Mending Fate by Elisabeth Waters

Author:Elisabeth Waters [Waters, Elisabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fate
Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust
Published: 2017-07-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Zora was wakened shortly before sunrise two days later by a cold canine nose poking the side of her neck. Between the pre-dawn light coming into her cell and the fact that she had excellent night vision even in human form, she was easily able to identify the dog as “Princess.”

Zora sat up and reached for a tunic, but the dog’s jaws closed over her wrist and gave a firm tug. Obviously she was wanted somewhere that she couldn’t get to in human form. And given that she wasn’t Princess and that Catriona was allowed to enter the temple quarters, Princess must be— “Kyril?” Zora asked softly.

He released her wrist and nodded. She flowed out of bed, changing to cat-shape. She didn’t want to do multiple changes, and she was pretty sure that following Kyril was going to involve climbing.

It did. They slipped silently out of the temple, outside via an empty hallway, and across the garden to the wall below the Queen’s rooms. There Kyril changed to cat-shape, and Zora followed him up the wall and over the windowsill.

Lina was flat on her back in bed. Zora jumped up and landed heavily beside her. That should have gotten some sort of response, but only Lina’s shallow breathing showed that she was even alive. Her body was otherwise motionless, even when Zora nudged her. Hard. Kyril changed back to human and put his discarded nightshirt back on, then pulled one of the Queen’s undertunics out of a chest at the foot of the bed and tossed it over a dressing screen in the corner.

“Change shape to match hers and put this on,” he said softly, “and keep your voice down. One of the priestesses sleeps in the next room.”

“I know that, Kyril,” Zora said once she had changed to human and could talk. “Until two nights ago I was the priestess in the next room. Why did you sneak into someplace you totally should not have been instead of just sending her to get me?”

“She would have blamed Lina, and Lina’s unhappy enough without having them scolding her all the time.” Kyril scowled. “Even I can tell that they don’t like her.”

There was enough truth in that that Zora didn’t argue.

“Besides, am I supposed to tell a priestess that we can’t get the Queen to wake up and we need you to take her place for the morning ritual? They don’t even know that you can take her place. You can do it, can’t you?”

“Well, I guess that explains why you fetched me instead of Colin.” Zora realized how completely she had lost track of time. “Is he back from Eagle’s Rest yet?”

“Not as far as I know,” Kyril replied. “Wait a minute, how did you know he was gone?”

“I asked him to go. There’s something very strange going on here—and I don’t mean your being the Year-King.” Zora frowned. “Did you say anything to anybody about my parents?”

“No.”

“Good. Don’t.”

“Now if we could get back to our current problem,” Kyril said, “can you take the Queen’s place for the ritual?”

Zora considered the problem.

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