Chapter 22

A nyka stood in the small sitting room of Nazyr's quarters. It was late in the day. Dinner was over, but it would be a while before Anyka could rest. Hawke's half-sister, Clary, was in with Nazyr and Dr. Syr Lockhart, who also happened to be the Minister of Medicine. Dr. Lockhart was assessing Nazyr and would set forth a care plan that Clary would be in charge of administering.

The apartment door opened and Wyett came through with another man. Her valet greeted her with a bow, then gestured to the man with him. "My lady, Vice-Minister Grylan Evenshade has arrived."

Grylan had a small bag with him, similar to what Dr. Lockhart had carried. He bowed. It looked as though he'd just arrived, as he was still wearing a dark blue traveling cape over his shirt and pants. "Your highness, it is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Thank you for coming. Have you been given quarters?"

"I have, very fine ones. Thank you."

Anyka wrung her hands together, then stilled them and smoothed her skirt. It would not do to look overwrought. "Dr. Lockhart is in with Nazyr right now. Wyett made you aware of what's happened?"

Grylan nodded. "He did. I'm ready to offer assistance in whatever way I can."

"Do you have any experience with such things as…what's happening?" She couldn't bring herself to say possession .

"Not directly, but I already have a few ideas about how I might help."

She hadn't been expecting that. "Good. When the doctor comes out, we'll go see Nazyr together."

"As you wish."

"Wyett, see to the Vice-Minister's cape."

Wyett took the man's cape. "I'll take this to your room. Unless you have any objections?"

Grylan shook his head. "No, thank you. Could I get a cup of tea?"

"I'll see to that as well," Wyett said.

Anyka sat near the fireplace. "Have tea sent up. Enough for all of us."

"Yes, my lady." Wyett left.

Grylan rested on the couch farthest away from Anyka. "It's my understanding that Minister Nazyr is possessed by a spirit from the Beyond. Your lady mother?"

"Yes." There it was in plain speech. No point denying it. For Nazyr to be helped, Grylan would undoubtedly need as much information as he could get. Once he saw Nazyr, there was every reason to think that Leda would make herself known anyway.

Grylan pulled out a tattered notebook and a short stub of a pencil and started taking notes. "Is she unhappy about what's happened?"

"No. Not that it appears to me. In fact, she thanked me for getting her free. Which wasn't my intention, you understand. I only meant to contact her and ask her advice on a few matters." Anyka hated telling him that much. It made her seem weak.

"From what I've read, it's difficult for a spirit to gain control over a living fae. How was she able to enter Nazyr's body?"

Anyka frowned, but knew she had to tell the truth if he was going to be any help. "She startled me. I was not prepared for what I saw, and I attempted to get away from her, which meant trying to free myself from Nazyr's grasp. In my efforts, I scratched him and drew blood."

Grylan instantly began to nod. "That would do it. Broken skin. Did you see the spirit enter him?"

"I did. It was…unnerving."

"I'm sure it was. And you believe the spirit to be your mother?"

"Yes." She shot him a questioning look. "Is there a reason to think otherwise?"

He wrote something down, then shrugged. "This is the Beyond we're talking about. Spirits that have gone there are no longer bound by the rules that the living are."

He was confusing her, but he already seemed more willing to share information than Nazyr had. Maybe Grylan was just trying to impress her. She couldn't fault him for that. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning spirits in the Beyond will do or say whatever they want, or whatever they think will get them what they want. And what most of them are after is this." He spread his hands and looked around the room. "They want to be here with us, not in the Beyond."

"I'm still not sure I understand your point."

"My apologies, your highness. What I'm trying poorly to explain is that the spirit that's entered Minister Nazyr might not be your mother. It might be someone else who has taken on the guise of your mother in order to fool you."

Anyka's mouth came open. She'd never considered that. Of course, she hadn't realized it was a possibility. "I don't like that at all."

He shook his head. "I don't blame you, but spirits caught in that realm are duplicitous and cunning."

"Is there a chance my mother isn't in the Beyond? That she's gone to the heavens?" Even though she was asking the question, Anyka knew the answer. Her mother's dealings with the dark arts and the deaths she'd caused were a sure path to the Beyond. It seemed unlikely Leda Blackbryar would have attained eternal bliss as a result of dealing with black magic.

"I'm sorry, I can't answer that. But Nazyr must have done some research if that's where he went to contact her. Also, I just want to be clear—I'm not saying that spirit isn't your mother. Just that it's a possibility you should prepare yourself for. We should be able to figure it out pretty quickly once we speak with her."

Anyka frowned. All that and it was just a possibility? Grylan's excessive information was beginning to curdle her good mood.

The bedroom door opened, and Dr. Lockhart came out. "Your highness."

Anyka stood. "How is he? What do you think?"

"He is stable. For now. He's still feverish but I've explained to Clary what to do and how to bring that fever down. I've left some medication for him as well, which I've also instructed Clary on how and when to administer. She's quick. Nazyr is in good hands."

Anyka exhaled, although she felt little relief. "What's your prognosis for him long-term?"

Dr. Lockhart's attempt at a comforting smile failed. "I don't know for certain, as I've never dealt with a case like this before. If I had to guess, I would say he will continue to weaken until…what's inside him takes over completely."

