Sage stepped quietly out of the bedroom to find the Queen and Zilia in the drawing room, their faces etched with worry.
"She's awake," he said simply. "She's asking for you."
Mabel was on her feet in an instant while Zilia was right behind her. They hurried past him into the room while a nearby maidservant bowed and rushed off to spread the word to the rest of the family.
Inside, Mabel went straight to the bed, gathering Katelyn into her arms as gently as possible. Katelyn clung to her mother like she was still a little girl with her face buried in Mabel's shoulder and her arms tightly wrapped around her mother.
Mabel held her for a long moment, then eased back just enough to press a soft kiss to her forehead, fingers smoothing down Katelyn's tangled hair.
"Why did you take off the ring, sweetheart?" she asked, voice trembling with leftover fear. "I told you to never take it off."
Katelyn's eyes glistened. "Mom… I didn't. I don't know how I lost it."
