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"My lord, there are traitors to Pry-Ree lurking everywhere, some even in your own household You should not have risked riding alone, even a short distance Your enemies seek to ambush you"

"How farestowards the keep

"My lord, aat his sleeve

"What is it?"

"My lord," the voice was full of pain "The birthing was early, but she did well She was healthy yesterday Her cheeks full of color She was anxious to greet you with your daughter Butfever has taken her The milk fever The Aldermaston has laid hand on her, but she will not recover There is no Gift of Healing to be given She is so weak, my lord Every moment we fear is her last, but she strains to stay alive To see you" The steward’s lip quivered "My lord, I am so sorry She awaits you in your bedchamber"

The Prince had prepared his heart for this But even then, when the hour was co her sent shards of agony piercing him like arrows His vision blurred with the rush of tears, but he shook his head and stumbled forward, dizzy with the news His temples throbbed with thunder A cleft had opened up inside hi could have prepared hiht of it a past servants until he shoved his way into the bedcha torchlight to see The smell of the room was death and blood The midas there, her face ashen when the Prince entered She fell to her knees, sobbing

The Prince walked past her, touching the crown of her head tenderly, patting her hair Then he knelt by the bedside and gazed at the colorless face of his wife, her skin glistening with sweat Her fevered lips were panting

The urge to heal her was so strong, he nearly could not control hi to the threads Beneath the coverlets, she only wore her chaen Her sweat-soaked chaen It was torture seeing her ravaged by the fever A word of rebuke and the fever would depart By raising his hand to the n, he could preserve her life

But the Medium forbade it He knehat he wanted to do, yet he also knehat he was meant to do He leaned down and kissed her forehead

Elle’s eyes fluttered open "You…caht to speak Her hair was listless, the color draining from it He took her frail hand in his and kissed it "I will not leave you," he whispered huskily

"She is…so beautiful Our child"