Page 194 of Shadow Queen
“At the ports,” he said, his tone rising. “For all we know, Henricus might have eaten something that didn’t agree with his stomach.”
But Norah wasn’t willing to take that risk. “Go,” she told Caspian.
Edward’s voice pitched higher. “You cannot make unilateral decisions that affect Mercia’s trade and economy.”
“Why not?” she snapped back. She was near breaking with this man. “Am I not queen?”
“You have a council—”
“Who’s failing! If you were doing your job, you’d put aside your differences and help me build a stronger alliance between Mercia and Kharav, and stand beside your king! You would help me help our people. You wouldn’t undermine me at every turn—don’t think I haven’t noticed.” Her cheeks were hot with anger. “We’ll stop all trade until we know just how serious this is. Lives mean more than money. We close the ports.”
Things went from bad to worse. The sickness was as Norah had feared, and two days later, more men were showing signs of illness. They had all visited the ports or interacted with those who had done so.
She stood in her study, looking out the window over the castle. Caspian knocked on the door and entered.
“Norah,” he said gently. His reluctant tone brought a chill to her spine.
She turned.
“Henricus is dead.”
Her blood ran cold. “What?” she breathed.
“He died this morning.”
“Of the fever?”
He nodded solemnly. “It appears so. Deaths are being reported through Damask and into the markets of the Free Cities.”
Deaths. It was like a blow to the stomach. Her mind shifted to Mikael. Had he closed the ports of Kharav in time?
“There’s more,” Caspian said. “The lord commander has taken ill.”
Norah’s chest tightened. “What? How?” She needed to see him. She darted from the chamber before Caspian could answer.
“Norah, you can’t see him.”
“How is he sick? He didn’t even go to the ports! He—” she stopped, and bile rose in the back of the throat. She’d sent him on miscellaneous tasks to keep him busy, which included assessing risks at the ports. And now he’d caught the fever. She turned and raced toward his chamber.
“Norah, you can’t,” Caspian called after her. But she ignored him.
As she neared Soren’s chamber and reached for the latch, Caspian caught her arm. “Norah, you can’t see him.”
“Soren,” she called from outside the door.
“Leave!” he called angrily from inside. “You can’t be here.”
She rattled the handle, but it didn’t give. “The door’s locked.”
“Because I knew you’d be foolish enough to open it,” Soren hurled back.
“You can’t go in,” Caspian told her. “You can’t risk catching the fever. The healer says it can be passed easily: through touch, eating after one who has it, through the air when you cough.”
She stepped backward, the devastation of the situation creeping in. It could pass so easily from one to another? That meant it would spread through Mercia like fire. How many would catch it? She turned her focus back to Soren. “I need to know you’re all right.”
“I’ll be all right when you leave,” he rumbled back.
“I’ll be back to check on you,” she said.
