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After a moment, I realized nothing happened, and I slowly relaxed against him. His grip on me loosened and his arms dropped to his sides. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. For a moment, our eyes met. His gold eyes were so bright that they almost seemed to glow.
“Who hurt you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The surrounding air shifted into something heavy. His magic prickled over my skin. It was everywhere, seeping into the cracks and crevices of my body, trying to find a way inside.
I swallowed hard and shook my head. “No one.” I swallowed. “I just… you are a large man and your presence is… overwhelming.”
It was true, Prince Maedras was a large man. He was at least two heads taller than me, and his arms were thick and muscular. If he hit me, it would hurt. A lot.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice still soft. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He took a step back from me, and my body relaxed. The wall was no longer pressing into my back and I could breathe again.
“It’s okay.” I took a deep breath to steady myself. “I’m just a little jumpy, that’s all.”
He nodded and turned his head, but not before I saw the pain in his eyes. It was only there for a split second, but it was enough to make my heart ache.
“You frustrate me, but I would never hurt you.” His voice was so low that I could barely hear him. “I gave you my word.”
The sound of my heart pulsed in my ears as I took in his words. He had given me his word. “Words are just words,” I said, trying to keep my voice from trembling. “They mean nothing.”
His words meant nothing. He didn’t keep his promises. He had proven that to me multiple times. What happened to not using me as a tool in his games? All he did was play mind games with me. Charm me one second and ignore me the next. I was done with his games. I was done with him.
He turned back to look at me. “You’re wrong. Words are everything. They are what define us. And unlike you, I don’t break my promises.”
My body turned tense. “What does that mean?”
“It means that you are self-centered and make idle promises that you have no intention of keeping,” he hissed. “I am a man of my word. When I give my word, it is as good as gold.”
“That’s not true!” I protested, but he just shook his head. “When have I ever broken my word to you?”
“When you said you would be my partner. That you would try,” he said, his voice heavy with anger. “I thought you meant it, but you didn’t.”
That pissed me off, and I took a step toward him, getting right in his face. “I’m trying!” My voice trembled with anger as I hissed. “I tried so hard and I still do, but you just don’t see it!”
He looked away from me and his fists clenched at his side. “You’re right,” he said, his voice tight. “I don’t see it. Maybe I’m just a stupid man, but I can’t see what you’re trying to show me.”
“My projects, my work, it’s all for the good of Manzimor!” I shouted, desperation and anger warring inside of me. “I do it for the good of the people!”
“The House of Finardsil and the Eternal Court are the same entity. We share the same power,” he snapped. “A court you have ignored, despite many requests.”
My breath caught in my throat, and I staggered back, away from him. Confusion and hurt warred inside of me, but I couldn’t deny the truth of his words. I had been so focused on my work that I had neglected the Eternal Court. More than I planned to. But I didn’t understand why he was so upset about it.
“You see?” he said, his voice gentler now. “You’re so wrapped up in your little world that you don’t see what’s happening around you. You’re not the only one who cares about this kingdom. Remember that.”
I swallowed hard. “The common people are the backbone of this kingdom. They are the ones who make it what it is.”
His smile turned strangely tender. “And what is Manzimor?”
I hesitated, not sure how to answer him. Manzimor was a kingdom, but it was also so much more than that. It was my home, the place I had grown up in. To a Midarian the answer was straightforward. It was the people, the land, and its magic.
But what was Manzimor to the Elves of the Eternal Court? Gilded halls and ancient magic? Political games and intrigue? I didn’t know, but I desperately wanted to.
“Manzimor is my home.” I pressed my lips into a thin line. “It’s where I belong. It’s the roaring waterfalls and snow-capped mountains in the north, and deserts in the south. The smell of baking bread and the sound of laughter. It’s my family and friends. It’s everything to me.” I clenched my hands. “The people who are strong and hardworking. They’re the ones who make this kingdom what it is. Manzimor is my home and I love it.”
He was silent for a long moment, just studying me. And then he nodded as if he finally understood something. “I see,” he breathed. “I think I understand now. Manzimor is that and more. That is why I will do whatever it takes to protect it.”
His words hurt me more than I wanted to admit. I turned away from him, not wanting him to see the tears in my eyes. “You’re wrong,” I said, my voice shaking. “I care about Manzimor. I care about it more than anything.”
