Isadora.”
She had no words to offer in response.
As if he knew, he nodded and disappeared.
Alone and spent, Isadora slid down into the pillows and stared up at the vaulted ceiling above with its intricate wood beams. She tried to clear her mind of everything so she could sleep, but one thought kept pinging around in her brain.
Acacia.
If only there had been a way…
Theron turned at the base of the grand staircase and headed for the king’s suite of rooms on the fourth floor of the castle. Enormous Grecian columns flanked the massive hallway. Plush furnishings, gilded mirrors, statuary and fresh flowers atop pedestals and marble tables filled the space around him as he moved. Wealth dripped from every trinket, from the velvet curtains at the enormous windows to the gold-dusted doors he passed along his way.
The place so totally wasn’t him, his shoulders tightened with every step he took. How could the king or Isadora stand it? How in Hades would he manage living in this mausoleum? He could barely walk down the hall without feeling the overwhelming need to run for freedom.
Just as he reached the end of the hall, the king’s door opened and Callia stepped out with her healer’s bag in tow. He waited until she turned and saw him before speaking.
“Callia.”
“Theron.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him the once-over. “I see the rumors about you were true. I smell lavender. Is there anything you’d like me to look at?”
Always the same Callia. Direct and to the point.
“No,” he said. “I’m well enough.” Thanks to Casey.
He quickly pushed thoughts of the human out of his mind. “Tell me about Isadora. Her health concerns me.”
Callia cast a quick glance over her shoulder toward the king’s doorway, then motioned for Theron to join her across the hall, out of earshot.
“Yes,” she said when they reached the staggering windows overlooking the stone courtyard below. “Theron, I’m not sure how to tell you this but, there’s no other way to say it. Isadora’s dying.”
Her words should have elicited a reaction, but all Theron felt was…nothing.
No, that wasn’t entirely true. A tiny part of him was relieved. And that emotion angered him more than the misery he knew he should be feeling.
“You’re sure of this?” he asked. “How? She looks—”
“I’ve consulted every book I have, looking for something—anything—that’s remotely similar. None of the traditional healing methods have worked. Something is broken inside her, only I can’t figure out what. It’s like…”
“What?”
She frowned. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
“Nothing could be crazier than knowing our kingdom is about to lose both its king and its heir. Don’t hold back from me, Callia. What?”
She let out a breath. “It’s almost like she’s losing that part of herself which is inherently Argolean. Her immune system, which is normally strong, is the weakest I’ve ever seen. It’s almost as if her human half is taking over.”
Theron glanced around the posh room but saw none of it. “Have you told anyone else this?”
“No. You’re the only one. I mentioned her fading health to the king, but I don’t want to put more stress on him than necessary. He hasn’t seen her since she was returned to the kingdom. I’m afraid her situation could push him over the edge.”
Theron glanced toward the cathedral window and the view of Tiyrns down the hill below. A bird flew over the parapet, swooped low into the courtyard and landed on the fountain’s edge. He followed the flap of its wings as the time line he’d been ticking off in his mind jumped to light speed. He’d spent precious hours with Casey, when he’d been needed here.
“How long?” he asked. “How long do you think she has left?”
“I’m not sure,” Callia said softly at his side. “Could be days. Weeks. Possibly longer. But one thing’s certain, Theron. She’s not strong enough to produce an heir. A
She had no words to offer in response.
As if he knew, he nodded and disappeared.
Alone and spent, Isadora slid down into the pillows and stared up at the vaulted ceiling above with its intricate wood beams. She tried to clear her mind of everything so she could sleep, but one thought kept pinging around in her brain.
Acacia.
If only there had been a way…
Theron turned at the base of the grand staircase and headed for the king’s suite of rooms on the fourth floor of the castle. Enormous Grecian columns flanked the massive hallway. Plush furnishings, gilded mirrors, statuary and fresh flowers atop pedestals and marble tables filled the space around him as he moved. Wealth dripped from every trinket, from the velvet curtains at the enormous windows to the gold-dusted doors he passed along his way.
The place so totally wasn’t him, his shoulders tightened with every step he took. How could the king or Isadora stand it? How in Hades would he manage living in this mausoleum? He could barely walk down the hall without feeling the overwhelming need to run for freedom.
Just as he reached the end of the hall, the king’s door opened and Callia stepped out with her healer’s bag in tow. He waited until she turned and saw him before speaking.
“Callia.”
“Theron.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him the once-over. “I see the rumors about you were true. I smell lavender. Is there anything you’d like me to look at?”
Always the same Callia. Direct and to the point.
“No,” he said. “I’m well enough.” Thanks to Casey.
He quickly pushed thoughts of the human out of his mind. “Tell me about Isadora. Her health concerns me.”
Callia cast a quick glance over her shoulder toward the king’s doorway, then motioned for Theron to join her across the hall, out of earshot.
“Yes,” she said when they reached the staggering windows overlooking the stone courtyard below. “Theron, I’m not sure how to tell you this but, there’s no other way to say it. Isadora’s dying.”
Her words should have elicited a reaction, but all Theron felt was…nothing.
No, that wasn’t entirely true. A tiny part of him was relieved. And that emotion angered him more than the misery he knew he should be feeling.
“You’re sure of this?” he asked. “How? She looks—”
“I’ve consulted every book I have, looking for something—anything—that’s remotely similar. None of the traditional healing methods have worked. Something is broken inside her, only I can’t figure out what. It’s like…”
“What?”
She frowned. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
“Nothing could be crazier than knowing our kingdom is about to lose both its king and its heir. Don’t hold back from me, Callia. What?”
She let out a breath. “It’s almost like she’s losing that part of herself which is inherently Argolean. Her immune system, which is normally strong, is the weakest I’ve ever seen. It’s almost as if her human half is taking over.”
Theron glanced around the posh room but saw none of it. “Have you told anyone else this?”
“No. You’re the only one. I mentioned her fading health to the king, but I don’t want to put more stress on him than necessary. He hasn’t seen her since she was returned to the kingdom. I’m afraid her situation could push him over the edge.”
Theron glanced toward the cathedral window and the view of Tiyrns down the hill below. A bird flew over the parapet, swooped low into the courtyard and landed on the fountain’s edge. He followed the flap of its wings as the time line he’d been ticking off in his mind jumped to light speed. He’d spent precious hours with Casey, when he’d been needed here.
“How long?” he asked. “How long do you think she has left?”
“I’m not sure,” Callia said softly at his side. “Could be days. Weeks. Possibly longer. But one thing’s certain, Theron. She’s not strong enough to produce an heir. A
Similar Books
