Page 28 of Ruling the Green

“Unless someone dosed her?” Jet asked. “Could someone have put it in the water?”

“Bellhush has a very distinct floral taste. I think she would have noticed. Did you?”

I shook my head.

“Not even in the food?” Jet pressed. Another head shake. “Then how?” he asked Vishen.

“We didn’t drug prisoners with their food or drink,” Vishen said. “A needle prick is just as effective without someone being able to spit it out.”

A needle prick.

I shot off the bed, drawing the men’s attention.

“What? What is it?” Jet asked.

I pointed at my thigh. Because I’d felt a prick when the servants had brought the buckets of water up. I thought it was sharp wood. But what if it wasn’t the bucket at all, but a needle?

I yanked up the side of the tunic and stabbed a finger at the spot.

Jet lowered down, turning me toward the small bit of light still coming through the window.

“Looks like a possible needle prick to me.” He looked over at Vishen. “One of the servants.”

“Yeah,” Vishen said, eyes darkening. “I’ll get on that. Until then, I think it would be wise for one of us to be glued to her day and night. Or have her locked away somewhere so no one can get to her.”

“You’re still working on getting her a guard, right?”

“Right. I’m leaning toward someone fresh out of the academy. A woman, maybe. In my experience, they’re more observant. And harder to corrupt.”

“Sounds good to me. And she could go places a male guard might not be able to. As soon as you can with that.”

“Will do. Okay. Serin. These drugs will wear off by tomorrow afternoon, so long as you stay clear of anyone who isn’t us.”

I nodded.

“Then we can figure out what is going on with her,” Jet said. “Look how pale she is.”

“Yeah. And the sleeping on top of the body aches. Everything seems to be getting worse.”

“How about something to eat?” Jet asked. “Then maybe try to rest again. Seems like you might need it.”

I’d barely been awake ten minutes, but my eyes already felt heavy again. But if it was possible to sleep through the pain, dehydration, and discomfort until I could wake up and speak to them, that was what I wanted.

So that was what I did.

With a fire raging and Jet pulling me tight when the shivers racked my system and silent cries moved through me as the pain intensified.

And then, thankfully, oblivion.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jet

“She still sleeping?” I asked Vishen, who’d run to check on Serin while I had another tense discussion with my father.

“Yes. Knight is glued to her, and I re-locked the door when I left. Hopefully, she can talk to us when she wakes up.”

“Yeah. I’m glad to have a name, at least. But we need to be able to speak to her.”