I close my eyes as the images play across my mind. Did Ezryn even realize I was there? I was nothing then, not a High Prince, just Damocles’ escort. “It was Ez’s coronation, decades ago. Rosie, his mother … She died passing her Blessing on to Ez.”
“It’s a dangerous thing, for the living to move the Blessing to another,” Eldy says. “The realms celebrated when Niamh’s passing to High Prince Farron went so smoothly.”
Rosalina’s gaze is intent on Ezryn. “He never speaks of his mother. I wonder if he feels responsible.”
“He shouldn’t. Isidora knew what she was doing. She was the brightest and bravest lady one could ever know.” Tears streak down Marigold’s face and she quickly wipes them away.
I wrap an arm around Marigold and pull her tight against me in a half-hug. I know she served Princess Isidora directly. “You know how Ez is, Rose. Even if he doesn’t blame himself—”
Her eyes drift over to Kairyn. “His brother does.”
“Look at you, High Prince,” Kairyn says, a haunting rasp. “High Prince of what? Of a realm you abandoned? A father you left a widower? You should be on your knees, begging me to take the realm off your hands!”
Ezryn lifts his chin. “It’s time for you to leave, Kairyn.”
Kairyn’s voice sounds like a snake’s hiss. “You stand there so certain, so still. You think you can fool them like you’ve fooled the rest of the staff.” He gestures to his acolytes. “But you can’t fool me. I see it in you. Therage. You want to kill me, don’t you, brother?”
“If I wanted to kill you,” Ezryn says so low I can barely make it out, “you’d be dead.”
Kairyn throws his helm back and laughs. “And there it is! My brother, at heart, a beast.”
At that, Ezryn steps into Kairyn’s path, stopping his incessant pacing. “What did you call me?”
“I am not afraid of beasts. Name me steward. Let me show you the true potential of Spring.”
“A deserving steward would not allow Spring steel to come into the hands of our enemy,” Ezryn growls.
Kairyn stills, then flashes a quick glance behind him at the acolytes. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I will continue to eliminate all threats to our resources. Name me steward and see Spring to glory!”
Rosie turns around and catches my gaze, her eyes frightened. “What happened at his coronation, Day?”
I suck in a breath. “Kairyn accused Ezryn of the murder of Isidora, and then invoked the Rite, challenging him for the throne.”
I’d thought in that moment Ezryn might hand it over. There had been such a sadness to him, a despair unlike anything I’d ever seen. “Ezryn seemed to consider just abdicating the throne to his brother, but Kel’s father, High Prince Erivor, told him Kairyn was unfit to wield the Blessing of Spring. So, Ezryn chose to fight.”
“Ezryn defeated him easily,” Marigold continues my story. “As is custom within the royal family, Ezryn had the right to unhelm Kairyn for his insolence.”
“Unhelm…” Rosie whispers.
“The most shameful and dishonorable punishment imaginable for a member of Spring’s royal family.” Eldy’s voice trembles as he speaks. “A fate worse than even death.”
“But Kairyn still wears his helmet,” Rosie says.
“Ezryn couldn’t do it, not even to the man who accused him of killing his own mother,” I say back. “So, he banished him to servitude at the monastery instead.”
Eldy nods. “A most merciful act.”
Rosie turns back to the translucent wall, lip quivering. “But if Kairyn challenges Ez to the Rite and wins—”
Before us, Ezryn turns his back to Kairyn and begins walking up the stairs to the throne. “You willneverbe my steward.”
Kairyn lets out a howl of rage. One of his acolytes leaps forward—the blue-eyed woman who spoke earlier. “Sire, don’t!”
He shoves her out of the way and screams: “I challenge you to the—”
Before he can finish the words, Ezryn turns and surges at his brother. In a feat of raw strength, he lifts Kairyn up and slams him on to his back. In the same fluid movement, he draws his sword, Windscythe, and holds it to Kairyn’s neck.
“Do notchallenge me,” he growls, a voice more wolf than man. “Neverchallenge me again.”
