As if this task hadn’t sounded impossible before? Another thing hit Alifair as unusual. “You’re from Austria, but your English has no accent?”
Magdelina explained, “I was born and raised in different parts of the Midwest area of the United States. We lack a heavy accent like that of the southerners or those from the north in comparison.”
“My home is in the US, too.” Realizing what this woman had to face soon, Alifair said, “I’d love to keep getting to know you, but your trip here had to be difficult even if you had not been kidnapped. You should lie down and rest some more. You’ll probably need your energy for whatever Krol has planned for you next.”
“That miserable pig.” Magdelina’s eyes flashed with fury. “If he had not threatened to have his flying beast hold me down so Krol could claw my child from my body, I would have risked using my power to... stop him.”
That sounded deadly.
Alifair would not judge a woman protecting her child because she would do the same given the chance to have a family. She felt a stab of remorse at being reminded she’d never have a mate or become pregnant.
She wondered about this woman’s gift. “What a shame you can’t use your power when you’re pregnant.”
“True. I’ve been told to keep my energy in reserve unless I have no option because my child draws on the power to grow. If I weaken myself, I risk being unable to give birth. With my mate nearby with his power, I had no worries. He would see me through the labor and make delivery easier. I’ll suffer whatever Krol has in mind so long as I can protect my son.” The Gallize woman walked over and eased her heavy body onto the bed.
Alifair tucked a fluffy pillow under her legs as she’d seen healers in her clan do for pregnant women. “How close are you to delivering?”
“Too close. I speak to my son constantly, asking him to stay where he is comfortable and warm. He moves around like a bear in battle sometimes, but when I talk to him, it calms him.”
This woman could be giving birth at any time.
“Give me the name of the person you are hunting, Alifair.”
“She’s called Rez.” What did this woman intend to do with that information?
“Let me have a moment to search the castle conversation to see if someone discusses her. I’d like to help you find her if I can.”
Words stalled in Alifair’s throat at hearing the woman would tap her gift to help her. Blessings came from the strangest places. She would not question this one. She would be bursting with excitement if not for the information coming from a woman in a worse situation than Rez.
Unwilling to disturb her, Alifair moved to the chair and waited silently.
Magdelina slept for ten minutes, and then her eyes flew open. “Help me up.”
Rushing over, Alifair put her arm under Magdelina’s and used her strength to help her rise to her feet. “Are you okay, Magdelina?”
“Yes. I have information.”
“You’re kidding.” Alifair grinned, feeling lighter than she had in the past month. Her head spun with the hope of finally getting a badly needed break. “Thank you for anything you can tell me.”
“You may not be so happy when—”
The door swung open.
Krol stood in the opening. Behind him were two guards. One on each side of Rez, who lost her catatonic zombie look when she lifted her eyes that lit with recognition. She made a heartbreaking cry. “Alifair!”
“Oh, Rez,” slipped from Alifair’s lips before she snapped them shut. Her mother’s friend had lost her normally robust look. Now gaunt, her short gray hair hung limp past her face. She looked beaten.
For the first time on this journey, Alifair’s anger at Rez got brushed away by empathy over her suffering.
Too late. Krol’s face lost its gleam. He swung his gaze between Rez and Alifair. “You two know each other?”
Silence dropped heavy as a lead blanket over the room.
Alifair clenched her jaws, sickened by the mistake, but Rez had no way of knowing she was here. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist, much less an evil lion shifter, to realize why Alifair had been captured.
This couldn’t be fixed. There was no way she could convince a lion shifter that Rez was confused.
All this time spent working like an indentured servant to prove she was a nobody they’d captured. All the suffering she and Rez had gone through now wasted because she’d failed to find Rez before today.
