Mohan glanced down the hall in both directions: empty. He neared the door, hesitated then opened it. Ilythra sat on a chair before the fire and didn’t react when he approached. I’m actually sneaking up on her? This is not the same woman who caught me attempting to steal her horse. Something was very wrong, or she would have heard him by now.
She stared into the flames, seemingly without seeing anything.
“Ilythra?”
She looked over her shoulder but didn’t stand, her eyes widening. “Mohan. What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” he echoed.
“I’m...I...I’m resting. It’s been a busy day.” Dark smudges shadowed vacant eyes. Her skin was pale.
“You’re marrying the king?”
“Yes. I’m getting married.” A moment of confusion flashed across her eyes.
Mohan drew closer. She’d lost weight. She appeared almost frail and delicate. “Ilythra. Something is wrong with you.”
“Why would you say that?”
He put his finger on the biggest change. The energy, the vitality that had surrounded Ilythra was gone. “Why are you getting married?”
“Because I want to get married, have children.” There was no emotion in her voice.
“Why are you being guarded?”
She waved her hand to fend off the questions. “No. Erhard is keeping me safe.”
“Ilythra, he wants you a prisoner.”
“No. I chose to stay here. It was...it was my choice.” Her voice was dreamlike, without emotion.
He swallowed hard. She sounded too much like Tarak for his liking. “We’re getting out of here now.” Mohan grabbed her by the shoulders.
Slowly, Ilythra shook her head side to side.
Mohan sniffed. Was it...no, not the same he’d smelled in his brother’s room, and not what he’d smelled in Ilythra’s room before, either. Similar but stronger. He peered into Ilythra’s face then down her body. Light flashed close to her ears, and everything coalesced in his head at once. “Those ear things, where did you get them?”
“They were a gift.”
“A poisoned gift.” He spat the words.
“From a man who loves me.” Her speech became methodical. She was repeating something she’d been told.
“Does he?”
“Is that so hard for you to believe?” Her voice caught, took on a pleading tone.
Mohan rubbed his temples with his fingers. “No, Ilythra, it isn’t.” He shook his head. He was doing this all wrong. “They have some kind of fragrance in them, right?”
Ilythra nodded.
“Do you have only one pair?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then at least pour it out and fill them with something else.”
Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Why?”
“You asked me once if I trusted you. Now I’m asking you to trust me.”
Ilythra looked at him; her eyes were dull and framed by dark circles. She hesitated. “Okay.” Ilythra removed the ear things, poured a glass of water from a pitcher and washed them, making sure they were empty before dropping them into bowl. “Happy?”
“No. I won’t be happy until you’re safe with me.” He reached for her shoulders. “I can’t stay long. Don’t tell anyone you saw me and as soon as I leave, please, fill those things with lavender oil or something else.” The memory of the servant scuttling out of Ilythra’s room flashed through his head. He tightened his grip on Ilythra’s shoulders. “This is important. Don’t let them out of your sight.”
“Why?”
“Trust me.” He infused his voice with as much urgency as he could. She had to listen to him.
“Why are you doing this?” Her voice remained with inflection.
“Because, because I...because you’re my friend.”
Ilythra blinked.
“Open the window in your room. Let in the air,” Mohan continued. “Please do it for me.”
The first hint of alarm rippled across her irises.
Damn it, he didn’t have time to capitalize on it. “Do as I ask. I’ll be back. I promise.”
Ilythra nodded. “It was good to see you again, Mohan. I missed you. But I think it’s dangerous for you here.”
The lack of emotion in her voice tore his heart. Dangerous for him? She was like a puppet, but who was pulling her strings? “I’ve missed you too. You’ll do as I say?”
A half smile played with her lips then faded. “Yes.”
* * *
Ilythra retrieved her medicine pouch and selected a vial of lavender oil. She removed the earrings from the small bowl. They really were pretty and ingeniously designed to hold the fragrance without spilling. She turned them in her hand. How to get the oil inside without making a mess? It was a shame, since she loved the original fragrance. Then a thought hit her with force. Who created the fragrance?
Anxiety increased her stomach’s churning and a headache began to form behind her eyes. Maybe there was something to Mohan’s claims after all. No. He was being silly. She didn’t know why he’d said what he had, but filling the earrings with her own fragrance couldn’t hurt anything. After a slight hesitation, she daubed a drop of lavender oil on her temples, behind her ears and at the base of her skull to stem the headache.
She went to the bed and laid out her pillow then looked around until she spotted a thin straw on the floor, probably left by a broom. After inserting its end into the ear gem, Ilythra let oil slide along its length. A few drops spilled onto the pillow, but she’d counted on that. The lavender would help her sleep, and she was tired. Her task completed, she placed the earrings by her bed, did a double take and scooped them back up again. There had been a small blue S on one of the earrings. She remembered because no one here knew her name was Sara, and she’d found the coincidence significant. She turned them over and over. No S. If these were not hers, where were they, and who took them?
