A Queen Conflicted (Alys Book #3)

Chapter 12

After lying in bed for nearly an hour, the pain completely stopped. But Endolynn's body still shook violently.
"Are you cold?" Rose asked in confusion, frowning as she felt Endolynn's cheeks with the backs of her hands.
"No," Endolynn replied quietly, staring up at the canopy of fabric above her as she lay in her bed.
Rose made a frustrated noise, "Then why the shaking?"

She was asking herself, not the others in the room.

"I suppose the most likely reason would be stress." Warrick said without looking up from the book he was reading from. As soon as Endolynn's pain had stopped, Warrick had started reading everything he could regarding the situation in the old medicine books that a servant had brought him.
"Dastrehan knows," Endolynn groaned and brought her hands to cover her face. Rose blanched and sat down on the bed beside Endolynn's legs.

"Are you certain?"
Warrick made an irritated noise, unhappy that they were talking, and he could not focus on what he was trying to read, "He was in the hallway when we passed him."
Rose frowned and rubbed a hand on Endolynn's leg to try and comfort her when she heard Warrick's words.
A knock came from the door, and Endolynn heard Zaiden's voice call that it was him.
"Come," Rose called back when Endolynn did not bother to answer.
"How is she?" Zaiden asked Rose as soon as his eyes found her. Rose stood and walked over to where Zaiden stood just inside the door.
"Much better."
Warrick huffed, clearly not in agreement.
Endolynn knew he was upset with them all. How many times had he warned her that she was under too much stress? Clearly, her altercation with Prince Jaspar had pushed her body over the edge.
Endolynn heard Zaiden speaking quietly to Rose and looked over to where they stood. She could not hear exactly what was being said, and she knew that was intentional.
"No," Rose said, shaking her head firmly, "She is already too stressed."
Zaiden's eyes flickered to Endolynn, and she set her head down.

She did not have to be told what they were talking about. Or whom.
Zaiden said something to Rose again.
"You can assure him that she is in good hands."
Endolynn wished she could fall asleep and stay that way until Dastrehan and his beautiful princess had left.

What a disaster.

"No visitors," Warrick said firmly from his spot on the far side of the room, clearly unbothered that the potential visitor was his own king.
Endolynn turned on her side to face away from her brother and Rose, wishing to be alone. Exhausted and still shaking, she closed her eyes and wished for sleep.

***

Upon Warrick's strict instructions, Endolynn stayed in bed the rest of the evening, and most of the next day. It was not until the afternoon that Warrick finally said she could walk around her chambers as long as it was for short durations.
Despite his warning, Endolynn found it difficult not to pace. Her worried mind was anxious about what Dastrehan was planning to do and who he had told. Politically, this information could be disastrous in the wrong hands. There was no telling what the fallout might be with Marniac, Arkala, and other allied kingdoms.

She had managed to drag out of Krea that Zaiden had spent most of the previous evening keeping the young king away from Endolynn's chambers.
Endolynn knew that her guests would be curious about her absence. But she was not ready to face anyone yet. Especially all at once.

Hopefully, Zaiden or one of her advisers had been able to come up with a believable excuse that would keep her guests appeased.

***

It was just before the evening meal when Endolynn heard Ezan's voice from the hallway outside the main door into her chambers. She moved to the door, her curiosity getting the better of her, and listened quietly.