Page 54 of The Prison Healer

Anxious sweat was dotting Kiva’s forehead as the Warden approached, but he didn’t even look at her as he passed by and left the stables altogether, so she turned her gaze to Naari. The guard was watching her closely, as if she could see her nervous tension, so Kiva forced herself to relax. The effort proved in vain when Naari spoke.

“Who’s your friend?”

Panic assailed Kiva, her mind screaming at her to think quickly, to explain that she had no idea what Naari was talking about, that she’d never met Raz before today. But then the guard reached out and petted the horse’s face, and the breath left Kiva as realization hit her.

“Uh, yes. She’s lovely,” Kiva croaked, having no idea if the horse was male or female. She felt the mud coating her hand—mud she’d used to write her note—and held it up, adding, “Dirty, though. She needs a good clean.”

“You’re a mess,” Naari observed. She then shook her head and said, “Let’s head out before the rain picks up again.” Under her breath, she added, “Or before Rooke changes his mind about letting us go.”

Kiva blinked with surprise, realizing the Warden must have been arguing with Naari about their task. Perhaps she should have spoken with Rooke herself, sharing how concerned she was about the spreading sickness. But if she had, she wouldn’t have had a chance to write to her family. If Naari was willing to fight Kiva’s battles, then Kiva was more than happy to let her.

Kiva didn’t dare look back at Raz as she left the stables. But she mentally willed him to send her message as fast as possible, hoping her family would reply just as swiftly. Hoping they would sense her urgency. Hoping they wouldcome.

Chapter Sixteen

The rain stopped completely as Kiva and Naari continued their walk to the quarry, passing the vegetable plantation and the wheat farm, but it returned to a light drizzle when they were trekking past the pigs and poultry. It took great self-discipline not to pause at all the places they walked past, but Kiva made herself remember her strategy. She needed to start at the beginning and work her way methodically from there.

On and on they walked, leaving the farms behind, with no words spoken between them. It was only when they were in line with the eastern wall, roughly where Kiva was meant to have leapt to during her Trial by Air, that Naari broke the silence.

“I heard you met the princess after the first Ordeal. What did she say?”

Kiva debated how to answer, but decided that nothing Mirryn had told her—other than about the amulet—would get either of them in trouble. “I think she was mostly curious about me and why I volunteered.”

“That’s all?”

“Apparently I remind her of her girlfriend,” Kiva shared. “Something about how I have the same kind of fighting spirit. I thinkmaybeit was meant to be a compliment?” She shrugged. “Honestly, I was in a lot of pain when we spoke, even with the poppymilk. I couldn’t get a good read on her.”

Naari turned to Kiva. “Princess Mirryn has a girlfriend?”

Kiva shrugged again. “That’s what she said.” Looking closely at Naari, she added, “You’re not one of those royal-obsessed fans, are you? Desperate for any scrap of information?”

“Of course not,” Naari said, frowning. “I’m just surprised.”

“That she’s in a relationship?”

Naari said nothing, her silence confirmation enough.

Kiva snorted, then remembered who she was with and tried to turn it into a cough, resulting in a disgusting sound that she was grateful no one else—like Jaren—was there to hear.

“What’s funny?” Naari asked, proving that Kiva’s attempted cough had failed.

“It’s just ...” Kiva trailed off, trying to think of the best way to say what she was thinking without upsetting the woman strapped to the teeth with lethal weapons. “I’m guessing the king and queen don’t make proclamations regarding the dating status of their kids. If Mirryn were to becomeengaged,then sure, the kingdom would hear about it. But just having a girlfriend?” Kiva shook her head. “Sorry, but you can’t be surprised about not knowing that.”

Again, Naari said nothing. But then—

“Apparently you have the crown prince to thank for saving your life.”

Pulling a face, Kiva said, “I don’t want to talk about him.”

“I hear he’s handsome,” Naari commented.

Kiva nearly tripped over her own feet. “Are we seriously having this conversation?”

“I’m just saying, some people dream of marrying a prince.”

“Marrying ... a ...” Kiva spluttered, unable to even repeat the words. “Are you insane? I can’t think of anything worse.”Especiallywhen it came to a scoundrel like Deverick. Barely a few minutes in his presence and, savior or not, Kiva had been ready to throw something at him.

The guard laughed—whether at Kiva’s words or her disgusted expression, Kiva wasn’t sure.

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