Chapter 9

Skylar stayed by Petra’s bed  for a while, before leaving by way of his sisters’ room and collecting the fan he’d come for, making sure he shut and locked all door behind him.

He sat beside his sister as he placed the fan between them; he gave her a quick look that said they needed to stay. He smiled and chatted to everyone and told Rose to do the same. He looked for some kind of tell, at first there was nothing out of the ordinary.

‘I’m going to my room.’ She stood up and smiled at her brother.

‘After a little business, I will join you if you don’t mind.’

‘What business?’ Her face suddenly became serious, her brother grinned.

‘Just a chat with a certain duke . . . unless you don’t want me to?’

‘Skylar . . .’ She stopped. ‘What duke are you thinking of?’

‘The one you have been trying not to watch . . . and he has been doing the same.’

‘If we were alone, I would hug you.’ She smiled as she turned to leave.

Skylar watched her leave, as the ladies followed her he saw one look at Petra’s place with a half hidden smile. He did his best to hide his feelings as he waved to the duke to sit beside him.

‘So, I here you are interested in my only sister?’

‘Yes . . . but I swear that I’ve never acted . . .’

‘Relax man, Rose feels the same.’ He waited and was rewarded with a look of astonishment. ‘So there is just one thing I can to put a stop to all this mooning about.’ He saw the duke become very still and loose his colour.

‘What is that your majesty?’

‘To get you both married before the year is out.’

‘Oh.’ The duke said.

‘Heavens man, you do realise I am meaning to each other right?’

‘Really?’ He looked at Skylar.

‘Do you agree?’

‘Yes . . . but sire I’m not the person who is normally accepted. My family are only . . .’

‘My sister loves you and her feelings are returned, and I know you are a decent man, that is all I need to know. So I think you should go and tell your family and I will inform Rose.’ He grinned at the look of joy on the young dukes’ face. ‘I think tomorrow will have to be soon enough for the pair of you to meet privately to talk. She is a little busy this night.’

‘Yes sire.’ He sat there looking at the door. ‘But I will step back if Princess Rose doesn’t think . . . oh sire, you know what I mean.’

‘See, a decent man. Now I need you to do me a small favour.’ He leant in and lowered his voice.

‘Anything.’

‘There’s been an attempt on Petra’s life; she is trying to heal herself at the moment.’

‘Who did this?’

‘I think I know, but I can’t say anything until Petra is well and able to watch.’ Skylar gripped his hands together trying not to let his fear show on his face.

‘What do you want me to do?’

‘Keep an ear out for any talk when word gets out.’ He stood up and held out his hand. ‘I will keep an eye on the culprit.’ He smiled openly. ‘I look forwards to the day I can call you brother, now . . . go and celebrate.’ He turned and left the young man there with a war of joy and anger flowing through him. Skylar hurried to his sisters’ rooms and walked in, he found his sister by the window. The four ladies sat around, but Louisa kept an eye on Petra’s door.

‘Rose, I have some good news for you.’

‘Really?’ She turned and took the hand he held out.

‘The duke said yes and it will be formally announced at the end of the month.’

‘Thank you.’ She hugged him, and he indicated for the others to leave the room. When they were gone she quickly pulled back. ‘Where is she?’

‘In her room, someone put ground glass in her food.’ He said as he unlocked the door.

‘Why didn't you tell me, I would have come straight here?’

‘She said she could remove it.’ He opened the doors, stepped aside, and watched as his sister rushed over and kneel on the floor beside the sofa.

‘We need a cold compress.’ Was all she could say as she stroked Petra's forehead, the heat almost burn her. He got everything she would need and put them by the bed.

‘Let’s move her into her bed, she’s going to be out for a long time and we might as well make her comfortable.’ He picked Petra up and felt a tremor run through her. ‘Rose . . . I want to try something.’

‘What?’

‘Petra mentioned that we both might have an ability that requires each other to preform.’

‘Tell me what this is?’ She watched as Petra was laid in the bed, Skylar stood for a moment and looked at Petra.

‘I told her about when you try telling me about the man from the forest. She said you might be an inducer and I might be a seer.’

‘Why do you want to try this now?’

‘I want to see who did this to her.’

‘What do we do?’

