Queen's Rules Duet (Print)

Queen's Rules (Print)
Treva Harte Name
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2004, 2021 Treva Harte
Excerpt from Every Good Boy Deserves Favor

“The men will be at the gate, waiting for the champion to enter the keep.” KarLa drummed her fingers against the computer. “If we want to get anyone out, that would be the time.”

“Very well.” Jewel swallowed the nervous excitement rising in her throat and tried to sound matter-of-fact. “That’s as good a time as any.”

“None of us have been outside Castle M’Cee for a generation, at least. We can’t tell you what to expect. I’m only doing this because Bloomingdell has such an emergency. It’s a terrible pity their only healer died.” KarLa frowned. “Their Eldress is a good woman but -- ah well, she does her best. It’s our duty to help.”

“Of course.” Sisterhood was one of the only defenses against the rest of the world. Jewel had had that drummed into her since childhood. When there were but a handful of women in the world you had to help your fellow females.

“You may pass for a boy with your looks, but we can’t count on that. Put a dagger in each boot. Don’t forget to use them if you have to.” The Eldress gripped Jewel’s hands. “Be alert. Be careful.”

“Eldress.”

“Yes?” KarLa asked.

“You’re telling me very old news. Don’t worry. I’ll get to the Castle Bloomingdell. I don’t know yet why their women haven’t been able to get pregnant, but I’ve been trained to diagnose and heal such disorders. I’ll e you from there in no time at all.”

“See that you do, Jewel.”

* * *

“Mama Zee?” Jewel looked into the tiny library.

“What is it, child?” Zee looked up from her book. “I was right in the middle of my studies. In fact, I was just reading the most fascinating -- well, never mind that. Why aren’t you at tea?”

Jewel bit her lip. Zee was a wonderful healer but her “studies” tended to include far more of the ancient romance novels than medical books. It didn’t matter. No one in the keep dared point such a thing out to the woman who had ushered almost all of them into the world.

Why did Mama Zee bother, anyhow? That old romance world, one where men and women chose a mate for themselves, without needing to worry about pregnancy or kidnapping, was long past. Romance had blown up, along with history, generations back. It might as well be a fairy tale for all the good such stories did now.

Jewel sighed. She didn’t have the luxury of pausing to wonder why Mama Zee did such things.

“I haven’t much time.” Jewel put her hands on the small woman’s shoulders. “I have to fix an emergency. I can’t explain much, but I thought if anyone could give me some advice, it would be you.”

“I love to give advice.” Zee smiled at her and put down her book. “What do you need to know?”

“Causes of female infertility.”

Zee snorted. “That is something I never had to worry about. Eeee. I have eight boys and two girls and you ask me about infertility? If not for my medical work, I’d probably have had ten more, Goddess pity me.”

“Zee, seriously. I need to know.”

“Well, I’m not a writer, but I do have a little list of instructions on the subject. That was from back when darling P’Trice was having her troubles… or was that Karenna? Ay, there are so many of you girls I sometimes can’t remember who had what ailment.” Zee began to fumble through the books scattered on the shelves. “Hmmm. Here. It’s also on the puters, of course. You don’t need my old-fashioned lists.”

“I may not have access to a puter where I’m going.” Jewel snatched the tiny book from Zee’s hands. She knew Zee had done a fine job with her list. Otherwise, the Eldress would never have allowed her to use any of their precious paper.

“Darling! Where are you going if there is no --”

“I can’t explain now. When I get back!” Jewel blew her a kiss and hoped Mama Zee was as clever about infertility as she was about midwifery. Clutching her book, she began to make her way down to the kitchens and from there to the outside world. Was she truly prepared?

It didn’t matter. She was as prepared as she could be, given that she had but a few more minutes to safely leave while the men were distracted.