He and Azell rushed back through the castle corridors, following the flight of the raven. It led them to the West Wing, where it dove to the ground and pecked urgently at floor of the hallway leading to Asterious’ chambers. The prince knelt to examine the area, his eyes scanning the deep red of the rug lining the hall. He strained to see, unsure of what he was looking for, until he spotted stains of blood, well-camouflaged against the ruby carpet.
“What’s this?” Asterious’ voice darkened.
“Your Highness.” Azell interrupted. “Earlier in the courtyard I came to tell you about something I saw that seemed...unusual. I was hesitant, but now I’m convinced I have good reason to be suspicious.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Well, I didn’t want to accuse anyone without cause, but I can’t deny the blood here. The morning Caramyn disappeared, I awoke earlier than usual. There was a noise outside keeping me awake—now I think I realize it was the bird.” She narrowed her eyes at the raven and took a deep, nervous breath. “Anyway, since I couldn’t sleep, I decided to get an early start on the day’s tasks. And as I was preparing things for the day, I passed by a window and saw Sir Wryan returning from a ride with a riderless horse, which I found odd at such an hour. But I thought maybe he had just been returning from hunting for the journey.” Asterious listened with intensity, leaning into her words.
“Wryan?” he repeated. “I certainly didn’t send anyone on a hunt that night. In fact, he’d offered to guard her room. That's where he was supposed to be. You’re sure it was him?”
“There’s more.” She lifted her chin and unfolded a shirt that was tucked in her apron pocket. “He came to me later that day and asked if I could mend his shirt when I had time. I thought nothing of it until I sat down to fix the tear this morning and noticed small specks of blood.” She handed the shirt to the prince.
He stared at the faint red dots as a sick feeling rose within him. “Are you saying you believe Wryan had something to do with Caramyn’s disappearance? You think this blood is hers?”
The raven cawed and beat its wings, only calming down when Azell spoke again and lifted her hands in a surrendering motion. “Your Highness, I’m not saying I believe anything. I am only telling you what I saw.”
Asterious meditated on her words. It was no secret that Wyran wasn’t fond of Caramyn, but surely, he wouldn’t have done something to her, especially behind his back. He thought back to how calm he’d seemed the morning she’d gone missing. He’d even pretended to be the first to notice—and perhapsthat’s exactly why he’d offered to bring her breakfast. Something simmered inside the prince. “I’ll talk to him. It must be a misunderstanding.”
But then, just as he turned to go, his eyes snagged on something bright red in the darkest corner of the corridor, just at the base of the doors to his room—crushed, broken petals from a flower he’d only seen once before. Blood Briar.
Without another word or second wasted, clutching the blood-specked shirt, he stormed back into the castle towards Wryan’s chambers, leaving the raven and the maid behind.
He slammed a fist on the door, second guessing why he wasn’t tearing it down instead. And if Wryan didn’t answer it within the next minute, that was exactly what he was going to do.
Wryan opened the door just a crack and poked his head through. “Everything alright, Your Highness? What brings you—”
Asterious pushed past him and forced his way into the room. “Do you know anything about Caramyn’s disappearance?"
Wryan stood still, frozen in place, his eyes wide as though he was offended by the question. “Of course not, Asterious,” he finally said. “You were there when I went up to her tower and she was gone. I was just as shocked as you.”
“Is that so?” Asterious took out the shirt and tossed it at Wryan, who was backing up into a corner. “Is that why you look so astonished that I would ask? Is that why there’s blood on this shirt? Tell me, whose blood is it?”
Wryan clenched the shirt in his hands, glancing between it and the prince as his lips stammered. “I—I know it might be difficult to accept, Your Highness, but the girl left of her own accord. She had every reason to leave once you discovered who she was. Her plans to kill you were probably ruined.”
“If she wanted to harm me, don’t you think she would’ve tried it much sooner?” A smoldering burn rose in Asterious’ chestas he spat the words through a tensed jaw. “Now answer the question. Whose. Blood. Is. It?”
Wryan laughed nervously, crumpling the shirt into a bundle and tossing it on the floor. “My own, of course. We’re soldiers, for gods’ sake. Is it so unbelievable that we bloody up a few tunics?”
“Enough of your shit, Wryan. You hated her. You made that clear.” Asterious prowled toward Wryan, closing in around him like a lion on its prey. “What did you do to her?”
Wryan’s sly eyes narrowed like a viper. “I did what you couldn’t do, Asterious. She would’ve been your ruin. Like your father.” Wryan cocked his head. “You refused to see it. So someone had to see it for you. Someone had to protect you from yourself. You should be thanking me.”
A rush of rage flooded Asterious. Fury flashed before his eyes like steel lightning and in an instant, he had pinned Wryan to the wall, rattling the torches on their hooks.
“What did you do to her?” He growled, pressing his thumbs around Wyran’s throat.
“Easy now...Your Highness...” Wyran choked. Asterious eased up his grip to let the man talk. “Watch that temper. You’re risking a lot right now. I found her snooping in the West Wing. She had nothing good planned, I assure you.”
“Did she see me? Did she see what I am?”
“That’s what you’re worried about? Asterious, I trained you. I thought you were stronger than this. She’s poisoned your mind.”
Asterious closed his grip on Wryan again, fighting every urge within him to squeeze the last breath from his lungs. “You think I can’t think for myself? You knew my plans to make sure she was safe. You defied me!” he seethed through his teeth. “You had no damn right to go behind my back! Now tell me what you’ve done with her!” He slammed Wyran against the wall once more,the blaze in him searing like wildfire, the beast one wrong word away from taking over.
“My sincere apologies, Prince…” Wryan coughed, his fingers prying at the prince’s grasp in desperation.
“Where is she now? I won’t ask again!” The prince roared.
