“Only if you tell me,” she replied, her eyes still on my neck.
I chuckled even as anxiety shot through me. “Eventually,” I promised. “I’m just…not ready, I suppose.”
Skye was silent for several seconds, her eyes darting all across my face like she would be able to see a lie in my expression.
Her fingers twitched, then she took another clump of grass.
“I saw them,” she said quietly. “I think my brain blocks it out to protect me, but I know I saw them. I can’t remember exactly what they looked like, I just remember my mom’s coat was hanging on the gate.”
“I saw the aftermath,” I said. “I had to visit with my mother, I don’t know if you remember seeing anything about it. It was all over the news.”
“Yeah, the governor at the time was so pleased they managed to getall the blood and guts removed before the precious teenage prince arrived.”
I choked back a laugh, looking at Skye finally, but I couldn’t tell if she was serious or not.
“You’re joking?”
“Not exactly,” she chuckled. “Itwasall over the news. They made you sound like a wuss.”
“Dicks,” I muttered.
I’d been the exact opposite of a wuss as a kid. At the time, I actually may have been overly fascinated with the blood and guts, and that wouldn’t have looked good for my mother. She’d barely taken me out into public when I was a child, even less so when I was a teen. She’d wanted to keep me hidden away for as long as possible, and that was shattered the moment my father decided to tell everyone I was joining the military.
Which was why I remembered the massacre so clearly. The memorial wasn’t just a horrible day for Skye and the other survivors. I remembered standing with my mother while my father gave his first speech as the president of the WAA, a position he’d fought tooth and nail for. I hadn’t paid attention, but somewhere around the mid-point, the crowd had broken into murmurs, and my mother was so furious, her cheeks had gone bright red.
The screaming match they’d had that night had really freaked me out. I’d never seen my mother so angry.
But just two years later, I was being shipped off to my grandfather’s military.
Alejandro had played the entire situation perfectly. Announcing I was to be conscripted at a massive public gathering guaranteed that it couldn’t be taken back. It’d been broadcast everywhere. My mother couldn’t have changed anything if she tried, since she was already facing heavy scrutiny in becoming the future queen.
There had never been a stand-alone queen. And a woman as the Key to a Royal Chain? Unheard of.
“I’m pretty sure I saw you,” Skye said, chewing her lip. “Zephyr and I only attended the memorial because–” She stopped abruptly, and I could practically see the gears turning in her mind.
She’d almost told me something I wasn’t supposed to know. I’d bet my entire crown on the fact that Aiden probably knew this secret, but Wyatt and I didn’t, and she was going back through her memories trying to remember who knew what.
I almost groaned. I wanted to know. I wanted her to trust me so desperately I was willing to do practically anything.
Skye cleared her throat. “Anyway,” she muttered. “I think I saw you. Zephyr called you an underwhelming pretty boy.”
I laughed out loud, then reached out for her before I could think better of it. I pulled her to me, and while she stiffened for a moment, she quickly relaxed against my chest.
“And did you agree with him?” I asked, dropping my voice lower.
Skye snorted. “At the time? I was twelve. I don’t think I knew what any of that meant.”
“I meant now,” I murmured, testing my lips against her temple.
Skye barely held back a shiver before speaking again. “Now? I’d say he was right on the mark.”
I squeezed her tighter to me. “You’re a brat,” I said softly.
She breathed a laugh, but relaxed into me even further.
“Thank you for sharing this with me,” I murmured against her temple. “This was very special.”
Skye shrugged and let out a shaky laugh. “It’s a gravesite.”
