~10~

"She ran, afraid. What happened?" Thelia asked after explaining she had seen Jose who didn't let the queen near.

"We don't know," Zargis said softly. "Someone heard screaming then nothing. The nurses found her unconscious with a bruise."

"Where would she go?" I ask, getting frustrated.

"I don't know, but you need to calm down. You're going to scare her if you find her like this."

I glared at Zargis. "She is hurt!"

"She is also smart," Thelia countered. "I'm sure she will be careful."

I rub my face, exhausted. "I wish I knew what happened."

"We all do," Thelia said, coming over to give me a hug.

I was just about to pound my head into a wall when a maid came up with a very large man who owned a restaurant not far from the castle. "Byrvo, what's up?" Zargis said.

"Lady in my house. She had on your nurse gown on," he said and grunted. "She didn't eat."

I looked at him and asked, "Doesn't talk much?" He shook his head. "Looked terrified?" He nodded.

"What did you do, Kesar? I thought you saved females?"

I scowled at him. "Where is your home?"

He shook his head. "She is sleeping. I waited for three hours! No. Wait for morning."

I wanted to snarl at him but Zargis said, "Thank you, Byrvo." Once the male left, Zargis told me, "Byrvo won't let anyone in to hurt her. Nor would his mate. She'll be fine for now. Let her be. We all can go see her tomorrow."

I wanted to argue, but didn't. I went to my room and laid in bed, wondering what had happened to set Jose off.

At dawn, Zargis, Otreg, and I went to Byrvo's house. Knocking, I waited impatiently and heard a sound before the door opened. "Kesar! Oh, how I hoped you would come!"

"Where is she?" I asked politely.

Byrvo's mate led us inside to find Jose huddled in a corner, eyes huge I fear. "She hasn't left that spot since waking up. Didn't even eat, poor thing!"

"Can you give us a moment?" Otreg asked as I slowly walked over and knelt.

"Jose?"

She blinked up at me, shaking violently.

Zargis came up next to me and said, "I know you're scared, Jose, but we need to get you back. Kesar is worried about you. Thelia is worried about you. Can you please come over here?"

She shook her head.

I grabbed a pen and paper and slid it over. "Who attacked you?"

She whimpered, mouthing something.

I soften my voice. "Jose, we can't help you if you don't tell us. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

She whimpered again but slowly took the pen and paper. We waited.

Jose finished and slid it back. "Boy"

"Do you remember his name?" I ask.

She nodded.

Zargis knelt now. "Was it Otreg?"

She shook her head.

"Cam?"

Another shake.

"A nurse?"

No.

I hesitate but say, "Einnig?"

This got her pressing herself into the corner harder.

I go over and pull her close, gently but firmly holding her tight, needing to hold her. She doesn't fight, just shakes and cries.

Behind me, Zargis is talking with Otreg in hushed tones. I rock Jose back and forth, stroking her back. Her arms come around me, fist in my shirt.

"If you want, we can find somewhere else for you to stay," I offer softly. "Or, we can go back to the castle and you don't have to stay in the infirmary, but somewhere else?"

She doesn't answer. I don't expect one.

Zargis comes back and kneels beside us. "Can you tell me the other name?" he whispers to her.

Jose looks at him, eyes red and cheeks puffy. She mouths a word. Zargis tilts his head, asks again. She does it again.

"I think I know what you're trying to say, but I won't force you. I do need you to eat though, okay?"

She shook her head.

"You haven't eaten, Jose. You need food."

She ignores him, buries her head in my shirt, and shudders.

I hold her and let her calm down, listening to the others murmur, not understanding why my brother would harm Jose like this.

Eventually, I pick her up and carry her to the castle. I take her to my room and lay her down, getting in beside her when she whimpered. I hold her and whisper words into her ear. She eventually falls asleep, mouthing the same word over and over again.

When I woke later that afternoon, Jose was shaking me. I sit up and cup her face. "What is it?" I ask gently.

She made a whimpering noise and shifted around, fidgeting. I raise a brow then grab a pen and paper. She grandma it instantly and begins to write. "Men. Window smile. Jose pain. Needle leg. Jose pain. Kesar Jose pain."

I set the paper aside after reading it and say, "Show me where they hurt you."

