“Splendid.” Jarvis clapped his hands together and Haydyn smiled, happy to have pleased them.

The walk back to her suite had been ice cold, Matai refusing to look at either one of us, Haydyn trembling the whole way. Matai had opened the door for us and we went in. He shut it carefully in our wake, not saying a word.

“I just can’t believe you’re even considering marrying some stranger!” I snapped at her.

Her cheeks grew pink with deep blush, and I knew she was growing equally angry with me. “It may be for the best of Phaedra! I’m finally doing something worthy of a leader and you’re angry at me?!”

“You’re not doing something worthy of a leader! You’re doing what someone else wants you to do. As always!”

She flinched, hurt widening her eyes. I immediately felt awful but words of apology stuck in my throat.

“There was never a future for Matai and me,” she whispered sorrowfully, pleading with me to agree with her. “He’s not of a high enough rank.”

But I shook my head. “You can have any future you want, Haydyn. They need you!” I spat, pointing out the window. “Not the other way around! You can do what you like, love who you love, be who you want to be. And there is nothing that they can do about it, because they need you.”

Haydyn trembled, clasping onto the post of her bed. “No.” She shook her head, growing more wan by the second. “Something’s wrong with Phaedra and I have to fix it. Jarvis knows how. The betrothal is a good idea,” she gasped, seeming out of breath.

I was too angry to pay attention. I wanted to stamp my foot like a child, my head bursting with the pain of hitting the brick wall she insisted on putting up. “Haydyn, it’s a good idea. But not the best idea. Not the only idea. Surely we can come up with something else. You don’t-”

“Rogan-”

“- know if Andrei of Alvernia is a despicable lout like the rest of the mountain people are supposed to-”

“Rogan-”

“-be. He could be-”

“Rogan!” Haydyn gasped out and fell towards me. My heart flared in panic and I rushed to catch her. As my arms encircled her before she hit the ground, her eyes rolled back in her head and she grew limp, lifeless in my arms.

“Haydyn.” I shook her, a nauseating fear growing in my chest. “Haydyn.” I shook her harder but her eyes wouldn’t open. She was so pale. So deathly pale. I choked on a sob. “Haydyn!” I gasped. “Wake up!” I shook harder, a sob breaking out from the pit of my stomach. “MATAI!” I screamed now. “MATAI!”

Chapter Five

The room was silent. Like death had crept into the palace and snuffed out all the candles, all the cheer, all life. I looked around at my companions and swallowed past the constriction in my throat.

“I’ve called you all here for a reason,” I whispered and cleared my throat to be heard.

After Haydyn had collapsed in my arms, Matai had burst into the room in the company of Wolfe who had stopped outside the suite to enquire after the shouting match going on between Haydyn and I. Unable to rouse Haydyn, I silently made my way through the Palace, terrified of spreading my panic. I quietly ushered Valena and Raj to the suite. When Raj told us gravely he and Valena needed more time to discover Haydyn’s unwaking illness, deep suspicion and fear began to coalesce in my chest, so I sent a messenger out for Vojvoda Jarvis and Grofka Ava. I met them in the grand entranceway and brought them to my suite, where Wolfe and Matai waited.

They paled at the news of Haydyn’s collapse. Outraged to learn it wasn’t the first time. I bore the brunt of the glares.

Finally, Valena called us through to Haydyn’s suite. A passing maid’s eyes widened at the site of our illustrious group going in and I shooed her away with a warning that if she spoke of this to anyone she would be swiftly booted out of the palace. She gulped and nodded, hurrying away. I ignored the reproving look Wolfe threw my way.

Inside we were greeted by a very grave Raj. And then he confirmed our worst fears. Haydyn had fallen ill to the Somna. The rarest of illnesses in Phaedra, the Somna, more colloquially known as the Sleeping Disease, was a mystery to us. No one knew where, why or what caused it. There had been fewer and fewer records of the Somna over the last centuries, but every now and again… it took hold of someone without warning. It caused a growing lethargy that soon caused the victim to fall into a coma-like state. If the victim was lucky enough to have a Dravilec close by, the healer could hold off death by healing the sleeping person from starvation and dehydration. If not, death was inevitable… unless one could find the rare leaves of the Somna Plant, the only cure to the Sleeping Disease. A plant that was said to be extinct now.

