Chapter 20

Lisbon, Portugal

Her footsteps carried her to the court where mostly everyone stood talking. Joaquin watched her from the corner of his eye as she spoke with her mother.

Aminata whispered, “How is she?”

“I did what I could,” Yande replied plainly.

“Did you lift the curse or not.”

“I did.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. Yande scoffed, “I wouldn’t be so happy for a woman who declared to me just moments ago that she would have you, Samba and I burned alive for practicing witchcraft.”

“She said that?”

“That and other things,” Yande replied as she looked at her mother’s belly.

Aminata touched her belly. Joaquin walked over to them, “How is everything?”

Before they could respond, Carolina barged in, “King Tomas, come, it’s the Queen, her eyes are opened.”

He and his sons rushed to her bedroom. King stood by her bedside, “Why hasn’t she moved?” he asked.

Carolina shrugged, “I don’t know but this is something. I’ll go find the doctor.” She left the room.

The King and his sons surrounded her bedside. Her eyes acknowledged them. Her mouth could not move. Her tongue was frozen.

“I don’t know what’s worst, this or how she was before,” said Lorenzo.

David huffed, “At least her eyes are open. This is progress.

The doctor entered, “I’ll have to do a thorough examination. I’ll need everyone except the king to leave the room.”

They all funneled out.

Joaquin pulled Yande and his wife aside, “I need to know what happened.”

Yande shrugged, “I lifted Samba’s curse.”

“Then why is she frozen? Lying there like a log in the middle of a pond?”

“These things can be tricky, Father.”

He kissed his teeth.

“Yande, what did you do?” asked her mother.

“I did what needed to be done. Trust me. What I’ve done to her is nothing compared to what is fated for her. I saw it when I touched her hands in that room. There is a sickness in her body. By next Spring, she will breathe her last breath.”

“And you say that so coldly,” responded Joaquin, “who are you?”

“I am your daughter. The one that almost died because of what that woman did. So please do not expect me to feel any compassion for the woman who threatened to kill me to my face after I brought her back from one curse.”

He stood in shock as Yande marched off.

Aminata touched his arm, “I’ll go speak with her.”

The night was slowly taking over. Yande stared out at the stars. She closed her eyes. “I only did what I had to do,” she said as if the person was standing right in front of her.

Her mother placed her hand on her shoulder. Yande turned to her, “I know you and Father are upset with me—”

“Was there no other way?”

“Perhaps.”

“Yande, we are not those kinds of witches. We don’t use our powers for evil or to take advantage of people even If it means—”

“Do you want to die? Is that what you’re telling me? I do not wish to die. I don’t deserve to burn for what I had no control over. And I certainly, don’t deserve to die because you have been sleeping with our King.”

Aminata folded her arms, “I am your mother—”

“Yes. And mothers do make mistakes. And that was a huge one. You couldn’t have thought that the queen would be okay with what you and Uncle Tomas were doing.”

“I only did what I had to do.”

Yande nodded, “So then, you understand. I won’t judge you harshly if you refrain from judging me too harshly.”

Samba walked up, “Mother, Yande.”

“You’ve come,” said Yande as she looked into his eyes.

“I came to lift the curse.”

“It has been done.”

“Then why does everyone seem to be on edge in the castle?”