Her mother, or whoever was in Nazyr, would win unless Grylan could do something. "And then?"

"And then it will be up to that entity to maintain the health of the body. Otherwise, eventually, Nazyr will die. Regardless of who he is hosting."

Anyka's stomach turned. She nodded. "I understand. Thank you. Is there anything else I should know? Please, speak freely."

Dr. Lockhart glanced at Grylan before answering her. "Your highness, my best advice is to get that spirit out of him. I don't know much about magic, but that is the surest way I know to make him whole."

"Your advice will be taken into consideration. You may go."

Dr. Lockhart wasted no time in leaving, but Anyka hesitated before going into the bedroom. "Grylan, is there any chance the spirit could enter me?"

He was on his feet, shifting his bag from one hand to the other. "I would say it's unlikely, but a possibility. Do you have any wounds? Any places where your skin is broken?"

"No."

"Then you should be fine. We both should be. The spirit will find Nazyr's abilities with magic a benefit, more so than it would get with either of us."

She hoped that were true, but what if that really was her mother inside Nazyr, and her mother thought she could become queen again by taking over Anyka? The thought gave her pause, but Anyka went into the bedroom anyway.

The windows were still cracked to let fresh air in. Clary sat on the edge of the bed, washing Nazyr's face with a damp cloth that she dipped into a bowl filled with ice and water.

Nazyr remained pale, but there were blotches of color on his skin, and he moved restlessly under the covers. He reached toward Anyka.

Bowl in hand, Clary quickly got to her feet and curtseyed, careful of the bowl and its contents. "Your highness."

"Clary, for the sake of your duties and Minister Nazyr's health, so long as you are in this room, we may dispense with the formalities of my station. Attend to him as you need."

"Thank you, my lady." She went back to her place and finished up, wringing the cloth out when she was done. "Dr. Lockhart gave him a tonic to help with the fever. He showed me the dosing, but it won't need to be given again for four hours."

"Very good. Is there anything else you need to do for him right now?"

"No, my lady. In a bit, if the tonic helps, I will attempt to feed him some broth, but I can give you privacy, if you'd like."

"I would like that, but don't go far."

"Yes, my lady." She took the bowl and cloth and left, closing the door after her.

Nazyr let out a muted groan.

Anyka looked to Grylan. "What now?"

Grylan moved closer to the bed, studying Nazyr. "I'd like to do an examination of my own. See what I can determine about the spirit within him. How strong its hold is. That sort of thing."

Anyka stepped toward the bed. "Do whatever you need to do. I want Nazyr back, whole and healthy."

Grylan took the spot Clary had just occupied. "Minister Nazyr, can you hear me? It's Vice-Minister Grylan Evenshade. I've come to help you."

Nazyr's head rolled toward Grylan, eyes searching the room until they finally landed on Grylan's face. "Evensh…"

"Yes, Minister Nazyr. Just relax now. I won't cause you any pain. I'm just going to see how you're doing."

At least Nazyr had responded. Anyka's brow bent. She hoped Grylan could truly help. He took a crystal from his bag. It was suspended on a length of white silk. He held it over Nazyr. After a few seconds, it started to sway.

Grylan held it in place a moment longer, then returned it to his bag.

"What?" Anyka asked. "What does that mean?"

"He's holding his own. For now. But this is not a fight he can keep up indefinitely." Grylan looked up at her. "We should call the spirit up. See if we can determine whether it really is your mother."

"How can we know that?"

"Ask it something that only your mother would know the answer to." He set his bag on the side table. "I understand if you want me to leave while you do that, although I think it best you not be alone with him. If the spirit did attempt to leave him in favor of you, I could intervene."

Anyka did not want to be possessed by her mother or any spirit. She nodded. "You may stay. Give me a second to think of something."

Finally, with a question in mind, she sat on the other side of the bed and spoke to Nazyr. "Mother? Are you there? Nazyr, let her come through, please."

It didn't take long. "My darling, where have you been? I've missed you. I don't want that awful doctor coming back. I don't like him at all."

Definitely Leda's voice. Anyka looked at Grylan and nodded. "That's her. I know my mother's voice."

He frowned and shook his head as if unconvinced.

Anyka concentrated on Nazyr again. "Mother, tell me. What was your favorite poison?"

Nazyr laughed, but the sound was light and feminine and all Leda. "You know what it was, Anyka."

"I can't remember."

Leda sighed. "The wings of the belladonna moth, dried and ground to a fine powder."

Anyka nodded at Grylan. That was indeed her mother's favorite poison. So much her favorite that she hadn't used it on the Summerton king and queen because she thought it would be too obvious, like signing her name to a confession.

"Happy now?" Leda asked. "Or shall I tell you something even more interesting?"

Curious, Anyka answered, "Like what?"

"Oh, I know something about your precious Nazyr. Something he doesn't want you to know, but his thoughts are as easy to read as a children's book."

Anyka froze, her mind racing at what it might be. "Tell me."

Nazyr thrashed suddenly, crying out, the sound too strangled to understand.

Leda groaned like she was struggling against him. His face contorted, teeth bared in a grimace. Still, Leda's words slipped out. "Nazyr is the father of Queen Sparrow's son."