Sixty-One
Andreas
"Majesty." Taven crouched in front of me, his voice barely a murmur above the screams still ringing in my ears.
Caspia's scream.
My scream.
"She's cold, Taven. I need a blanket."
Caspia's naked body was covered in my coat, but it wasn't warm enough. Her skin was ice, her lips blue.
"Majesty, she's gone. It's been two days. Let's get you off this floor."
"No, I just need a blanket. Bring me a blanket." I held Caspia tighter to my chest, curling my body around hers to keep her warm.
"Majesty, if you'll let me help—"
"Bring me a fucking blanket, Hawksley," I snapped. "My wife is cold."
Taven stared at me for a long moment, his eyes full of a pity I didn't deserve. When he stood and walked away, his boots left bloody footprints behind. Blood so dark a green it was nearly black.
My fault. I did this.
I closed my eyes and rocked Caspia back and forth, burying my nose in her hair.
It smelled wrong. The sweet citrus I loved so much was gone. Now her hair smelled like death.
I breathed it in anyway.
A woman's gasp filled the throne room.
A baby's whimper made me sit up straight.
Nathalia carried Odessa in her arms as she walked beside Taven.
He didn't have a blanket.
"What are you doing?" My eyes blew wide as they came to stand beside a pool of dried blood. "Get the baby out of here."
Odessa would never remember this, but I didn't want her here all the same.
"Majesty, it's time." Taven dropped to a crouch as the nursemaid took a knee, angling Dess so I could take in her precious face.
She had Caspia's eyes. Her nose. Her chin. Her hair.
Dess looked so much like Caspia it cracked my heart.
And now her mother was gone. Because of me.
"I'm sorry." I lifted a hand, reaching for my daughter's smooth, clean cheek. Except my fingers were covered in dark blood.
Her mother's blood.
My fault.
I jerked my hand back. "Keep her away from me, Hali."
"She needs her father, Majesty."
"No. It's for her own good." I closed my eyes. "Please, take her away."
"Yes, my king." Hali nodded and stood, her footsteps soft as they retreated to the doors.
"Andreas." Taven used my name for the first time. "Let her go."
I collapsed forward, a sob escaping as I crushed Caspia's lifeless body to mine. "Never."