Don’t do it.
It’d be all kinds of stupid. But it was so tempting.
“Xaydin!” Robslin grabbed him into a tight hug.
It took everything he had not to protest or shove the huge troll beast away from him. With jet-black hair and dark skin that held a hint of green, Robslin was almost as tall as he was.
“Cousin.” Xaydin pounded him on the back hard enough that it finally caused the shorter troll to release him. “What are you doing here?”
“We were passing by when we caught word there were humans about. Wanted to see who dared such. Should have known it was you, but this isn’t your usual haunt.”
True. He stayed up north, unless he was traveling to Oath Island and even then, he stayed in the east. He rarely ever ventured to the west.
“Now you can set your mind at ease. No humans for you to chase or expel.”
Laughing, Rob hit him so hard on the arm that it actually hurt.
Xaydin grimaced, then forced a smile so as not to offend his cousin. Rob wasn’t trying to be an ass. He simply wasn’t the brightest spark in the fire. Rather his bundle was shy a few logs.
“Won’t you join us for a drink?” Rob asked.
I would rather have my eyes gouged out and eaten.
Sighing, he offered his cousin a smile. “Of course.”
He followed Rob over to where twelve uniformed trolls sat. Dressed in the red-and-green armor of the royal guard, they were remarkably subdued.
That set his nerves on edge. It wasn’t like a group of trolls to be so quiet. Especially not a royal patrol.
“What’s going on?” he asked Rob as they sat down at the head of the table.
Rob shook his head. “Guess you haven’t heard.”
“Heard what?”
“My father’s ill.”
Xaydin wasn’t sure how to handle that news. On the one hand, he felt bad for his cousin. But this was the bastard who’d helped kill his father and who ruled their people through his idiot brother. “How bad is it?”
Rob glanced over to his second in command. “They don’t think he’ll live.”
He grimaced at the news. While he hated his uncle, he didn’t really wish him dead. Before Gregun had decided to kill Xaydin’s father, he’d loved his uncle. That was why the betrayal had cut so deep.
All his personal feelings aside, he wished he knew the words to comfort his cousin. “Sorry.”
“Thank you.” Rob leaned back as a server brought them two tankards of ale. “And I should probably let you know that your brother wants you taken into custody.”
That was completely unexpected. “Wait…what?”
He nodded. “Zagrun’s afraid you’ll be after the throne once my father dies.”
Xaydin rolled his eyes. “If I wanted the throne, I wouldn’t have to wait for your father or my brother to die. I’d take it and kick their asses into a dungeon.”
“I tried to tell them. No one listens to me.”
Xaydin folded his arms over his chest. “Is that why you’re here?”
“God, no. This really was a happy accident while we were traveling through to the capital. As far as we’re all concerned, we didn’t see anything. Did we, boys?”
