Ren bobbed her head faintly, struggling to breathe through the cramp. The pressure in her stomach was unbearable. She took a step back, then tore herself from Arkilla's hold and ran behind a nearby boulder.
The sound of retching followed. Arkilla stood frozen, concerned, furrowing her brow.
Across the clearing, Calisa turned to Org, his eyes narrowing. "You saw that, didn't you?"
Org gave a subtle nod. They both glanced at Ogain.
"You know what's going on with our Queen," Calisa said, his tone sharp but low.
Ogain responded with a slow, exaggerated eye roll. He fluffed his feathers and turned his beak away with dramatic disinterest. No one would get the truth from him, not unless Ren allowed it.
Behind the rock, Ren leaned against the cold stone, wiping her mouth with a cloth. Her stomach twisted again, a burn crawling up her throat. She exhaled shakily.
Footsteps approached. Arkilla crouched beside her, gently rubbing circles on her back.
