Rebel's Honor(70)

Chapter 42





Lynx paced the tiny cell in Mother Saskia's cloister, where Stefan had  brought her, Malika, and Kestrel. Hiding here went against her every  instinct, but Stefan had told her it was Axel's wish.

How could she disobey?

Axel had stepped in front of a quarrel for her. The depth of his love  left her humbled-and furious. Furious they could not be together and  even more livid that he could die while she paced here helplessly.  Stefan had left immediately, promising to return with news of Axel and  Lukan.

From the bed, Lynx could feel Kestrel's glares burning her back but ignored them.

Kestrel thumped her hands down onto the bed. "It was my wedding,  supposed to be the best day of my life, and you all ruined it for me."

"We ruined it for you?" Malika jerked her tear-stained face toward  Kestrel. "We saved you. The next quarrel could have been yours."

Kestrel folded her arms across her chest. "I'm a loyal subject of the  crown. No one would harm me. And I don't believe anyone would want to  harm Lynx, either."

"Don't be so sure," Malika hissed. "You don't know how tempted I am  right now. And my brother is dying because he took that quarrel to save  her."

"How much longer do we stay here?" Lynx asked, not wanting to listen to them argue.

"Until Stefan returns," Malika said in a firm voice that belied her trembling shoulders.

Kestrel jumped up off the mattress. "Where is Tao? What could be more important than looking after his wife?"

"You do know his father has just been murdered?" Malika snapped. "He  must be up to his ears in politics right now. The whole court must be in  an uproar."

Kestrel stamped her foot. "Then I repeat, what could be more important than looking after his wife?"

Malika opened her mouth to retort, but Lynx cut her off. "Did Axel tell you what he planned?"

Malika's mouth closed with an audible click. She turned to Lynx with a  distraught expression. "Last night, while he was looking for you, he saw  footage of Lukan talking to the assassin in the lair. They were  discussing plans to kill you as well as the emperor. He tried to change  the programming, but my father stopped him." Malika wrung her skirt as  tears flowed freely down her face. "Once my brother failed, there was no  stopping him. Nothing Stefan and I could say would change his mind."

"Why didn't he come to me last night? Didn't he see footage of me being taken to the cloister?"

"He did, but he knew you'd be safe because my father commanded Mother Saskia to protect you."

"That still doesn't explain why he didn't come to me."

Malika looked up at Lynx with bloodshot eyes. "He was scared you would  talk him out of it, if you knew. And he was so . . . distracted, you  would have known something was wrong."

"He's right. I would have stopped him," Lynx said. Then she paused. "Mali, I'm worried about one thing."

"Just one?"

Lynx managed a wan smile. "Axel's lips-they were turning blue. Did you see that?"

"Between your kisses? To be honest, no. Anyway, what does that matter?"

Even Kestrel perked up, taking an interest. "My sister knows quarrel  wounds." She turned to Lynx. "Blue lips aren't typical, are they? Not  unless . . ."

Lynx and Kestrel exchanged frowns.

Malika leaped to her feet. "Unless what?"

Lynx ran her hands over her face before speaking. "I-I don't know. It shouldn't be possible . . . but yet-"

"What?" Malika's voice spiked.

"Tell her, Lynx," Kestrel said. "It's her brother. As annoying as she is, she has the right to know."

Malika glared at Kestrel and then faced Lynx.

Lynx took Malika's hand but continued speaking to Kestrel. She wanted  facts before saying anything to further upset Axel's sister. "How would  Felix and Lukan have gotten hold of it? That's what's making me doubt."

Malika pulled her hand away and dug her nails into Lynx's arm. "Stop  protecting me. Kestrel's right. He's my brother, and I love him as much  as you do."

"Did Axel say anything to you about poisoned quarrels?"

Malika looked from Lynx to Kestrel. "No. Why?"

"Nothing to Stefan?"

"I don't know. Please, Lynx, what's going on?"

