‘I didn’t expect to come to care about you,’ Hal continues. ‘Not like this. Because I do, Blaze. I do care about you. I trust you. You’re … you’re my friend.’
I run my finger along the swirling wave pattern stitched into the cushion. ‘Tell me about Elva. How did things even start between the two of you, anyway? You know, seeing as she’s a serf and you’re theCrown Prince of Ostacre.’
Hal almost smiles. ‘Two years ago my father was hosting a banquet for the royal families of Thaven and Vost who were here at court discussing potential new trade routes.’
‘Fascinating,’ I say dryly.
‘At this banquet,’ he continues, ‘the serfs were pouring wine during the King of Thaven’s speech. I was sitting next to my cousin, Princess Lira of Vost. She had on a white dress, and this serf – he can’t have been much older than eleven or twelve – he was shaking so badly that he spilled red wine all over Lira’s gown, and Lira justlost it, screaming and shouting, demanding that the serf responsible be punished.’
I raise an eyebrow. ‘She sounds delightful.’
Hal grimaces. ‘She’s unbearable. Anyway, during all the commotion, I noticed this girl.’ His expression changes then, his voice following suit. ‘A serf. I watched as she quickly swapped the tray she was carrying with the boy’s jug of wine. When Lira rounded on him, the girl stepped forward. She claimed it was she who had spilled the wine, and held out the jug to prove it. She said she would take any punishmentLira deemed appropriate.’ Hal sucks in a breath. ‘Elva was sentenced to twenty lashes to be carried out immediately.’
My skin grows cold.
‘The next time I saw her, she could barely move without wincing. Her back … it …’ He trails off, and for a moment I think he might cry, or stab something. ‘She took the blame, took awhipping, all to protect that boy. After that, I found myself … looking for her. Through every crowd, across every room, sometimes without even meaning to.’ Hal’s face softens. ‘I’ve been unable to look away ever since.’
I feel a twinge inside my chest.
‘The first time I worked up the courage to speak to her, she was terrified,’ he continues. ‘It took weeks for her to say more than a few words to me. I remember the day she told me her name. I remember the first time I saw her smile.’ He smiles then, gently. ‘One time I found her admiring some roses, so I left one for her in her room. She had to hide the thing under her bedroll in case she got accused of stealing from the palace gardens. But then I … I found a way to give her a dozen roses, every day.’
I drop my gaze. All those bunches of golden roses delivered to my chambers – they weren’t really for me.
‘I’ve never felt this way before, Blaze. About anyone. And last night when I thought I might lose her …’ Hal swallows. ‘I can’t be without her. I can’t. But I also can’tbe withher. Every time we’re together, I’m putting her in danger. Fox was right about the need to be discreet, but sometimes I just feel souseless. If I were to do so much as insist that her duties be lessened, or saw to it that she receives more food, questions would be asked.’ He shakeshis head. ‘Just think of what they’d say. The Crown Prince, in love with a serf.’
‘Could you … set her free?’ I ask tentatively.
‘Serfs are never set free,’ Hal says dully. ‘I’ve thought about smuggling her out, but she’d only be hunted down, and how could she possibly defend herself?’
I bite my tongue. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know that Elva is Fidra no longer. He doesn’t know that she is now a Mage.
Hal gets to his feet, moving across to the window again. ‘I can’t jeopardize the treaty with Thaven,’ he says. ‘Wars have been started over less. As for Mirade … what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.’
His words sting and I feel some of my bitterness return.
My voice is barely more than a whisper. ‘Why did you kiss me?’
Hal takes a breath. ‘Because if I hadn’t, you would have wondered why.’
If guilt had a face, I’d be looking at it.
I move across to join him by the window. ‘You know, if you’d just been honest from the start and asked me to play pretend with you to fool the courts, I would have.’
Hal smiles sadly. ‘Remind me never to underestimate you again.’
The final week before the third trial passes at lightning speed. I train from dawn until dusk, mostly with Queen Hydra, sometimes with River. Every day I feel myself getting stronger, my reflexes faster, and every night I collapse intobed, exhausted. Yet I often lie awake, replaying that night in the Earth Cleaver’s chambers over and over in my mind.
I’m not sure what to make of this peculiar new alliance between us. I’m not sure what to make of him at all.
How can a boy who ripped apart the realm, who is responsible for the deaths of thousands, who they call destruction itself, be aHealer, of all things? Why would the Prince of Slavers save the life of a serf? That is, if he’s even a slaver at all.
I hear his voice in my head.
We all have our roles to play.
As for Elva, since coming to, she has spent the last few days recuperating, quarantined with an alleged bout of flu. Only Fox and I know the truth about her condition, since the potion he used to knock out Hal was so strong that the prince’s recollection of events is hazy at best, and he doesn’t appear to remember the way Elva’s eyes had glowed in the darkness.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. That the magic of her ancestors has been returned to her. ThatIwas the one who returned it, with the very talisman that took it away all those years ago. Syla’s Eye – the secret weapon used to win the War of the Empires.
