Never Yours ✔️

Ch. 12

There was a knock on her door. She didn't answer it.

"Lady Arysa?" Coran called. "It's the physician, Eklys. He has news of your brother."

Her eyes snapped open. "Let him in."

The door opened and closed and Eklys came to her bedside. His eyes ran over her, examining the bruises on her neck and face.

"I'm fine, Eklys." Arysa murmured. "I'm resting."

His brows wrinkled. "According to Coran, you've been resting since I saw you yesterday. And you haven't been eating."

"I'm not hungry." She replied curtly. "You said you have news of Ashlyn?"

"The bruise on your neck is almost healed." He murmured. "And those on your face look somewhat better. Could I see your laceration?"

"No." She snapped. "Tell me what you came here to tell me. Or was it just a lie to get into my room?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not." He sighed, but with a smile. "Ashlyn's woken up."

Arysa's head lifted. "How is he? Will he be—"

"Slow down, child." Eklys chuckled. "So far, it seems he's perfectly healthy. Healthy and insistent on seeing you."

At this, Arysa's smile dropped. "He can't."

Eklys only nodded. "I know. Trust me, child, I know the two of you better than I think I know my own apprentice." His lips pressed together in sorrow as he looked at her. "I just thought you'd want to know. I came as soon as I could."

"Thank you, Eklys." Her eyes studied the bedsheets. "Have you—" She hesitated, "Have you heard anything from Idaly?"

Eklys shook his head. "Not since yesterday, no."

She laid her head back down. "Tell me if you do?"

"Of course."

"Has Ashlyn heard the news about Demain yet?" She asked.

Eklys nodded mournfully. "Yes. And he's gone to see him."

Arysa's gut lurched and her head snapped up off the pillow. "No." She said quickly. "He can't. You have to stop him."

Eklys's brows furrowed. "He's probably already there by now. Besides, child, I don't think I could if I tried."

Fear ate into her stomach. "Dreadroot wouldn't let him have visitors. The guards would stop him—" She stopped short as Eklys shook his head.

"Ashlyn's saved the lives of many of those guards' family members. They owe him more than anything the king can give them, at least enough to allow him a visit with his cousin."

Arysa's teeth nawed at her bottom lip. She wasn't looking at Eklys, wasn't looking at anything. Her mind was in the dungeon, her eyes seeing Demain telling her brother everything he'd learned from Serden, what she'd done for him, what Serden had done to her. She had no idea how he'd react. What would he do?

There was a knock on the door.

"Princess?" Coran called. "The Lady Regana wishes to speak with you. Privately."

"Let her in." Arysa called. She turned to Eklys, but he was already standing.

He nodded to her with a sad press of his lips. "I wish you would let me care for you, Arysa."

She just turned away.

Eklys left as Regana entered. The door clicked shut behind him. Regana stood stiffly at the end of the bed, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes on the bedpost.