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“CERYN!” EVERLEIGH CALLS out and Ceryn comes rushing in.
“Is he awake, is he-”
“Yes. Look, he’s opened his eyes.”
Ceryn sinks to his side, her relief palpable.
“Archer?”
He looks at them, a weary look on his face. “I could sleep for a year.”
“You almost did. Longer!”
Everleigh gives Ceryn a shove. Ceryn grins. “I can’t help it. I would rather joke than face my true emotions.” She shrugs and Archer laughs.
“You don’t change.”
“I’m constant. That’s me.”
“Yes. Constantly moaning, constantly arguing, constantly-” He breaks off with a long cough, and Everleigh glares at Ceryn.
“You need to rest.”
“I can’t rest. There’s too much to do.”
“There’s nothing you need to do. Just rest.”
“Ginata’s been drugged with a love potion, so she’s been secretly helping Millard and she rescued Wolf from the tower. We don’t know where they are, but apparently Ginata can’t help it, so I can’t kill her.”
“Ceryn!”
“What? You weren’t going to tell him? Not fair. He’s been involved in all this a lot longer than me. As long as you. He came here, and left us, to protect you. To serve a Queen. You have to let him.”
“What can he do? He almost died.”
“At least get to hear about it. Help us figure things out.”
“She’s right, Everleigh-”
“I’m sick of this!”
Everleigh storms out of the room and the three who are left behind raise their eyebrows.
“It’s a very tense time for her.”
“It’s a very tense time for us all.”
“Please, Ceryn, go after her. I can’t.”
“Of course.”
Ceryn follows Everleigh into Ginata’s bedroom. “Everleigh, please. I’m not taking sides here. I’m on your side, absolutely, but Archer would hate to be kept in the dark about things. I know he’s not well, and I won’t let him go anywhere or do anything, but he needs to know. We need to figure this out.”
“I know. I just feel sick. Sick of it all. I hate my life now. It’s all gone wrong. I hate Millard, I wish he was dead, I wish I didn’t have to be Queen. I wish I could just run away. It feels like a burden to rule this Realm, not a pleasure. I don’t feel lucky or fortunate or favoured; I feel attacked and cursed and fed up.”
“I cannot imagine. I have only known you a few days, but I know to live must be better than to be sacrificed. And you have a whole team of us behind you while you do this. You’re not alone.”
“Ceryn, I’m petrified. What if I can’t do it or I get it wrong.”
“You can do it and you might not be perfect but you have to be a better choice than your brother.”
“Where is he? Where’s Ginata? What do we do about them?”
“Look, I’m not Ginata’s greatest fan, I don’t even know why. Maybe because she broke the news about Archer? Stupid I know. But if she really has been drinking love potions day and night, then we can’t blame her, we have to help her. And the next time I get the chance I will kill your brother happily.”
“Not if I kill him first.”
“Deal!”
“Let’s go back to Archer.”
When they get to the work room everyone is gathered in there, the teacher explaining more about the potions he’s sure Ginata’s been drinking.
“We need to find her, then we’ll find Millard, then we kill Millard, then we crown you Everleigh.”
“All our plans sound simple. They never work out, though.”
“We know none of them are here. Ginata broke Wolf out, that means she knows where Millard is. He must be telling her what to do.”
“How would she have found Millard though; she’s not been anywhere looking for him.”
“She’s been missing a few times. She could have been anywhere.”
“She would hardly have been hunting for him. She was useless when we were searching for you, Everleigh.”
“What if she wasn’t searching for him? What if she just happened to find him?”
“Her cottage?”
“Yes! I bet that’s where they are.”
“We can attack them, if they are.”
“Not while Archer’s still ill.”
“I’m not ill.”
“You’re not well. If you try to fight now, you’ll end up dead.”
“Weaver will be back tomorrow, with an army, we hope. Let’s wait till then. If she is helping him, she’s not in any danger.”
“True. I don’t like it though, just abandoning her to my brother.”
“What if I head down there, see if she’s there. If she’s alive. At least then we’ll know and we can plan from there.”
“I don’t like you going from here, Ceryn.”
“No one else can go.”
“Finn!” Della cries out, her hand at her throat. “Will said he was going to call to our cottage and check on it. What if Millard is in Ginata’s cottage and sees him? He might hurt him.”
“That settles it, I’ll take Pitch and stake the place out. If I see Finn, I’ll call him away.”
“Please.” Della looks frightened to death and Addyson clutches her hand.
“We’ll all stay here, or shall Will or the teacher come with you?”
“No. If something goes wrong then only one of us, two with Finn, are involved.”
Ceryn nods solemnly and then leaves the room.