Page 83 of Somber Prince

The Head Councilor followed me to the door of my private dining room.

“What can I tell the emissary of Princess Alzali, Your Highness?”

Fighting the raiders of Sumakis proved difficult. A week after leaving Teneris, Alzali sent for help. Giving her what she was asking for would severely weaken the defenses of Teneris, which I couldn’t allow.

“I’m not changing my answer, Head Councilor,” I said firmly, stopping at the doors. “Alzali gets half the number of warriors she’s asked for and not a single person more. Instead of wasting her time pestering me for more than I can give, she could’ve asked the queen for reinforcements. She’s had enough time for that.”

I was confident in my decision, especially since the reports from Oskura about the campaign sounded far more optimistic than Alzali’s gloomy messages full of grave predictions of doom. I trusted Oskura and her experience far more than anything coming from my cousin.

“Half,” I repeated resolutely. “That’s all she gets.”

“But Your Highness—” The Head Councilor made a move to follow me into the dining room, but that’d be an intrusion I couldn’t suffer.

I placed a hand on the man’s bejeweled chest, stopping him in his tracks.

“We’ll reconvene our discussion after the midnight meal if you so wish, my lord.” I all but shoved the Head Councilor out, entered the room, then shut the doors behind me.

The servants were setting dishes on the table and arranging the cushions for both Dawn and me. Except that Dawn wasn’t at the table. Normally, she’d be here, waiting for me already. The sight of her smiling face always made the world seem like a better place.

“Where is my Joy Vessel?”

Before anyone could give me an answer, the exit door swung open again. With irritation bursting through my chest, I whipped around, ready to teach a lesson to the obnoxious Head Councilor who’d obviously forgotten his place.

Instead of him, however, the Joy Vessel Keeper Sigid entered the room. He carried a large basket filled with clean, gauzy material. A leather water bag was tucked under his arm.

I’d sensed the ease with which Dawn held herself around this particular man. They must’ve become friendly back in the sarai. So, I’d assigned Sigid as Dawn’s personal Keeper. Now, this man’s only task was to make sure Dawn was comfortable and in need of nothing.

“Where is Dawn?” I demanded. As her personal Keeper, Sigid was the best man to answer this question.

“She asked to be excused from sharing the meal today, Your Highness. She isn’t feeling well.”

Alarm sliced through me like a blade.

“What happened? Is she in her bedroom?”

Sigid confirmed with a nod, and I pivoted to the staircase that led to the lower level, then rushed down three stairs at a time.

Dawn was hurt. How? Why? Who dared touch her? There was no time to question the Keeper. I had to see her myself.

I barged into her bedroom without knocking.

“Rha?” Dawn was sitting in her bed.

My throat all but closed with worry at the sight of her. Why was she still in bed? She had a light beige robe on over her sleeping gown. Her golden-yellow hair was pulled back with a tie.

She was not smiling. And that fact disturbed me more than anything.

“What happened?” I dropped to my knees by her bed and grabbed her hand. She squeezed my fingers gently, but her other hand was already outstretched toward Sigid.

“Oh, you’re a savior, Sigid.” She practically moaned when the Keeper handed her the water bag. Sliding it under the covers, she pressed it to her stomach and collapsed back into the pillows. “Better already.” She rolled her head to face me. “Sorry, I’ll have to miss our lunch today. It’s that time of the month, you know? The first day is always the worst for me. Tomorrow should be better.”

Her explanation was completely lost on me.

What was she talking about?

Desperate to know how she was feeling, I let out my tendrils and slid them up her arms toward her leilathas.

“Oh no.” She brushed with her hands, swatting the tendrils away. “Trust me, darling, you don’t want to feel this. Cramps are nasty.”

---