Her grin was back as she laughed to herself. “A children’s story.The Shadow Wolf Under My Bed.It’s about remembering to clean your room and to leave blood sacrifices to the celvusa or it will come out and eat you in the middle of the night.”
“That’s a terrifying story for a child,” he replied.
“I used to talk to my imaginary celvusa,” Brela said, eyes tracing the pages as she smiled.
He chuckled before raising his eyebrow as her mouth moved silently. “Wait, you can read this?”
Brela’s jaw clenched, face ashen, as if she hadn’t meant to reveal this skill to him. “I…”
The prince rested his hand over his heart. “Your secret is safe with me.”
She studied his face for a moment before sighing and lowering her voice. “Yes. My parents taught me… because of who they were among the Veil Worshippers. It was our responsibility to keep the language alive.”
“So at the auction… you were actually reading that book?” Brela nodded, chewing her lip. He chuckled. “Well, I guess that doesn’t really change any of my plans.” The prince moved to his desk and pulled the book out of the satchel he’d left resting on top. He brushed off a few of the frayed purple threads, careful not to snag any of the burned papers. “It’s not like shadow magic exists for you to use this beyond reading.”
Brela’s eyes were wide as she stared at the book of dark magic. “You bid on the book that night?”
He nodded. “Would you believe that no one else made an offer on it? That sword those men were drooling over drew all the attention.” The prince sighed. “I had this whole scheme to give it to Cason to give to you. Hells, it was my backup plan in case he left that night without you. An excuse to find you in Averlyn on our way through.”
She gave a half smile, gaze still locked on the book. As he offered it to her, she paled in shock. “You… Wait, you’re serious?”
“It’s yours. All of them are,” he replied, gesturing to the pile of books he’d set out. “I don’t have a lot, but they belong to the people of Valisea. They belong to you.”
Brela swallowed. “I… I can’t afford to buy them from you. Even with what the king will pay me…”
Serill grabbed her hand and set the book in her palms, making sure she had a hold before he stepped back. “I know what that money is for, and I’m not asking for it.”
Brela’s eyes fogged and she clutched the book to her chest. Serill’s heart clenched at the sight—broke, even—but it solidified something deep in his soul. He’d always wanted to make a difference and be a better leader. Create a kingdom where everyone was accepted.
Working with Cason and his wildfire—showing the man behind the magic—would change the minds of many. Working with Brela could change the minds of an entire kingdom.
The three of them, though? They could change theworld.
Screw setting the forest on fire; they’d burn all four hells.
Brela sniffed and pulled his attention back with her whisper. “How can I ever repay you for this?”
The prince smiled. “Teach me a few words. Read me that children’s story.”
She let out a soft laugh. “We’ll have nightmares for weeks.”
He only shrugged. “Something tells me those nightmares will pale in comparison to whatever you were dealing with tonight.”
Judging by her quick dismissal now, his assumption of her disheveled and sweaty state when she’d answered the bedroom door had been correct. But they both needed a distraction tonight, so Brela traded the book of dark magic for the book of dark children’s stories and joined him on the couch. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, legs tucked underneath her, the assassin and leader of the Veil Scholars opened the children’s book and read to the Prince of Severina.
24
No Holding Back
“Gods, Case. You look like you spent the night in Sueta’s fire pit,” Serill said, too cheery for this early in the morning. The sun wasn’t even up.
Cason only grumbled at the mention of the sun god’s hell, mostly because that description of his night felt appropriate. He barely remembered getting to his room, barely remembered the ice bath before it turned to boiling water, and barely remembered making it into his bed. He’d slept, but that fire was still raging. He’d sweat enough to need to strip his bed with how damp the sheets were.
Travel to Valisea. With three assassins. While protecting the prince. Figure out if Anfroy was doing something to the wall or if something might come out from the other side. Oh, and if the Night Terror and her friendshappento be burned or struck with lightning in anaccident, the king wouldn’t be upset.
The king had dangled freedom right in front of Brela—teased her with something so precious—and had no issues with ripping that away. Had no issues with what that might do to her. The King of Severina might avoid conflict, but only because his methods were more cruel than the raids and death Anfroy and Rooke inflicted. Cason had come to Severina for a better kingdom than his own only to find a different type of evil.
When had all of this become so confusing?