Lynx pulled away from Malika, darted to the door, and started pounding  on it. If she was right, Axel needed her right away. "Mother Saskia!  Open up. I have to speak to Lukan and Felix. Urgently." She turned to  Malika. "Blue lips and extremities are telltale signs of murghi, a Norin  poison. It slows the heart, addles the mind, and then paralyzes the  limbs. After that, death is sure." Lynx lowered her voice to a grim  tone. "It has stood for centuries between Norin and destruction by you  Chenayans."                       
       
           



       

Malika blanched.

Lynx pounded on the door again. "Mother Saskia! Winds! Where is this woman?"

The door flew open, making Lynx jump back.

"Your Majesty?" Mother Saskia bowed low.

Lynx blinked, wondering to whom she was referring. Then, she remembered.  Mott was dead. That made Lukan emperor, and by default, it made her  empress.

She brushed the title aside. "I have to speak to Lukan and Felix about Axel."

The priestess looked doubtful. "It's not safe."

"That can't be helped." Lynx pushed past Saskia but, in her haste,  tripped over her skirt and high heels. "Dragon's arse. Someone give me a  knife."

Mother Saskia hesitated and then obeyed, handing Lynx her stumpy dagger.  Lynx grabbed a handful of fabric and bent down, stabbing the dress just  above her knee. Then, she hacked away at the silk.

Mother Saskia hissed. "Your Majesty, generations of crown princesses have worn that dress."

"There won't be any more crown princesses if I have anything to do with  it," Lynx said, relishing the screech of tearing silk. She stepped over  the mound of discarded fabric with bare feet. "Where will I find them?"

The clatter of boots on stone drowned out anything the priestess may  have said. Stefan stormed around the corner, skidding to a halt in front  of Lynx. Fit as he was, his breath came in rasps.

"Axel . . . he needs you. Come. Infirmary."

"Is Lukan there?" Lynx demanded, falling into step with him.

"Felix, too. Axel's been poisoned."

Skirt swaying, Malika ran after Lynx as she and Stefan raced down the passageway.

As they rounded the corner, Lynx heard Kestrel shout from behind, "Don't mind me!"

Ignoring her petulant sister, Lynx ran on. The route to the infirmary  took Lynx down different passages and halls, ones she had never seen  before. In each one, people clumped, faces drawn and frightened, audible  snippets of their conversation centered on the horror of the wedding.  They dropped into deep bows as Lynx sprinted by. There would be no  wedding party in the great hall tonight. Who celebrated the  assassination of an emperor and the attempted murder of one of his  heirs?

Only the assassins. Lukan will pay for this if it's the last thing I do.

Breathing hard, she, Stefan, and Malika finally stopped outside a white  door bearing the ubiquitous Dragon emblem. Stefan flung it open, and  Lynx bolted in, dodging her way around beds filled with the sick and  dying.

A priestess looked up from a man she was tending. She bobbed a knee and  then gestured to a closed door. "In there, Your Majesty."

Lynx surged past Stefan and Malika and barged into a small private ward.  Stark and utilitarian, it was furnished with only a single wooden bed, a  chair, and a small table with a bowl of water, a cloth, and a heap of  bloody bandages. Axel lay on his stomach, his clothing ripped open to  expose his back. His father sat at his head, mopping his sweaty face.  Lukan leaned against the wall, his arms crossed against his chest.

Malika fell down next to Axel and took his hand. Stefan stayed close to Lynx's side.

Lynx gasped when she saw Axel's face. Although his eyes were closed, his  wildly fluttering eyelids and rambling moans all pointed to murghi. She  gently lifted his other hand and swore. His fingers were blue up to the  first knuckles.

She turned to Lukan. "The poison. How did you get it?"

Felix answered. "That is unimportant. What matters now is to heal him."

Lynx agreed. Still, she folded her arm. Murghi in the hands of the enemy  was devastating for Norin. While she would do anything to save Axel,  she also had to protect her tribe. That meant the destruction of all  stocks in Chenayan possession. Axel was the only bargaining chip she  had. Surely, Felix wouldn't hesitate to answer her questions if he  believed she might not save his son? She meant to, of course, but Felix  wouldn't know that.

She thrust her chin at the Lord of the Household. "Answer my question."

Felix stood. "My son sacrificed himself for you, and this is how you repay him . . . by arguing details?"