The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Silvana

Silvana slowly paced the length of Hasani's study, though her feet ached and her legs felt swollen. She placed a hand on her heavy belly as the baby within stirred. "Shhh, shhh. It's alright. No need for you to get upset too."

But, Great Ones take it, where is he?

Hasani should have returned to their rooms long before now, even if only to grab some small thing or check in with a quick kiss and an excuse about Mothlenor needing him before he darted away again.

And I need to tell him about Ajax...

Silvana bit her lip and made a graceless turn to continue her pacing for a few moments more. The baby continued to writhe and squirm inside her, and she whispered small comforts to him as she walked and waited.

Finally, Silvana sighed, giving in to the aches and pains of her body, and sat gingerly in the chair they kept by the fire. Even with the flames crackling along, the room had a chill to it that only came during the height of winter. And Silvana had heard a pair of serving girls whispering excitedly about the unexpected snowfall that had come in the night. But Silvana had not seen the heavy white blanket covering the city, as Ajax had made her promise to stay in her rooms until the baby came.

Ajax...

Had her brother gone mad, to claim he saw Layle appear from thin air in front of him? It was one thing to say he believed that the Matriarch was still alive, but another thing entirely to swear that her daughter had come to him and told him where she could be found. And if it was true, if Layle had somehow found Ajax... Why now? Why wait so long to seek help?

Areanath had died months ago, why wait so long before trying to escape?

And why pull her brother into it? Because he loved the Matriarch?

Silvana frowned, rubbing her stomach absently. Dars would know, Ajax said he was there.

But Dars, like Ajax and Hasani, could not be simply summoned by her thinking of him.

Silvana pounded one fist against the arm of the chair. "Dammit, where is he?"

For a moment, she didn't care who came- Dars, her husband, her brother- she just wanted someone to come and keep her from going mad. They always left her, trapped in her rooms like a criminal, her only crime that of being their loving wife, or sister, or- in the case of Dars- their chosen daughter. A delicate woman, in need of protecting, even if it meant locking her away and driving her insane with loneliness.

"Great Ones take it, I can't stay here any longer." She stood with a bit of effort, her feet still sore and her back complaining, and hastily unlocked and opened the door to the hall. If Hasani will not come to me, I will go to him.

She glanced quickly down both ends of the hallway and, finding it empty, darted from the room and down the hall towards the heart of the castle, as quick as her legs could carry her heavy belly.

Her steps were already slowing as she neared the far end of the hall, her energy burning more quickly than she had anticipated. She turned, rounding the corner and-

-and bumping into a man leaning casually against the adjoining wall.

Silvana stepped back, mouth working wordlessly in an attempt to stammer out an apology.

"Ah, Silvana, I wondered when I might see you wandering the halls again." Ferrand's voice was rich and smooth, just as it had sounded from her hiding spot in Nana's bedroom, and the sound of it made her heart beat harder in her chest.

Ajax warned me, he told me Ferrand might be looking for me. But he was so close, just waiting for me to leave...

"Won't you even say hello?" Ferrand asked with a pout, his dark eyes glinting.