Her mind felt sluggish and dull. Ilythra moved to the window and breathed the cool air. Should she be afraid? Her mind told her yes, but she didn’t feel anything. Not fear, not alarm, not even joy to see Mohan again. Ilythra moved back to her medicine pouch to look for some dill or cloves to throw on the fire and clear the air. From a pocket, she retrieved a piece of osha root.
The door opened again, and Cassia walked through with a steaming cup on a tray. “I thought some tea would help you sleep.” She set down the tray. “What are you doing?”
“Finding something for my headache.” Why do I feel guilty?
“Oh.” Cassia nodded. “Do you need anything else?”
“No. Just rest.”
She nodded again and moved toward the chair.
“Cassia, please, I’m just going to sleep. I’ll be fine here alone.”
“But if you need—”
“I won’t. I’ll be sleeping. Please, sleep in your own bed tonight.” Ilythra focused on the concern in the girl’s eyes, wondering if the flicker of annoyance had been real or if she imagined it.
“Yes, milady.” Cassia curtsied and left the room.
Ilythra paused as the door closed, remembering what Mohan had said about the guards not being there as protectors but because she was a prisoner. If that was so, and he’d been right so far, what about Cassia? Was she her jailer too?
* * *
Ilythra walked slowly up the staircase toward her room, Cassia trailing close behind. She’d almost begun to think Mohan’s visit had been a dream. When had it become so hard to concentrate? Her headache had not eased, and sleep had been far from her all night. She’d thought a walk would ease her mind, but every step had echoed inside her head and now she just wanted to go back to her room and rest.
“Lady Ilythra?”
Konrad stood at the foot of th
e stairs.
He closed the distance. “More wedding gifts have arrived. Shall I send them to your chamber?”
Ilythra waved her hand. “Put them with the rest, in Erhard’s rooms.”
Konrad’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve also received several couriers with acceptance cards.”
“Send them up. I’ll go over them with Lucin later.” Ilythra began back up the stairs.
“Milady?”
Ilythra turned.
The steward’s hands moved together restlessly. “If I might be so bold, are you well?”
“A headache. I’m going to my rooms. Can you see to it that no one disturbs me?”
His eyes narrowed as he examined her. “Certainly.” With a nod, he retreated across the hall.
Cassia drew closer. “Milady, I will see that no one disturbs you.”
Ilythra turned to Cassia. “Thank you, but I need you to make sure Lucin gets all the cards and that there are no problems.”
“Surely, Lady Lucin—”
“Yes, but I trust you.” Ilythra attempted to focus on Cassia through the haze of the headache.
“As you will, milady. I’ll go as soon as I get you settled.”
Ilythra waved her hand, ceding the point, and continued to her room. By the time she reached her door, her stomach was queasy. But something was different; from time to time, she felt like she’d been asleep for a long time and was only now finally waking up.
Cassia opened the door and narrowed her eyes. “Are you feeling well?”
“No. I have a headache,” she snapped. Hadn’t she just told Konrad that? “Could you open the window?”
“The cold wind is not good for you.”
“I am old enough to determine what is good for me.” Irritation made her words sharp.
Cassia’s eyes narrowed but she moved to the window, throwing open the sash.
There it was again—annoyance, or cunning? “Thank you, Cassia.”
“You don’t seem yourself. Is everything okay?”
I need to think. “Yes. As I said, a headache. I’ll rest. Please let Erhard know I will not be down for dinner.”
Cassia stood staring at her. Her jaw clenched and unclenched. For a moment, Ilythra thought she would refuse to leave. She dropped into a short curtsy. “As you wish, milady. If you need anything, please call.”
“Yes.” Thank the gods. She wasn’t in the mood to spar with anyone.
* * *
“She’s acting strange.” Cassia paced before the fireplace.
Bredych leaned back in his chair. “How so?”
“She has a headache.”
Bredych raised an eyebrow. The girl was getting annoying. He’d have to do something about it.
“When I brought her tea, the room smelled like lavender.”
“A common cure for a headache, I assure you. Ilythra is, after all, a healer. And she will retain certain types of knowledge.”
“I know, but...” Cassia trailed off. “There was just something. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Was she wearing the earrings?”
“Yes.” Cassia’s head bobbed with her answer.
“Had she been anywhere alone?”
She seemed to consider. “No. Nowhere. I’ve made sure of it.”
The first seed of worry sprouted in Bredych’s mind. His mind ran through all the possibilities. Could she be showing another spike of resistance? He smiled. He’d just increase the dose. There was very little that could hinder, let alone stop his plan. He’d had a moment of worry when the damn horse showed up. Especially when Ilythra had claimed it before he could have the thing culled. But nothing had come of it. Perhaps the horse’s arrival was a fluke.
He rose and began to pace. And perhaps he’d sniffed a bit too much of the dacrite himself. He didn’t believe in flukes or coincidence. This required more thought. He was missing something. He turned to Cassia. “I’ll double her dose.” It would transform her into a puppet, but what else could he do? “But be on guard. There is no room for mistakes, especially yours.”
