A bird chirped outside before it flew through the veranda. Both males followed it with their eyes, watching as the tiny sparrow placed another twig in a nest neither had realized was there. A pang of guilt flew through Rion’s chest as he watched, wondering if the small creature would live to bring life into this world or if everything would disappear before it was given the chance.
“I saw you visit the grave once,” Liam said. Rion went utterly still. “I was so angry to see you there, but part of me knew you weren’t really the one to blame. They never could explain everything. I was eventually told to just accept it and stop asking questions, especially as I began climbing rank.” He laughed bitterly. “As if I could just let the death of a friend, ofseveral friends, slip away as if they were nothing. Warriors from Brónach cut down their own kin, and I never found out why.”
“Pádraigín utilizes those from all nations. Separating us was a way to weaken us.” Rion paused. “They were after me. Vairik … he wanted to make me suffer, simply because of who I am.”
“The king.” Rion jolted at the title. He didn’t want it. It meant nothing to him. “Everything could have been so different,” Liam said, his voice a near whisper. “Without that monster, our entire lives—” Rion saw him swallow hard before taking another drink. “The High Lady would have remained, our High Lord would have remained, my friends wouldn’t have met their fate and we—” Rion couldn’t help but glance up right as Liam met his gaze. The sharp pain there had Rion’s breath hitching. “Our lives would have been so different. We would have grown up together. Been inseparable.” Rion was frozen. “And instead I bought into a lie just like all the others and made your life a living hell.”
Guilt. That’s what Liam was feeling, suffering through. Guilt that he’d brought pain upon his friend, guilt for the words spoken, guilt for the things he’d been willing to do that day.
Rion cleared his throat, still not turning away. “As you said, the fault lies with another.”
Liam looked away. He let the empty glass settle in his lap and Rion finally took a sip of his own. He welcomed the burn.
“So how does this end?” Liam asked. “How does one go about rebuilding after all,” he waved his hand around, “this.”
Hope blossomed through Rion’s chest. “According to my mother and sister, one day at a time.”
“And according to you?”
“I’ve done my fair share to earn the world’s hatred.”
“Not at the beginning. You were just a youngling.”
“We both were.” Silence. “There are many things I can never make amends for, but I’m willing to try anyway. Even if the entire world is able to justify my actions, the fact remains that it wasmyface they saw and feared, not Vairik’s.”
Liam hummed. “So no matter what, justice will never be served.”
“The cycle will end. That will have to be enough. If we all survive this, some may accept me, many won’t. It’s something I’ll simply have to live with.”
“If they choose to ignore the truth, they’ll be revolting against their king.”
Rion swirled the contents in his glass. “While I plan to stand at Arianna’s side if she allows, I have no intention of wearing a crown. She will make the decisions. There will be those who wish to live apart from our kingdom because of me. I only ask that they be allowed to do so. They shouldn’t have to suffer any more than they already have.”
Liam smirked. “You know, you’re not all that different from the eight-year-old boy who defended those who stole from him.”
Rion smiled at the memory. “It wasn’t like I was going to eat it anyway.”
“Principle,” Liam said. “They weren’t hungry, they only did it because of your title.”
“And you eventually paid them back, despite me asking you not to.” Rion smirked, remembering the younglings’ expressions when they’d emerged from the showers with blue hair.
“It’s what I want to do now. Even to myself.”
“Don’t,” Rion said. “Self-pity isn’t going to help us win the war.”
Liam finally set his glass on the table. “If we win, could things change between us, could we—” he let the words die. Liam interlaced his fingers, squeezing the joints.
“I’d say they’re already changing. Just don’t get yourself killed in the catacombs.”
Liam scoffed at that. “You’re not the only one with a reputation.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Arianna
Arianna stood staring down at her little sister, who lay in a fluffy bed with white sheets and a nice pillow, with a vase full of flowers on either side. The healers had cleaned her up, given her new clothes, and had been monitoring her condition since her arrival. Ellie was safe here, safer than she’d been in a long time, and yet her sister’s brows were pinched as if she were in pain.
Arianna’s mouth had gone dry the moment she’d walked through the door. She’d watched Sive cross the room and place her palm over Ellie’s forehead. Ellie had moaned, her lips twisting into a grimace. Arianna had nearly intervened, but instead, she’d settled at Ellie’s other side and taken her sister’s free hand.
