Saltbound and Bloodsworn (by Allison Franklin) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-Three

The queen walked with purpose out of the room. She led Isla through, Prince Sylvan’s quarters, now completely deserted. Within a few minutes, their

destination became clear.

“This isn’t necessary,” Isla protested.

“You are hurt, you need to be seen by our witch practitioner,” the queen disagreed.

“It is only superficial.”

“Humor an old woman,” the queen said, glancing back to send her a warm smile.

Isla dropped her head and didn’t argue any further. They came upon the room whose scent permeated the air. Lilith’s back was to them as they entered. She turned around, eyes widening.

“My queen, I was not expecting… Oh, Isla, hello,” Lilith greeted.

“You two know each other?” the queen asked, directing Isla to sit on the examining table.

“I am a slave, Your Majesty,” Isla reminded her.

The queen’s cheeks flushed pink. “Oh, yes, it is protocol to have your magical side bound,” the queen remembered, nodding in embarrassment.

“I do not have a wolf,” Isla said, straightening her shoulders, waiting for the remarks.

Instead, the queen and Lilith exchanged a long look of suspicion.

“What seems to be the problem?” Lilith asked, stepping up to look over Isla’s freshest wounds. “I do not believe in my time here I’ve heard of a servant needing this much attention in his or her first week.”

“What else has she come to you for?” the queen asked as though Isla had no voice of her own.

“Well, she, uh, truthfully, Delilah helped her when…”

“I was lashed, Your Majesty,” Isla said as Lilith touched her swollen cheek. She made eye contact with the queen. “Thirty times.”

The queen gaped. “What on earth would compel my son to…”

“It was not Prince Sylvan’s doing,” Lilith added, quick to defend the prince. Isla rolled her eyes, a gesture not missed by the queen. “It was Missus. She tends

to be stricter with prisoners of war when they first come into the castle. Most of the time, it is warranted, but Delilah and I believe she might have a

particular dislike of poor Isla here.”

“This woman is not a prisoner of war,” the queen argued. “She is a prize of Prince Sylvan, a prize of Eredhal. She is to be treated as such. I will speak with

Missus about…”

“That is not necessary,” Isla interrupted, drawing the eyes of both women. “I am not a library or a prized stud, Your Majesty. I am a human woman, brought from my homeland against my will. Held captive by a man who murdered my queen. Missus classified me correctly. It is everyone else who seems disillusioned.”

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Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty Three

Flipped away. “1, uh, will get some herbe mixed up for the pain

–

The queen dive closer to Isla She took her rhin and lifted her defiant gaze. Her eyes were soft, searching “Your resilience is admirable, Isle of Tridea Like that of a royal monarch. Her scrute increghed as her brow furrowed and the tified her head. “You are not who you claim to be. My son is a shrewd man, Isla If what you say is true and he has taken you against your will, there is a far deeper power at work here. You have captured his attention, and frankly, mine.” She leaned closer and sniffed fola drew back away from her touch. The queen’s eyes blackened for offy a moment before they cleared as if she’d needed to call her wolf forward to test something “My son’s blood runs through your veins. It’s diminished, though a blood binding not accepted. Why?”

“Your son is the Mate Killer. He killed my queen, destroyed my kingdom and…”

“Why did he blood bind with you?” she corrected.

Isla shrugged. “I tried to run away and nearly succeeded in escaping his grasp. He didn’t like that.”

The queen smirked. “No, I suppose he wouldn’t.”

“Pardon me, Your Majesty,” Lilith whispered, holding a bowl of poultice she wanted to apply to Isla’s open wounds. Lilith gave Isla a look of pity before dipping two fingers into the poultice and dabbing it along her cheek. “I’ve also mixed you some tea, but I advise you to wait until you’re ready to sleep. The concoction will serve you well, I believe,”

“What does it do?” Isla was smart enough to ask.

Lilith smiled shyly. “It will help ease your pain as well as speed up the healing process. Its effects can make you feel…” She bobbed her head from side to

side “Lethargic, a bit disoriented, relaxed.”

“Drunk?” Isla asked with a raised brow

“Perhaps,” Lilith reluctantly agreed. “Just wait until you’re ready for bed.” Lilith set the bowl of poultice down. “While you’re here, let me take a look at the wounds on your bark. I would like to keep an eye on the progress.”

Isla nodded and allowed Lilith to undo the buttons at the back of her dress. The queen, who had remained quiet as she observed, craned her neck to see. She made no sounds of surprise, but her hand rose to cover her mouth as she glimpsed the long gash marks marring Isla’s back.

“Oh, they’ve improved remarkably,” Lilith noted.

“That is remarkable?” the queen asked, the comment eroding her composure. She stepped Apser. “Goddess above, she was lashed to the bane, But you’ve

only been here a few days. These scars look months, years old.”

“The poultice Delilah gave has worked well,” Isla said as Lilith pulled the dress back together to conceal her skin. “That and the Mate Killer’s saliva…

“What?” the queen asked, her face somehow showcasing even more shock.

“I am sorry, it is a habit of my upbringing, and i forget it is not proper to call him such, especially in front of his mother. Prince Sylvan, he…”

“No, it is not the name that startles me. You said he used his saliva to heal you?” the queen asked, her eyes penetrating, probing for answers Isla was clearly

not privy to.

“Yes…” Isla looked between the two women: one astounded, the other fidgeting nervously. “He told me it is a trait of the royal family. Is it not?”

Both women exchanged a glance.

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Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty Three

The gun sighed before she squared her shoulders. “My son is hiding things from me, and I am not amused. Come, Isla, let us go somewhere to talk further.

Isla sent a pleading look to Lilith as the queen turned and went to the door. Lilith raised her hand unable to help in any way. Isla sighed and slid off the table. She took the herbs for her tea and thanked Lilith for her help… again.

Lilith smiled and touched Isla’s arm. “Try to go a few more days without getting yourself hurt. You can come by to just talk. You don’t need to be bleeding.” Lilith winked and turned away to clean up.

Isla followed the queen through the corridors. After a few turns, she started to understand what was going on.

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