She points to her calf and I move her gown a little, see blood, and feel rage. Swallowing it down, I slowly stand up and go to the bathroom, hearing her cries as I wet a cloth. When I return, she holds onto me again. I wipe her skin clean, then wash away the tears on her face.

"Do you still hurt?"

She nods, solemnly.

"Can I have Verah come in and look at you?"

She nods, eyeing me warily.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jose. I promise." I sit up again and reach for a rope, pull it. A knock sounds a moment later. I allow them entrance.

Cam comes in and smiles at Jose. "I know I'm not a servant, but no one is allowed to enter yours or Zargis's chambers."

"Can you get Verah? No one else, please."

She nods.

When Cam has left, Jose slumps and just lays beside me, not closing her eyes, but relaxing a bit. I go grab some fruit and bring it back for her. She eats two pieces of strawberries when Cam returns with Verah.

The nurse instantly rushes to Jose's side and checks her wounds. I stay in the doorway, watching. Cam whispers to me, "Do you know the second culprit is?"

"Not yet. She just woke up. I was hoping to slowly enter that conversation."

"They need an answer, Kesar."

"I know, Cam, but what else am I supposed to do? She panics any time it's mentioned."

I'm saved from her answering by Verah waving me over. "I would like to take a blood sample, but don't think she'll let me."

"Why?"

"She has a puncture mark in her leg."

Jose frowns and covers up, anxious. I sit beside her and say, "Verah wants to know what was put into you. She wants to have some of your blood and test it, then see what it does."

Jose writes, "Leg"

"I know it was in your leg. But we don't know what it does."

"Men talked leg. Talked leg pain no."

"It's supposed to help?"

She nods.

"Can Verah take some blood?" Jose tilts her head and I know she's asking how. "You can watch, if you want? It doesn't hurt."

She doesn't move, so I go behind her and rest both my legs on either side of her, then hold an arm. She tenses when she sees Verah has a needle, begins to cry.

"Do you want to hear how Thelia saved Zargis?" Cam asked, walking over.

Jose looked at her and nodded, forgetting Verah for now.

"There was this horrible lady named Unda. She tried to make Zargis fall in love with her, but he didn't like her." Verah kept the needle out of sight as she came over and cleaned Jose's arm. Cam continued. "Instead of giving up, Unda used a potion to make whoever she kissed fall in love with her."

Verah stuck the needle into Jose's arm and she whimpered, but didn't fight the nurse.

"Thelia had been mad at Zargis because she saw him kissing Unda, thought he was being mean. But Otreg brought her here, tried to make her see the truth."

Done now, Verah wiped the blood away and put a small bandage on Jose's arm.

"Thelia found out by herself though. She read books and used Zargis's anger to her advantage. Later, she ruined Unda's wedding by revealing the truth."

Jose smiled. She turned to me and gestured with her hands to Cam, a smile lighting up her face

I nod. "She is telling the truth. It was fun to see the wedding crashed, Thelia was strong and defiant. Zargis was so happy when he came back and she finally believed him."

"Alright, I'll get the tests going so I can get back to you as soon as possible," Verah said and quickly left.

Jose leaned back against me and sighed, content. Cam smiled and quietly left as well. I sat there, just relishing in the quiet moment.

After a while, Jose sat up and pointed to her stomach. I smiled and, lifting her into my arms, carried her to my kitchen. She laughed, holding on as I twirled her about, then I sat her on the counter. "What would you like?" I opened the fridge and let her look. She pointed to sausages and I began to cook.

"Kesar."

I looked around, furrowed my brows, then continued my task.

"Kesar?"

Now I turn to Jose, who was shyly looking at me. "Did you say my name?"

She nodded, a blush on her cheeks. "Kesar."

I grinned. "Jose!"

She got bolder. "Kesar!"

I laughed. Going over, I hugged her. "You have a beautiful voice," I tell her.

"Kesar dragon," she said and waited.

"You want to see my dragon?"

She nodded.

"Let's eat, then I'll take you out and let my dragon out."

"Kesar dragon in."

"Not in here," I tell her. She frowned. "Too big."

Understanding, Jose waits patiently as I finish cooking sausage and plate it. Then I help her to a chair and we eat together.