Changing Fate by Elisabeth Waters

Author:Elisabeth Waters
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, General, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780886776084
Publisher: DAW Books
Published: 1994-03-15T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

I seem to be spending my life waking up in strange places, Akila thought. I wonder where I am this time. I wish it were back home—I miss it. She opened her eyes long enough to recognize Druscilla's room in the palace, then shut them again and concentrated on the shouting match going on in the doorway.

"Lord, will you let the healers deal with this? At least let them come into the room and look at her!” Wesia's voice was exasperated.

"What did you do to her? You said she was all right!” Briam was rapidly becoming hysterical.

I know he's not used to my being sick or hurt, but I do wish he wouldn't shout so.

"I said she was going to be all right, not that she was now,” the swordswoman retorted. “She's apparently been living off the land for months, and then she fell down a hill, a third of which fell down with her. She's half-starved and had a head injury, but she didn't break any bones, and she was recovering nicely—before she insisted on trying to walk into the palace so she wouldn't worry you. If this is how you customarily act when you're worried, I can see why she made the effort, and I'm only sorry she didn't succeed! Now will you stop acting like a spoiled two-year-old and let the healers do their job?"

"Truly, my Lord,” the Queen said soothingly, “the healers are skilled at their job—and the Shield-Bearer is quite good at judging how badly someone is hurt. Pray calm yourself. If you like, you can draw up a stool by the head of the bed and hold her hand, but do stay quiet and out of the way."

Briam stalked across the room, scraped a stool across the floor, flopped down on it (it creaked ominously), and grabbed Akila's hand.

Briam, she thought at him, I love you dearly, but if you shout like that around me again while I still have this headache, I'll turn you into a toad.

You're alive!

Of course I'm alive! I don't die that easily.

Why don't you open your eyes?

Akila shuddered. She didn't want to open her eyes; she wasn't yet ready to see her little brother looking like a younger version of Lord Ranulf. How did you get that mark on your forehead?

Briam shifted slightly to let one of the healers examine Akila's head. Akila hoped the healers weren't telepaths—having someone “overhear” this conversation would necessitate awkward explanations.

Apparently some of her unease about the mark had reached Briam through their link. The mark? Is it something horrible? I've never seen it; there are no mirrors in our rooms—that is, the Queen's and mine. Akila, you'll never believe it; she's chosen me to be her King. We've found our kingdom.

Oh, no! Akila's response came before she could stop it—it was much more difficult to stop thoughts than to hold one's tongue.

What's the matter? Don't you think this is what the prophecy meant?

I don't know. Akila thought it over. Actually, I suppose this could very well be what Mother foresaw.

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