Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

Fée

~ (Continued) Trisday, 12th of Maius, 11831 ~

"She's exhausted and needs rest, but I do not see anything else that is amiss with her," Pierre said. "She is breathing well, her pulse is strong, and she reacts to touch."

"Oh, thank goodness."

Síofra had been found unconscious at the edges of the Duc's Forest by guards shortly after breakfast. Renaud, who had been with her, was nowhere in sight. She was brought to her rooms and Pierre discreetly summoned, but Lizzy and the prince, who were still drinking tea with him after their meal, had come along. The guards may have been able to suggest Elizabeth keep away, but they could do no such thing for Aimé, and so all three were now privy to the misadventure. Pierre had examined his aunt while Lizzy sat at her bedside, holding her hand, offering her comfort and blancræft's touch, and the prince stood watch.

"Has Feuilles perhaps offended the fairies so terribly that they took both of his sons?" Aimé questioned softly. It was not unreasonable to assume what had happened to one brother had happened to the other, and that there was a connection. Pierre wondered if instead Elwin had chosen to finish the order given to him and taken Renaud himself. But the margrave would not hurt his own daughter—Síofra was exhausted beyond what her body could handle, not in a magical sleep to keep her unaware and safe. Had another one of the fée done this?

"Why would he do such a thing?" Lizzy asked.

"Lately? Perhaps to cast doubt upon me," Pierre replied to her.

"Oui... Lord Vivien had said that Comte Feuilles wished to be duc," Lizzy said. Aimé's eyes widened a fraction—the steward had never told him this. "If his words caused issue for the fée, which we cannot deny there has been trouble lately, and you are fay..."

"This may have been done in retaliation for Pierre, then."

Had that been why Elwin's friend did more than he was told? To cause Feuilles grief in revenge?

"We would fight for Pierre," Síofra mumbled in agreement. She moaned, and her eyes slowly opened, squinting in the light of the afternoon. They seemed brighter than they had in the last few weeks.

She sat up, Pierre and Lizzy helping her from either side, and she smiled and thanked them before accepting water. "Merci. I am feeling better."

"Do not get out of bed yet. What happened, Síofra?"

She took another drink of her water before looking at her nephew, and then the prince.

"Renaud... hurt me," she said, softer than she wanted, a lump forming in her throat and tears springing to her eyes. Lizzy gasped and the men's faces hardened. "So oui, while His Grace being fay is important to us, this particular incident has nothing to do with that or Lord Jourdain. It is just a terrible coincidence that it happened so quickly, one after the other." She took another drink, continuing to stall. Elizabeth moved to sitting on the bed beside her and wrapped an arm around her.

"Would you be more comfortable telling Elizabeth without myself or Aimé present?" Pierre asked.

"I would be most comfortable not saying it at all, but... He... Renaud gave me a necklace when we began courting. It was very pretty, with flakes of silver suspended in a bauble, filled with water of some kind. It was made with hot iron, he said. It has been... taking my magia from me. I realized something was wrong last night when I was near that iron at dinner and felt nothing. I thought perhaps all of the dinnerware was not pure iron, but Renaud and I spoke, and he confessed. My magic has been queer for weeks, and I could not return home at Midspring, and now... I know why."

There was more, much more, now that she thought about it and let herself feel. Things she had pushed aside because she cared for Renaud. She loved him. Had loved him? Still felt.. Something for him.