Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“She’s going to need something other than your clothes to wear around the castle,” Vishen said as I moved into the water closet to dip my fingers into the water as an assembly line of servants brought in buckets of crisp, fresh water.
“I suppose there is some royal dressmaker who handles that sort of thing.”
“I’ll look into it while you try not to argue with your father.”
“Appreciate it,” Jet said as I moved back into the bedroom.
“Any progress?” Jet asked, pointing to his throat.
I opened my mouth and a little squeak escaped me.
His brows rose.
“How about a name?” Vishen asked.
It took more effort than I thought possible, but I managed to wheeze out, “Serin.”
“Serin,” Jet repeated, and something about the way his voice caressed the curves of my name had my belly feeling liquid.
“Well, things are looking up,” Vishen said.
Several of the servants squeezed around me on their way to ease the burden of their buckets into the tub.
I felt a sharp pinch on my hip, like maybe a splinter from the bucket poked at me, but thought nothing of it.
“What about what kind of fae you are?” Jet asked.
I opened my mouth, ready to rasp out the truth.
But no sound came.
My eyes went round as I stared at Jet.
The two men shared a look.
“Well, it’s a good sign that you even got that out,” Vishen said. “Just give it some time. Take your bath. By the time we get back, you should be able to start talking.”
I hoped that was true, but my mouth and throat felt even more numb than they had right after Grimwood had drugged me.
The men made their way out with some words I didn’t understand to the dog, who almost appeared to nod at them like he understood.
“Lock this,” Jet demanded before closing the door.
I didn’t waste a second doing that.
Then I grabbed a fresh tunic from Jet’s wardrobe before making my way into the water closet to strip and dip my toe into the water.
It wasn’t my water. I didn’t feel that instant vitality I did with my lake. But the cool familiarity was refreshing as I slipped down into the water.
It was a slow sort of revival, easing the ache in my bones, lessening the headache pounding in my temples. But it was the best I’d felt since I was dragged out of my lake.
But the water wasn’t fresh, wasn’t being nurtured by the trees, plants, and creatures, which gave it the life force that revitalized me fully. So it wasn’t long before the aches eased back. Not as bad as before, but enough that I decided to finish washing my hair and body before climbing out to comb out my hair and brush my teeth.
I was absolutely drained afterward.
I walked on heavy legs back to the bed, climbing on and slipping under the covers to rest my eyes for just a few more minutes.
“Serin!”
The force of the voice shocked me awake, making me shoot up in the bed.
“Just me,” Jet said, sitting on the side of the bed. “I called you a few times. I was worried.”
I settled against the headboard, glancing around the room, my eyes pinching at the dying light.
At my pinched brows, Jet nodded.
“It’s just after eight.”
Eight?
I’d slept all day?
Even as I thought it, though, my brain and body caught up with each other, and the pain intensified.
“Water?” Jet asked, already getting up to fetch the glass and a pitcher.
I gulped down several glasses before I could even think past the aches.
“You’re looking very pale,” he told me, brows pinched.
I could do nothing but shrug.
“You’re still not speaking?”
I tried and tried, but I couldn’t manage even a squeak.
I felt my face crumble even as Jet sighed and got up from the bed. He crossed the room, opened the door, and called out to Vishen.
“What’s going on?”
“She’s still not speaking.”
Vishen frowned. “Not even a sound?”
I shook my head.
“That’s not normal, right?”
“Not without another dose, no. There’s almost no way it is still in her system. Unless…”
“Unless someone dosed her?” Jet asked. “Could someone have put it in the water?”
“Bellhush has a very distinct floral taste. I think she would have noticed. Did you?”
I shook my head.
“Not even in the food?” Jet pressed. Another head shake. “Then how?” he asked Vishen.
“We didn’t drug prisoners with their food or drink,” Vishen said. “A needle prick is just as effective without someone being able to spit it out.”
A needle prick.
I shot off the bed, drawing the men’s attention.
“What? What is it?” Jet asked.
I pointed at my thigh. Because I’d felt a prick when the servants had brought the buckets of water up. I thought it was sharp wood. But what if it wasn’t the bucket at all, but a needle?
I yanked up the side of the tunic and stabbed a finger at the spot.