Page 13

COUNCIL

“ I ’m sorry,” Emryn whispered, not sure who she was apologizing to. The Mother? Prince Cas? The queen? She didn’t know, maybe it was all three of them. They all deserved an apology, but for different reasons.

Prince Cas turned to her, taking her by the shoulders and smiling at her. “You needn’t apologize for keeping me alive, Emryn.”

“Truth,” the Queen added with a nod. “And had the head healer allowed it, I would have elevated you long since.” The Queen closed her eyes, looking up at the ceiling briefly. “If Asan says that this is the way, I trust that. However, it will be a fight with the council.”

“Well if they want me dead, they can say so.” Prince Cas said, with a tiny smile.

Emryn wavered in her feet, pitching hard to one side as something felt like it tore through her spine.

But there was nothing there, and all it did was make Prince Cas lunge to catch her before she hit the floor.

“Mother, she needs to sit.” Prince Cas said. “She’s easily weakened.”

“She is your princess, my son.” The Queen pointed to a chair at the side of the room. “She is permitted to sit in my presence.”

Prince Cas swept her off her feet and carried her to the side of the room, settling her in the chair and laying hands on her shoulders when she would have stood again.

“None of that, Emryn.” He smiled down at her. “Rest for a bit, and then we will go and speak to the Council.”

“Yes Highness,” Emryn dropped her eyes.

“I have a name, you know?”

Emryn nodded, “I am aware of that, Highness.”

“We’ll work on it.” He laid a soft hand on her shoulder and turned back to his mother. “Have you had breakfast, Mother?”

“Yes, though I believe that it is nearing luncheon, if you would join me.” The Queen looked at Asan and Emryn. “We will plan how to take this to the council. I will overrule them as I must, but I would prefer to give them the illusion of choice.”

“Sound,” Asan broke in. “I will be present to explain the magical aspects, if you require me.”

“It would be helpful, Asan.” The Queen nodded in the First Wizard’s direction. “Now, come with me and we will dine and plan.”

Emryn wasn’t certain how she’d managed to offend fate in the order of magnitude that meant that she was seated with the Crown prince of Rodilla in front of a council of gaping nobility as the queen of the same nation announced that her son would be married by the end of the day.

To her.

A city healer.

Not even one of the palace healers, which would have been a little bit less bitter to swallow.

No, to Emryn, a common healer, and Asan’s recitation had simply made it worse.

The council was now yelling. Shouting questions on top of questions that had Emryn’s head spinning as fast as it was possible to go. If she’d had fins on her head, she would have left the floor by now.

It was more than slightly ridiculous.

But Emryn had no idea what to do about the questions and the accusations that were being flung at her. The idea that she’d somehow made the Prince sick in the first place in order to bind herself into the royal house was laughable at best.

She didn’t even know what she was doing here.

But the evidence presented by the First Wizard meant that she couldn’t simply walk away. Her vow precluded her walking away from the sick if she could do something.

Emryn rose, trying to be steady on shaking legs, and fastened each one of the council with eyes that were leaking anguish.

The entire room shut up at once, the silence deafening in contrast to the noise that it replaced.

“If it meant that he would live, I would die for that.” Emryn pitched her voice to be heard throughout the room. “That is my vow as a healer, to give everything I am to ensure that others might live.”

The room remained silent as Emryn continued to meet the eyes of each noble there.

“However, as you have been told, if I die it puts him at risk.” Emryn gripped the sides of her skirts in her hands. “I would not risk the lowest laborer in that way, and so I will not risk your prince. He will be free to do as he wishes, I promise you that.”

Emryn, bowed to the nobility. “I am a city healer, and the Mother has decreed this to be the way I spend myself. So I will spend myself this way.”

She straightened, stepping down the dais and leaving the room. To collapse against the opposing wall and feel all the strength that she’d pretended to leave her. All she could ask for was that she could get back up by the time the council made a decision.

She tilted her head back against the coolness of the wall and tried to breathe.

And then there was a soft hand on her head. Emryn looked up, right into the ice-blue eyes of the First Wizard.

“Well done,” he smiled down at her. “You made them stop their useless yelling and actually begin to plan.”

Emryn struggled up, gripping the wall like a lifeline. “I can only do one thing, First Wizard.”

“And we will ensure that you are able to continue.” He shook his head. “And I recall very clearly asking that you not continue to stand on ceremony where my name is concerned.”

“His Highness said the same.” Emryn closed her eyes and wobbled severely.

“He meant it as well.” Asan reached out and steadied her. “They will be talking for quite some time, so you will rest until they are ready to admit that this is the only way they don’t have blood on their hands.”

Emryn nodded, feeling the darkness beginning to gather behind her eyes. “I don’t know that I can make it back to my room.”

“I will help you.”

Emryn expected the First Wizard of Rodilla to offer her an arm. She didn’t expect her feet to leave the floor, or for him to cradle her in his arms.

“You really are far too thin.” He said, starting off through the hallways. “I’m afraid we’ve left it rather late.”

“No one knew,” Emryn said quietly. “No one saw, and I wanted to keep it that way.”

“Why?”

Emryn dragged her eyes open and looked up at Asan. “The Mother knows.”

“Her Wings?”

Emryn nodded, closing her eyes and willing the tears back. “I only wanted to do good.”

“And so you have.” Asan pushed the door to her room open and set her on the edge of the bed. “How many lives owe themselves to you, Emryn?”

She shook her head. “One less than the Mother demands.”

“The Mother is not that capricious.” Asan smiled as Shana bustled into the room. “Now, you should rest.”

He left the room, left her with Shana who helped her out of the gown and back into the nightdress.

Emryn didn’t remember her head hitting the pillow.