I gazed around the Chambers of the Rada at Jarvis, Ava, Matai, Wolfe, Valena and Raj. Only we knew Haydyn was dying. That’s why Phaedra was falling apart. Unbeknownst to her, her magic was waning with her illness.

I thought of my harsh words to Haydyn, the words that had been my last. I flinched and then gritted my teeth. They wouldn’t be my last. Haydyn was not dying. Not while I had breath in my body.

“Someone, command me to seek the Somna plant,” I urged, almost violently.

Wolfe’s eyes widened as everyone shifted, as if waking out of a coma themselves. “Of course,” he whispered, and they all seemed to admonish themselves for not having thought of it before. “Rogan-”

“Not you,” I interrupted. I wouldn’t be ordered to seek anything from another Stovia again. If I hadn’t known any better I would have thought I’d hurt Wolfe’s feelings by the wounded look I received. I ignored him and turned to Jarvis. “Vojvoda.”

He nodded militantly. “Rogan, I want you to seek the Somna Plant.”

Waves crashed over me and I shuddered at the current of energy that dragged on and on. I’d never been hit with my magic like this before, my nerves buzzing and twanging, my muscles twitching. But as I saw the Somna Plant buried in the northern most point of Phaedra, I knew why. I had never had to seek anything so far from me before. “It exists,” I exhaled in relief, my heart in my throat, tears pricking my eyes. I felt them all exhale with me.

“Where?” Matai croaked.

I smirked unhappily at the thought of my journey ahead. “The Pool of Phaedra.”

Ava gasped. “In the Mountains of Alvernia?”

I shrugged. “Is there any other?”

“You’re going to retrieve it, aren’t you?” Jarvis gave me a worried look.

Scornfully, I curled my lip back. How dare he question my honour?! “Of course, I am,” I snapped, my brain whirring with what needed to be done. “We’ll send word ahead to Vojvoda Andrei Rada that I and some of the Royal Guard are coming to visit his province. Let him and everyone else think Haydyn’s sending me to feel out a possible betrothal between her and the Markiz. Everyone knows Haydyn defers to my opinion, so no one will question it. In reality, I will spend only a day or so at Arrana and head into the mountains to retrieve the plant.” I looked around at them all sternly, not taking a moment for a breath. “Back here, Haydyn has decided she would like some peace from palace life. She’s going to stay in her cottage in Land’s End. Only Matai, Raj…” I took a moment to think who would be most trustworthy. “She’ll need a chaperone for appearances sake so we’ll send Seamstress Rowan with you. She can be trusted.” I stared them all down. “No one must know the truth but us and Rowan.”

They all gazed at me like they’d never seen me before. Jarvis gave me what could pass for a warm look as he nodded. “It’s an excellent plan, Rogan.”

“How long will it take you to retrieve the plant?” Valena asked quietly, her fingers worrying the handkerchief in her hand. She hadn’t stopped crying since she’d helped Raj uncover Haydyn’s illness.

Unwillingly I looked to Wolfe. He was the only one who knew the provinces well. He cocked his head to the side thinking about it. “Without interruption? With the Royal Guard-”

“Not all of them.” I shook my head.

“My Lady, crime rate is rising. There is no way I’m taking the Handmaiden of Phaedra across our land without an army.”

“Stop calling me the Handmaiden of Phaedra.”

He shrugged. “Just being respectful.”

“I’d believe that if you didn’t add this mocking tone to the title every time you say it,” I huffed, and realised we were being childish. “Fine. Twenty men.”

“A hundred.”

A hundred men! Talk about conspicuous. I gave him a look that told him I thought it was ridiculous.

Wolfe snarled, “Fine, fifty.”

I opened my mouth to argue and Jarvis held up a hand. “You will take fifty men with you, Rogan. That’s an order from the Rada.”

I grimaced but deferred to his wishes with a brittle nod. “Alright, so how long will it take us?”

Wolfe shook his head. “Difficult to say. Depending on weather and any other unforeseen circumstances I would say anything between three to six weeks. What will I tell my men?” He queried Jarvis.

