Page 16 of Broken Hearted
“Zane,” I clarified. “I just wanted to know how things are going with him.”And Isolde.“If he and Isolde have made any progress with the Shadow Heart. I very much want to see this curse ended before it reaches our shores.”
Elisana’s face pinched at the mention of the Winter princess. It didn’t escape my notice that Elisana was the jealous sort. A flash of guilt went through me when I recalled my dream, but I shook it off.
It was just a dream. Not something I had control over. I had never been unfaithful in a relationship and would never be. She had nothing to worry about.
“No. I don’t believe we’ve received any word from Zane,” she said. “Don’t you think he and Isolde will make the most perfect couple, though?”
The acid in my gut roiled more aggressively. Glancing up, I caught Elisana watching me carefully, so I forced a smile and nodded. “Yes. I’m happy for my brother. Out of all of us, he’s desired love the most. He deserves happiness.” But to be honest, I didn’t think he and Isolde would make the perfect couple. I always pictured Zane with someone soft-tempered, and I didn’t get the impression that was Isolde. Perhaps that wasn’t fair since I didn’t really know her, but in my gut, she just didn’t seem to be his match. I’d never tell my fiancée that though: she was short-tempered herself and might not take it well.
Elisana’s gaze turned shrewd, and she asked abruptly, “Did you drink your tea last night, darling?”
I shook my head. “No, but I had no trouble sleeping,” I said, willing my mind not to go back to my dream. It was only fragments now, but the emotions I felt still rushed to the surface, heating my blood. I cleared my throat. “I don’t think that I need that concoction anymore. Perhaps you’ve cured me, my love?”
Alarm flashed across Elisana’s features, but she quickly covered it with a smile and a light laugh. “Don’t be silly. Remember howtroubled your nights were before you started taking the tonic? One night’s sleep does not erase the problem.” Pushing back from her seat, she rose. “I’ll go make you a cup since you missed your last dose. Then you can take a nice afternoon nap.” And she breezed out of the room before I had a chance to argue.
I glanced out the windows as I waited for Elisana to return, absently taking bites of my eggs and toast. I was restless, but I didn’t know why.
Perhaps it was the curse slowly working its way through our world that weighed heavily on my mind. It was certainly cause for concern. Both Zander and Stryker had sent reports of the curse’s destruction in their kingdoms. Zander and his people were even getting ready to take refuge in our kingdom.
Despite their best efforts, neither of my brothers had been able to find a way to cure the unseelie afflicted with the magic illness, and now the curse was spreading through their land as well. Blackening their harvests and turning the fresh water to sludge and their crops to ash. If it wasn’t stopped, it was only a matter of time before it descended on the Southern Kingdom as well.
But as disturbing as the curse was, it felt like there was something else causing me unease. Something sinister that was hidden from me, which nagged at my subconscious. If I were being honest with myself, it had been bothering me for a while. Deep inside, my instincts screamed at me to run, but I hadn’t been able to figure out why and from what.
Elisana returned with a smile and a cup cradled between her hands. “Here you go,” she said as she placed the cup in front of me before returning to her seat. “You’ll feel much better after you’vefinished this.” Her expectant gaze stayed fastened to my face as she waited for me to drink.
I frowned at it. Tea for sleep in the morning? Did that make sense? I usually had a cup in the late afternoon and another before bedtime, but never in the morning.
My mind felt a little foggy. Elisana reached out and stroked my cheek, and the fog cleared. I would drink this tea and all would be well.
Picking up the cup, I gave her my thanks and then took a sip of the warm liquid, trying not to wince. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but it tasted awful. Bitter, no matter how much honey was added to sweeten it, and there were even times I wasn’t sure I could keep it down.
As the tea slid down my throat and into my stomach, a familiar hazy feeling overcame me. The next sip wasn’t so bad, and when I looked over at Elisana, a rush of love for her started to flow through me.
“Darling,” Elisana started, and I hung on her every word. “I was thinking. Perhaps we should move the wedding up. I don’t know if I can wait a whole three weeks to be with you.”
Her eyes were so beautiful in the morning light. Her hair, so soft and glossy. When she smiled, it was as if the sun itself shone on me.
I found myself nodding, not even remembering what her question was, but knowing that I needed to make her happy. When a grin lifted the corners of her mouth, I knew I’d done just that.
Chapter Six
Isolde
The train car rocked back and forth in a slow, rhythmic motion as I played cards with Zane. The train ride wasn’t quite as long as the one we took from Soleum to Windreum, but it still took most of the day. We’d boarded the train together early in the morning, just after breakfast and after two more meals, a nap, and some time reading, we were now playing cards to pass the last few moments of the long trip to the Northern Kingdom where we would search for the Wise Ones.
“Random question,” Zane asked.
I peered up at him, fully comfortable in his presence now.
“Ask away,” I said and took a card, shuffling them into my deck to arrange them how I wanted.
“What if the Wise Ones said you had to kill a tiny puppy to save your people? Would you?”
“Zane! Why would you even ask that? Puppies are off limits.”
Zane grinned. “My apologies. This long train ride has caused my mind to go dark with boredom.”
I returned his smile but couldn’t help the unease in my stomach.
