James had had a finger on every single major event that had happened already. I couldn’t even think of what to contribute.
Or maybe one of the things he hadn’t thought important enough to follow up on should be my Task?
Ugh, it was far too early in the day to give myself a migraine. Maybe I should pray to Vuheia again, see if she’d give me a hint. I desperately needed a hint about now.
Captain Rowan stomped over to me and demanded, not exactly in a quiet voice, “What the hell is wrong with him?”
I sighed and sat fully back, my shoulders resting against the brick of the building behind me. “He’s not getting enough sleep.” Catching the leer on the man’s face, I corrected dryly, “Not for that reason.”
“Oh. Figures it’s something else.”
“He’s stressed and worried he’ll be made king.”
Captain Rowan’s jaw dropped for a second before he cautiously looked about, double-checking no one listened from nearby, then lowered his voice anyway. “I’d heard rumors the king and queen want him on the throne. It isn’t just rumor?”
“We can’t confirm it, but things are looking that way.”
“Personally, I’d prefer it.”
“I as well. I think James is the only one who doesn’t want himself on the throne.”
The knight captain grunted, seemingly amused. “I realize it’s rude to say, because of course it should be his choice, but his refusal relieves me. I feel better knowing he doesn’t actually want the throne. Men who want power can’t be trusted with it.”
I groaned, the line cutting to the quick. “You’re so right.”
“Does it really stress him out so much he can’t sleep?”
“Yes.” Mostly because he knew precisely what would happen after.
Captain Rowan shook his head. “And yet he’s the one best suited. I shudder to think of what this country will be like, what it’ll have to weather, if he or Princess Helena doesn’t take the throne. I trust her to try and be a good queen. Prince Royce doesn’t have the people skills.”
“Sadly, I share your assessment of the situation.”
Staring at James’s back for a long second, Captain Rowan muttered, “Surely he knows we’ll have his back?”
“He knows,” I assured him. Better than anyone, in a sense. “He’s said so to me. He knows. But if the queen and king came toyouand offered you the throne, would you trust them?”
Captain Rowan made a face like he’d stuck his head in a hornet’s nest. “Ew. No. Good point there. They’re not good at being parents. After all Prince James has seen them do with their own children, of course he wouldn’t trust them to leave him be and rule without interference.” Shaking his head, Captain Rowan started walking toward James. “I’m booting him out of the yard. He’s so tired and distracted right now, he’s going to hurt someone. Likely himself.”
Thank Vuheia. I’d been of two minds on intervening. James seemed to have worked out some of his stress and anger, though, so hopefully he’d calmed down some.
My eyes dropped to my hands in a sightless sort of way, my mind a million miles away.
What could I do to prevent the mistakes of the past?
What steps had I missed?
What had I failed to do that I must do this time?
I couldn’t just wonder. I had to figure it out. Both our futures depended on it.
Forty-four
Edwin
After bashing things, James seemed…better?
Better wasn’t quite the right word, but I wasn’t sure how else to describe it. He spent the rest of the weekend pensive and distant at times, which was understandable, all things considered. By unspoken agreement, we were no longer fighting about him being made king. I understood his reluctance, and I didn’t want to thrust something he hated onto him. He understood my stance as well, but there was no way to compromise—he couldn’t be made half a king.