Fear swelled in Cassia’s eyes, her head bowed.
“Now leave me. I’ll have the new earrings for you tomorrow. Watch her as if your life depends up on it. It does. No going anywhere alone. Day after tomorrow, I will arrive at the castle as planned for the wedding. After that, nothing will stand in our way.”
* * *
A hand pressed her mouth. Ilythra struggled with the bed clothing and her unknown assailant, but she couldn’t shrug him off. Panic quickened her breathing and left her light-headed.
“Shh, it’s me.” Mohan’s voice came out of the gloom.
The pressure on her mouth eased.
“Do you believe me now?”
Ilythra nodded. His hand moved with her head, cool against her warm skin. She wanted to sink into it, disappear. “I’m beginning to think there is something wrong but I feel so...cloudy. Every time I try to concentrate, I can’t.”
“It’s the scent. It’s all over this place.” He tossed the coverlet and sheet back. “It’s all over these.” He grunted and opened the window. Cool air brushed her skin.
“That makes my head hurt.” Her stomach rolled.
“Probably a good thing. I think I know a way to get you out, but I need to find horses first.”
“Melior.” She breathed deeply through the pounding behind her temples.
“Who?”
“My horse...” He wanted to leave. Erhard, comfort, safety. “Mohan, are you sure?”
“Ilythra, trust me, this is a dangerous place for you.”
“Sometimes I believe you, and other times...” She shook her head and winced. “It’s peaceful here.”
Mohan snorted. “Where’s Tashi? I looked for her in the stables but—”
Wolves, blood, Tashi’s scream. “Tashi died.”
“I’m sorry.”
Tashi was dead. Gone. Why didn’t she feel anything? That, more than anything, convinced her something wasn’t right. She needed get away from the castle, just for a little while, just to think. Her eyelids grew heavy.
The Benai stared at her, his eyes wide with fear. Is he afraid for me? “Melior is a special horse. Give me something of yours, anything with your scent.”
Mohan rummaged around until he found his sash; even in the dim light, Ilythra could see it was bright yellow and green.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll find a way to set him free. Take him to wherever you need him.”
“He’ll come to me?”
Would he? Something told her yes. “I...I think so, yes.” She blinked back the weariness. If she could only sleep.
“What about another horse?”
“No. Mel is mine. I won’t have you stealing from Erhard. Wait outside the wall in the forest. Mel will find you.”
She heard Mohan sigh, felt a cool touch on her check and then he was gone.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Ilythra glanced behind her as she made her across the meadow. Cassia followed close behind. The outer walls of the castle loomed in the distance, stark against the blue of the sky. She knew the guards watched, from boredom if anything else, but they were far enough away that they couldn’t see details. At least, she hoped they couldn’t. It was obvious Cassia wasn’t at home on a horse and had only agreed to go riding with her when Ilythra threatened to go alone.
The lavender oil had eased but did not stop the pounding in her head. Ilythra touched the earrings dangling from her ears. She’d slept fitfully after Mohan left and checked, more than once, that the earrings were still under her pillow where she’d placed them. At first light, she inspected them again—still no little S. She’d begun to wonder if she’d imagined it. Worse, that she’d imagined Mohan appearing i
n her room.
An abundance of little yellow flowers caught her attention and she paused, watching the flowers bow to the gentle breeze. Ilythra dismounted and bent down to touch one, wincing as the pain in her head increased.
“Cassia, these are beautiful, don’t you think?”
The girl was trying to disentangle her foot from the stirrup, a look of pure loathing on her face. She glanced toward the flowers then behind her. “Yes. They are. Are you ready to go back now?”
“Why don’t you like to ride?” Ilythra asked.
“They don’t teach orphans to ride, milady. Are we done?”
“In a minute.” Ilythra moved, letting Melior’s bulk block her from Cassia’s sight, and pulled Mohan’s sash from her dress pocket. With a quick glance to Cassia and the guard along the walls, she held the sash up to Melior’s nostrils. “I hope you understand me,” she whispered. “Find this man. It’s important.” She felt a little foolish until she looked into Melior’s eyes. Dark brown irises contemplated her with seeming understanding. “This man, Melior,” she repeated and then put the sash back in her pocket. “Go.”
Melior reared, and Ilythra backpedaled but couldn’t keep her balance and landed on her rump. Melior reared again and shook his head, sending his mane flying. He’s putting on a show! Then the horse raced across the meadow. He stopped, scented the wind then adjusted his path, as she heard the first shout from the wall.
“Milady, are you okay?” Cassia stood, staring after the horse, shock on her face.
“Yes...yes.” Ilythra stood with her help.
“What happened?”
Ilythra turned toward the sound of hooves. Two guards advanced.
“Milady, are you injured?” One of the guards swung off his horse and approached.
“No. I’m fine.”
The guard gestured to his mounted companion to go after Melior.
“No. Let him go,” Ilythra said.
Both guards stared at her.
“He was always a little wild. Just let him go.” She fixed a sad smile to her mouth. “He probably has a mare out there somewhere.”
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