THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Twenty Three: One foot in the grave

Carperia
Queen Mother's POV
Nilsa is sobbing uncontrollably in the hallway. Takara is there was well looking hopeless. Cathan in a hospital is as rare as sunshine in the Chrystal Isles. It's even more scary that he was not treated at the palace but rushed here by an ambulance.

My granddaughter got on her feet to embrace me. Her tears soaked my neck.

"Calm down. Calm down child. Tell me what happened." I wiped the tears away from her eyes. This is something rare as well. The last time she wept like this was when her husband passed away. "Tell grandmere what happened."

I am trying to stay composed. My heart feels like it will explode from anxiety or possibly stop from shock. When Takara called, I though I misheard her. She said Cathan is in the hospital. Cathan never goes to a hospital. He has this distorted notion that when someone walks into a hospital, they often come out worse or possibly dead. I don't think he has gotten over his father's death.

"He... " She took a deep breath. Takara also got close to listen. "I took some papers to his chambers for him to sign. They were military documents. When I walked in, he was just seated still rubbing his temples. He looked stressed. He signed the papers. I asked him how his day was and he told me it was long. He said he is not feeling well and he's tired."

"Did he look unwell?" I asked.

Cathan has been looking unwell since Thalia's death. I assumed it was sadness because she was the daughter of a man who was close to his heart. It didn't get better and the doctors didn't find anything wrong with him. I thought he would get better once he gives most of his duties to Reli.

"Yes! I asked him if he wants me to call the doctor. He said no. He said it's probably something he drank."

"What did he drink?" Takara asked.

"I don't know! There was a cup of tea beside him when I got there. I don't know. I just told him to rest. I told him he can sleep it off it could have been jetlag because he flew all the way to the Chrystal Isles-"

"Why?" I asked.

"Haven't you heard? He hunted down Taof and he found her. He took a handful of the Royal Guard. Taof was arrested."

"What if she did something to him?" Takara asked. "Taof was among the last people who were with him."

"And what would Taof do to Cathan?" I asked Takara.

"I don't know! She wasn't happy about Cathan throwing her under the bus."

"Do you think she did something to him?" Nilsa asked her mother. She looked between us. "Did Taof give him something? Maybe she did someone to him. Before that flight daddy was fine. We played squash. He won."

I sat down quietly.

Winter Taof is in love with my son. Why would she do something to him? Why was Cathan in the Chrystal Isles? Isn't the rebellion something he handed off to Reli? Shouldn't Reli have taken care of it? I'm confused.

"Then what happened?" I broke their conspiracy theories.

"Then he got up and agreed to lie down. I tried to help him up but he said he is strong enough to walk on his two feet to the bed and I should piss off!" Nilsa narrated. That does sound like Cathan. "But he didn't make it to the bed. He collapsed and I immediately got help. He kept saying his arm hurts. He said something is wrong get help. I called for help. The doctor took one look at him and he said the hospital is his best chance."

I rubbed my temples.

"What about Reli? Did you tell him?" Takara asked me.

After Takara called I left in a hurry. I didn't think of Reli. I was only thinking if my son. My only son. "I told Barlowe to tell him."