The Darathi Vorsi Prince (Song of the Swords Book 0) by Tameri Etherton Page B
Authors: Tameri Etherton
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Summerlands king and the Eleri.
Faisal glared at him, but Rhoane brushed past him to the quee n’ s bed. Sweat soaked the pillowcase beneath Prateen i’ s head, and her garments were stained with blood. Her distended belly protruded at grotesque angles where the baby was tossed by his mothe r’ s movements.
Without speaking, Rhoane channeled his ShantiMari and focused on the ancient practices of calm h e’ d learned as a young man. He spread his hands wide over the woma n’ s body and gently let his power embrace her. She paused in her thrashing, and Rhoane cooed reminders to relax, to think of the baby. He sent subtle suggestions of sleep to both her and the child. Only when her body sank into the thick blankets did Rhoane place his palms upon her belly. Eyes closed, he probed her womb to look for signs of distress. The bab y’ s heartbeat entwined with his power, faint but steady. If they did n’ t bring the child forth within the next bell, both mother and son would die.
“ Faelara, reach inside and tell me what you feel ,” Rhoane whispered.
“ Are you mad? The king will behead us both for impropriety . ”
H e’ d known Faelara less than two moonturns, not long enough to be sure he could trust her, but the situation did n’ t allow for caution. He lifted his hands from the quee n’ s inert body and brought them together at his chest. Kaleig h’ s image formed in his mind, and he recited the words sh e’ d spoken to him hundreds of times. The cadence had to be perfect. The words spoken in the right order. There could be no hesitation.
The others in the room slowed to an unrecognizable pace. Faelara looked up at him with wonder in her eyes .“ Are you doing this ? ”
“ Please, do not ever tell anyone what you witness here today . ”
“ You have my word .” She touched a sunbeam that traveled from the window, her look one of pure awe. With a flick of her finger, she sent it spiraling in the opposite direction .“ How is this possible ? ”
“ An Eleri gift. Someday I will explain it, but right now, we must save two lives .” A glint of indecision crossed her eyes .“ What is it, Faelara ? ”
“ Can they hear us ? ”
He shook his head .“ We are nothing but an irritating buzz. If there is something I should know, you must tell me . ”
“ I t’ s jus t… does n’ t it seem strange the queen went into labor not more than a few minutes after we arrived? By the looks of her, she is n’ t due for a few weeks, possibly a moonturn . ”
“ Do you think Myrddin had anything to do with it ?” The man was a mystery to Rhoane, a fact he was determined to change.
“ Only if it served his purpose. H e’ s a scoundrel to be sure, but utterly devoted to Lliandra. I suppose now h e’ ll want me to stay here and care for the queen .” She cocked her head to the side. A silly grin tilted her lips .“ That sly fox. He managed to get me away from Talaith and excused me from the distasteful business of finding Lliandr a’ s lover. I owe him a debt of thanks . ”
Whereas Rhoane had lashed out at the man, Faelara gave him gratitude. Once more, he was humbled by her kindness. It also made him soften toward the mage. Perhaps his manipulations did serve a purpose. Still, he did n’ t like being deceived.
“ Now, to deliver this child .” Faelara snapped her fingers, and a bowl of steaming water appeared. She scrubbed her hands and forearms before drying them on a towel. When sh e’ d finished, she waved the basin away and settled herself between the quee n’ s legs.
“ Perhaps I am not the only one with secrets ,” Rhoane said, impressed with her ease in wielding ShantiMari.
Faelar a’ s grin turned to determination as she maneuvered her hand into the birthing canal. Rhoane kept his eyes diverted from the quee n’ s modesty, focusing instead on the protruding belly. His power swirled within the womb, healing what he sensed had been harmed with the quee n’ s fit. The bab y’ s
Faisal glared at him, but Rhoane brushed past him to the quee n’ s bed. Sweat soaked the pillowcase beneath Prateen i’ s head, and her garments were stained with blood. Her distended belly protruded at grotesque angles where the baby was tossed by his mothe r’ s movements.
Without speaking, Rhoane channeled his ShantiMari and focused on the ancient practices of calm h e’ d learned as a young man. He spread his hands wide over the woma n’ s body and gently let his power embrace her. She paused in her thrashing, and Rhoane cooed reminders to relax, to think of the baby. He sent subtle suggestions of sleep to both her and the child. Only when her body sank into the thick blankets did Rhoane place his palms upon her belly. Eyes closed, he probed her womb to look for signs of distress. The bab y’ s heartbeat entwined with his power, faint but steady. If they did n’ t bring the child forth within the next bell, both mother and son would die.
“ Faelara, reach inside and tell me what you feel ,” Rhoane whispered.
“ Are you mad? The king will behead us both for impropriety . ”
H e’ d known Faelara less than two moonturns, not long enough to be sure he could trust her, but the situation did n’ t allow for caution. He lifted his hands from the quee n’ s inert body and brought them together at his chest. Kaleig h’ s image formed in his mind, and he recited the words sh e’ d spoken to him hundreds of times. The cadence had to be perfect. The words spoken in the right order. There could be no hesitation.
The others in the room slowed to an unrecognizable pace. Faelara looked up at him with wonder in her eyes .“ Are you doing this ? ”
“ Please, do not ever tell anyone what you witness here today . ”
“ You have my word .” She touched a sunbeam that traveled from the window, her look one of pure awe. With a flick of her finger, she sent it spiraling in the opposite direction .“ How is this possible ? ”
“ An Eleri gift. Someday I will explain it, but right now, we must save two lives .” A glint of indecision crossed her eyes .“ What is it, Faelara ? ”
“ Can they hear us ? ”
He shook his head .“ We are nothing but an irritating buzz. If there is something I should know, you must tell me . ”
“ I t’ s jus t… does n’ t it seem strange the queen went into labor not more than a few minutes after we arrived? By the looks of her, she is n’ t due for a few weeks, possibly a moonturn . ”
“ Do you think Myrddin had anything to do with it ?” The man was a mystery to Rhoane, a fact he was determined to change.
“ Only if it served his purpose. H e’ s a scoundrel to be sure, but utterly devoted to Lliandra. I suppose now h e’ ll want me to stay here and care for the queen .” She cocked her head to the side. A silly grin tilted her lips .“ That sly fox. He managed to get me away from Talaith and excused me from the distasteful business of finding Lliandr a’ s lover. I owe him a debt of thanks . ”
Whereas Rhoane had lashed out at the man, Faelara gave him gratitude. Once more, he was humbled by her kindness. It also made him soften toward the mage. Perhaps his manipulations did serve a purpose. Still, he did n’ t like being deceived.
“ Now, to deliver this child .” Faelara snapped her fingers, and a bowl of steaming water appeared. She scrubbed her hands and forearms before drying them on a towel. When sh e’ d finished, she waved the basin away and settled herself between the quee n’ s legs.
“ Perhaps I am not the only one with secrets ,” Rhoane said, impressed with her ease in wielding ShantiMari.
Faelar a’ s grin turned to determination as she maneuvered her hand into the birthing canal. Rhoane kept his eyes diverted from the quee n’ s modesty, focusing instead on the protruding belly. His power swirled within the womb, healing what he sensed had been harmed with the quee n’ s fit. The bab y’ s
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