Chapter 14: Mate
Mr. Brentford paced anxiously around the room while Ava lay motionless on the bed. Hours had passed, and her body still refused to stir. The shock had been too much—so overwhelming that she’d fainted.
Since taking her to the local physician was too risky and would waste too much time finding a carriage, the guards had helped transport her to one of the castle’s physicians. Although the physician was assigned to the maids, it was the least they could do—watching over her in worry. Mr. Brentford’s anxiety only grew with each passing second. Panic gnawed at him, his usually composed voice trembling with fear.
But there was something else. Something deeper. The sheer disbelief on his usually blank face as he processed the impossible: his daughter knew the king.
How was that possible? She couldn’t speak, and she had never met him.
He had never once taken her to the palace—not even by mistake. In fact, he’d only ever taken Ava there—and even then, rarely. But now it seemed... Araina already knew the king.
That made no sense.
He tried to piece it together, to connect the dots, but nothing fit. His thoughts spun wildly—until the physician finally walked in.
A calm, reassuring smile touched the woman’s lips. She wore a soft white coat, and her voice was gentle.
"Your daughter is stable," she said. "She suffered a shock that caused temporary mental blankness, which led to her fainting. She’ll be fine soon—the shock was sudden, but not lasting."
"If I may proceed... did something happen? Was there any trigger you noticed before the fall?" she asked gently.
Mr. Brentford shook his head. "I have no idea," he said quietly.