Page 195 of Shadow Queen
“Don’t let her come back!” he bellowed, speaking to Caspian now.
“Queen Norah, you have to leave. Serene and Vitalia are preparing an isolation chamber for you now. You’ll remain there with them, and I’ll personally serve as your guard at all times to reduce your contact with anyone. Alexander will be down the hall from you, and members of the council will each stay in isolation in their separate chambers. The same with your grandmother.”
“How long?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I don’t know exactly, but it appears that as it spreads quickly, it also leaves quickly. For those who are surviving, they seem to recover after three days.”
“How many recover?”
He grew quiet. “About half.”
Serene stepped inside Norah’s chamber with a tray of hot soup. It was the only food approved throughout Mercia—food that could be boiled. No bread, no fresh fruits or vegetables.
Norah was surprised at how quickly Caspian had put together a plan. Everyone was ordered to their chambers, and citizens were required to remain in their homes.
The castle worked at half staff, with each person contained within a specific area at all times. Caspian left food in the hall for Serene to bring inside after he stepped away. Messages were delivered through doors. Caspian kept her updated throughout the day. Alexander, her grandmother, the remaining members of the council—they were all keeping well, even James, despite his previous visit to the ports. Soren was still with fever, but Caspian said he continued to answer through the door, and the servants still found he was taking the food into his chamber after they left it for him.
Two days passed, with Norah’s worry stretching the time even longer. She wished she had more books in her chamber. Had she been smarter, she would have asked to have been isolated in the library.
A knock on the door told her Caspian had brought dinner. Soup. Again.
“How is my grandmother?” she asked through the door.
“She says if she’s served soup one more time, she’ll throw it at me when she sees me next.”
Norah smiled.
“The lord justice says to hold on. Hopefully this won’t be for much longer.”
“And Soren?” she asked.
He was quiet.
“Caspian?”
Still, he did not answer.
“Caspian?” she said, more urgently.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“He hasn’t taken his food, and he’s not answering the servants at his door.”
Her stomach twisted.Half did not recover. Soren had to recover—he was strong, he was the Destroyer. Why didn’t he answer? Fear flooded her, and she swung the door to her chamber open.
Caspian stepped back, raising his arm to her. “Don’t come out here.”
But she wasn’t listening. She tore from the room and down the hall.
“Norah!” he yelled, and tried to grab her, but he wasn’t fast enough.
She ran by Alexander’s door and to the hall of Soren’s chamber. Two servants stood outside, and she pushed through them. “Soren!” she called, but there was no answer. “Soren!” She jerked at the iron handle, but it wouldn’t open. “Soren!” she cried.
“Norah!” Alexander’s voice came from behind.
She turned, her panic building. “He’s not answering!”
