Page 21 of The Crown’s Temptation

On the bed sits a young girl. Perhaps nineteen. Her hands grip the bedsheet at her sides and her eyes are very wide and she has not noticed me yet because she is looking at the woman sitting across from her in a low chair, talking to her in a voice too quiet to hear from here.

I know that voice.

I look at the woman in the chair.

Ivanoxa.

Fiersa

TEORIN

Darkway Palace, Morrath

"Well?" Teorin said.

The healer did not look up from Asharin's wrist. "She may yet awaken."

"That is what you said yesterday."

"It remains true today."

Three days in Morrath and this was what passed for progress. "What will heal her?"

The healer set Asharin's hand down carefully. "Time, perhaps. An antidote to whatever was used on her would help considerably. And feeder blood."

"I have been giving her blood."

"The strong sort. The type that can strengthen even your kind." She paused. “Marrow would help a small amount. And infant feeder blood could help a great deal.”

"Where am I supposed to find that?" He looked around the room. "Do the creatures in this place even reproduce?"

"It is rare. I know of none present in the kingdom at this time."

He closed his eyes. Counted. Opened them. "Try my blood again."

"You gave large amounts yesterday and the day before, Majesty⁠—"

Shyall stepped forward, his horns burning red at the tips. His sentinel, the leader of his Morraks, spoke carefully. “If you give too much, Majesty, how do we hold the palace should Sevrin attempt to regain⁠—”

Teorin laughed. It came out worse than he intended. "Sevrin is barely alive. My sources are clear on that. Axar may still live, but he has no interest in taking a Morrath throne. I can assure you all he wants to do is escape this shithole. There are no other Rathmors and no one else who can take the seat." He looked at the healer. "And even at my weakest, I am still stronger than most of what lives here."

He held out his arm.

"Now take my blood," he said. "Now."

Hours later he was still in Asharin’s room.

He had not left it.

Her breathing was steady. Her cheeks had color that had not been there this morning, faint but real. He kept his eyes on her chest to watch it rise and fall because it was the only thing in this place that was not wrong.

A soft knock at the door.

A young woman entered, pale with dark hair pinned back, a basin under one arm. She curtsied without looking at him.

"Sire. I am here to prepare the young lady for bed."

"She is already in bed."