“No, you wouldn’t know me. I was friends with your wife Eva when we were girls. I haven’t seen her in years.” Ridda’s eyes glistened with tears and Sioni seriously began to worry about her mother’s safety.

“Father, is Alfred looking for her?”

Her father’s face contorted with the effort of holding in his concern. Sioni was too shrewd to miss this and her pulse quickened with fear. “He’s missing, too, Sioni. They believe him to be gravely hurt, if not -“

“Just because he’s missing doesn’t mean he’s dead!” Sioni exclaimed, pushing back the coverlet and swinging her legs out of bed. She stood up too quickly and her senses swam again, forcing her to lie back down.

Ridda tenderly pulled the sheet back over Sioni. “His men found one of his riding boots in the forest. It was torn and covered in blood.” She laid a cool hand on Sioni’s cheek. “You must hope for the best, child. In the meantime focus on getting well. I will find your mother, I promise.”

Sioni’s nerves calmed, she fell back into a deep sleep.