Page 94 of The Prince's Sacrifice

Var felt as though his legs were going to go out from under him—but then Ferna’s actually did, and Var caught her as she swooned. It took a moment to get Ferna settled into a chair, and then Pamuna was handing him his baby. Cala stirred briefly and then settled against his chest. Belatedly, he realized he was a smoky mess, but he couldn’t bring himself to release her, even for a moment.

“Is she all right?” he demanded hoarsely.

“She took no injury,” Pamuna said.

There was something funny about her voice, and Var looked at her sharply. What wasthatexpression?

“It’s a miracle!” Yomil declared, sounding relieved. “Your Majesty, we must send guards after Prince Torex at once. We cannot allow such a travesty to go unpunished!”

“Your Majesty, it wasn’t Prince Torex,” Pamuna said urgently.

“I’m afraid I saw him myself,” Yomil reiterated, “leading the mercenaries that went after the baby. I can only apologize for being knocked out, or I might have been able to intervene!”

“It wasn’t!” Pamuna insisted. “It can’t have been Prince Torex, because he was never in the hallway.”

“That’s a lie!” Yomil hissed. “Clearly, she is under his influence!”

Pamuna didn’t look away from Varex. “He was in the nursery with me.”

“You see! She is in league with him!”

Pamuna ignored him. “He climbed in the window.”

Var choked on a laugh. His chest somehow felt both tight and hollow at the same time. Of course Tor would climb in the window. But Darmila had told him…

Pamuna’s expression was raw and pained, her eyes filled with tears. “He put a shield around the baby while I was carrying her, and then he put a shield around the crib so that no one would know I had her. His magic was already going pink. And then he lowered me out of the window on a rope of magic so I could bring her to you. And he stayed and fought so that I could get away and they wouldn’t realize the baby was gone.” She sucked in a breath, and her voice was thick with grief. “A few minutes ago, the shield around Cala went red as blood, and then it disappeared.”

“Goddess forgive me,” Var breathed. “What have I done?”

As far as he knew, a ruler could only bind or unbind a citizen while touching them, but Var tried anyway, reaching out and out, trying to push magic at someone he was very much afraid couldn’t use it anymore.

His magic feeling off, he realized with a jolt. That hollow feeling. A void that Var had made, not understanding the consequences.

Ferna recovered from her swoon and rushed to Var’s side to scoop up the baby. Var didn’t want to let Cala out of his arms, but he could hardly deny her mother. Ferna had been so sure that Tor resented Cala. Var had never understood it, because he’d seen the love every time Tor was in the room with the baby. But Ferna had been worried, and Yomil… Yomil had claimed that Tor was leading the attack against Cala.

Var whirled, but Yomil was already gone, when Var had been distracted like a fool.

“Guards!” he roared.

They crowded into the room.

“How long ago did Yomil leave?”

“A minute or two, Your Majesty,” one of the guards said, then quailed at Var’s expression.

Var fought the urge to snap. Var had let the man into every aspect of their lives, had trusted him in this most secure location with his wife and his baby. He couldn’t blame any of the guards.

“He is wanted for questioning. Assume he’s armed and dangerous.” They gaped at him. “And find Darmila and send her to me now!”

There was a still moment, and then they bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty. Right away.”

Darmila arrived what felt like ten years later but was probably only a couple of minutes. Var was pacing. Ferna was rocking the baby. Pamuna and Nawila were watching him with worried eyes.

Crisply, she said, “You believe Yomil involved?”

“He falsely placed my brother at the head of the attackers going after the baby, and he sneaked out while we were grappling with the news Pamuna brought of Tor’s… of his last defense. I assume now that much of the information he was feeding me was false. I want him found as soon as possible, I want any conspirators found, and I want—” He choked, had to swallow against the thickness in his throat. “I want my brother’s body recovered. Immediately.”

She bowed. “Your Majesty, I submit myself for any sanction you deem—”