“Well,” Taegan said slowly, unsure if he wanted to bring it up now, of all times. “Your mother did say it was a human... Perhaps he had some ability for magic, and now it’s been passed down to you?”
Zorvut frowned, the thought clearly still distasteful to him. It was too soon for such a suggestion after all, but he couldn’t take it back now. “I suppose that’s the most likely possibility,” he agreed, sighing. “But, well... It’s still the least of our concerns for today, I think. Maybe we can investigate later.”
“Later,” Taegan conceded with a nod. Hopefully, he thought, therewouldbe a later.
Chapter Fifteen
Acoldnumbnesshadfallen over him for the remainder of their journey, but as the silhouette of the castle became visible in the sky, streaked with the colors of sunset, a bolt of anxiety burst through Taegan’s heart. For all his brave words back at the village, it was still entirely possible the king would deny him entry. Part of him did not truly think his father would turn them away, but it seemed there was little he could rely on as the truth anymore.
Evidently, Zorvut did not need the bond to sense his mounting nervousness. He and Graksh’t were a few paces ahead of him, as the little paint horse had a smaller stride and seemed nervous when she was very close to the much larger stallion. But he slowed enough to trot alongside Taegan as the castle came into view.
“Taegan,” he said in a low voice. “Just... no matter what happens, we’ll be together.”
“We will,” Taegan agreed, nodding. That, at least, he could be sure was the truth.
As they approached the gates, he could see the guards jump in surprise as they recognized him. They seemed to hesitate, then one hurried away, heading into the guard tower adjoining the gate. Another began to walk toward them, a worried expression on his face.
“Prince Taegan,” he said, nodding politely at him, before hesitating and also bowing his head toward Zorvut. “And Prince Zorvut. Welcome.”
That seemed like a good sign, if nothing else. Taegan glanced at Zorvut, who appeared to think the same thing, and nodded as well.
“The King requested that if we were to see you, to send you on to him immediately,” the guard continued. He walked quickly alongside their horses now as they drew closer to the gate of the city. His eyes had lingered on Pippy, recognizing that it was not the same horse Taegan had left the city on, but he continued to walk with them without commenting on it. “He was, ah, quite insistent, my prince.”
“Good thing I already planned to do so,” Taegan replied, as the gates swung open before them. The guard seemed nervous and distressed at the sight of them, but not in the manner Taegan would have expected. Whatever that meant, he was uncertain.
There was a strange disquiet to the streets as they made their way uphill toward the castle walls. The townsfolk were out and about, but some of the bustle of the city seemed to be lacking somehow—or perhaps they just fell quiet when they saw Taegan and Zorvut approach. He could feel their eyes following him, but no one called out or raised their hand in greeting.
This time, as they reached the castle gates, they were already open and the guard standing watch ushered them through. One of the guards on the wall must have gone ahead to announce their arrival. The moment they were on the castle grounds, though, the gate began to close behind them, and two stable hands approached to take their horses.
“You didn’t take Moonlight, my prince?” one asked in confusion as Taegan dismounted from the paint horse. He winced, and he could see Zorvut flinch out of the corner of his eye as well.
“I did,” he replied, and the stable hand immediately reddened, looking away in embarrassment as he seemed to grasp the situation. “Tomorrow, please have this horse returned to a girl named Elincia in Pondshear, along with a hundred gold pieces for her trouble.”
“Yes, my prince,” he stammered, still unable to meet Taegan’s gaze.
Once the horses had been taken away, all that was left to enter the castle.
“Seems like only good omens so far,” Zorvut said quietly as they started up the stone steps to the main entrance.
“It does,” Taegan agreed. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, though.” Zorvut touched the small of his back gingerly from below him on the steps, a reassuring gesture.
When they arrived in the foyer, a servant was already walking up to them.
“King Ruven is in the throne room, Prince Taegan,” she said, quiet but urgent, her eyes trained carefully on the ground.
“Let’s go, then,” Taegan said, gripping Zorvut’s hand. He squeezed back, and for a brief moment, his anxiety was quelled.
Together they walked down the right-hand hallway to the throne room; the door was closed, but did not look like it was locked. Taegan glanced at Zorvut, who nodded, before taking a deep breath and pushing the door open.
Inside, King Ruven was sitting atop the alabaster throne, a handful of other elves standing around him. Taegan recognized some as local nobles, generals in the army, and advisors—there had been a quiet murmur of conversation that fell silent as the door opened. Ruven’s head snapped in the door’s direction, and he immediately stood when he caught sight of them.
“Taegan!” he exclaimed, and the crowd parted as he leapt down from the raised platform and walked—no,ran—toward Taegan.
“Father,” Taegan stammered, his eyes wide, hardly able to react before the king threw his arms around him, pressing them together tightly.
“I was so worried,” his voice came, muffled against Taegan’s shoulder. “My son. My son. I was so worried about you.”
“I’m sorry to have frightened you,” Taegan replied softly, and lifted his arms to hug his father back. Part of him had known the king surely would not have cast them out. It had been drowned out by his uncertainty and fear, but now all his anxiety had melted away.
