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Gina handed the phone off to the King.

“Helen? Ah... yes, I am alright.” He glanced across his crowd of onlookers, and after a moment, he flushed red and walked away, speaking more quietly into the receiver.

Gina eyed Lynnette next. She’d been moving a bit stiff all morning, not speaking very much, and just generally looking tired. “How’s your pain?” Gina asked.

Lynnette looked at her with a half-drawn eye. “Excruciating,” she said. “It’s a little difficult to breathe, but His Highness told me that was to be expected.”

“I’ll make a trip into town and pick up those painkillers for you.”

“I’ll go with you,” said Lynnette.

“No, no,” said Gina. “It’s better if I go alone. I’m the only one here who we know that nobody is looking for. And besides, you need your rest.”

Lynnette frowned but nodded. “Take my phone, then.” She offered it, and Gina accepted.

“Be back soon,” she said. “Oh, and make sure the King fills Master Roman in on what’s happened.”

“Okay.”

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After watching Gina go, Mr. Edith offered to carry Lynnette back to her room, but that was hardly necessary. Even if she’d wanted to go back to bed, she could walk just fine on her own. Annoyingly, she was tired yet not sleepy, so she just stayed in the garage with her family for a while.

Despite the strange circumstances, it was certainly a relief to see them again. More than a few times, she thought she never would. Her mother had been light on the questions so far, probably not wanting to aggravate Lynnette’s condition, which was why Hector and Gina had been targeted instead.

“It would seem you’ve been keeping up with your training during your absence,” said Mrs. Edith.

Lynnette gave a weak laugh and regretted it. “You could say that,” she said gruffly. “Looks like I’ll have to take a break for a little while, though.”

“Indeed.”

“By the way, Mom, would you mind helping Hector out for me?”

The middle-aged woman folded her arms. “Help him how?”

“We were sparring partners. I’m sure he could benefit from practicing against you.”