“I still think talking to his mother might be the best way,” Anya says. “If we get her alone...”
“From what I’ve heard, they don’t listen to women there. We’ll be lucky if we even get to say a word to the king. It sounds like women there are seen and not heard.”
“What if she doesn’t want it to be that way? What if that can work to our advantage?” Anya braces herself as the carriage begins to rumble and I lean back against the seat.
We’re moving again, another day closer to meeting Ludis’s parents and I’m still not sure about anything.
Caiden walks on my right, playing the role of my husband. I tense, not playing, heismy husband. On my other side, Anya keeps pace with us. Her emerald green cloak covers most of her, and I keep the hood of my navy cloak low around my face. It makes me feel a little better despite the fact that it’s unlikely anyone would recognize us. Even Caiden in his riding clothes looks the part of a weary traveler. His usually clean-shaven face is covered by a short beard that I hate to admit, makes him more handsome.
The village is small, reminding me of the one we visited on our way to the winter palace. The one Caiden and Brevan turned into a ghost town. And for what? To find relics they didn’t need?
To find relics Brevan was looking for? Or something else? Why was any of that necessary? Or was it simply done to show me they could. I shudder at the thought. If it was my fault…there’s already so much blood on my hands. I might as well accept that it’s possible that entire village is gone because of me.
The tavern is crowded. Boisterous laughter filters into the street, tempting me with a vision of how my life might have been. If not for Ludis, I’d be living in the city, working a regular job. I might have a normal life. Well, if I hadn’t gotten into trouble in my mourning.
A rush of grief makes my limbs suddenly heavy and my chest tight. I miss my brothers so fucking much. In the rare moments I allow myself to recall their faces or the way they’d tease me or how they’d bring my mother her favorite tea and she never asked where it came from. She knew full well they stole it, but even she couldn’t scold them because she knew it came from a place of such love.
I can’t think of them. Of her. Of my father. For a moment, his face flashes into my mind, but it’s blurry, the details fading. I’m not sure if the way he looks in my memory is even how he appeared. He’s been gone the longest, and now that I’m all that’s left, there’s nobody else to remember him with me.
“Taylan,” Caiden bites out.
He’s looking at my feet and I follow his gaze, then suck in a breath. Dark shadows swirl around my feet. I summon them back to me and thankfully, they’re quick to subside.
“Do I need to take you back to the camp?” he asks.
“No, it won’t happen again.” I’m about to say something else, but I lose whatever it was when I see Ludis.
I glare at him as he saunters toward the tavern. It’s the first time I’ve seen him since we left the winter estate and I think the time away from him reminded me of how much I despise him.
He can not inherit the throne.
Gods, I hope his father kills him.
“Tay, get it together,” Anya warns.
Fuck.The shadows are back. I steady my breathing and the shadows dissipate.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Anya whispers.
“We should go,” Caiden grabs my arm and stops my progress, then he follows my gaze and notices Ludis. His jaw tenses and his fingers dig into my arm.
“Ouch.” I pull my arm from Caiden.
“Sorry,” he says.
“Why are you so upset seeing him? You’re the one who wanted to befriend him and join him and rule alongside him,” I say.
“You do know you’re not privy to all my plans.” Caiden adjusts the collar of his shirt.
“Because you won’t tell me anything,” I point out.
“Are we staying or leaving?” Caiden asks.
“Staying,” Anya and I say at the same time.
“Well, let’s get something to eat quickly. I don’t want you two around all those drunks for longer than necessary.” His prior good mood is completely gone.
Mine is too. “You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?”
