Page 9 of A Touch of Royalty
“Let’s get you back to bed.” Cas stood and pulled Emryn gently from the ground, lifting her from her shaking legs and into his arms. “I won’t tell the head healer if you don’t.”
Emryn let out a choked giggle and shook her head. “You said you had questions.”
“I can wait until you can stand up.” Cas shook his head. “You should rest.”
7
TALK
Emryn needed him to put her down. But if he did, she was going to collapse again, and then the head healer would be even more furious with her than he was already going to be.
She knew that he would already be upset at her for not returning to the temple to recover as she should have. And now it seemed as though she would be a guest of the palace for a few more days while she recovered enough to stand up.
And then she would leave and go back to the city temple where she belonged.
Why did that thought hurt?
But she wasn’t a palace healer. They were all minor nobility and the like, and she was anything but nobility. She was nothing more than a foundling without memories.
But she could do good.
Emryn closed her eyes and almost instantly got sucked down into the dark. She tried to fight it, but failed miserably, finding herself back on her knees in front of the Mother, who was still chained to her throne.
“Mother, who did this?” One did not demand things of the Moon Mother, but Emryn needed to know because she was the only one who could help.
The Mother shook her head, a pained smile on her face. “Find your Three, my Wings.”
“Where am I to look, Mother?”
“They are far, my Wings, and as close as a thought.” The Mother smiled again. “They are made to withstand your flame.”
“Mother-” Emryn shook her head. “What am I?”
“My eyes,” the mother reached for Emryn, but the chains stopped her. “My Wings, my child.”
“I don’t understand, Mother.” Emryn reached back, but there was some sort of barrier between her and the Mother’s throne. “I don’t have wings?”
“My Wings,” the mother repeated, and Emryn felt something on her back for just a moment. “When you are whole, then you will know.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Go, child,” the Mother raised her hands. “Your Phoenix is close.”
The dark thickened, the light around the Mother vanishing and leaving Emryn locked in pitch blackness.
She dragged her eyes open,the Mother’s name hovering on her lips and bolted up. Almost hitting the prince of Rodilla square in the head.
“Highness!” Emryn wrenched herself back, flopping gracelessly out of the huge bed and ending up on the floor in a heap. “What-”
“Emryn, be calm,” the prince reached for her and Emryn scrabbled away. “What is it?”
“You can’t-”
He smiled at her, but there was confusion deep in his eyes. “Can’t what?”
“I’m common, Highness, just a healer, and I need to get back to the city temple.”
“Emryn, can you stand up?” The Prince stood, offering her a hand. “If you can, I’ll escort you back to the city temple myself.”
