Blame me. Condemn me. Let me bear it all.
“You rape our princess, then come here–”
The steel door of Greaves’ cell shuddered with the impact of his shoulder. A rider turned, blade half-drawn, snarl sharp.
“I’veneverforced myself on a woman.” The words snapped out too fast, and I cursed myself. I knew better than to rise to their bait.
The scribe’s lip curled. “And yet your late queen claimed otherwise.”
Bile crept up my throat, and I forced my expression into neutrality. Of course they discovered that accusation. Eldeiade never kept her venom quiet.
I turned away and lowered myself to the floor beside the cot, my knees barking in protest.
“You’ll be summoned within the hour,” the scribe said. “The record of your death will be sent to your people.” His voice dripped with mockery, and I kept my head bowed.
“And you,” he added to Greaves, “almost as beastly as your king. Will you return to your ship? Or face your end in dragonfire?”
“I go where my king goes,” Greaves rasped.
“Then you shall die with him.”
“So be it.”
After a scoff, the scuffle of boots pounded against stone, fading down the corridor.
Guilt gnawed at my conscience, thrashing alongside the gratitude knotting my chest. I mourned what he would lose, but there was no point demanding he leave. He might call me King, but he’d pledge Nyryn’s vengeance oath without blinking an eye if it kept him at my side.
“Kal.” His tone was flat. Resigned. Frustrated.
“You’ll have to watch.” I didn’t say it cruelly. He knew as well as I did—they’d never take me without a fight from him.
“They’ll need to hold me back.”
“They will.” You don’t lie to a man who’s shared your battles.
A low, choked sound echoed through the corridor. Then the thud of flesh hitting stone.
“I shouldn’t have let it go that far,” he said.
A smile ghosted across my lips.Greaves, letting anything slide? “I recall you dumping cold water on me and pointing out my gray hairs.”
“You have no business dueling at your age. You’re too old for this nonsense.”
I snorted. “You’ve gone soft. Is your spine giving way?”
He laughed, short and bitter. Then fell silent. I closed my eyes and reached for the thread that bound me to Elohios.
“To the end,” he said, voice soft.
A goodbye.
“To the end, good friend.”
Cold light caught on the mantle laid across the stained cot.
“We will have it returned to your people.” The rider’s tone took on an air of respect.
“See that you do.”
