Chapter 159 The Breaking Hour

• Six Months Later
• The sun bore down upon the royal garden with merciless heat, casting its golden glare even upon the shaded pavilions where the noblewomen sought relief. It was a rare day when the court gathered outdoors, because the walls of the palace had grown stifling, and so they ventured into the open air in hopes of respite. Servants moved quietly about, fanning their mistresses and ensuring their comfort.
• Queen Magdalena reclined upon a cushioned seat, her stomach round and heavy with child. Two maids flanked her, waving large fans of palm and silk in rhythmic motion. Not far from her sat the Varkoness, Lady Milicent, herself in the final weeks of her own pregnancy. Her face was flushed with the strain of heat and expectancy, though she bore it with noble restraint.