Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
I’m on my own. As always. And I will take care of myself.
Chapter 13
Kyran
Inever thought the moment of my triumph would come, but here I am, standing in front of the whole court and about to ascend to a position I deserve despite it not being mine by right.
I’m almost surprised nobody has cast any doubts on who I am yet, because while I’ve been watching my twin all my life, I am not going out of my way to repeat his philandering ways. With a bit of luck, everyone might assume I’ve changed my ways out of love. Then again, sometimes I did take on the court duties he didn’t want to deal with, so he might not have seemed as lazy as he was.
But as I stand at the top of the steps leading up to the onyx thrones meant for me and my Companion, the earlier silence transforms into a storm of whispers as the courtiers notice that Luke is late.
Wiser Gelert clears his throat and adjusts the Sunstag headdress worn as the symbol of his authority over magic. So far, he’s been avoiding me with the same passion I avoid him. It’s no secret the old mage does not think highly of his prince’s conduct, but maybe he too will believe that even a wastrel like Kyranis Nightweed is capable of changing his ways.
But at the end of the day, his opinion doesn’t matter. I am the one who can take on Heartbreak, and he shall do his duty and oversee the sacred rite that binds me to Luke for good.
I glance at the midnight blue rose resting on the altar between me and where my promised should be standing by now. It has a silvery sheen from the moonlight coming in through stained glass windows. During the ceremony, I will squeeze the razor-sharp thorns on the stem, and Luke will put his hand over mine as a symbol of me always taking the burden first before reaching for his help.
But I can’t be his cushion if he’s not here.
As my personal guard, Tristan stands at the bottom of the steps in steel armor with red decoration in the shape of seaweed. He’s not wearing the human hat at least, but I don’t like that he keeps shifting his weight from side to side and glancing at the door.
Something’s wrong. I feel it in my bones.
And yet, nobody dares to question this situation, not until I address it myself, and I refuse to, so we’re all locked in limbo until my Companion chooses to—
My heart leaps when the grand door on the other side of the throne room cracks open, but my relief turns to fear when Reiner’s face flashes in the gap.
For a moment, everything around me blurs, but I catch myself in time as Tristan marches between the aisles of nobles, to find out what’s going on. I barely restrain myself from rushing there too, because what if Luke was attacked, or became unwell, but abandoning my post now would be in bad taste, so I focus on my redheaded cousin as if he were my last hope.
Whatever light was left in my heart dims when Tristan faces me, shakes his head and mouths, He’s gone.
For a moment I wonder how my arrogant brother would respond to this, and he would definitely not face this humiliation with apologies. That’s something I won’t be doing either.
Reiner whispers to the wiser while I turn around and walk off with a swish of my cape. I’m finding out what’s going on right the fuck now, but without witnesses.
I don’t even have to urge Tristan. He follows me through the side door, as does Reiner, and I hear Wiser Gelert apologizing for the delay.
Only once we reach a private room down the corridor, the one where I was preparing for what was supposed to be the most glorious day of my life, do I turn to my guard and servant.
My shadow buzzes, as if it were struck by lightning, and I lash it against Reiner’s face. “Where. Is. He?” I roar, stepping toward him so fast he stumbles and falls on the floor, pale and sweaty like a man about to die.
“Elodie and Vinia Goldweed came and told me the spare Sanctuary key was lost, and I’m the only one who knew how to deal with the situation. I—”
“You left him on his own?” tears out of me as rage licks my insides, charring them to a crisp. My promised might be anywhere, even dead, and all because of a servant’s incompetence!
“W-with Vinia,” Reiner mumbles, and Tristan whistles, shaking his head in shock.
“You know the Goldweeds are your master’s rivals.”
“But she’s so young. I didn’t think—”
I push over a fine glass statue depicting a mermaid, and it crumbles into shards as it hits the floor.