“I assume you can trust Lieutenant Chaeron with the truth. Otherwise, just what Rogan outlaid. This is merely a diplomatic trip on behalf of the Princezna. If trouble brews and you must tell your men then you must, but otherwise keep it between you, Rogan and Chaeron. May I suggest you leave Second Lieutenant Worth back at the Palace, just in case you and Rogan don’t make it back in time before trouble arrives here?” Jarvis shuddered at the thought of crime in Sabithia, as did we all as we shared anxious looks.

“Of course.” Wolfe stood, projecting strength and capability. They all looked to him as if he would take care of everything. I hated him for that. “I’ll see to my men.”

“I’ll see to Haydyn’s quiet removal from the Palace,” Ava said, standing unsteadily to her feet. “Lord Matai, will you find Seamstress Rowan, explain everything. She will need to pack a few things. Raj, Valena, Lord Jarvis, we need to get the Princezna out of the Palace.” She turned to me and, taking me by surprise, she drew me into a soft hug. I stiffened at the touch. No one but Haydyn and Valena ever hugged me. “Good luck, Rogan. I know you can do this. We shall see you in a few weeks’ time.”

I nodded, pulling back, trying not to choke on my tears. “I better gather my things together.” I strode to Valena and drew her into a tight hug, and she bent down to soak her tears on my shoulder. “You take care of her. And yourself.”

“Be careful, Rogan.” Valena pulled back, brushing at her tears. “Please.”

I promised I would and marched from the room, only now feeling what Haydyn must feel every day.

The weight of an entire world on my shoulders.

And now, like her, I would have given anything to ask someone else to help me carry my burden.

Chapter Six

Haydyn lay before me on her bed, peaceful and pale, her eyelids not even twitching to assure me she was dreaming somewhere inside herself. My throat felt so tight, so sore, and I gripped the bed post lest I reach forward to shake her as I wanted to; to shake her awake and scold her for terrifying the living daylights out of me. Her chest rose gently, slowly, and I let go of the breath I was holding.

“You’re going to be alright,” I whispered, bending down to brush a kiss across her forehead. I knew every feature, every freckle of her as well as I knew myself. I choked back a frightened sob and pulled away from her. “I promise.”

***

I strode out into the courtyard where the Guard were busying themselves with their horses and the cart that would travel with us with supplies. I tugged on my leather riding gloves, my cloak billowing at my back as wind rushed in from the east. My heart thudded rapidly in my chest, my whole face tight with tension. I willed my expression to relax into a soft smile when I realised Jarek was watching me carefully as I approached him and Midnight.

“Thank you, Jarek,” I acknowledged, taking Midnight’s reins and stroking my mare’s glossy blue-black coat. Midnight nickered and bounced her head towards me in hello.

“So.” Jarek eyed me sceptically. “A diplomatic trip on behalf of the Princezna?”

Not meeting his eyes, I nodded as I continued to stroke Midnight. “Yes. Haydyn’s interested in improving relations with the Alvernians.”

“It’s such a hastily put together outing.” Jarek shook his head. “My boys nearly broke their backs getting the horses ready under Wolfe’s command. Usually a trip such as this would take a week of preparation at least.”

I shuddered, hating to lie to an old friend. Instead I opted to trust him with a little of the truth. I looked into his eyes and he froze instantly at the seriousness of my gaze. “Alvernia is worsening,” I told him quietly, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. “I’m going with Captain Stovia to discern the situation for myself and see what can be done. Speak of this to no one, Jarek, but Haydyn may consider a betrothal to Vojvoda Andrei’s son.”

Jarek’s eyes widened. “Are things really that bad?”

I nodded.

He sighed wearily, shaking his head at the news. “I swear, I’ll tell no one, Rogan. It would cause unnecessary panic.”

Smiling at his understanding, I took his hand. “Thank you, Jarek. Haydyn will be staying at her cottage in Land’s End while I’m gone. The news has troubled her and I think it would do her good to get away from palace life.”

Jarek squeezed my hand. “And what of you, Rogan? You’re to bear the burden of travelling and worrying and making the decisions? It hardly seems fair.”