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“She insinuated it,” Zavian said, eyes still on Freya. “She always has a way of trying to get under my skin since Neera came into the picture, and I have been really harsh to her.”

“Zavian, everyone knows Freya and her temper,” Azriel said.

“I should have accepted it like that.”

“No, some days, she goes too far,” Azriel continued. “Zavian now is not the time for regrets.”

“I know, but I wasn’t even aware of where she had been going off to. I stopped her from going over to yours. I should have insisted on guards following her...”

“Zavian,” Azriel’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Now’s not the time for this. I know you are worried, but you’re only making it worse for yourself by beating yourself up.” He looked over to Freya. “She will be fine, she will fight to be fine, Zavian. Freya doesn’t give up that easily.”

The assurance did help Zavian a little, for he gave a nod, and pulled back his shoulders. His sister would never back down that easily even in the face of death, and whatever had hurt her, he was sure she gave it her best fight.

“Time for you to put in all that fight you’ve got Freya,” Zavian said to his sister. And then, he moved over to her and placed a kiss on her forehead, something Freya would have thoroughly hated if she was conscious.

.....

He and Azriel stepped out, and Zavian repeated his instructions to the guards. Freya should be checked upon every five minutes, and he should be immediately alerted if there were any strange occurrences in her chambers. The doctor had said she was too delicate to be moved, if not, Zavian would have had her in a chamber directly opposite his.

“How’s the Queen today?” Azriel asked as they walked away from the quarters.

“I haven’t seen her since I woke up,” Zavian said. “She has been better, I think. But still would not let me help her through what she is going through.”

“I could have Penelope over if you want,” Azriel said.

“That would be helpful, and maybe she could take up her old position here in the castle,” Zavian said.

Azriel scratched a spot on his jaw. “Yeah, I am going to have to disagree with that. She can come in the mornings and return in the evenings.”

“As the King, I want her back here permanently.”

Azriel’s hand went limp. “Zavian...”

Zavian gave a laugh, tired and genuine. He slapped a friendly hand on Azriel’s back.

“You looked scared there for a second,” Zavian teased.

“No, I wasn’t.” Azriel played it off with as much nonchalance as he could, giving a ridiculous scoff. “She’s just one of the personal maids assigned to take care of...”

“...your personal needs, I understand.” Zavian completed it for him.

“No,” Azriel wagged a finger. “To take care of my personal matters.”

“And you’d break apart if one maid was removed to tilt the balance of your ‘world of personal matters’, I understand, General Commander,” Zavian said mockingly.

“I would have challenged you to a duel at that statement, making me look all weak and helpless,” Azriel faked a frown.

“You aren’t,” Zavian’s tone was suddenly serious. “If anything, you are really brave.”

He gave Azriel a pat on his shoulder, a departing regard as he took the stairs up to his chambers. He hoped Neera was able to get as much sleep as she could over the hours he had been away from her, and he could use a little himself, and check up on Freya afterward.

When he opened the door, his nose was assaulted by perfumes. In front of the new vanity mirror, which Zavian had drilled into the wall in case Neera was in one of her tempers again and wanted to attack it, Neera stood in a long flowing black gown with a plunging backline.

“What are you doing?” Zavian asked.

Neera turned to look at him, her makeup daring and bold, lips as red as blood and eyes thickly rimmed with black. Her now shoulder-length silver hair was greased back into a tight knot at the nape of her neck. The front of her dress matched the back, and Zavian felt if he stepped closer, he would be able to peer down and see her navel.

“Are you off somewhere?” Zavian asked.

“A little walk,” Neera said casually. “The more I stay here, the more I feel I would take a knife and carve out my brains.”

A wounded Freya came to the forefront of Zavian’s mind. “Freya is badly hurt.” He told Neera.

He didn’t get any reaction from her, and he continued, “She was attacked, and we don’t know by what.”

“Well, I didn’t do it.”

“I wouldn’t think you would Neera. I wanted to let you know.”

Neera sighed. “That’s sad.”

“It is.”

“No, it’s sad that there will be no one to handle the Queenly duties you uphold so much. Is there any way she could manage though?”

Zavian’s fist coiled with rage. “She is bedridden, and her life is hanging by a thread.”

“Well, Freya can be overly dramatic, don’t you agree?” Neera continued, and dusted some rouge on her cheeks. “Just have the doctor pump her with enough medicines and she’ll be up and charging like a bull tomorrow.”

“Do not speak of her that way,” Zavian said.

Neera looked at him through the reflection as she rubbed her lips together. “That’s me wishing her quick recovery, if you couldn’t tell.”

Satisfied with how she looked, Neera stepped away from the mirror and walked out the door. Or attempted to, because once she was next to Zavian, he stopped her with a hand to her arm.

“Where are you going?” He asked her.

“I would have preferred to go visiting one of the other Kingdoms, but I have to settle for outside the castle’s gates,” Neera said.