With her heart in her hand, Anastasia rushed inside the room to see Kaizan. She saw that he was lying on the bed, still unconscious, mumbling something about getting out of his head. He was thrashing his head against the pillow. His forehead was dripping with sweat.
"Call the healers," Anastasia instructed the guard. Then she turned to see Darla who was crying. She was trying to hold Kaizan's head in place, but the vokudlak was almost to the point of convulsing. Tears burned the back of her eyes and even as she tried to blink them away, they rolled out. She felt guilty for letting that tiny bit of suspicion about Kaizan enter her mind. Ileus was right. Kaizan was too loyal to be thought of as untrustworthy even for a second.
Seeing his state, Anastasia felt a pang of pain in her heart. She went to sit beside him and whispered, "Kaizan, Kaizan." She placed her hand on his forehead, which was burning.
"I will kill Tamara if her magic has affected his brain," Darla said through her tears. "And I don't care if the queen throws me in jail."
"No Darla, you will have to beat me to kill her!'' Anastasia said, feeling fiercely protective about the vokudlak who had been a part of her journey from Vilinski, who had been a great friend to her, who had protected her, laughed with her and suffered with her.
The door of the room opened with a bam and Ileus entered, his face twisted with anger and agony and regret. "How is he?" he asked, as smoke peeled off his body.
"I am afraid that he is on the verge of convulsing," Darla replied.
Ileus flicked his fingers and two royal healers appeared in the room. One of them was still bending as if he was picking up something from a shelf while the other one was staring at him. Seeing themselves in the room, the healers should have cringed, but their faces didn't even show the shock. They were well acquainted with the ways of the Crown Prince. They turned to him and bowed.
Soon Kaizan was covered in green orbs of lights and the healer made him drink a dark gray potion, which looked like slime. And as soon as he had the potion, Kaizan stopped mumbling. He slipped into deep sleep.
"Will he be okay?" asked Anastasia, clutching Ileus' arm.
"He should be fine," said the healer. "The magic used on him was very strong, so it is going to take a day for him to recover. However, we have to watch him constantly. I have given him a draft to sleep that will also heal his brain. The magic that controlled him is out, but there is swelling inside and that is not good. We are going to keep him asleep for one day at least."
Ileus' throat bobbed up and down. "Then please stay here," he ordered the healers. "You will not leave his side."
"Sure."
"I am going to stay in the adjacent room," Darla announced.
"And we will be staying in the next room," said Ileus. "Until Kaizan recovers."
"As you wish, Prince Ileus," said the healer and bowed.
There was tightness inside the chest of everyone in the room, as nervous energy coiled in their stomachs. Would Kaizan wake up normally? Would he be as good as before? The anticipation was high.
"You must go back to the party," Darla urged. "If they won't see you, questions will be raised. We don't want to talk about the High Priestess and what she was doing behind the backs because that woman was appointed by the queen herself."
"I know," Ileus grated. He held Anastasia's hand and squeezed it tight. "Come love, let us attend to the guests. You have been away from the party for far too long."
She nodded and exhaled a heavy breath. "Give me a minute," she said and went to the bathroom to wash her face. She looked like an emotional mess when she saw her reflection in the mirror and once again chided herself for suspecting Kaizan.
Ileus and Anastasia went back to the party. Just before entering the venue, she asked, "How did you come to know about Kaizan?"
"Darla called me. She communicated mentally."
"I see."
There was this uneasy silence again. She knew that she had to talk to him and though he was waiting for it, he would never goad her to speak about it.
In the party, while everyone else was in a rejoicing mood, Anastasia and Ileus were surly. Anastasia put on her best façade to be as calm as possible but underneath she was unsettled. In the party, she was introduced by Adrianna to each and every nobility formally. Later Anastasia noticed Cora and Pierre's absence. She didn't ask about them either, but as if Adrianna had read her mind, she said that she had sent invitations to them. It was up to them to come or not.They walked to a secluded space where suddenly she felt air pressing around her. Adrianna had cast a sound barrier spell.
"Also, you better work on your mental shields, dear," Adrianna said with worry. "I can easily enter your cell. There are several people in this place who can enter your cell. That's one thing they teach very well in the wizard academy. That is the reason why even though the werewolves and wizards work with each other, we offer the werewolves complete protection by casting spells around their minds."
Anastasia gulped. Fear skittered in her spine. How vulnerable she was and how many had already read her thoughts?"
"Don't worry," Adrianna said in a soothing voice, reading her thoughts again. "I had cast the spell around your mind when I first saw you, but you have a very strong mind. One that can shred others to pieces. I think Ileus has also cast a spell to keep others at bay. But I am sure he has done it because he fears others and not you." A playful smile came on her mother-in-law's lips. Anastasia's natural power was like a reservoir ready to explode.
Adrianna continued, "I heard what Tamara did to Kaizan. Though I would have reacted harshly if the same thing would have happened to my friends, you showed a lot of wisdom. The High Priestess is a powerful figure in the city. I leave the decision up to you, Anastasia. If you want, we will throw her in prison for her treachery."
"Thank you, Mother," she said, feeling happy that Adrianna trusted her judgment.
Adrianna cupped her face with her hands and a beautiful smile wormed on her lips. "Once you are officially married to my son in the kingdom of Draoidh, we will start thinking of a strategy to free your parents."
"Really?" Anastasia squealed.
"Yes, Anastasia. They were our friends and supported us in the High Council. Ever since you have come here, all the misunderstandings have cleared." She lowered her hands and held hers. "I am so glad that Ileus went to pursue you a year back in Vilinski."
Anastasia jerked her head back as she felt the sweetness of the queen tingling upon her skin. She giggled like a little girl.
The party got over after dinner and along with Ileus she went to the west wing.
In the morning—
