Page 43 of Pretense

Rheva looked like she would have rolled her eyes, if she was not too dignified for that. “I did specialize in this, you know.”

Right. His brain was still trying to catch up. But that would be why Rheva would realize Essie was pregnant while the healer specializing in war wounds would not.

A baby. Their baby. Their dreams and someday and…and…

He snapped his attention back to Rheva. “Is the baby all right? Essie nearly died.” He did not know a lot about babies, but somehow that seemed like it would be a bad thing.

The smile left Rheva’s face in a blink, replaced with that gentle concern once again. “It is too soon to know for certain. Everything seems fine as far as I can tell right now. We will know for sure if there are no complications in a day or two.”

Rheva kept talking, but Farrendel could not seem to make the words sort themselves out inside his head. It was too much, on top of everything else.

“But you cannot say for certain?” Farrendel interrupted her, searching her expression desperately, almost hoping that she would lie to him, and lie well enough that he could believe it without question.

“No. But, shashon.” Rheva paused until he met her gaze. “You kept both of them alive by giving of yourself so sacrificially that, of the two of you, your body shows far more sign of strain than hers does. There is nothing more you could have done.”

That still did not banish the terror choking his throat. In the span of a few words, he had gone from worrying about one life to two.

“Now, you need to rest.” Rheva’s smile returned to her face. “Essie will need you to be there for her when she wakes.”

Farrendel nodded, though he did not think he could sleep. Not without a little help getting there. He gestured from himself to Rheva. “Could you?”

“All right.” Rheva brushed the back of her hand against Farrendel’s cheek, sending another dose of her magic into him. This one slowed his mind, eased his body into relaxing. Rheva pressed her forehead to his for just a moment. “I am happy for you.”

Then, she was leaving, and Farrendel lifted the blanket with a heavy hand. He curled next to Essie, close but not touching her besides his grip on her hand.

Closing his eyes and listening to the steady sound of Essie’s breathing, Farrendel let Rheva’s magic lull him to sleep.

Chapter Fourteen

Edmund held Jalissa as she curled against him. They sat on the floor of the hospital tent, surrounded by the smells of antiseptic and blood.

His brother-in-law Farrendel lay dying on the surgical table. Edmund could barely see glimpses of him past the human surgeon, the elf healer, Weylind, Averett, and Essie.

Perhaps Edmund shouldn’t let Jalissa lean on him so entirely. But he had no strength to push her away. He needed to hold someone close, and she was the only person he wanted in this moment.

Edmund paced across his mother’s sitting room where the family had gathered while they waited for word. As much as he wanted to rush out and continue his investigation, he could not bring himself to leave again until he received word about Essie.

Jalissa sat on one of the couches, worrying a section of her skirt. Next to her, Paige stabbed at her embroidery, and she would likely have to take out whatever progress she made, given the muddle she was making of the thread.

Averett and Julien also paced across the room, and the three of them had divided up the room by some unspoken agreement so that they could pace their own routes without running into each other.

A knock came on the door before the castle butler himself opened the door. He held out a telegram. “For you, Your Majesty.”

Averett hurried across the room and snatched the paper from the butler’s hand.

Julien froze where he was in the corner while Edmund halted next to Jalissa, holding his breath.

Averett unfolded the note, his hands trembling. It took so long that Edmund had to clench his fists to resist the urge to take the telegram and open it himself.

After reading the note quickly, Averett’s shoulders slumped, and he sank onto the couch next to Paige. “She’s fine. Essie is fine.”

Edmund braced himself against the couch as Jalissa hunched, her head in her hands while her shoulders shook. Paige dropped her embroidery, reaching for Averett and pressing her face against his shoulder.

Julien braced himself against the wall, swiping a hand over his face.

“They…” Averett had to clear his throat, his voice a little choked. “They healed her, and they are on their way to Estyra where Essie can rest and recover.”

And where Farrendel and Essie could stay safe while Edmund investigated what had happened. After all, the assassin failed. He was still out there, and he would try again.

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