‘You are just going to talk to me about the dinner, give as much detail as you can. I’ll try not to fear it and let it just happen.’

‘Come over here.’ She took his hand and they moved to the seats by the window. ‘Okay . . .’ Rose spoke softly about everything to do with the dinner, from when she entered the room until Petra left.

‘Yes, her bowl is almost half empty. Her face is so pale and her hands tremble. I need to watch the bowl of food and follow it back to its making.’ He looked at her soup, its level rose. ‘Yes, back I will go and follow its path.’ And he did, the bowl was removed by a young woman who walked backwards to the kitchen. The workers hurried with the final touches. Petunia is being dragged, petunia being hit. Petunia moved around her kitchen, chatted to her staff. Louisa smirked at Petunia. Louisa leant over Petra’s bowl. ‘Stop.’ The world stopped and he hurried over and lent in to see a fine white powder being tipped into the bowl. ‘Show me from here.’ The world moved. Louise tipping the whole bottle of white powder into the bowl with an ugly grin that vanished as she stood up and stirred the bowl. When she left the room, Skylar stayed and watched in horror as Petunia check the soup, lick the spoon as she looked at the workers. ‘Damn.’ He shook his head and stopped the vision. ‘Damn it all.’ He jumped to his feet and opened Petra’s door, pulled in one of the guards. ‘I need word to be taken to those guarding Petunia . . . the cook. She is not the one, she was poisoned by accident but it worked into a plan. Tell them to take great care of her and have healers visit as soon as possible.’ He lent in close so Rose would not hear. ‘Place guards on Louisa and make them unnoticed.’

‘Yes sire.’ The guard hurried away.

‘Skylar . . . who was it?’

‘Please don’t ask me yet.’ He pulled her into his arms. ‘Please.’

Rose only left Petra’s side to go to bed at night and if she was told she needed to go out and let others see she was well. During those times and in the evening Skylar stayed in the room watching over the woman in the bed wondering about her and the many mysteries she brought with her. Four days later Skylar walked into the room.

‘Rose it’s time for you to go for your walk. I promise to stay with Petra until you return.’

‘We can't lose her.’ At last she let her fear show.

‘She will live.’

‘No Skylar, there’s something very important about her, something that’s needed by . . . something.’ She looked back to Petra and felt an irrational fear run through her. ‘I can’t understand the dreams I’m having about her, but she is very important.’

‘Rose?’ Skylar took his sister into his arms, holding her tightly. ‘Your young duke came and talked to me this morning, he’s worried you don’t really want this marriage. He told me it’s your choice, he won’t be angry if you’ve changed your mind.’

‘I do want this marriage, it’s just . . . I’m so preoccupied by Petra I can’t . . .’

‘He knows about Petra, but I insist you take a walk with him. Let the man give his future wife the support she needs.’

‘I do love him Skylar.’

‘I know, but you might let him know that.’

‘She can't die.’ Was all she said before she left the room?

He sat on the bed as soon as the door closed and laid his hand on her cheek. ‘Petra I know who did this to you, but I won’t let anyone else know, not even Rose, until you are better.’ He stopped and smiled down at her. ‘So please wake up soon, I really want to punish this damnable woman but I can't do that without you beside me.’ He lent down and placed a feather light kiss on her lips, he smiled down at her.

A muscle twitched in her cheek a moment before her mouth opened. A light grey mist drifted out and flowed to her free hand, as the last of it landed in her palm it formed a glass oval the size of her last little finger joint. She relaxed and lifted up her hand and looked at it with a frown.

‘Petra.’ He said only to have her jump; she dropped the glass and it landed on her hair, he took it and examined it.

‘Skylar . . . Your Majesty.’ She corrected herself weakly.

‘Yes?’

‘Not quite myself yet, but I will live.’

‘I’m glad to hear it, do you know how long before you’ll be well enough to get out of bed.’

‘I could try now.’ She tried to sit up.

‘No.’ He held her down by the shoulders. ‘Not until you are fit enough, what you have gone through would kill most.’ He stayed over her and looked into her eyes as he brushed stray hair from her face.

‘Thank you, I really do need to sleep, it will take some time to be . . . well again.’ She laid there and looked at his eyes, he smiled at her and she returned it. Her eyes fluttered close as she fell asleep and rested properly for the first time in days.