What does she mean? What can I expect?
How should I know?
“Your dreams, Braxton,”she clarifies, clearly seeing or maybe even mind reading my confusion.
Before I can answer a shoulder brush against mine. I turn my head to see who it is.
Zephron nods his head forwards in an instruction to follow him.
“Later,”I tell Eliane.“I will tell you later.”
My head cocks in my brother’s direction who disappears behind a red curtain.
“Yes, now go follow him, please. I know you don’t go that well together, but it seems like he wants to talk to you,”she advises, smiling at me, but her smile does not reach her eyes the way it normally does. I nod my head and hurry after the man I used to call my brother.
I open the curtain, and behind it Zephron strolls around. He doesn’t notice me at first, his hand ruffling through his almost black hair. His green eyes meet mine.
A tart feeling wells up in my mouth and I have to urge to vomit. All I see as I look at him is the king when he was younger. And I hate the king for it.
I step closer to him, closing the distance between the two of us.
“Why did you want me to follow you?” I command. My voice is bitter about what happened between us.
“Because I know what your nightmare will be.” He shakes his head, like he doesn’t want to accept the truth, confirming my suspects. He looks down at his feet, but my words force him to look up. He might be my brother, but he let me suffer. It wasn’t his job to care for me, but he really didn’t care. The words fly out of my mouth in disgust as I spit them out.
“You have no idea what my nightmares are. You have no idea who I am.” I force my chin up. He steps closer and I step back, like we are dancing around each other.
“Dad is planning on something, something with this trial—something with your duo,” he whispers. This time I listen to his words, trying to not show my disgust as he gives the king the title I would have never given him.
“With Eliane?” My voice breaks.
He nods his head.
“I am not sure what, but I feel it is wrong, that he is planning on something evil. All I know is that it starts with her.” He shrugs his shoulders.
“How can you tell me this? What do you want me to do about it?” I meant to say the words softly, but I am yelling. “You are my brother and you let me suffer. You always chose him, Zephron! Always him. You know what he did to me and now I am not there to torture so he tortures you!” I shout. I bite my lip, trying to calm me down. He looks at me. Really looks at me.
“I am sorry.”
Words I never thought I would hear from him. Maybe when we were very young, but words don’t mean anything until they get meaning. “Then help me!” I scream. “Help me win this thing! Help me prove myself! Help me escape this nightmare!”
His eyes water and I know he knows I am not only referring to this trial.
“Find the one thing you love with everything you have and let that feeling in.”
It is all he says before walking out, leaving me completely shattered as I crash to the floor.
Chapter 30
Eliane
It’s been over an hour, and Braxton still isn’t back. My mind is spinning so fast, I’ve lost count of how many thoughts I’ve had.
What if something is wrong? What if he is hurt? What if Zephron and him got in a fight? My heart starts pounding even faster as I make up some worst-case scenarios.
Did he get taken by the guard, got in a sword fight with his brother? Maybe even went to see the king, his mom?
I tried shouting through our bond, but I haven’t gotten any response. Still, I believe I’d feel it in the pit of my stomach if he were physically hurt. Another thought creeps in. Could he have just left?
