’t speak to me,’ she said. ‘I know he cares for me still, but if he won’t speak to me, how will anything be salvaged?’
Bisma released a sigh. ‘Love is difficult,’ she said. ‘I won’t pretendlike it isn’t. And sometimes love must be tested before it can be true. Do not let difficulty deter you.’
Sonya sighed. ‘Perhaps I am meant to marry one of the suitors. It seems as though that is what Azam wants for me. But how can I marry any of them?’
Bisma touched the gold band on her left hand; it was shaped like vines and held an emerald in the center.
‘You can’t marry anyone unless you love them wholeheartedly,’ Bisma said.
‘Do you love Xander wholeheartedly?’ Sonya asked.
Bisma smiled, pure and genuine. ‘I do. He is ridiculous and he drives me mad, but I love him as dearly as I love anything or anyone. He is the very best person I know.’ Her voice dropped. ‘But don’t tell him I said that. Lord knows his head is big enough already.’ That made Sonya smile. Bisma squeezed her hand. ‘I’m going to make you a potion and I’ll leave it with your maid. Drink it, and you should start feeling better by the evening. So long as you do not give up.’
Sonya nodded. She did not want to give up, and she wouldn’t. She was strong.
Bisma took her leave then, and while it was nice speaking with her, Sonya desperately missed Winnie. She hadn’t received a response to the letter she had sent her, nor to the one she had sent Kiri. Perhaps Kiri was angry with her for not telling her the truth, but why hadn’t Winnie replied?
Before Sonya could think on the matter further, she dozed off, tired from talking with Bisma. She woke a little while later when Elspeth brought up the potion Bisma had made for her. It was bright pink and tasted like raspberries. After she drank it, she fell asleep immediately and didn’t stir until evening.
When Sonya woke, she felt revitalized. She had the maids draw her a bath, and after having her hair washed and putting on fresh clothes, she felt much better. She wrote a letter of thanks to Bisma, and that reminded her about the letter she had sent Winnie.
She spoke with Irfan, asking him if any response had arrived, and he promised to look into it. After dinner, he came by her room, holding up two letters.
‘Are those for me?’ she asked, gasping. She went to him by the doorway.
Irfan nodded. ‘Celeste had them. She claimed that she had forgotten to give them to you, but I suspect she may have held on to them on purpose.’
Sonya’s face broke, anger bursting through her, and Irfan squeezed her shoulder. ‘Don’t fret. It won’t happen again, I’ll make sure of it.’
Sonya nodded. She took the letters from Irfan, but before she could read the already opened letter, Elspeth appeared from the hallway.
‘Your Royal Highness, let’s take a walk down to the kitchens,’ Elspeth said. ‘I think the fresh air will do you good.’
Sonya furrowed her brow. If she needed fresh air, she had a balcony. She glanced at Irfan, smiling at him, and he left. Sonya took a step toward Elspeth.
‘Now? But—’ Sonya started, but something on Elspeth’s face made her pause.
There was something afoot. She nodded, putting the letters in her pocket before following Elspeth down to the kitchens. While she was feeling better, she was still weak, and the walk had her breathless.
‘Elspeth, what is it?’ Sonya asked, voice low.
