The King clenches his jaw and eyes me with a hatred I’ve seldom seen. “Prince Ereon has his duties … I have other matters to attend to and can’t continually worry about you.”
I feel a faint pain at my back, but I pay it no mind. I’ve been having phantom pains after whipping Rhenor and Ereon. I look to Rhenor, who told me last night that he regrets nothing I had to do and he would do it again if need be, for Siphonie. His words don’t help me feel better, though. I should have never been the one to raise my hand against him. I even felt guilty harming Ereon, a little bit anyway. Then something shifted suddenly and I found myself relishing in his pain.
You loved it.
He shouldn’t even be walking, but here he is. Standing in the corner of the room as if he doesn’t have open wounds across his back.
“We’ll be ready by tomorrow morning to head to the north. We’ll bring some of thePrelthere, and then we will send men to Midaeliea,” Ereon says as he stands up from the wall and bows to his father. “Thank you. We will prepare to leave.”
His father turns to look at him and waves us away before saying, “Ambassador, stay for a moment.”
The rest continue to leave the room and I turn to the King, not saying anything. He taps his fingertips across the stone of his throne.
“So how did a bastard from Shaston become Ambassador to Antalis?”
My mouth dries as I try to answer. I wasn’t expecting him to know, but I won’t deny my ancestry. It would be worse to deny who I am than embrace it in front of him. “I don’t know. My father hated me and threw me into the sea. I found myself on Antalis’ shores.”
“A man from Shaston tried to kill a male of their blood? Interesting. But even more interesting is that King Clennom took you in. Why would a man take you into the palace, of all places?”
I take a breath. If I lie, he could find out the truth. But I don’t need him digging further into the full story, for Carnaxa’s sake. If he found out I took her maidenhood, it could destroy us both.
“Princess Carnaxa found me when she was a child. King Clennom pitied me and extended grace, I guess.”
“So much so that you became Captain of theKe Neyeand Princess Carnaxa’s personal guard. Not only that, but now you are Ambassador.” He eyes me. “What was your father’s name?”
“Reph Lismu, Your Highness. He lived here in Shaston, as a builder.”
“He’s one of the men I sent to the north. I was told he does good work keeping the defenses built up against thekukhe.If I remember correctly, he requested to go up there. Andyour mother?” He straightens in his seat, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees.
“Her name was Shahri.”
He sits back against his chair. “Think that was the name of the woman he killed before he requested to go up north.” He seems to ponder. “Or maybe that’s the name of a whore in theyir supa.It’s such a common name, I’m sure she wasn’t anything to remember. Regardless, you are dismissed.”
I haven’t given serious thought into wondering if my parents are still alive, but thinking my father killed her saddens me more than I expected. She wasn’t a bad mother. She tried to protect me as best she could. She always made sure I was fed each night, even if she went without for days.
You deserved so much more.
I open the door to a meeting room, one we all agreed to meet in before we went to the King’s summons. I can’t help but smile at the sight of Carnaxa. She stands in the back laughing with Siphonie, and it’s all I can do not to run and pull her into my arms. She pushes her hair back over her shoulder and I see it, a lover’s mark. The happiness I once felt comes crashing down at the reminder that once those marks were mine.
“I’ll keep the party small. We won’t be there long. Just long enough to gather enough soldiers to send them to Midaeliea andAntalis,” Ereon says to Rhenor, who looks over a map of Ashonera.
“Shouldn’t Carnaxa stay here given her state, is she even healthy enough to travel?” I ask, startling them all. “Why do we all have to go?”
Ereon straightens to adjust the swords on his back. “I’m not leaving her here. After I whip —” He cuts off his words and looks at Carnaxa. “After what happened at the whipping post, and what he did to Anara in my absence, I won’t risk it.”
“Then I could stay here with her. Worried things might change here if I don’t go with you?” I look at Carnaxa and her cheeks blush. I don’t know why I said it, but it feels like the truth as it slips off my tongue.
Ereon is in my face in an instant. “Do you want to stay here with my father, Thylas? Enjoy getting to be on the other side of a whip for once? Want more practice while I’m gone? Because that’s what it will be, or worse.” I shove him back a couple of steps. Ereon comes rushing at me, and my back crashes against a wall.
“Stop!” Carnaxa and Siphonie yell together.
He grabs my shirt with his left hand and aims his right fist for my face. I throw my hands up and block the punch. He punches at me again, but this time I grab his wrist and twist him away while simultaneously pushing his hand away from my shirt. I shove him back to the other side of the room, then charge, tackling him to the ground. My legs pin down his thighs as he blocks my punches.
Rhenor stands against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. He will not get in the middle of whatever this is, not yet. AsCarnaxa lunges towards us, Rhenor quickly reaches for her, grabbing for the crook of her elbow, and narrowly misses as she strides our way.
Ereon manages to loosen the hold I have on him, rolls me off, and gets to his feet. I stand up after him and we circle each other. Someone grabs at my shoulder, but I shrug them off.
We lunge at each other once again before Carnaxa bellows,“That is enough!”
