Amos’s eyes flicked between hers. “No. You’d live in the mountain region of the Human Kingdom with her. It’s not far from here, actually. Maybe a half-day’s ride.”
Her lips parted. “You want to send me to the Human Kingdom? What about my family?”
She felt his guilt and reluctance. “Sending you away is the last thing I want to do, but when my mother died, I swore to her I would protect my sister, and as Amelia gets older, she’ll need more protection. As for your family, I told them they could move with you if they wanted.”
They couldn’t. The Hydra needed Ruth and Rainer, who was like an honorary brother to Clover. Her father had a ranch to run. Her brother Nathaniel and his wife, Franny, owned a bakery in town.
Amos watched her, waiting for an answer. She’d always wanted to be a great warrior in the Hydra; to make a difference. Girls her age didn’t get important assignments like this, and here was the future king, asking her to protect his sister. She’d be a fool to turn it down.
Straightening her shoulders, she met his gaze head on. “I’ll do it.”
Surprise, relief, and remorse flooded her chest before dying down as she watched the prince regain his composure. “Thank you, Clover. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Why do you feel bad?” she asked, tapping her chest.
His lips pressed into a thin line. “I hate that I’ve had to ask this of you.”
“It’s not like you’re forcing me,” she pointed out. “You asked nicely.”
He snorted, his eyes brightening. “I wish we could spend time together.” Red crept into his cheeks. “I mean, so we can get to know each other since we’re mates.”
Clover bit back a smile. “We’ll have plenty of time when I’m back.” His face fell and alarm bells went off in her head. “How long is the assignment?”
Amos avoided her gaze. “I don’t know.”
The words sat between them like a heavy weight. “If I decide to come home early, can I?”
Amos swallowed hard and nodded, but Clover couldn’t help feel like she was missing something.
ONE WEEK LATER
Amos held his arms up to protect his face as his father’s whip cracked across his forearms. It felt like fire blazing across every inch the leather touched, and when he cried out, his father lashed harder.
Unable to stand the pain in his arms, he spun away and fell flat in the dirt as the whip cracked across his back. The king didn’t yell as he dealt out the punishment for Amos’ heinous crime of disappearing and leaving only a short note with no mention of his whereabouts.
Amos stared into the darkness, unseeing, as a piece of his soul chipped away and blew into the wind with every strike. His father had forced him out behind the palace walls at the base of a large plateau where no one would see.
The cold dirt dug into Amos’ cheek, but he barely felt it. Every lash seared a new memory into his skin, and for a moment, he wondered what he’d done to the gods to deserve this.
The fabric of his shredded shirt stuck to the open wounds on his back, and briefly, he wondered if it would embed itself there permanently. Tears tracked down his cheeks against his will, and black spots danced in front of his eyes.
He thought he’d passed out, but he couldn’t be sure.
Finally, his father lowered the whip to his side, chest heaving as he looked at his son with blatant disgust. “You do not disrespect me again. Do you understand?”
Amos knew he should respond, but the pain paralyzed him. Another crack. Another flash of pain. “Do you understand?”
Somehow, Amos managed a nod.
“Good,” his father snarled. Without another word, the king left, disappearing around the massive stone wall that protected the palace from attacks.
Amos fought the quiver in his lip. If he cried, it might jostle his body, and the thought terrified him.
He didn’t know how long he had lain there wishing for death, but eventually a familiar voice cried out and footsteps hurried toward him. “What has he done?”
Alice crouched beside him, staring at him with tears of her own. “Baby boy,” she whispered, her voice breaking. The endearment reminded him of his mother. She and Alice called him that as a small child.
Mother.
