Page 26 of The Royal Gauntlet
I’m looking around like the secrets might be held within the corners of this small closet of a room, but then my eyes snag on the ginger fizz sitting next to the water.
“What if we had a way to distribute the memory alteration that wasn’t door-to-door?”
“How?” Essos asks, gripping my chin so I face him.
“We could spell water or a potion of some kind.”
“On that grand a scale, we’ll probably need Rafferty,” Essos mutters darkly.
Gisella enters the room with a cart of books. “You two need to take these and go,” she snaps.
“What? Why?” I ask, sliding off Essos’s lap.
“I don’t know what’s changed, but Posey has supporters going into establishments and homes, forcing people and shopkeepers to swear fealty to her. Anyone caught with a white lily is being imprisoned. You need to leave, and you need to leavenow.”
“Would she really imprison you and your scholars?” Essos asks through clenched teeth.
“She can do anything she wants, Essos. So please, heed my warning, andleave.”
Essos and I make quick work of gathering all the books she pulled for us.
“Will you be all right?” he asks, slotting one last tome in my grip before reaching for the librarian’s upper arm.
She gives him a small smile. “I appreciate your concern, and I’ll be fine. But if you linger, you won’t be.”
Not needing to be told again, Essos and I transport home.
It’s the last useful thing I do, because no sooner have I gotten home then I pass out, Essos catching me just before I hit the ground.
* * *
Somethingcool and wet presses against my forehead.
“There she is,” Essos whispers fondly. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been trampled to death. What happened?”
Essos gives me a thin smile. “You passed out. Sybil and Estelle as well as a healer have all been by to check on you and the baby, to give me peace of mind that all the jumping around we’ve done hasn’t been harmful to either of you.”
My hands go to my stomach. “That never even occurred to me.” My heart is caught in my throat.
“You’re both okay. They did suggest that you should limit how much transporting you do over great distances in a short period of time. Have a minimum of an hour between farther jumps. And now I’m not the only one benching you. The healer said you shouldn’t transport again, even on the estate, for at least a week. I promise we’ll go see your parents.”
“That’s right,” Sybil says, walking in with Estelle on their heels. “Your baby’s magic is still settling. You have to give them a chance to come into it before you bounce around like that again.”
“How much is he paying you to say this?” I ask suspiciously. Gingerly, I sit up, and Essos tosses the wet cloth in the general direction of our bathroom. “If you had time to get a healer and for Estelle to whip up some food, how long was I out?”
“Two hours,” Essos grinds out.
I cover his hand with mine only to have to pull my hand back so Estelle can place a tray of plain toast and crackers on my lap.
“Bed rest for the remainder of the day,” Sybil tells me, their tone serious.
“Understood.” I take a bite off a corner of the toast. “But bedrest means I can still do research. Give me books.”
“No. For starters, Gisella will burn your garden down if you get crumbs in her books.” I flinch back like Essos has slapped me. “Yes, that’s exactly what it will be like with her if you do that, so eat first. Second...for fuck’s sake, Daphne, I had to carry my unconscious wife upstairs. You can take a rest today. Please.”
“Not your wife,” I point out, trying to get some sort of reaction other than overprotective hen.